How To Paint Upholstery
by
Virginia B
6 Materials
$20
4 Hours
Easy
Do you have a chair in great shape, but you hate the upholstery? Or, have you passed by perfectly good chairs at a yard sale or thrift store because you didn't like the upholstery?
It's an easy fix! Paint it!!! And, It's much less expensive than having the chair recovered. And, when done properly, it will be soft and supple just like fabric.
I found this chair at a local thrift store. It was in perfect condition, but the fabric was dated and the seat was faded. And, the best part, it only cost $7.50!
I started by misting the fabric with water. This will help the fabric accept the paint. A spray bottle from the dollar store works perfectly.
I chose the color, Gravel Road, from The Dixie Belle Paint Company. It's a deep, rich gray.
When painting with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint, it is best to use a damp brush.
I painted on three thin coats, allowed each coat to dry completely, then I sanded between each coat with a 400 grit sandpaper. Sanding is the key to keeping the fabric soft and smooth.
The finishing touch was done with Dixie Belle's Best Dang Clear Wax. This will also keep the chair soft, yet durable. And, when you factor in the cost of the chair, the paint (I used approximately 12 ounces), and the wax, I have a beautiful elegant chair that costs under $20!
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Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
Comments
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2 of 53 comments
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It’s a matter of taste, I guess, I think the legs of the chair look great the same color as the chair. Great job!!
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I think it’s a matter of want and likes if the legs are painted or not
personally
I like unique pieces and I don’t care if it’s a give away that I put effort into something if I like it and it’s a neat job, I say way to go on being unique. I’m getting ready to paint a lounge chaise and so nervous lol
then I came across this chair and the comments and thought
no, i can’t mess it up kind of art the matter of putting what you have pictured so if I can’t get this lounge chase to come out with what’s pictured in my head I’m going to a upholstery, but I am going to try to paint first. Good day everyone
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
Can you wash the chair afterwards if it gets dirty?
Thanks so much for explaining. I never knew about the 400 grit sandpaper step, so when I repainted an old rocking chair with fabric paint t it has been stiff and awful to sit on ever since! I didn’t know to sand it, so am glad to hear this now. I will go back and do it. If I used a fabric paint that isn’t “chalk”, do i still need the clear wax, the last step at the end?
I will try to now sand the fabric paint. Boy I sure hope this solves the stiffened fabric dilemma Could you please explain more about the wax? If it isn’t chalk paint but other fabric paint, do you need that step?