Chair Makeover with Painter's Canvas
Supplies List
An Old Chair
Number Stencils
Acrylic Fabric Paint / Stencil Paint Brush
Staple Gun / Staples
Affiliate links are included within this post for your convenience and a VIDEO TUTORIAL is posted BELOW for additional tips and tricks when tackling a DIY similar to this.
Step One
Find a chair that needs recovering but still has great character and is solid and sturdy when sitting on it. You can paint the wood if needed so do not be discouraged if the finish of the wood is not exactly what you are looking for. This particular piece we found when doing curbside cleanup, it was sitting by the side of the road for pickup. However, chairs are pretty common at local yard sales and thrift stores that carry furniture so keep an eye out for these type project pieces.
Step Two
Remove the fabric from the top by unscrewing the seat top and removing it from the chair. Then take the fabric off of that piece of wood by removing any staples and gently pulling it off. If the wood seat is not in good shape, or the screws are not holding the top down tightly, it may be necessary to replace this piece of wood. To cut out a new piece, lay the original top on another piece of wood, create a template for shape, size, and screw hole placement, and trace it onto the wood. Cut out the new piece and be sure to sand any rough edges. If the foam or batting are bad, this would be a good time to replace those as well.
Step Three
Find a piece of painter’s canvas. I included the link for Amazon or you can purchase these at your local lumber yard and some paint supply stores. You can also use any heavier material that you have available. Our hope here at Saved For More is to use the resources that you have available and get creative!! Think outside the box and use things like an old blanket or feed sack, a vintage tablecloth or piece together old remnants of upholstery fabrics. Once you have chosen some type of fabric, cut out a square or rectangle that will cover the seat of the chair with enough extra to wrap around the edges for stapling on to the back side. If using a piece of used painter’s canvas, we recommend machine washing it before stenciling.
Step Four
Let’s stencil!! You will want to lay your fabric out on your chair and determine where you want the letters and numbers (or any other stencil pattern). Mark it lightly in a place where you can go over it with paint or use a fabric pencil. Once you know where you want the stencil, take the fabric off the chair and lay it on a flat surface. Use a stencil brush and begin stenciling onto the fabric. Be sure to hold your stencil down as you go so you do not have bleeding of the paint outside the pattern. Also, be sure to put something under the fabric if you do not want paint on the surface below.
Lastly, let the paint dry completely and then staple the fabric to the seat of the chair. The video below contains tips for rounding the corners. Once the fabric is put back on the seat, screw it back onto the chair and you are ready to go!!
That is it!! A great project that can be done for very little $$. We would love to see what you have been working on, so send us photos of your DIY stencil projects on any of our social media platforms.
