Yes: Vintage dinette chairs can be reupholstered successfully. The seats of Laurie’s chair were in fine shape, but the original backs had seen better days. She found pink and gray marine-grade vinyl online and then, someone locally who reupholstered them for just a very reasonable price — including supplying and adding the upholstery tacks. 
Laurie writes:
Hi,I actually took the chairs — just the backs — to a fabric upholsteror in Rochester, N.Y. She did them for just $25 chair!!! They came out BEAUTIFUL! I ordered the material online myself and saved even more… It is marine grade vinyl and matched PERFECTLY!Sincerely,Laurie
Hey, $25 per chair sounds like a fantastic price to me.
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I also have several stories on where to buy retro style vinyl and even real Naugahyde — these are all filed in my category –>Remodeling Basics / Furniture.
Ck says
How do you know how much vinyl to order? I have 4 similar 50s kitchenette chairs. I need to redo backs (grey ice) and seats (yellow ice).
Pam Kueber says
Hi Ck, I don’t know the answer to this. Perhaps the company you are buying from can provide some assistance in calculating the yardage that you will need. Good luck!
Julie says
Hi Pam, I am trying to reupholster some chairs very similar to those featured in your article above. Unfortunately, the link to the video does not seem to be working? Do you have another video our DIY source you could recommend?
Pam Kueber says
Hi Julie, I don’t…
Marie says
Hi I have some chairs I’m looking to have done. I live in Rochester. Where can I contact u? What’s the name of your place?
Rocco says
I recently bought a dinette kitchen formica set from 50s. It’s yellow cracked ice seat & grey cracked ice for upper back. It has upholstery studs that run around the back side & a very unusual needle pinpoint of grapes & leaves in the naugahyde itself. However, there’s some tears & small rips in the seats & the backs & one chair has a rip in the front. But the needlepoint artwork is in great condition. I talked to a few upholstery people & they Saud there’s no way to salvage the art work. Any thoughts? Ideas? Somebody please help me out here.
Danelle says
Wondering about where to find new edging. I have a table from 1949 and I am needing replacement 3/4 inch edging. Any suggestions??
I’m also looking to either recover the seats myself or order replacement seats and backs. 🙂 Suggestions?
pam kueber says
Hey Danelle,
Get to know our navigation – up in the blue above. We have resources for all of these items. Also – use the Search box, it works well, too!
Danelle says
I have had some luck in navigating the site, but am wondering if you have any suggestions of companies that I can order new seats and backs for my chairs?
pam kueber says
No, I don’t think I have ever seen this come up before. You could try our advertiser, Heffron’s A Moment in Time Retro Design — they might be able to help — good luck. Tell Tammy that Pam sent you!
Loise Fullbright says
Chrome side chair upholstered, how do I remove the back? No screws visible, only a seam opening between the upholstered back. Can’t find anything to get it apart. Help,,, loise
Lori says
I’d like to know where in Rochester, NY you took the chairs to also. I have chairs just like these that I want to have done!
Thanks!
Suz says
LOVE LOVE LOVE this pink table set! I always thought I wanted a red one until I saw this!
Congratulations on a wonderful refurb!
Jeremy says
Pam or Laurie, if either of you is still looking at this, could you get me the contact information for the upholsterer in Rochester who did the work? I have some similar chairs that I need done.
Thanks!