How to Reupholster an Antique Chair

Craftsmen Tom Green shows you how to reupholster an antique chair using traditional upholstery techniques. Informative and witty.
www.heritagecraft.co.uk

[@somnyad]

Thank you so much for sharing this valuable piece of cultural heritage. It is extremely difficult to find this kind of video on KZbin, which is pretty much my only source of this kind of information. I live in Japan, and antiques seem to not be as appreciated here. I have a stool with springs, and only saw one other video that brushed upon the subject. I really love that you explain the purposes of the different materials and your reasoning behind using different techniques. Another thing about your post is that cultural heritage is being lost around the world, and it is extremely important for us to not forget how to do things they way they used to be done. It is not only our roots, it is a place where we might be again someday. Again, my deepest thanks for your wonderful contribution.

[@heritagecraft]

I am delighted you found it useful. thank you for your kind comments

[@fdort3971]

You are charming! I could totally see us hanging out together restoring stuff! I'm currently cleaning up my first scroll saw...paid $25/cdn! Made in 1989...looking forward to your company while I work...lol. I'm sure your wife is thrilled with your work...thanks for the lessons!

[@MarksUpholstery]

Wow, that’s some serious old school upholstery. Hat off to ya.👍🏼

[@ChildOfKingJesus57]

I have a very old antique all would lower back chair with a carved monogram C on the front facing part of the beautiful curved back. The arms are a beautiful reaised then sloping to a gorgeous SWANS head. I bought it for my husband for a wedding gift to him. Our last name is Coleman. I will be putting a new seat on it. But the material I am using with be a tapestry I will be embroidering, to make it extra special. Thank you for doing this great video. Since it is so old and a blond wood that has not been stained, will be just using a bees wax on it. I want to preserve its antique integrity and quality. Often times people do too much to antiques when unnecessary. It is good to leave it the way it was intended when made. From the look of the base edge of the seat where it has been upholstered it looks like it is very old an done maybe up to twenty times. My seat will need to be done a bit different. It won't have material going down around to the bottom. Because the wood is meant to be showing. I live in Ireland and I was wondering if you could tell me where I could sourse the springs I will need. I have daughter living in England, if I can only get them in Enland, she could always get them to me. I don't even know if they make them amy more. Please, if you know where I could get them, please let me know. Amd I will need a big needle like you have. What is it called again? Didn't quite catch the name. I like how you sewed the springs into place. It makes sense. I saw someone just weaving the webbing through the bottom and top of each spring. Your method looks like it makes more sense. And Ilike how you sewed around the front to sculpt the front into shape. AND the way you sewed the loops in for the coconut fibre. I can see you are doing it all the proper, OLD, manner. Everything done back in time was done to last a long time and done with quality workmanship. Even the buildings, exterior and interior were done with the best materials and with quality. My father was a master craftsman builder. He would take down building hundreds of years old and move them, like ancient American Dutch barns or French barns, and rebuild them the way they were constructed when first built, using a jin pole and other old tools. If a beam needed replacing because of age, he would hand hew the beam and carve the joints. He could restore houses made of timber from 1600s amd 1700s. He taught my brothers the trade as well. I love quality. And in keeping with the original way things were made and not take short cuts. I see you are pretty much doing the same. I am so happy I found your channel. I could learn so much from you. We had a big antique oak rolltop desk sent from our storage of our antiques we had in the US before, and had it and other pieces shipped here. Even though it was supposed to be good dry storage. Some of our antiques had damage to the wood, by moisture or sunshine. And a sloppy mover damaged a beautifullh carved door to a compartment on our rolltop desk. I want to figure how to fix these things and do it properly. Do you know of a channel that could help in working on our antique wooden furniture. It broke my heart to see someone damaged them and would love to repair them properly. Thank you! And thank you for the great video. You have a new subscriber!!😊✝️🙏🏻

[@heritagecraft]

I hope it goes well

[@ChildOfKingJesus57]

​@@heritagecraft Thank you. God bless you!

[@KnittedWishes]

Thank you for a great and very helpful video! :)

[@muirennjans9749]

Hi Tom, Thank you for your video, I have a chair that has needed attention for 20 years, I didn't know where to begin, thanks to your video I feel confident to give it a try.

[@heritagecraft]

I am delighted to hear that. I hope it goes well

[@disparatedoxy3203]

You are a literal god!

[@heritagecraft]

alas I’m mortal. I get it wrong just like everyone else. but I thank you for your kind words

[@Josh_Luijsterburg]

Great craftmanship Tom. My great grandfather was a cartwright too. My father helped him out as a young lad. Still have one spokeshave. Have a great and safe Easter for you and the family

[@heritagecraft]

thank you. might be time to get the spoke shave out and have ago. it’s becoming my favourite tool. keep safe tom

[@janelaing2866]

Loved your tutorial!

[@heritagecraft]

Thank you so much!

[@AnnieThyme]

Was looking forward to seeing this after your IG post :) great video showing the process and it looks really lovely (as expected from you). Hope you're staying safe and well. x

[@heritagecraft]

Glad you like it. We are well and as you can see from Instragram trying lots of new stuff

[@zbharucha2]

Dear Tom, thanks so much for sharing your know-how. I've bought 6 victorian mahogany balloon back chairs so I have a nice project for December. Tom, I didn't see how you fastened the wadding and then the calico in place, can you please explain whether you used tacks? I guess the top fabric is finished with bronze nail pins. Thank you! Zac

[@heritagecraft]

that sounds like you have a lovely project. I lay the wadding in place and then pull the calico tight over the top and then tack it down. hope it goes well. tom

[@s.d.berard7518]

Thank you for your videos!! My children and I enjoy them a lot! 😸 What is the name of the long needle you used?

[@heritagecraft]

I am delighted to hear you all enjoy them. the needle is called a mattress needle, so called as it’s used when sewing through a mattress. if you look on my channel there is an early video on how to make a mattress where you can see it being used for it’s proper purpose.

[@unitwoodworking5403]

With your upgrade it could be used many generations afterwards.

[@heritagecraft]

its nice to think future generations might want it

[@davidfranceshunt2433]

Very interesting and helpful. Am in US., looking for black coir. Can only find it in the garden section on Amazon. Would that be the same as what you used in the chair? Or what could be used instead for that layer? Thank you.

[@heritagecraft]

thank you for your comments. I did google it and it is available but you have to search for cocoa fibre and traditional upholstery supplies. good luck tom

[@GibClark]

👍👍👍👍I've got an old one of my Grandparents I've been putting off. It needs the back done as well...

[@heritagecraft]

glad you enjoyed the video. I have another one coming in a few weeks which will be a complete armchair starting with a plank of wood

[@GibClark]

@@heritagecraft cool

[@somnyad]

@@heritagecraft Amazing! I look forward to it! I will look for it on your channel.