How to reupholster a bench/chest easily

We were given an old Lane cedar chest by my aunt this past summer. Not too long after, we found out my aunt’s cancer had returned and was no longer curable. We immediately set to work refinishing the bench because we wanted her to see it before she passed away. Painting the wood was the easy part for us. We also learned a very simple and effective technique to easily reupholster a bench cushion which we share with you below.

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The before

Here is what the bench looked liked when we picked it up. Actually, it was a little less dusty when we got it! 

The Process

We painted out the wood in Fusion’s Little Lamb. We chose a simple blue stripe for the fabric to cover the cushion.

Here are the steps we followed to easily reupholster the bench cushion. 

Step 1 – add foam/batting

If your cushion has lost its cushiness, you can purchase some foam from your local fabric store and cut it to the size of your board (an electric turkey carver is great for this). Secure the foam to the wood with spray adhesive. Wrap batting around the foam and the board and staple it to the back of the board. Luckily our cushion was in good shape so we skipped this step.

Step 2 – measure and cut fabric

You need enough fabric to wrap around all sides of the board by 2-3 inches. Lay your board on top of the fabric and wrap it around to test how much you’ll need. Cut your fabric to size. 

Step 3 – staple down each side

Staring in the middle of each side, staple out towards the corners, about half an inch from the edge. Pull slightly so the fabric is tight when you staple. It’s worth getting a staple gun if you don’t have one as we end up using it on many different projects. 

Step 4 – staple diagonally across the corners

When you get to the corners, staple diagonally out from the corner towards the centre of the board.

Step 5 – cut diagonally across the corners to create a flap

Holding the fabric up where you stapled, use scissors to cut away the fabric leaving about a one inch bit right at the corners.

Trim the flap on the end a bit.

Step 6 – fold over the flap and staple

Fold over this flap you have create and staple it to the board.

When you flip your board back over, you’ll see perfect corners!

The after

We are pleased that auntie Mary got to see her bench in its new glory before she passed away. Sometimes furniture is about more than just function or aesthetics. This piece will always have a special place in our home and will remind us of her!

Have you used this technique to easily reupholster a bench cushion? Do you have a different method that works for you? We’d to hear from you in the comments below!