Finishing tutorials
The last gesture, the one everyone sees
Decorative nails, braid, double welting and bottom cloth: how to close a piece cleanly and give it its final character.
Guide 2 · Step 5 · Finishing
In short: finishing is the last stage of an upholstery project, after covering. It hides the staples or tacks that hold the fabric, protects the edges and gives the piece its final character. The choice depends on the style of the piece, the fabric and the look you want: discreet and modern, or rich and traditional.
The last opportunity to make a statement, or to ruin everything with a poorly applied trim.
Find your tutorial
Which finish for your piece?
Braid or nails for French period chairs, double welting for a tailored modern look. A heavy textured fabric often looks better with a simple, discreet finish.
Rhythm and structure
How to apply decorative nails
Three skills a straight line · contouring curves · ending a run cleanly
One of the most visible finishing details, and one of the most unforgiving. A line that is not perfectly straight, evenly spaced and seated flush draws the eye immediately. Done well, nails add structure, rhythm and a distinctly professional quality; done badly, they look worse than no finish at all.
Nails can also finish a pleat: see the tulip pleat in the covering techniques.
French period chairs
How to apply braid and gimp
The classic way to hide the fixings along the show wood of a French chair. It needs a clean start, a straight line, smooth curves and an invisible join.
Tailored and discreet
Double welting
Two parallel piped cords, for a tailored finish that hides the staples while matching the fabric of the piece. To sew the piping itself, see the sewing techniques; for a seat finished with braid or piping, the corners need a double pleat, see the covering techniques.
The underside
The bottom cloth
The bottom cloth, or dust cover, closes the underside of the seat. The last thing fitted, and the first thing a professional looks at when turning a chair over.
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Finishing: your questions
What is the difference between braid and double welting?
Braid is a woven decorative trim, often in a contrasting colour, typical of French period chairs. Double welting is made from the upholstery fabric itself, for a more tailored, discreet finish.
How do I keep decorative nails in a straight line?
Mark a guide line first, place the nails at regular intervals before driving them fully, and check the line from a distance as you go. Contouring curves and ending the run each have their own method.
Braid, welting or nails: which finish should I choose?
Look at the style of the piece: braid or nails for French period chairs, double welting for a tailored modern look. The fabric matters too: a heavy textured fabric often looks better with a simple, discreet finish.
Not sure about a term? See passementerie in the upholstery glossary.
What comes next
The piece is closed. Keep going
Step 6
Sewing
Piping, double welting, cushion covers and hand stitching.
Go to sewing →
Guide 3
Full projects
See finishing in context, on complete pieces from frame to last nail.
Go to the projects →
Back to an earlier stage? Covering: seats, backs, arms, corners and pleats. The whole sequence is in Guide 2.
The Hammer Club
Every technique, in full
Step-by-step photo tutorials, many with video, on real pieces from my atelier, to follow at your own pace.
Written by Céline Vanier, running her own upholstery atelier by Lake Annecy for more than 15 years.
