A stool is one of the most satisfying upholstery projects you can take on. The structure is simple, the process is quick, and the result is immediate. Whether you have a small round stool that needs a fresh cover, a square piano stool that’s seen better days, or you want to make a foam pouf from scratch, this is genuinely manageable territory even if you’ve never upholstered anything before.
If you’re looking for where to start with upholstery, a stool is the answer. Once you’ve done one, you’ll have the core skills to move on to a dining chair seat, a bridge chair, or even a cabriolet. The fundamentals are the same: good webbing, clean padding, even tension on the fabric, and neat corners.
What kind of stool do you have?
Stools come in a few different forms, and the upholstery approach varies slightly depending on the shape and structure. The three most common versions you’ll work with are the round stool on a wooden frame, the square or rectangular stool on a wooden frame, and the foam pouf built from scratch. All three are accessible, and all three follow the same basic logic.
Before you start: assess what your stool needs
As with any upholstery project, take a moment before stripping anything to figure out exactly what you’re dealing with. Is the padding still in decent condition, or has it completely collapsed? Is the webbing underneath still providing support? Does the wooden frame need any attention before you start building on top of it? On a stool, this assessment takes about two minutes and it will save you from making unnecessary work for yourself.
Stool upholstery tutorials
Round stool on a wooden frame
The round stool is one of the neatest stool upholstery projects because the circular shape forces you to work cleanly: there are no corners to pleat, but the fabric needs to be gathered and tensioned evenly all the way around to avoid puckering. The finishing on a round stool is also a great introduction to hand-finishing techniques. This tutorial covers the full process, including how to finish the edge with a simple piping and a blind stitch by hand for a clean, professional result.
Rounded stool tutorial (wooden structure)
How to finish a round stool with a simple piping (Blind Stich by Hand)
Square stool on a wooden frame
The square or rectangular stool is the most straightforward stool upholstery project there is. Four straight sides, four corners to pleat neatly, and a clean underside to finish. If you’ve already worked through the squared corner pleat tutorial, you already know the key technique. The full step-by-step tutorial for a square stool on a wooden frame is here.
Squared stool tutorial (wooden structure)
Foam pouf: making one from scratch
A foam pouf is a slightly different project because there’s no wooden frame to work with. You’re building the structure entirely from foam, which means the cutting and shaping of the foam itself is the key skill. It’s a great project if you want something custom-sized, and the result is a piece that looks far more considered than anything you’d find in a shop. This tutorial walks you through the full process from cutting the foam block to the final cover.
How to make a foam pouf
Fabric for stool upholstery
Because a stool takes direct wear, often without the protection of a cushion or cover, fabric choice matters more here than on most other projects. Prioritise durability: a tightly woven fabric, a performance fabric, or a good velvet will hold up far better than a delicate or loosely woven textile. Pattern-wise, everything works on a stool. A bold placed motif centered on a round stool top looks particularly striking. A graphic geometric or a strong stripe works well on a square stool. And if you want to keep it simple, a plain velvet in a good color is hard to beat.
Is stool upholstery a good starting point for a complete beginner?
Yes, without question. A stool is the most accessible upholstery project there is, and it teaches you the foundations you’ll use on everything that follows. Good webbing, clean padding, even fabric tension, neat corners or gathering: these are the building blocks of every upholstery project, and a stool lets you practice all of them on a small, manageable scale with a quick, satisfying result.
If you want to work through a structured introduction to upholstery with several complete projects, the upholstery beginners guide is a great next step. And when you’re ready to move on to a chair, start with a simple dining chair seat or a bridge chair: the skills carry over directly.
All the tutorials on this page are available in full through the online membership, with video and step-by-step photos for every stage.
Questions about your stool? Share a photo in the forum and we’ll have a look together.