Scavenger Chic

Flea Market Find, Upholstered Stool Makeover

• By Joan
• March 4, 2020
• 5 Comments

Flea Market Find, Upholstered Stool Makeover

I’m back with one more of my flea market finds from back in August.   Head to the end of this post for all my finds, makeovers and DIYs.  I knew that haul would keep me busy throughout the fall, but I’m still working on the pile and it’s almost Spring!. 

It may not look like it, but what is left of this stool is actually a really easy makeover, great for the beginner.

I didn’t see any clues how an old top would have been attached to these legs…no screw holes, no staple holes, no leftover glue, nothing.. but it will be super easy to just screw on a new top.

The wood was dried out and had lost all it’s finish but it was thanking me after I gave it a coat of Watco  Danish Oil .  A quick rub and 5 minutes later the wood is restored to it’s former beauty. 

Seriously, the only sanding I did was to get rid of a little bit of white paint over spray that was visible in the previous picture.

Turn the stool over and trace the outline of the top on 1/2 inch plywood or other scrap wood.

Cut out 2″ to 3″ of foam slightly larger than the 1/2″ plywood base.  I’m using 3 pieces of foam rug padding.   I really didn’t want to make a trip to the store to get a new piece of upholstery foam and this piece was in semi great shape.  

Wrap the plywood and foam with quilt batting and staple in place.

You should have a nice smooth top.

Find a piece of fabric large enough to wrap around the plywood and batting.  If the fabric has a pattern, it should be centered.

Staple your fabric cover in place starting in the middle of each side, alternate sides and pull tight as you go.

When you get close to the corners, pull the corner piece in to the center and staple.

Gently pull the rest of the corner fabric, stapling and straightening as you go.

Predrill the corner pieces.  I’m going to attach the new top to the base with screws thru the corners.

Use screws thru those predrilled holes to secure the top.

A brand new padded stool and a great project for the beginning upholsterer.

This stool is the tenth project from my flea market finds from back in August.   Of course there is the padded stool but you will also find a tree floor lamp,  a wire spool table, a bar cart, the  shelves made from the desk drawers,  lamps made from the jack stands, a star made from tobacco sticks, whale weathervane from a jack, coffee table from silo doors, and a pair of raised stencil headboards from a free roadside find.  Click on any of the links for the full DIYs.

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