Covering upholstered chair seat with leather?

[Oregon Bill]

Boys, I want to re-cover some upholstered dining room chair seats with leather.  I am thinking four or six-ounce vegetable tanned. Does that sound about right? Also wondering what traditional treatment I should use on the leather to keep it supple but not staing my guests' trousers or skirts.
Any guidance much appreciado!

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I made a chair with 8 oz leather because I did some tooling on it. It worked fine and is still nice many years later. I've put a little Lexol conditioner on a few times.

If you're going to do a suede finish, garment leather is great. I did that with a barrel stool cushion and never did any preventative maintenance on it. No reason you couldn't use garment leather with the smooth side out, too.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

Very nice Will, it looks fantastic pal..

tEN wOLVES

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, TW. It was a fun project. Took a whole side to do the job.

[Oregon Bill]

Well that surely is a New Mexico-themed chair, says old Oregon Bill who just moved to Alamogordo, NM.



That said, I ain't no leather tooler and will have my hands full just doing simple upholstery. Still thinking lighter stuff oughta work. I am thinking of post 1900 stuff I have seen, maybe Mission/Stickley, with simple leather surfaces.

[Don Nix]

Spent a few years working with leather, about half my life so I'll tell you of my experience. If you are covering a chair with a padded seat, use upholstery leather, you can buy it easily in full skins. 4 oz. is heavy enough and it will have some stretch to it. It its a padded seat or cushion then heavier leather will have a tendency to stretch less and may pull loose from the tacks or staples . Ive used some 4 oz oiled leather that makes great seat material.
 

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, OB. That was the intention.

Don has some good sounding advice there. I remember having a side of upholstery leather that came from United airlines one time and it was much better than other leathers for the purpose. It was even perforated with dinky air holes so it would breathe. If I make another chair, I may give that a try unless I want a design on it.

[Mogorilla]

Great looking chair.  That gives me all kinds of ideas.

I 2nd what Don said.  I recovered some barstools we use at our breakfast counter.   I looked around at several options, finally got the wife to go with me to Tandy, we picked out a nice piece of upholstery for a good price.  Took a short time to cover the chairs and I have some left over for odds and ends (seriously thinking a nice sporran for a belt pouch out of it)

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Thanks, Mo. Post a photo of one of those bar stools if you have one.

[Mogorilla]

Here is one of the chairs    removed the cloth seat and used it as the pattern

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Nice work, Mo. That's a good-looking leather. Just right for the job. Thanks for the pic.

[Oregon Bill]

Yes, nice job on re-covering that stool, Mo. Hey, if you make a sporran out of the leftovers, put up a photo would you? I need to make one myself to wear with my Utilikilt.