Unlike a chair seat or footstool base with squared corners, rounded shapes are a bit more difficult. The trick is to first pad the base and cover the padding with a strong liner fabric (e.g., drapery liner), then cover that with your beautiful upholstery fabric.
- Remove legs from footstool.
- Remove old covering and padding from footstool base.
- Cut a piece of foam padding the shape of the base, but 1″ bigger all around.
- Cut a piece of cotton batting 2″ bigger all around than the base.
- Cut a piece of drapery liner 3″ bigger all around than the base.
- Cut the finish upholstery fabric 3″- 4″ bigger all around than the base.
- Spray glue the foam padding to the base; trip foam, if necessary, so the overhang is evenly distributed around the base with at least 1/2″ overhang.
- Spray light layer of glue on foam; arrange cotton batting over the foam padding.
- Lay drapery liner flat on table; flip padded base upside-down onto liner with underside facing up.
- Pull liner up tightly over base; using staple gun, staple ends and sides of liner to underside of base, then evenly dividing the space between each staple, staple again; divide each section and staple again. Continue stapling until the liner fabric is evenly distributed around the base with as few tucks and wrinkles as possible (but there will be some). Trim liner to about 1/2″ from staples.
NOTE: Do not start at one end and try to staple your way around! Divide into quadrants, staple, and then continue subdividing as described. - Center the upholstery fabric over liner and staple in the same manner as the liner. The liner will take all the stress, so the upholstery fabric will lay surprisingly even with no puckers! (At least, this one did).
- If you’re particular about the underside, trim upholstery fabric to within 1/2″ of staples; cut cereal box cardboard about 1″ smaller all around than base, and staple over raw edges on underside. (I didn’t do that).
- Glue decorative trim around the base. (Optional).
- Re-attach legs to base.
I expected my cats to destroy those dangles almost immediately and was very surprised when they weren’t the least bit interested in them!