How to Reupholster a Balans Chair

It's pretty easy to replace the padding and fabric on a Balans (kneeling) chair. Provided you have new fabric, padding and the right tools, you'll be able to renew such a chair in no time.

Edit Steps

Part 1: Removing the Original Upholstery

Turn the chair upside down. Use a 3/16" (5mm) hex wrench to remove all the bolts under the seat and knee pads. Separate the seat and knee pads from the chair legs. The pegs may stick to one part or come out entirely.

Turn over the seat. Use a straight screwdriver to ease up the staples on the top layer of fabric, then remove them with pliers and take off the fabric. The little brown tag/loop on the chair is for storing a hex wrench, but the used chair shown in this tutorial did not have one.

Remove the staples holding the fabric on the seat and knee pads. Note how the material is folded.

Remove the foam. If the foam is very old, it may have crumbled. If so, put a piece of paper underneath to catch the foam bits as you peel up the old fabric. Keep the old fabric pieces to use as models for the replacement fabric.

Write down the measurements of the set of boards that support the seat and knee pads. The seat and knee pads extend a bit forward and back over the boards, so you will want to add a little more to the measurements.

Lay out the padding under the seat and knee boards. I had these foam pieces cut a bit too big, but it worked out.
- Fabric stores carry foam, or try a marine canvas supply store. Pick out the thickness and firmness you want, and get them to cut the padding for you.

Part 2: Attaching the New Upholstery

Time to attach your new fabric! 1.5 yards of fabric should be enough; this tutorial has used a repurposed a pair of black leather pants. Use the old fabric pieces removed from the chair as a guide to cut the new fabric pieces.
- Place a fabric pieces under the foam and board, then fold one edge of the fabric onto a board and use a staple gun to secure it.
- Staple on opposite sides of a piece, then rotate to get the other two sides. It may help if one person holds the fabric while the other person staples.

To finish the seat, lay the original piece of fabric with the Balans label over the first set of staples. Staple it down, and remember to staple in the hex key loop if you plan to use it.

Reattach the seat and knee pads to the chair legs. Align the pegs and push the pieces together, then insert the bolts and tighten them with the hex wrench.