Guide 2 · The techniques
From webbing to covering: every upholstery technique explained
You’ve finished a first piece. You know what the layers look like. Now comes the part that changes everything: understanding why each step works the way it does.
Every upholstered piece is built in the same order: prepare the frame, web the base, add springs if needed, build the padding, cover, then finish. This guide is your map of that sequence. Come back to it whenever you need a technique, or need to see where it fits.
By Céline Vanier, running her own upholstery atelier by Lake Annecy for more than 15 years. New to upholstery? Start with Guide 1.
Why techniques matter
What changes when you understand the why
01
You read a chair at a glance
Strip an old seat and you’ll know what was done, what failed and what needs replacing, before you even pick up a tool.
02
You choose, instead of copying
Jute or elastic, hand-tied springs or a spring unit, horsehair or foam: you pick the right method for each piece.
03
You fix problems at the root
A cover that pulls, a seat that sags: you’ll know which layer to go back to, instead of fighting the fabric.
04
Your results become consistent
Not one lucky chair, but every chair. That’s the difference between a hobby and a craft.
One sequence, six steps
These aren’t isolated skills: each technique prepares the next. Jump straight to the one you need.
Step 0
Strip and prepare
Go →
Step 1
Webbing
Go →
Step 2
Springs
Go →
Step 3
Padding
Go →
Step 4
Covering
Go →
Step 5
Finishing
Go →
Alongside every step
Sewing, whenever the project needs it
Go →
Step 0 · Strip and prepare
Read the chair before you rebuild it
Every project starts here, without exception. You strip in reverse order of how the piece was built, layer by layer. The old fabric becomes your template, the staple and tack lines show the original tension, and what you find underneath tells you exactly what needs replacing. Skip this, and you pay for it later.
See the strip and prepare tutorials →
Step 1 · Webbing
The foundation everything sits on
Webbing creates a tensioned base that spreads the weight and supports every layer above it. Too loose, it sags. Badly crossed, it creates pressure points that only show months later.
See the webbing tutorials →
Step 2 · Springs
Balance, support and years of comfort
Springs aren’t just about bounce: they decide how a seat feels after years of use. The real skill is reading a piece and choosing the right system, or mixing both when the project calls for it.
See the springs tutorials →
Step 3 · Padding
Where comfort and shape are built
The choices you make here decide how a seat feels, how it looks and how long it keeps its form. A good upholsterer knows both worlds well enough to combine them: horsehair over a foam base, cotton felt under a modern cover.
See the padding tutorials →
Step 4 · Covering
Where all your work becomes visible
Covering isn’t pulling fabric tight and hoping for the best. You work in a set order, from the centre outward, balancing the tension both ways before fixing anything for good. Corners are folded, not bunched. Curves are eased, not forced. Calico undercovers, pleats, mitred corners and backs each have their own method.
See the covering tutorials →
Step 5 · Finishing
The details everyone notices when they’re wrong
Braid, gimp, double welting, decorative nails and bottom cloth hide the fixings, protect the edges and give the piece its final character. Done right, nobody notices them. Done wrong, everybody does.
See the finishing tutorials →
Alongside · Sewing
Sewing, whenever the project needs it
Sewing isn’t a stage of its own. Cushion covers, box cushions, piping, loose covers, hand stitching to close a back: it comes in whenever the piece calls for it, and its quality shows directly in the result.
See the sewing tutorials →
Premium Membership · A second pair of eyes
Not sure your work is right? Show me
Techniques are where doubts start: is this webbing tight enough, are these springs tied at the right height, is this padding even? With the Premium Membership, you send me a photo or a short video on WhatsApp, and I answer you personally, as if you were at my workbench.
- Check your spring tying before you pad over it
- Decide between traditional and modern on your own piece
- Catch a mistake at the right layer, not after covering
Upholstery techniques: your questions
What is the correct order of upholstery steps?
Strip and prepare the frame, then webbing, springs (if the piece has them), padding, covering and finishing. Sewing happens alongside, when the project needs cushions, piping or sewn panels.
Should I learn traditional or modern upholstery?
Both. Traditional techniques teach you how a seat really works; modern techniques are faster and suit contemporary frames. Knowing both lets you choose the right approach for each piece, and combine them when it makes sense.
Does every chair need springs?
No. Many chairs, stools and drop-in seats are built without springs, with webbing and padding only. Springs are found on deeper seats and armchairs, where they add comfort and resilience.
Do I need to master every technique before starting a full project?
No. Learn the techniques your next piece needs, then come back to this map as your projects grow. Guide 3 shows you which techniques each project uses.
Where to go from here
Put the techniques to work
Once these techniques are clear, full projects become much easier: you stop asking why a step exists and start seeing how it fits into the whole.
Next · Guide 3
Full upholstery projects
Stools, cushions, headboards, chairs and armchairs, from bare frame to final fabric, in order of complexity.
Explore Guide 3 →
Back to basics · Guide 1
Upholstery for beginners
Five projects, from a foam pouf to a bridge chair, if you’d like to strengthen the foundations first.
Back to Guide 1 →
The Hammer Club
Ready to learn the techniques properly?
Every technique on this page, explained step by step in photos, often with video, on real pieces from my atelier.
90+ step-by-step photo tutorials, many with video, a clear learning path, and with Premium, my personal answers on WhatsApp. Your price stays the same for as long as you stay a member.
Is a technique missing? Guest or member, tell me in the comments below which technique or chair style you’d like to see next. Your idea could inspire the next tutorial.
