Strip the old fabric and foam from a drop-in seat pad, then staple on new fabric for a snug, tidy finish.
RS-01Set up your workspaceWork on a table or bench at a comfortable height, not the floor. Cover the surface with an old sheet or newspaper to catch dust and old staples. Have a torch or good lamp nearby, as you'll be checking staple lines closely.
RS-02Lift the seat pad out of the chairTurn the chair upside down. Most drop-in seat pads simply lift out or are held by two or three screws through corner blocks underneath. Undo any screws and set them aside somewhere you won't lose them.
RS-03Strip off the old fabric and staplesPull back the old fabric and dust cover from the underside, then work round the edge levering out each staple with a flathead screwdriver or staple remover. Go slowly near the corners, as the wood can be thin and split easily. Keep the old fabric piece aside as a rough size guide for cutting the new one.
RS-04Check the foam and waddingPress the foam pad — if it's crumbling, flattened, or smells musty, replace it. Cut new foam to match the board shape using a bread knife or electric carving knife for a clean edge. Add a fresh layer of polyester wadding on top to round off the edges and stop the fabric snagging on foam.
1 sheet · Upholstery foam (25mm-50mm, cut to size)
RS-05Cut the new fabric to sizeLay your new fabric right-side down and centre the seat pad on top. Cut around it leaving at least 75mm extra fabric on all sides so you have enough to pull round and staple underneath. Check any pattern is straight and centred before cutting.
RS-06Staple the first sideCentre the pad on the fabric, foam-side down. Pull the fabric up over one edge and staple it to the underside of the board with three or four staples, starting from the middle and working outwards. Don't do the opposite side yet.
RS-07Pull taut and staple the opposite sideGo to the opposite edge, pull the fabric firmly to remove slack and wrinkles, and staple it the same way, starting from the middle. The fabric should feel drum-tight but not stretched out of shape.
RS-08Staple the remaining two sidesRepeat the pull-and-staple process on the two remaining sides, again starting from the centre and working out. Check from above after each side that the fabric sits flat with no bulges.
RS-09Fold and staple the cornersAt each corner, fold the fabric neatly like wrapping a gift — one fold underneath, one fold over the top — and staple flat. Keep folds tight and close to the corner so they don't show from the front.
RS-10Trim excess fabric and fit a dust coverTrim away any fabric hanging past the staple line, leaving about 10mm. Cut a piece of black or white dust cover fabric slightly smaller than the board and staple it over the raw edges underneath for a neat finish.
0.5 metre · Black dust cover fabric (bottoming cloth)
RS-11Refit the seat pad and tidy upDrop the pad back into the chair frame and refit any corner screws you removed earlier. Check the seat sits level and doesn't rock. Sweep up any stray staples and offcuts before putting the chair back into use.
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