Foot stool make over and how I did it

Before / After

I found this awesome foot stool a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to decide what to do with it. I liked the wood, but as our house has so much wood in it already, so I went for colourful!

I also thought that this time I would do a bit on a how to guide on how I did it.

Cost:
Stool was $7 for a second hand shop
paint - at our local hardware store you can get 250ml test pots for $5 each, so you can go down and pick from the colour charts and get exactly what you want! I got 2 colours so $10 total
Fabric I picked from my fabric stash

Tools:
Gun stapler (or hammer and tacs)
pliers
Flat head screw driver
paint brushes
sandpaper - fine and ruff

You also might need: hammer and nails

so the total cost was $17 (yay!)

Step one: I took it apart, and removed the original fabric, I was carful not to damage the foam as I wanted to reuse it. My favorite tools for this are pliers (ideally side cutters) and a flat head screw driver. You can them grab the fabric with the pliers and twist, like your winding the fabric around the pliers. Not all the tacks will come out so you cant use you flat head to get under them and pop the off. I also gave the wood a sand to take off the first layer of varnish, this is quite important as the primmer might not stick to the varnish. 

 Step 2: I gave the wood a coat of primmer, them sanded it, then another coat and sanded again. the wood and the seat frame was broken so I had to replace it. I just uses some off cut ply that I found in the garage and nailed it on using 20mm panel pins (these are just tiny nails!)

 Step 3: Picking colours! So I went down to my local hardware store and pick from their colour charts the 2 colours and I wanted. I them chose the fabric I wanted to cover the seat frame with. Ideally this fabric will be thick and non stretch. 

Step 4: Now it was time to cover the seat. This might look hard but once you start its get easy! You will First need to get some fabric for the first layer (you don't need to do this step, but you will get a better finish if you do) Cut out a piece that will well over lap your base.

Get your foam in place (you can also buy spray glue to stick it on first, this is very helpful if what you covering is quite large) place your frame on top then, starting on the longer sides, using your gun stapler, staple 2 or 3 in the middle of the first long side, turn and do the same on the opposite long side pulling tight (but not to tight! ) as you do it. Now do the same for the shorter sides. Now go back to the first side and staple 2 on either side of the first staples, do the same on the opposite side, then the short sides. repeat this until you are 4cm out from the edges.

Now you need to do the corners. (see just below for pictures as I'm not sure how to explain it!) Cut off the excess fabric.  Dont worry if it looks a bit off the second layer will even it out.

   Step 5: Do the same as the first layer pop the 2 together and its all done!