New cover for old IKEA SKRUVSTA Chair

ikea skruvsta chair cover replacement

Cover the plain white SKRUVSTA chair with a pop of color!

I was searching OLX Portugal website, for a chair for my home office. But I didn’t want a standard black office chair and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money since I am refurbishing other parts of my house.

Then, I came across an ad with an IKEA SKRUVSTA chair in white that seemed to be ok except for the damaged upholstery and the price was only 10 euros!

Another great find on OLX!

I bought it immediately and started searching the web for tutorials on how to reupholster this chair. I have never done any reupholstery in my life but after seeing the hacks in IKEA hackers I got the needed courage to go ahead.

It took me about 6 hours for the whole process, but I think a more experience hacker might do it in less.  In total I spent 30 euros: 10 for the chair and 20 for the remaining materials. 

I really like the way the chair looks. It’s the pop of colour that my plain white home office needed. Also, it was much easier than I ever thought! I really feel proud of myself! 

ikea skruvsta chair cover replacement

The hardest part was making the pattern. I decided not to take the existing cover off because I was afraid, I wouldn’t be able to put it back on if I needed the guidance to know were the seams should stand. For me it was a wise choice because it helped a lot when slipping the new cover back on.   

My best advice on this project is to make sure that the seams all match correctly, and that the fabric is always tight.  

IKEA items used:
  • SKURVSTA IKEA Chair
  • INNER cushion
Other materials and tools:
  • 1.10 meter of fabric with a length of 2.80 meter
  • 1.10 meter of simple fabric to do the pattern (with a length of 2.80 meter)
  • Stapler
  • Staples
  • Sewing machine
  • Scissors
  • Pins

Replacement cover for IKEA SKRUVSTA chair

1. Remove the four bolts underneath the chair.

Unfasten the bolts

2. Using the plain fabric, pin it in the chair so to be able to trace the pattern of each section. The chair has 7 sections: 3 in the back, 3 in the front and one in the front placed on the sitting area.

I decided to cut parts of the plain fabric and pin it to the chair and then, with the fabric well stretched, I traced the lines where the seams are.

tracing the pattern

I realized that I didn’t need to trace the left and right side since they are symmetric. Less work!

3.  I then cut all the pattern pieces and placed them on the fabric that I wanted to use to upholster and traced them. Be careful in placing the patterns in the right side so that it matches correctly. Also identify each section so it will be easier when assembly to sew.

tracing the pattern

4. Cut all the 7 sections. Pin the 3 sections of the back and sew them. Then, pin the 3 sections of the front and sew them. Join the back sections and the front ones and sew them.

IKEA SKRUVSTA chair cover, reupholstery, replacement cover

5. Iron the seams in order to open them and look nice.

6. Slip the cover in the SKRUVSTA chair and with the help of pins match the seams of your piece with the seams of the chair. This will help to maintain the fabric in place, and it will help when stapling.

7. Staple the part of the seat making sure that the cover is well stretched. Afterwards staple the back underneath the seat pulling well the fabric.

8. Then place the front small section in the front and staple it as well.

IKEA SKRUVSTA chair cover, reupholstery, replacement cover

9. Place the underframe back and tighten the bolts

10. The cushion of the chair was very crunched, so I decided to buy a new cushion from IKEA and used it instead. I used the old cushion as a template and did a normal cushion cover that can be removed to wash.

IKEA SKRUVSTA chair cover, reupholstery, replacement cover

~ by Catarina