We found this rocking chair on Craigslist for $25 because we loved its clean silhouette, low back and rich, chunky wood. We also wanted a rocker in the living area of our new house — I nurse Clara there often and prefer to spend time in the public spaces rather than retreating to the nursery or bedroom. She already enjoys being rocked at John’s mom’s house, so we thought this chair would be perfect for quiet, cozy moments together. The only issue was the seat and back cushioning: it needed reupholstering.
The seat seemed straightforward. We planned to remove the bottom boards, add foam, staple batting around the back to smooth and secure it, then recover it like a typical removable chair seat and reattach it from underneath. The back, however, is a different story — it’s a double-sided cushion and we weren’t sure how to approach it.
When we peeled away the fabric we discovered there’s no solid support behind the back panels — you can literally see through the chair. It looks like two upholstered panels on each side were stapled in place and finished with trim to hide the fasteners. That left us wondering whether we should add some internal structure so the fabric itself isn’t bearing a person’s weight against the back. Left as-is, the fabric could sag or stretch over time and offer little real support.
We’ve seen people use woven webbing — the seat-belt style strips that are laced together to create a supportive base — and wondered whether a similar solution would help the chair’s back. The idea would be to add a supportive layer behind the two fabric panels, creating a sort of “sandwich” so anyone leaning against the chair doesn’t feel like they’re sliding into a hole. Then we’d reattach or replace the two outer fabric panels for a finished look. Admittedly, we’re figuring this out as we go.
Any suggestions or step-by-step tips would be greatly appreciated — especially ideas for adding durable support behind those back panels without changing the chair’s appearance. Somebody help us!