DIY Leather Chair Reupholstery: Transform Your Old Workshop Seat

X-HT-300776

Ready for an easy upholstery flip? Watch Sailrite leather specialist Corbin turn this old, worn-out leather chair into a cool, craftsman-inspired piece. Corbin found this old chair at a thrift store, and he knew it’d be perfect for the Sailrite Workbench leather studio. All he needed to do was replace the ripped and worn-out leather with new upholstery leather from Sailrite. But … he’s never done upholstery work! Can a leatherworker tackle upholstery? Watch the video to find out!

Materials List:

Natural Vegetable Tanned Leather Side 4 to 5 oz. #123698
Wharf™ Marine Treated Cotton Duck 12 oz. 55" Fabric #122858
Fiebing's Gum Tragacanth 4 oz. #123820
Fiebing's Leathercraft Cement 4 oz. #123837
Sailrite® Debossed Leather Tag #125103
Tex 90 (V-92) Walnut UV Bonded Nylon Thread 4 oz. (1,100 yds.) #106010
Underlining fabric (optional; we used Sattler® Marine Grade)
Marking tool
Staples

Tools List:

Clear Acrylic Ruler Square 15-1/2" x 15-1/2" #123068
Aluminum Straight Edge 36" #122548
Sailrite® Leather Press Roller #123301
Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter 60mm #965511
Sailrite® Fabric Edge Match Pliers #123498
Gingher® 8" Leather Scissors Right Handed #123749
Sailrite® Damascus Japanese Leather Skiving Knife #123322
Barry King #00 Grooved Edger #122992
Sailrite® Leather Burnishing Machine #123327
Sailrite® Edge Cordless Hotknife 18V Package #122177
Sailrite® Long Nose Upholstery Staple Gun #121411
Sailrite® Leatherwork® Sewing Machine Package (110V) #300800

Instead of replacing the old upholstery with a similar leather look, Corbin wanted to add his own personal touch to the workshop chair. He incorporated duck canvas and leather panels together for a two-tone look. And what a huge difference that made! The natural cotton duck canvas and veg tan leather panels really complement each other, giving the old chair a high-end, bespoke look. Check out the before and after photos below.

There were several original details, like a nameplate on the seat back, that he wanted to preserve. But he also added useful upgrades like a small tool pocket to keep your most-used items like thread snips and seam rippers within easy reach.

Did Corbin successfully complete his first upholstery project? Watch the video and let us know in the comments below if you like the transformation.

Looking for more leatherwork projects? Click here to browse our leather DIYs. We’ll teach you how to make a coaster, tote bag, sunglasses case and more.

Welcome to your leather resource. We’re here to take the guesswork out of leather crafting. Sailrite has all the tools and know-how you need to support your journey to becoming a master leatherworker. Learn about leather crafting with our informative blogs, or explore our collection of veg tan and chrome tan hides, quality tools, and Fiebing’s dyes and protectants.

Click here to begin your leather crafting journey.