Chair Reupholstery Cost: $300–$1,100 (Average $750) in 2026
Author: CostGuideHQ Editorial·✓ Fact-checked·Updated July 2026·5 min read·5 sources Quick answerQuick answer: Reupholstering a chair typically costs $300 to $1,100, averaging about $750 nationally. A dining chair can run as low as $100, while a wingback, recliner, or leather chair often lands between $500 and $2,000 depending on fabric and labor (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Bob Vila).
- ✓The national average cost to reupholster a chair is $750, with most projects falling between $300 and $1,100 (HomeAdvisor).
- ✓A simple dining chair costs as little as $100 to $550, while a wingback chair runs $500 to $1,750 (HomeAdvisor).
- ✓Labor alone runs $40 to $120 per hour depending on the upholsterer and region (Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
- ✓Fabric choice swings cost dramatically -- cotton runs $5 to $20 per yard, while wool or leather can hit $60 to $150+ per yard (Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
How much does chair reupholstery cost?
National average
$750
total project
Typical range
$300–$1,100
Most projects
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Cost by material / type
| Type | Low | High |
|---|
| dining chair | $100 | $550 |
| bergere chair | $200 | $450 |
| slipper chair | $250 | $400 |
| tub/barrel chair | $400 | $800 |
| recliner | $520 | $1,720 |
| armchair | $640 | $1,550 |
| wingback chair | $500 | $1,750 |
| leather chair (any style) | $800 | $2,000 |
What affects the cost?
- Chair size and complexity — a dining chair uses far less fabric and labor than a wingback or recliner (HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow)
- Fabric type and quality, ranging from $5-$20 per yard for cotton up to $60-$120 per yard for wool or leather (Bob Vila, Homeaglow)
- Labor rate charged by the upholsterer, generally $40-$120 per hour depending on region and experience (Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow, Airtasker)
- Frame, padding, or webbing repairs needed before reupholstering, which add on top of the base price (Bob Vila, Homeaglow)
- Add-ons such as tufting, nailhead trim, or cording, which can raise the total cost by 20%-30% (Fixr, Homeaglow)
- Pickup, delivery, or in-home service fees charged separately by some upholsterers (Fixr)
- Fabric protection or professional cleaning treatments, an optional add-on (Fixr, Airtasker)
Why does chair reupholstery cost so much?
Price mostly comes down to two things: how much fabric the chair needs and how many labor hours the job takes. A full project typically runs $300 to $1,100, averaging around $750 nationally (HomeAdvisor). Small, simple chairs sit at the low end – a dining chair generally costs $100 to $550, and a seat-only recover can run as little as $55 to $80 (HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow, Fixr). Bigger, more complex pieces cost far more: a wingback chair typically runs $500 to $1,750, a recliner $520 to $1,720, and a leather chair of any style $800 to $2,000, since leather itself is one of the pricier materials to source and work with (HomeAdvisor). Labor is billed separately from materials in most quotes, generally $40 to $100 per hour, though some upholsterers charge up to $120 per hour in higher-cost markets (Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow). On the priciest end, oversized or antique chairs can exceed $2,000 once specialty fabric and extensive frame work are factored in (HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila).
What affects the cost?
A few variables explain most of the gap between a $100 dining chair and a $2,000 wingback:
- Chair size and style. More fabric and more complex shaping (arms, wings, tufted backs) both add labor hours. A dining chair needs roughly half a yard of fabric, while a wingback or recliner can need 6-10 yards (Airtasker, HomeAdvisor).
- Fabric choice. Cotton runs $5-$20 per yard, mid-range options like linen or denim run $20-$50, and premium fabrics like wool, silk, or leather can reach $60-$150+ per yard (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow).
- Labor rate. Upholsterers typically charge $40-$100 per hour, with some markets and specialists reaching $120 per hour (Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
- Frame and padding condition. Frame repairs commonly add $250 or more, and foam or padding replacement runs $25-$100 per cushion – these are usually quoted on top of the base reupholstery price (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow).
- Add-ons like tufting or trim. Nailhead trim, cording, or button tufting can raise the total cost by 20%-30% (Fixr, HomeAdvisor).
- Extra services. Pickup and delivery, in-home service calls, and professional cleaning or stain-resistant treatments are typically billed separately, often $50-$300 depending on the service (Fixr, HomeAdvisor).
How to lower your chair reupholstery cost
- Stick with a mid-range fabric. Linen, denim, or synthetic blends in the $20-$50 per yard range hold up well without the premium price tag of wool, silk, or leather (Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
- Bundle multiple chairs with one upholsterer. Dining sets or matching chairs often cost less per chair than one-off jobs, since setup and travel time get spread across the whole set.
- Address frame or padding issues yourself first, if minor. Since frame repairs and padding replacement are usually separate line items, tightening loose joints or checking foam condition before you call an upholsterer can help you scope – and sometimes reduce – the quote (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor).
- Skip decorative add-ons on a budget. Nailhead trim, cording, and tufting look great but can add 20%-30% to the total, so a clean, simple recover keeps costs down (Fixr, HomeAdvisor).
- Compare hourly labor rates. Since labor ranges from $40 to $120 per hour depending on the shop, getting two or three quotes for the same chair and fabric can reveal a meaningful price difference (Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
Get quotes from at least two or three local upholsterers before committing, and confirm what’s included – fabric, labor, frame repairs, and delivery are sometimes bundled and sometimes billed as extras.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to reupholster a chair?+
Nationally, chair reupholstery averages about $750, with most projects costing $300 to $1,100. Simple jobs, like a single dining chair seat, can cost as little as $60 to $100, while an oversized or antique piece can top $2,000 (HomeAdvisor, Fixr, Bob Vila).
How much does it cost to reupholster a dining chair?+
A dining chair typically costs $100 to $550 to reupholster, though a seat-only recover can be as cheap as $55 to $80 (HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow, Fixr).
How much does it cost to reupholster a wingback chair or recliner?+
A wingback chair generally costs $500 to $1,750, and a recliner runs about $520 to $1,720, since both require significantly more fabric and labor than a smaller chair (HomeAdvisor).
What's the cheapest fabric option for reupholstering a chair?+
Cotton is typically the most affordable fabric at $5 to $20 per yard, followed by mid-range options like linen or denim at $20 to $50 per yard. Premium fabrics like wool, silk, or leather can run $60 to $150+ per yard (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow).
How much do upholsterers charge per hour?+
Labor rates generally run $40 to $100 per hour, though some upholsterers charge up to $120 per hour depending on region and experience (Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow).
Does reupholstering a chair include repairs?+
Not usually. Frame repairs (often $250 or more), padding or foam replacement ($25-$100 per cushion), and webbing repairs are typically quoted as separate add-ons on top of the base reupholstery price (Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor, Homeaglow).
Sources
Figures synthesized and cross-checked across these sources (retrieved 2026-07-24):
- Fixr — National average cost to reupholster a chair is between $300 and $1,000, with most people paying approximately $650. By type (total, labor+material): bar stool $55-$250; dining chair $55-$250; office chair $120-$550; armchair $280-$1,100; wingback chair $360-$1,400; recliner $460-$1,650. Fabric per yard: synthetic $10-$70, natural $10-$100. Labor $50-$100 per hour. Service call $50-$150; transportation $100-$300; cleaning $15-$100.
- Bob Vila — National average $800; overall range $50-$2,000. By type: dining chair $50-$250; barstool $50-$500; bergere chair $200-$450; parsons chair $150-$500; slipper chair $250-$400; office chair $200-$700; footstool $70-$500; club chair $280-$900; tub/barrel chair $400-$800; armchair $800-$1,500; recliner $400-$1,500; leather chair $800-$2,000; wingback chair $1,000-$2,000. Fabric per yard: cotton $5-$20, wool $60-$100, silk $60-$80, general range $50-$70. Labor $40-$100 per hour. Furniture repairs average $214, range $100-$500. Padding replacement $25-$75 per cushion.
- HomeAdvisor — Average cost $750; range $300-$1,100 (simple projects as low as $60, antiques/larger pieces up to $2,000+). By type: dining chair $100-$550; slipper chair $250-$400; bergere chair $200-$450; tub/barrel chair $400-$800; armchair $640-$1,550; wingback chair $500-$1,750; recliner $520-$1,720; leather chair $800-$2,000. Fabric per yard: budget (nylon, cotton, polyester) $5-$20; mid-range (linen, suede, denim) $20-$50; premium (silk, wool, leather, velvet) $40-$100. Labor $40-$100 per hour. Frame repairs $250+; add-ons (tufting, cording) +20%-30%; professional cleaning $90-$190 per chair; stain-resistant treatment $30-$100; minor repairs $25-$200.
- Homeaglow — Most chairs cost $200-$1,800 to reupholster depending on style, fabric, and complexity. By type: dining chair (seat only) $80-$200; dining chair (seat+back) $150-$350; barstool/counter stool $100-$250; armchair/club chair $350-$900; wingback chair $500-$1,200; recliner $600-$1,500+; leather chair (any style) $600-$1,500+. Fabric per yard: synthetic $10-$70, natural $10-$120, premium/leather $40-$150+; nylon $10-$15, polyester $10-$45, wool $60-$120. Labor $60-$120 per hour, or $100-$900+ per chair depending on complexity. Foam replacement +$20-$100; webbing/support repairs +$20-$150; buttons/tufting +$25-$150; nailhead trim +$20-$80.
- Airtasker — Low $54, median $1,330, high $2,605. By type: dining chairs $71-$260; bar stools $54-$521; office chairs $180-$729; ottomans/footstools $153-$729; bergere chairs $198-$677; parson's chairs $174-$625; tub chairs $337-$834; classic armchairs $479-$1,563; recliners/lounge chairs $607-$1,563; wingback chairs $612-$2,084. Fabric per yard ranges from cotton $7-$104 to silk $16-$5,210+. Labor rates $52-$104 per hour (up to $94-$156 with certifications). Upholstery cleaning $61-$299.
National average estimates vary noticeably by source: Fixr reports about $650 (range $300-$1,000), HomeAdvisor about $750 (range $300-$1,100, with simple projects as low as $60 and antiques/oversized pieces topping $2,000+), Bob Vila about $800 (range $50-$2,000), Homeaglow a range of $200-$1,800 with no single average stated, and Airtasker a much higher median of $1,330 (range $54-$2,605) reflecting a different, project-cost-based methodology. This guide uses HomeAdvisor's $750 average and $300-$1,100 range as the headline figures since they sit in the middle of the source spread and are corroborated closely by Fixr and Bob Vila. by_type figures are total per-chair project costs (fabric + labor), drawn primarily from HomeAdvisor, and are broadly consistent with the ranges reported by Fixr, Bob Vila, Homeaglow, and Airtasker for the same chair types. Figures generally cover fabric and labor for a standard reupholstery job; frame repairs, padding/foam replacement, pickup/delivery, and cleaning are frequently quoted as separate line items.