Your dining room chairs are still sturdy, but the seat is worn, torn or simply out of fashion. Then reupholstering is almost always cheaper than buying new chairs. But what exactly does it cost? That mainly depends on two choices: do it yourself or have it done, and which material do you choose. Below is a fair calculation of the prices from our webshop.
Do it yourself or have it done?
You can easily cover a loose seat that is secured under the chair with a few screws yourself. You don't need any experience, just a stapler, scissors and an hour of time per chair. Chairs with a fixed backrest, piping, buttons or round shapes are more difficult. An upholsterer is often the better choice there.
Calculation example: upholster four chairs yourself
We take four dining room chairs with a loose seat of 45 by 45 cm. Add 10 cm all around to secure the fabric under the seat. Then you need a piece of 65 by 65 cm per seat. With a roll width of 140 cm, two pieces fit next to each other. 1.3 meters is enough for four seats; order 1.5 meters for some margin. Read more about calculating how much fabric do you need.
- Faux leather: 1.5 meters artificial leather, from €7.49 per meter. That is € 11.24 for an affordable quality to € 37.43 for an extra wear-resistant quality of € 24.95 per meter.
- Dacron: 1.5 meters dacron of 100 grams at €2.99 per meter, together €4.49. This gives the seat a soft, full top.
- Staples: a box staples type 71, 6 mm for €2.89.
- Foam (only if the old foam is worn out): about 10 euros for a plate of 100x50x5 cm.
Without new foam, four chairs cost approximately €18.62 to €44.81 in materials. That is €4.66 to €11.20 per seat. If you don't have a hand tacker yet, factor in purchasing one as well.
Prices are as of September 2026 and are subject to change. Check the webshop for the current price.
How much does an upholsterer cost?
An upholsterer usually charges per chair, plus the material. For a separate seat that is around 80 euros. It is more for a chair with a fixed back or a lot of sewing. Always ask for a price in advance and ask whether the materials are included. You can also buy the fabric from us yourself and take it to the upholsterer.
What is the difference in price?
The biggest difference is in the fabric. An artificial leather for light use is advantageous. For chairs that are used every day, or in a family with children or pets, wear-resistant or scratch-resistant quality is worthwhile. It costs more per meter, but lasts longer. Because you only need 1.5 meters, the difference in total is often smaller than you think.
This is how you start
Are you unsure about the color or quality? Order a sample first or visit our showroom in Antwerp. If you want to do it yourself, follow our step-by-step explanation on how to do it covering a loose chair seat.
