How To Cover A Recliner With A Sheet [Pro Guide]

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Slip covering a recliner is challenging even with advanced sewing skills, as each cover needs customization to your chair. Unlike a standard slipcover, those on recliners require construction in multiple sections and securing to the frame.

Luckily, I’m going to share with you the most straightforward methods on how to cover a recliner with a sheet.

In a nutshell, you cover a recliner with a sheet by tucking the sheet into the chair’s crevices. Alternatively, you make a recliner sheet cover by sewing measured sheet pieces to cover its surfaces. Still, you can make a slipcover out of a sheet chair using appropriately sized material and pins.

Table of Contents

How Do You Make a Recliner Sheet Cover?

The simplest method to cover your recliner with a sheet is by draping one over it without sewing or pinning.

Take the sheet. Ensure it has no loose strings or obstructions on both sides by running your hands over it. If any, snip them out with scissors and throw away that section of the sheet.
Remove any portions that have fraying at the edges.
Also, check the sheet for any snagged or loose threads. If you come across a snag, cut it out with scissors.
Fold one of the sheet’s side’s up.
Next, pull the fold from left to right over your furniture to cover all sides. Ensure that the sheet is sufficient to drape over your chair’s top.
Also, ensure you fully retract your recliner on its feet for better coverage.
Stuff excess material into any crevices around your chair’s bottom or edges. Smooth out the edges with your hands for uniform coverage.

For a better fit, you may have to modify the sheeting.

To prevent movement during shipment, use clamps or tie-downs on sections that the sheet doesn’t properly cover.

Further reading:

How Do You Cover a Recliner With a Sheet?

Simply draping the sheet without pins or sewing won’t give you a clean appearance. So, here’s how to get a neater finish.

Take two sheet pieces appropriately sized based on your recliner’s arms.
Drape the sheets over the arm and tuck them into the chair’s crevices.
Secure the sheets at the bottom with pins.
Take another sheet long enough to cover the backrest, your seat, and down to the legs.
Drape the third sheet piece over the backrest and seat and tuck it into the crevices.
Leave some length to cover the back of your recliner and some to cover the legs too.
Secure the leg and back drapes with pins in obscured areas.

How Do You Make a Slipcover Out of a Sheet Chair?

The third method involves sewing, and you need to:

Place your sheet lengthwise from the footrest to the back of the chair, uniformly over the arm and seat. Allow any extra length to fall down the back.
Pull all surplus from the floor around the chair and put it on your seat.
Tuck the extra material you lay on the seat into the openings at the sides and rear of the seat evenly and neatly.
To keep the cover in place, stuff any rubberized, cylindrical items like magazines or doweling into the seat crevices on each side and along the back.
At all outer corners, gather the draping fabric that flows down the chair’s outside into even proportions.
Organize the cloth in accordion folds hanging equally at each corner.

Securing the Sheet

Once you have the sheet in place, fix it as follows:

Use safety pins to temporarily secure the folds on all corners.
Pin the gathers directly below each arm at the chair’s front.
Pin the back gathers to the floor at the same distance as the front gathers.
Thread a 2-foot length of 1-inch ribbon in a color that fits well with the color of the sheet and the room’s decor through the extra-large hole of a yarn-sized sewing needle.
Bend the ribbon’s end to begin sewing it if necessary.
Below one of the corner pins, thread your needle through the folds.
If the fabric isn’t stretchy enough to take the ribbon’s thickness, cut a small slit in the folds with the point of scissors.
Remove the safety pin and needle.
To seal the corner folds, knot the ribbons into neat bows.
If desired, trim the ribbon to remove any excesses.
At each pinned corner, repeat the gathering process.

The gathered corners aid in the chair’s ability to recline and the footrest’s ability to operate freely.

FAQs

Can You Slip Cover a Recliner?

You can slip cover a recliner given the right tools and proper procedure. To ensure that the sheet covers everything, it should be at least two inches bigger than your chair on all sides. With scissors, trim any excess fabric or elastic off the edge, then sew seams.

Does Lazyboy Make Slipcovers?

You might not be much of a DIY person and are looking for ready-made sheet covers to slip onto your Lazyboy recliner. Unfortunately, Lazyboy doesn’t make slipcovers, but you can get some from a local dealer or sites like Amazon.

How Do You Keep a Recliner Slipcover in Place?

For your sheets to look neat, you keep a recliner slipcover in place by tucking it into the crevices.

Alternatively, you can add cut PVC pipe pieces or similar materials into the crevices to increase the tension.

Also, you can increase the friction between the recliner and your slipcover using materials like non-slip shelf liners or materials with a rug grip.

Conclusion

Now you know how to cover a recliner with a sheet. Slipping a cover over a recliner is easy and fun. It gives your furniture an instant facelift and makes it more comfortable. You don’t have to buy a new recliner to match the furniture in your office—choose either of the methods listed above to cover your recliner with a sheet.

You’ll not only give it a new face, but also make it last longer. Besides, using a sheet to cover your recliner is another way to evade buying another recliner when you’re not financially stable.

Author

Andrew Smith

Andrew Smith is the founder of CozySeating, is a father of 2, and an engineer from one of the leading furniture stores in the country. Due to his 10 years of experience, he has proved to be the best person to offer advice to clients regarding different seating furniture based on their needs and performance. Besides, he is a specialist in product reviews and always keeps up with the current trends in the market.

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