How to Re-Cover a Deckchair In Style

With the warmer weather just around the corner, it's time to get your deckchairs into shape for the summer. If like us you've had a few outdoor parties, or perhaps left your deckchairs out longer than you should, they may be looking a little tired. The good news is re-covering deckchairs is incredibly easy and the perfect way to give them a new lease of life. 

Our talented team of makers we will take you through a step-by-step guide showing you how to make your deckchairs look amazing for summer.

Deckchairs 101

A deckchair is the perfect outdoor accessory for those days when you want to sunbathe, relax and read a good book in your garden. Their light weight and flat packing also makes them great for camping, going on a picnic or taking to the beach. Unfortunately, frequent use can cause wear and tear, but rather than replace your deckchair you can simply replace the fabric. Even better whilst the fabric is off you can smarten up or paint the wood too.

Measuring for the Deckchair Fabric

You will no doubt be keen to choose your replacement deckchair fabric but it will help if you measure up beforehand so you know how much to buy.
To measure for the fabric, the first thing you need to do is to remove the old fabric, slide out the dowels which hold the fabric in the frame and simply slide the fabric out. Then lay the deckchair flat on the floor:
-       The length of fabric you need is the full length of the deckchair frame.
-       The width is the inside width of the frame plus 3cm (the 3cm will be used to create a seam on each side).
Now you have your measurements you just need to remember to order enough fabric for each deckchair you want to cover.

Choose Your Deckchair Fabric

This is the simplest and most fun part of the project is choosing your fabric, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing your deckchair fabric.

• Elasticity - the deckchair fabric you choose will need to be strong enough to take the weight of someone sitting in the chair without stretching the fabric or pulling the seams apart. Avoid thinner fabrics and fabrics which are prone to stretching
• Weather Restance - the deckchair fabric is likely to suffer from the odd spill as well as be exposed to the occassional shower so water resistance should be a top requirement.
• Sunlight - the sun's rays will fade fabric patterns over time. Many outdoor fabrics will have some resistance to UV rays meaning the patterns will stay stronger for longer. 
• Durability - think about how you will use and store your deckchair, the fabric will need to be able to stand up to frequent folding and unfolding, people getting in and out of the chair,  but will it also be lifted in and out of cars, stored in a cold garage or shed, or perhaps even left in the garden overnight from time to time. Outdoor fabrics will naturally be more durable but you may want to pick a fabric with a higher rub test score (see our rub test guide).  

Ultimately, the choice of fabric will be a matter of personal taste but for a longer lasting chair we would recommend an outdoor fabric, or a canvas deckchair fabric. If you are not familiar with outdoor fabrics you may be surprised by both the choice of styles and patterns as well as the sheer variety of fabrics available from modern eco-fabrics made from plant fibres to plastics reclaimed from the sea. Not only do these fabrics look great but you may also be helping the environment.

Almost all of the luxury fabric brands will have a number of outdoor fabrics on offer, but some brands make it even easier for you by offering specific deckchair fabric. Ian Mankin, for instance currently have a collection of three stylish striped deckchair fabrics (Ascot 01 Stripe Deckchair Canvas; Vintage Stripe 2 Deckchair Canvas in Peony and Wicket Stripe Deckchair Canvas in Indigo). Other collections worth considering include: Palme Botanique and Palasari Outdoor, both from Designers Guild, for a range of florals, plains and hombre fabrics; Casamance's Cap Ferret outdoor collection full of mediterranean colours ; and Osborne and Little Summerhouse Outdoor-Indoor Fabric with botanical, classic stripes and nautical designs.

Once you have chosen your fabric you simply need to order the required quantity, make sure you order enough for each chair. Don't forget to also order yourself some thread, we recommend using a polytetrafluoroethylene, (PTFE) or Teflon, thread but if not you could consider a UV treated polyester thread or a nylon thread. Each thread has its own pros and cons so there is no-one thread that must be used but PTFE is a popular choice by manufacturers for premium outdoor cushions.

Paint or Treat Your Deckchair Frame

If your deckchair frame is also looking a little tired now is the perfect time to give it a new coat of paint, stain or varnish:

1. Sand down the frame with a fine sandpaper ready for applying the new coat of paint stain or vanish
2. Give the frame a wipe down before you start painting
3. Apply a primer if you are using one. Skip this step if you are staining or varnishing the wood. You may also be able to skip this step if the frame has been previously painted
4. Apply your coat of paint, stain or varnish. If you are painting the wood, make sure the paint you choose is a wood paint suitable for use on garden furniture or for exterior wood
5. Wait for it to dry and apply a second coat if needed

If you are new to painting why not check out our paint guides for some top tips.

Cut the Deckchair Fabric

Once your fabric arrives you may want to go back and check your measurements before you start cutting. Once you are sure about the measurements, consider how you want the pattern to sit on the deckchair. If you have a stripe, do you want to try and line up a specific colour on the edge? If you have a motif or repeating pattern do you want to have a key element of the design in the middle of the seat? When you have decided how you want the pattern to sit on the frame, lay the fabric out on the floor and measure and mark, with the fabric chalk, where you need to cut the fabric. It will help if you have fabric scissors to hand, fabrics can be quite tough to cut and require sharp strong scissors. 

Sew the Seams Along the Sides of the Deckchair Fabric

Once the fabric is cut the next step is to fold over the seams. On each side of the fabric, the long sides, we want to create a seam, measure in 1.5cm then fold the fabric over and pin it in place. 

Pro-tip: for a neater finish fold the seam back in on itself, tucking the loose edge underneath, so that you have a folded edge rather than the cut edge. This will give a professional looking finish and can also help hide any uneveness in the cutting. When you sew you will need to ensure that your stitch runs through both folds of the fabric so you may want to increase the seam from 1.5cm to 2cm allowing for 1cm to be folded back underneath.

When you have pinned each side, it will help if you iron the fabric along the seam. This will help it stay in place whilst you sew the fabric. Then simply sew the seams in place, taking out the pins as you go. As this is quite a long edge of fabric, and the stitching will be visible, it will help if you have access to a sewing machine so you can keep a straighter line.

Sew the Dowel Pockets At Either End of the Deckchair Fabric

The dowels are the wooden rods used to hold the fabric in place on the frame. In some deckchairs they will be removable, making it easier to wash the fabric, in others they may be completely sewn in. To hold your deckchair fabric in place you need to make a fold of fabric for them to slot into.

To measure for the dowel pockets measure the difference between the inner and outer frame. In most standard sized deckchairs, at least in the UK, this is likely to be approximately 10cm. Fold the edge of the fabric to this line, then pin approximately 2.5cm from the fold, this is where the dowels will be inserted. If you have a larger dowel you may need to pin further out, for a thinner one you may need to pin closer to the edge. The dowel pocket should be tight fitting enough that the dowel will not easily fall out, otherwise this is liable to happen every time you get out or pack away your deckchairs.

You need to repeat this proces for either end of the fabric, for the top and bottom of the seat. Once you have pinned the fabric and you are happy it is tight enough to hold the dowels in place you can sew along the pinned line, removing the pins as you go. You should not need to stitch up the sides of the dowel pockets.

Assemble the Deckchair

The last thing to do is thread the fabric through the frame before inserting the dowels (these should be on the underneath of the frame when you sit down). And that is it, it's as simple as that.

Congratulations, you have successfully re-covered your deckchair in style and are ready to enjoy it for many years to come!  Now all you need to do is enjoy sitting under those summer sun rays!