Many readers have emailed me regarding the appropriate means in which to “take down” or “rip out” the old tacks and knots to prepare an antique chair for reupholstery. This process is one of the best ways to learn about reupholstery — especially regarding your specific piece. However, before you begin the deconstructing process, do you need to rebuild the structure and stuffing, or can you simply recover your antique chair with new fabric? You can ascertain this by conducting the following inspection: (read the rest of the reupholstery guide after the jump)
- Place your hands on the upholstery to feel for firmness. Make sure it does not sag, especially near the front of the chair. If you find that one of the edges can be flattened, then you will need to create a new edge. Next, you want to look on the underside of the chair. Through the webbing and springs, how does the burlap look? Can you see fraying, especially along the edges? After this inspection, if you find that all of the edges and pressure points look to be secure, then you may only need to recover with new fabric — leaving the structure intact.
Keep in mind that not all stuffing is created equally. Here is a guide to evaluate whether you need to replace the existing stuffing in your antique chair:
- Horsehair: This type of stuffing found in many antique chairs can be used for decades to come. If your antique chair has a horsehair pad, it is highly likely that you can reuse it, as long as the pad itself looks to be smooth. Even if you find that the pad has lumps, you can tease the stuffing.
- Wood shavings: Some antique chairs may have been stuffed with wood shavings, and in the vast majority of cases, you will need to create a new pad. The same goes for sea grasses used for stuffing.
- Foam: More recently constructed chairs may utilize foam. Look at the pad to see if there are areas of indentation or flaking. It the foam pad does not seem to be smooth, then you may want to use a replacement pad.
Once you have ascertained the condition of your stuffing or antique chair pad, you can begin deconstructing the piece. By carefully deconstructing the layers, you can see exactly how your chair was constructed, and this will help when you add your own reupholstery flair.
Tools Needed:
- Ripping Chisel
- Mallet
To take the tacks out of the existing frame, the appropriate tools make life much easier. Under the head of the tack, you will want to lodge your ripping chisel, and then use a mallet (or hammer) to wedge out each tack. Make sure you are striking in the direction of the wood grain, as this minimizes the strain and potential splitting of the frame. Start by working with the tacks underneath the seat, and then begin working your way around the front and along the arms (if applicable).
Stay tuned for additional DIY reupholstery guides! As always, I would love to see before / after pictures of your reupholstery projects!
Photo Credits (from top): Oliver Hare International; JA Milton Upholstery