Published by Upholstery World Auckland · Reading time: 5 minutes
Reupholstering a bar stool in New Zealand typically costs $80–$300 per stool, with fabric and labour included. A plain round seat pad sits at the lower end; a stool with a padded back, a wrapped rim or contract-grade vinyl sits at the upper end. A set of four kitchen stools usually lands between $320 and $1,200.
Bar stools are the most-used seat in most kitchens and the hardest-worn seat in any bar, which is why they wear out long before the rest of the furniture. The good news is that they are also among the cheapest things to bring back.
What does it cost to reupholster a bar stool?
| Stool type | Typical cost per stool (2026) |
|---|---|
| Plain round or square seat pad | $80 – $150 |
| Seat with a wrapped or piped rim | $130 – $200 |
| Seat and padded back | $170 – $260 |
| Buttoned, studded or contract-grade commercial stool | $220 – $300+ |
All prices exclude GST. The lower end of each band assumes a set done together; single stools sit higher. Larger commercial jobs are quoted as a whole, not per stool.
What are you actually paying for?
| Component | Typical cost per stool |
|---|---|
| Fabric or vinyl — 0.5m for a plain pad, up to 1.5m with a back | $15 – $100 |
| New high-density foam | $20 – $60 |
| Seat base or fixing plate replacement, where needed | $20 – $50 |
| Stripping, re-covering and refitting to the base | The balance — usually the largest single component |
What drives the cost up or down?
Whether the seat comes off
Most kitchen bar stools have a seat pad held on by four screws through a plate underneath. Those are the quickest and cheapest stools we do — the pad comes off, gets stripped and re-covered on the bench, and goes straight back on. Stools where the upholstery wraps a fixed frame, or where the gas lift and swivel mechanism has to come out first, take longer.
Fabric against vinyl
For a kitchen, fabric is usually the nicer choice and half a metre covers a plain pad. For a bar, café or restaurant, commercial vinyl is almost always the right answer: it wipes clean, it survives spills, and it is rated for far heavier use. Upholstery fabric is graded by Martindale rub count — domestic fabrics commonly sit around 15,000–25,000 rubs, while contract-grade materials start around 30,000 and go well beyond. On a bar stool that gets sat on forty times a day, that difference is the whole job.
Foam condition
Bar stool foam takes concentrated load on a small area, so it compresses faster than almost any other seat in the house. If the stool has gone hard or you can feel the base through it, replace the foam while the cover is off. It is inexpensive at that point, and it is the difference between a stool that looks new and one that is new to sit on.
Number of stools
A set of four or six costs less per stool than a single one. Fabric is cut as a batch, and the setup happens once.
Reupholstering bar stools for a bar, café or restaurant
Commercial stools are a different job from kitchen stools, and worth treating as one.
- Contract-grade material is not optional. A domestic fabric on a venue stool will look tired within a year. Commercial vinyl or contract fabric costs more per metre and lasts several times as long, which makes it cheaper per year of service.
- Recovering beats replacing on cost and on downtime. New commercial stools have lead times. Recovering an existing set keeps the frames and bases you already have.
- Staged turnaround keeps you trading. We can work through a set in batches so you are never short of seats on a Friday night. Tell us how many you can spare at a time and we will plan around it.
- Colour matching across a fit-out. If your booths and banquettes need doing too, quoting them together means the materials actually match.
If you run a venue, see commercial upholstery in Auckland for how we handle full fit-outs.
Is it worth reupholstering a bar stool, or should you replace it?
Reupholstering is worth it when the base is sound — and on bar stools the base is usually the expensive part. Check:
- The frame or column. Solid timber or a decent metal column is worth keeping. A bent column or a failed gas lift is a replacement, not a repair.
- The footrest. Scuffing is cosmetic. A footrest pulling away from the frame needs attention before any new cover goes on.
- The swivel. A stiff or noisy swivel can often be serviced while the seat is off.
- The height and the look. If the stools fit your bench and you like them, that alone is usually reason enough.
If a stool is not worth doing, we will tell you. That advice is free and it costs you nothing to ask.
How the process works at Upholstery World
- Send photos through the contact form, or by WhatsApp on +64 22 634 3792. Photograph the whole stool, then the underside of the seat so we can see how it fixes on.
- Tell us how many stools, and whether they are for a home kitchen or a venue.
- We come back with a price range, then visit with fabric and vinyl samples.
- You get a fixed-price quote before any work starts.
- We collect, do the work at our Auckland workshop, and deliver back — Central, East, West, South Auckland and the North Shore.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to reupholster a bar stool in New Zealand?
$80–$300 per stool, fabric and labour included. A plain seat pad sits at the lower end; a stool with a padded back or contract-grade vinyl sits at the upper end. Send photos for a fixed price on your stools.
How much does it cost to reupholster four bar stools?
Typically $320–$1,200 for a set of four. A set costs less per stool than a single one, because the fabric is cut as a batch and the setup happens once.
How much fabric does a bar stool need?
Roughly half a metre for a plain round or square pad, and up to 1.5 metres for a stool with a padded back. We confirm the exact metreage before you buy anything.
What is the best fabric for bar stools?
For a home kitchen, a hard-wearing upholstery fabric or a good faux leather. For a bar, café or restaurant, commercial vinyl or contract-grade fabric rated to 30,000 Martindale rubs or higher — it wipes clean and lasts several times longer under heavy use.
Can I supply my own fabric?
Yes. You are welcome to supply your own, and we can also source trade fabrics and commercial vinyls, often below retail.
Can you do a whole venue without closing it?
Yes. We work through commercial sets in batches so you keep enough seating on the floor to trade. Tell us how many stools you can release at a time.
Get a fixed price on your stools
Send a few photos and we will come back with a price range, honest advice on whether the bases are worth keeping, and a fixed quote before any work begins.
Get a free bar stool reupholstery quote from Upholstery World — or read more about furniture reupholstery in Auckland, commercial upholstery and upholstery repairs across Auckland.
Pricing something else? See what reupholstering a dining chair costs in Auckland, what sofa reupholstery costs, or what it costs to repair a couch.
About the author. Viraj is the founder and lead upholsterer at Upholstery World Auckland, working across furniture, automotive, marine and commercial upholstery Auckland-wide. Send photos for a free quote on WhatsApp: +64 22 634 3792.
