• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Blog
    • Categories
  • About Me
  • Privacy
  • Disclosure
  • FREE eBook
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • Welcome To My Repurposed Life Home of Repurposed Furniture
    • My Repurposed Life™
    • More About Gail
    • MRL On Etsy
    • My Favorite Products
    • Q & A submit your projects here!
    • FAQs
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Information
  • Archives
    • Projects by Category
  • Photo Gallery
    • Repurposed Items
    • Repurposed Furniture
    • build it
    • DIY
    • crafts
  • DIY
  • Podcast
    • Episodes
    • Be Our Guest
  • Partner
    • Guest Posting At MRL
You are here: Home / DIY / Reupholster Rocking Chair

August 23, 2011 By Gail Wilson 24 Comments

Reupholster Rocking Chair

Tweet
Share
Pin
+1
Stumble
Shares 1

Yesterday, I showed you how to repair and stain an antique rocking chair.

100_9552

101_0021

Today, I’m going to show you how to  reupholster rocking chair.

MY LATEST VIDEOS

101_0034[3]

I used the seat to make a pattern to cut the foam.

101_0038[3]

Using a serrated knife is really the only way to cut foam. (a lot of people used electric knives, but I don’t own one)

101_0042[3]

101_0045[3]

101_0050[3]

This is where it gets a little funny. Jan and I both thought the front board should be covered up because it was in such bad shape.

101_0055[3]

I sent Jan these photos to see which way she’d prefer the front board to be covered.

100_9183[3]

We both agreed that it would look better to cover the skirt individually and then the cushion separate. You can see some cotton batting in the left corner. I don’t have pictures, but I put the cotton batting over the foam cushion.

100_9184[3]

This chair is huge, and it about whooped my behind! I was so sore from crawling around the living room floor.

100_9185[3]

100_9186[3]

I pulled and tugged on that leather so much. I don’t have any “in progress” pictures. If you’ve ever battled with something like this before, you know that you get so caught up in the “fight” that you forget to pick up your camera till it’s almost over.

Not pictured – To attach the seat to the skirt, I used 4 “L” brackets, one on each of the four sides.

100_9376[3]

This chair is so large and wide that it was nearly impossible for me to move it around by myself. It’s so wide, that it wouldn’t fit through the bedroom door without turning it over on it’s side.  Jan and her husband really love their new chair.

EDITED TO ADD: (Jan’s comment from below)

Hubby loves, loves, loves this chair. A little story about the leather. Hubby had bought it to reupholster a Dukes of Hazard car he had purchased 25 years ago. Unfortunately, the car was stolen last year and all hubby had left of it was this leather.
So this rocker really means a lot to him.

gail

You May Also Like

  • antique rocker makeoverantique rocker makeover
  • antique cane chair makeover with upholstered seatantique cane chair makeover with upholstered seat
  • Jamie’s Vintage Rocking Chair MakeoverJamie’s Vintage Rocking Chair Makeover
  • Stenciled Grain Sack Chair SeatStenciled Grain Sack Chair Seat
  • Guest Post—Frou FruGal Upholstered ChairGuest Post—Frou FruGal Upholstered Chair
  • How to Upholster ChairsHow to Upholster Chairs
  • Easy Slipcover for chairEasy Slipcover for chair
  • How to Reupholster an Office Chair {guest post}How to Reupholster an Office Chair {guest post}
Tweet
Share
Pin
+1
Stumble
Shares 1

Click HERE to search for Repurposed Furniture Projects

Filed Under: DIY Tagged With: 2011, chair, rocker, upholster

ABOUT GAIL WILSON - A teacher at heart, Gail Wilson relishes the chance not to show off her projects, but to help others find their inner handywoman, step-by-step. Her blog, MyRepurposedLife.com, chronicles her scrap-saving adventures and has been featured on countless DIY magazines and websites, including Women’s Day, Design*Sponge and Apartment Therapy. She is a longtime influencer for both Homeright and Gorrilla Glue. With a tribe of more than 450,000 followers, Gail is inspiring a new generation of DIYers to pick up some tools and get to work.

Shop Amazon!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. C says

    March 20, 2013 at 2:14 am

    You did it again! Looks awesome 🙂

    Reply
  2. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says

    August 31, 2011 at 12:29 am

    that looks to me kind of like an intimidating project, but you make it look so easy!

    Reply
  3. Cassie @ Primitive & Proper says

    August 31, 2011 at 12:29 am

    that looks to me kind of like an intimidating project, but you make it look so easy!

    Reply
  4. Full Circle Creations says

    August 26, 2011 at 2:00 pm

    Love it!

    Holly

    Reply
  5. Full Circle Creations says

    August 26, 2011 at 2:00 pm

    Love it!

    Holly

    Reply
  6. Emmabearscloset says

    August 25, 2011 at 3:47 pm

    I KNOW THIS IS OFF THE SUBJECT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO PICK YOUR BRAIN…I HAVE SOME LEFT OVER DRAWER FRONTS..WHAT CAN I DO WITH THEM? ITS JUST THE FACES OF THE DRAWER..THE REST OF THE DRAWER AND I JUST COULDNT THROW THEM AWAY

    Reply
  7. Heidi@TheCraftMonkey says

    August 23, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    so cool! great job! Boo for stolen cars!

    Reply
  8. Suzanne@Meridian Road says

    August 23, 2011 at 9:05 pm

    Wow! What a great looking chair! I love the leather, and the way you recovered it looks so good~very professional.

    Reply
  9. Corn in my Coffee-Pot says

    August 23, 2011 at 6:14 pm

    A massive chair like this deserves nothing but leather.
    I LOVE it! …great job, Gail!

    Pat

    Reply
  10. Cousin B says

    August 23, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    I LOVE this chair! When I saw it, it reminded me of one I use to have and gave away because I was redecorating….Ugh! Now, I’m ready for it again! You did a fantastic job, and thanks for sharing the part abut hubbies car. That makes it even more special.

    Reply
  11. Good Time Charlie says

    August 23, 2011 at 3:40 pm

    Awesome! Thanks for the great tips. Martha’s got nothing on you! Thanks for sharing. -K

    Reply
  12. Becky@Beyond The Picket Fence says

    August 23, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    It turned out beautifully. I hate cutting foam, it gives me the chills. I use an electric knife and grin and bear it.

    Reply
  13. Sandi @ The Primitive Skate says

    August 23, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    Amazing transformation! You did an awesome job, Gail! Glad they like the chair.

    Reply
  14. I Play Outside The Box says

    August 23, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    That turned out beautiful Gail…wish it was mine. Ü

    Reply
  15. Korrie@RedHenHome says

    August 23, 2011 at 1:17 pm

    I’m so glad they love the chair, especially the husband! Mostly husbands don’t get too excited about furniture 😉

    Reply
  16. Terri says

    August 23, 2011 at 12:47 pm

    That color leather compliments the stain beautifully…the rocker turned out GREAT!

    I know what you mean about that whole “recovering” business…you pull and tug so many ways…a person could definitely use at least one more hand during this process!

    Hilarious story about the leather…well, it was funny to us, but probably not to him, lol!

    Reply
  17. Proper Prim says

    August 23, 2011 at 12:40 pm

    Gail you did an amazing job on that chair. I have the perfect spot for that in my living room…lol

    Hope you are having a great day.

    Hugs, Deb

    Reply
  18. Rose @ Confessions of a Curbshopaholic says

    August 23, 2011 at 11:47 am

    It came out great! Leather must have been tough to work with, but the end result is soooo nice.
    I love your solution to covering the broken up front piece. Very clever.

    Reply
  19. Jan says

    August 23, 2011 at 11:42 am

    Hubby loves, loves, loves this chair. A little story about the leather. Hubby had bought it to reupholster a Dukes of Hazard car he had purchased 25 years ago. Unfortunately, the car was stolen last year and all hubby had left of it was this leather.
    So this rocker really means a lot to him.

    Reply
  20. Sue says

    August 23, 2011 at 10:59 am

    Awesome make-over Gail! I once recovered our old dining room chairs in faux leather, even if it’s better to clean, I would use fabric the next time (I hate sticking to chairs in the summer ;o)).
    Have a great day, looks like we will have another cool one with rain.
    Sue

    Reply
  21. Susan says

    August 23, 2011 at 10:50 am

    The chair looks amazing!

    Reply
  22. Sewandthecity says

    August 23, 2011 at 9:22 am

    Oh you are so clever! The chair looks fabulous!

    Reply
  23. Amanda says

    August 23, 2011 at 8:45 am

    The chair looks fantastic, can hardly believe its the same one! Fantastic job

    Reply
  24. Toqua's Crafts says

    August 23, 2011 at 7:45 am

    The seat looks WONDERFUL Gail!

    Seeing your recover reminded me that my grandmother’s chair had dark brown leather on it. Funny how different things remind of things from our past.

    Have a GREAT day!

    Reply
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me! I read and appreciate every word!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

gailHi, there! I’m Gail Wilson, the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. I’m obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believe that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again—myself included! I hope you’ll enjoy the journey and pick up a few tools along the way… literally! Read More

Search For A Project Here

Most Popular Posts

My Repurposed Life

Tips for Dismantling Pallets

My Repurposed Life
My Repurposed Life on Homeright

Copyright

All content on this site is the intellectual property of My Repurposed Life, not to be copied without my written consent. If you would like to feature a project, please clearly link to My Repurposed Life, not using more than two photographs.

Legal Disclaimer

By accessing this site you agree to the following:
The information provided on this site is of a general nature and may not be applicable to your particular circumstances. Please seek the assistance of a professional if you have any queries before undertaking your DIY task.

The owner of this site cannot be held liable for damage, by following the instructions laid out within this site or on any of the sites linked to this site.

My Repurposed Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Footer

Rep. Furniture

Build It!

My Repurposed Life- DIY Caddy

Repurposed Items

Copyright © 2018 My Repurposed LIfe · Privacy Policy · Log in · Wordpress VPS
Share your email address, receive my FREE ebook "30 DIY Tips & Tidbits You Should Know"
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party, nor will we spam your inbox.
Wait! Don't Go!
Have you signed up for email UPDATES, and my FREE ebook?
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party, nor will we spam your inbox.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok