Ebon Oak Rocker Upholstery

Custom upholstery really makes the project.

Upholstery can be intimidating

for woodworkers, and there are more options as you proceed with the cushions for your rocking chair. Armed with some specific knowledge, you can decide if it’s a skill you would like to learn. If nothing else, you will know just exactly what to order from a professional upholsterer. Just like woodworking, you will need to invest in a few tools to tackle upholstery projects. Many people find they recoup their costs after the second or third upholstery project, compared to hiring a pro.

This reproduction Limbert rocker features a plush sprung seat cushion with chenille fabric. The backrest cushion hangs from straps over the crest rail and is attached with guitar strap buttons. The green chenille piping and straps complement the period floral fabric.

Zig Zag the Seat Base

A wooden frame is built with halflap joints at the corners, and sized 1/4" smaller in all directions than the opening in your chair. Now add zig-zag springs for a plush seat cushion with an authentic feel. Cut the four springs to length with a bolt cutter and layout their location on the seat frame. The 8-gauge springs install with special clips that can be nailed or screwed to the frame. Get the three-hole clips for more holding power.

With the springs installed and anchored, it’s time to add a protective layer and start padding the cushion. Indoor/outdoor carpet makes a great spring-topper and is available by the roll. If you don’t have many projects to do, you can buy pre-made office carpet runners to save some money. They feature a low-pile carpet on top, and a rubberized woven fiber on the bottom. Simply cut the carpet to fit and staple it in place.

2 Install the clips and stretch the springs until they’re nearly flat. Once they hook into place, add 2 more nails at each clip to permanently secure the springs.

Need a comfortable yet aesthetically pleasing rocking chair for your home? See page 20.

4 Add a couple of staples to each end of the wire to hold it in place. Now the spring deck will act as one unit, rather than individual springs.

1 Buy or make a device to bend the ends of the zig-zag springs. I made this version with a piece of angle iron and a few bits of hardware lying around my shop. The bar has a hole drilled in the end and levers the spring against a pivot point (bolt with washer).

3 Attach stay wire (aka springing wire) with special clips. Ideally, you’d use three-jaw pliers, but hog ring pliers will work in a pinch. Crimp the wire to each spring and attach a total of three wires.