DIY UPCYCLE: STOOL MAKEOVER

By SERENA APPIAH

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GETTING STARTED

If this is your first furniture refurbish, you’ve picked a good place to start! As a rule of thumb, an easier project is generally one that’s small enough to be picked up – just like this upcycled stool. But before you begin, make sure to find an old stool that’s in good condition but could use a little love. You’ll also need to pick up some furniture paint, choose your upholstery fabric, and grab your Arrow T50 staple gun.

YOU WILL NEED

Other Tools
 Power drill
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Materials
 Arrow T50 staples
Batting
Upholstery fabric
Furniture paint
Synthetic paint brush
Furniture wax
Towels or rags
220-grit sandpaper

﻿PROJECT VIDEO﻿

﻿START CREATING﻿

STEP 1

It would be great if we could jump right into every furniture makeover and just focus on the fun stuff, like picking out fabric and paint colors. But sometimes there’s some work that must go into a piece of furniture before you “get to the good part” – and that includes prepping and repairs.
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So, first things first, fix everything that’s broken. We also suggest giving your furniture a good cleaning.

Vintage wooden stool with curved legs and a blue-and-pink patterned upholstered cushion on a concrete patio.

Person wiping a wooden stool leg with a gray cloth during a furniture makeover.

STEP 2

After that, take your stool apart. We removed the upholstered seat from the base and then took off the original fabric by using the Arrow staple lifter. As a tip, we suggest always putting your hardware and screws in a baggie to avoid losing them.

Person using a cordless drill to remove a hinge from the underside of an upholstered stool seat.

STEP 3
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It’s time to begin reupholstering! Start by cutting your batting to a little larger than the size of your seat. Then, secure the batting into place using your Arrow T50 staple gun. To get tight corners, pull and fold, then staple. Check the top of the stool seat as you go to make sure the fabric looks tight and clean. If necessary, trim some of the additional bulk from the batting.
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STEP 4

STEP 5

STEP 6

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STEP 9
Once the framed pegboard is securely in place, it’s time to decorate! Additional pegboard hooks can be purchased from home improvement stores or online. This is the perfect time to put your own special touch on the project.

﻿FINISHED PRODUCT﻿

BEFORE....AND AFTER!

Now that you’ve tackled this upcycled stool makeover, the possibilities are endless! Some dining room chairs could be your next great adventure.
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We’d love to see how your DIY stool makeover turned out! Share your work with us on Facebook and Instagram by tagging @ArrowFastener or using #MadeWithArrow.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Portrait of a smiling woman with curly dark hair wearing dangling earrings and a colorful floral sleeveless top against a light gray background.

Serena Appiah
Serena Appiah is the owner, publisher, and artist behind Thrift Diving, a blog that inspires home enthusiasts to decorate, improve, and maintain their home on a do-it-yourself budget. Her mission is to inspire people to be creative and to gain the confidence, motivation, and skills they need to not just start a project, but to finish it using paint, power tools, and thrift stores. Follow Serena on Instagram at @thriftdiving.

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