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How to Upholster Bench Corners

Remember the not-so-vintage bench I was going to reupholster in the spotted leather? I finished it before we went on vacation. I used my favorite corner method and thought I’d share. It’s an easy approach. First I laid out the hide to figure out the pattern placement. I used these new AMAZING heavy-duty scissors to cut…

Remember the not-so-vintage bench I was going to reupholster in the spotted leather? I finished it before we went on vacation. I used my favorite corner method and thought I’d share. It’s an easy approach.

First I laid out the hide to figure out the pattern placement.

I used these new AMAZING heavy-duty scissors to cut the edges of the piece and make a clean, straight edge.

You want about three inches of overhang with bench tops or drop seats for chairs. It’s enough fabric for you to be able to pull nice and tight, but there won’t be leftovers peeking out from underneath.

I like to stagger staples in two lines, one about an inch set in from the edge and the second line running along the inside edge of the fabric.

Once all four edges have been stapled (don’t forget to pull very tight!), it’s time to tackle the corners. There are a few different ways to approach corners, but this way there are almost no folds or bunching (which is tricky especially with thicker fabric and leathers).

You just bring the fabric or leather together in the corner and run staples in lines on either side of the fabric, at a 45 degree angle. Leave about an inch or so loose without staples near the outside edge of the corner.

Using heavy duty scissors, cut the fabric or leather very close to the staples, but stop cutting right at the corner.

Then trim the edges down so that the flap still connected to the corner is about two inches wide.

Then pull the flap very tight and lay it down and staple it on top of the other staples you put in at a 45 degree angle.

If you have been pulling tight the whole time, the flap will lay very flat and the corner will be very smooth and professional looking.

All finished! I love this spotted hide so much more than the taupe velvet.

See just the two tiny folds on either side of the corner? If I had just pulled and stapled around the corners like most upholstery jobs call for, there would be all sorts of bunching and really heavy-looking corners. This method makes the fabric lay almost as flat as sewing the corners (which is a pain to me).

PS The winner for the Jessie Mackay painting give away was chosen and she was emailed, so please check your inboxes! As soon as I hear back from her I’ll update the post. Thanks for entering!

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57 thoughts on “How to Upholster Bench Corners”

  3. Thank you for this post Jenny! I've had on my DIY projects to make a bench from a coffee table and love your fabric choice and simple steps to make it look beautiful!

    simplesurber.com

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  9. Gorgeous! Thanks for the amazing tutorial! Now I just need to find the perfect bench to recover – and some of that amazing fabric! :)

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  16. Thanks for the tutorial! I always fold the corner piece in first then wrap the end pieces around and staple, if that make sense (your method but backwards). The way you do it leaves a smoother corner. I'll try it next time! Also, loving the spotted hide. I've been eying all my benches, food stools to find a place to use it!

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  25. You can actually get an even cleaner edge using a variation of this method. Push (what you have as) the outside fold in, and lay (what you have as) the inside two folds on the outside so that they meet each other. Then you have a nice sharp corner. (I learned this from making canvases)

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  41. hi! im new to your blog and im loving it, ive been meaning to make a head board but dont know which staple gun to use. could you help me out? which staple gun do you use? is it manual or electric? and can a headboard be made by one person or is a helper needed to keep the fabric tight?

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  43. Thank you!! I was trying to figure out how to do this without it looking like one of my wrapped Christmas presents. Suffice it to say I mastered that craft as a 5- year-old

    Haven bought an expensive piece of outdoor material, I want it to remain looking expensive.

    Here I go…!

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  45. I am in love with this bench and the fabric! Is it fabric or leather? Where did you get it?

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  46. Love love love this! I know it was a while ago that you posted, but do you remember where you got the pillow or fabric for the pillow? Thanks!

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