How to Upholster the Storage Ottoman

Adding Upholstery to the Storage Ottoman

Hey there! Remember when I shared my plans for building a storage ottoman on casters? Well, guess what? I’ve got some exciting news! I decided to upholster the top of the ottoman, and I’m super thrilled about it. So, I thought I’d share with you how you can do it too! Trust me, it’s a breeze and you won’t need a ton of tools. This tutorial is perfect for any ottoman with a plain, uncovered top. Let’s get started!

Materials:

• 18″ x 18″ piece of 1″ foam (<– affiliate link!)
• Upholstery batting
• Fabric of choice
• Stapler with staples (I used a pneumatic stapler)
• Gimp braid in a contrasting color
• 1 – 3/4″ screw and washer to tuft the top
• Coordinating button

Step One

The ottoman should be built at this point and the plans are easy to follow!. I used 3/4″ MDF and painted mine grey.

Lay the ottoman on the 1″ foam and trace the shape of the top. Cut out the shape with a pair of scissors and position the foam on the ottoman.

Step Two

Lay the batting and fabric on top of the foam. Secure the batting and fabric to the top of ottoman in four places, pulling the fabric taut as it is stapled. Place the staples in the middle of the edge if possible! Since the storage ottoman is round, I stapled the batting and fabric just above the point where the dividers meet the top.

Step Three

Continue stapling the fabric to the edge, pulling it taut as it is being stapled. The goal is to fill the entire circumference of the ottoman with staples. This will keep the upholstery uniform, and will keep it from pulling out.

Step Four

Use a razor blade or a box knife to trim the excess batting and fabric away, cutting it just below the staples.

Step Five

Use a hot glue gun to secure the gimp braid around the edge covering the staples.

Step Six

Locate the very center of the top, and insert a screw with a washer to tuft the upholstery. Glue a decorative button over the screw or use a piece of the excess fabric and a covered button kit (<– affiliate link!) to create a button that matches perfectly!

Adding an upholstered top to a bench, chair, or ottoman is really easy – each piece uses the same concept of pulling the fabric taut and stapling it, then covering the staples with trim or upholstery nails. If you do a lot of upholstery projects, I recommend purchasing a pneumatic upholstery stapler. They are very inexpensive and I love mine! Have any questions about how to upholster the storage ottoman? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2014-08-01 08:00:31.