How to Reupholster a Chair Cushion With Boxed, Zippered Covers

A loose cushion cover is just a fabric box: a top panel, a bottom panel, and a band of fabric around the sides called a boxing strip, usually with a zipper across the back and welt cord at the seams. Learning how to reupholster a chair cushion is mostly about measuring accurately and sewing those pieces together in the right order. Once you make one cover, you can recover chair cushions, window seats and couch cushions with the same method.

The old cover is your best guide. Unzip it, measure it, and even take it apart at the seams to use as a pattern. A beginner with a basic sewing machine can make a boxed cushion cover in three to four hours, and the next one usually takes half that.

Consider the foam while you are at it. A new cover over flattened foam still looks tired. Refreshing the foam with new batting, or replacing it outright, is what makes a recovered seat cushion feel new.

How to Reupholster a Chair Cushion: Materials

• Upholstery fabric, typically 1 to 1 1/2 yards per chair cushion depending on size and pattern
• A sewing machine with a zipper foot (a heavy-duty machine handles thick upholstery fabric and welt more easily)
• Upholstery zipper chain and pulls, or a pre-made zipper about 6 inches longer than the cushion back
• Welt cord (5/32 or 6/32 inch is standard), upholstery thread, pins or clips
• Replacement foam labeled for furniture flammability, polyester batting, and spray adhesive
• Fabric scissors or rotary cutter, cutting mat, chalk, measuring tape and a long straightedge

Measure the Old Cover

Measure the cushion top front to back and side to side, and the thickness of the boxing. Measure seam to seam, not over the puffiest part of the foam. If the cushion is an odd shape, such as T-shaped or curved in front, unpick one seam of the old cover and trace the top panel onto paper. Add 1/2 inch seam allowance on every edge.

Make the new cover snug. Most upholsterers cut the cover the exact foam size plus seam allowance, then wrap the foam in batting, which gives a crisp, filled look. A loose cover looks wrinkled within weeks.

Step by Step: Cutting and Sewing

1. Cut the Top and Bottom Panels

Cut two identical panels. Center large patterns on the top panel, and line stripes up with the chair back so they flow onto the cushion. If the cushion is reversible, center the pattern on both sides. Mark the front edge of each panel with chalk.

2. Cut the Boxing Strips

The boxing strip runs around the sides. Cut a front strip that covers the front and wraps about 4 inches around each side, the boxing depth plus 1 inch for seams. For the back, cut a zipper strip in two halves, each half the boxing depth plus 1 inch for the zipper seam allowance, long enough to cover the back and wrap 4 inches onto each side.

3. Install the Zipper

Fold the long edge of each zipper half under 1/2 inch, lay them along either side of the zipper tape, and stitch close to the teeth with the zipper foot. Thread a pull onto the chain if you are using zipper chain. Stitch across the ends to keep the pull from sliding off.

4. Join the Boxing Into a Loop

Sew the zipper section to the front boxing strip at both ends, forming a continuous loop. Many upholsterers fold a 1 1/2 inch flap of the front strip over the end of the zipper to hide the pull. Test the loop around the foam: it should fit snugly without stretching.

5. Make and Attach the Welt

Cut fabric strips 1 3/4 inches wide on the bias, join them into long lengths, wrap them around the welt cord, and stitch close to the cord with a zipper foot. Sew welt around the edge of the top and bottom panels, raw edges together. Clip the welt seam allowance at corners so it turns cleanly, and overlap the ends at the back where they will be least visible.

6. Sew Top and Bottom to the Boxing

Pin the boxing loop to the top panel right sides together, lining up the center front marks. Stitch through all layers close to the welt cord, easing fabric at the corners with small clips. Open the zipper partway, then sew the bottom panel the same way. Leaving the zipper open is essential, since you turn the cover through it.

7. Turn and Stuff

Turn the cover right side out and push the corners out. Wrap the foam in a layer of batting, held in place with a light mist of spray adhesive. Fold the foam slightly like a taco, slide it into the cover, and push the corners in with your hands. Zip closed and smooth the batting so it fills the corners.

Refreshing or Replacing Foam

Press the cushion with your palm. If the foam springs back slowly or crumbles, replace it. High-density foam (around 1.8 pounds per cubic foot or more) lasts longer in seat cushions than low-density foam. Choose firmness by use: a firmer foam for dining or desk chairs, a medium foam for lounge seats. You can refresh foam that is still firm but slightly flat by wrapping it in a new layer of batting, or adding a thin layer of soft foam to the top. An electric carving knife cuts foam cleanly if you need a custom size.

Changing Cushions Without Sewing

If your chair has a cushion stapled to a board rather than a loose cover, you do not sew at all. The fabric wraps around the foam and board and staples underneath, the same method used for dining chairs. Keep fingers clear of the staple gun nose and wear eye protection when pulling out old staples.

Cushion Styles and Variations

Not every cushion uses a full boxed design. A knife-edge cushion has no boxing strip at all: the top and bottom panels are sewn directly together around the edge, often with welt. That style suits thin chair pads and outdoor seats. A waterfall cushion wraps one continuous fabric piece over the front edge without a seam, which works well for patterned fabric. Bullnose cushions have a rounded front edge and use a single strip wrapped from top to bottom. Once you learn how to reupholster a chair cushion with a boxed cover, these variations are easy, since they simply skip or merge pieces. For outdoor cushions, use solution-dyed outdoor fabric and quick-dry foam that drains water instead of holding it.

Troubleshooting

• Cover too loose: take in the boxing seam, or add an extra wrap of batting around the foam.
• Corners look empty: stuff extra batting into corners, or cut foam slightly larger than the cover.
• Welt is wavy: it was cut on the straight grain. Recut it on the bias.
• Machine skips stitches: use a heavy-duty needle (size 16 or 18) and upholstery thread, and sew slowly over seams.
• Pattern not centered: plan the top panel placement before cutting other pieces.

Cost Ranges

Fabric, zipper, welt cord and thread for one cushion typically cost $20 to $60. New foam adds roughly $20 to $80 per cushion depending on size and density. Professional cushion covers often cost $75 to $200 or more per cushion in labor, plus fabric, so making your own covers for a whole couch saves a lot.

When to Call a Pro

Hire an upholsterer for leather cushions, complex shapes, matching expensive patterned fabric across a full sofa, or down-wrapped cushions that need a sewn ticking inner cover.

Many upholstery shops will also sell custom-cut foam by the piece, wrap it in batting for you, and even sew covers from fabric you provide, which is a good middle ground if your sewing machine struggles with thick material or welt. Ask whether they offer a cutting-only service if you prefer to sew the covers yourself.