Lining a Box with Fabric – Easy Steps to Line Any Box with Fabric

RON HAZELTON:
Now I picked up this wooden box at the auction the other day for a pretty good price. It's a primitive piece probably from somewhere in Indonesia.   Now I don't mind a rough hewn look on the outside, but I'd like to do something with the interior to dress it up a little bit.  So I'm going to line it with fabric panels.

Now this is the same process I would use if I were going to line a chest of drawers or an armoire.  I start by cutting pieces of poster board to fit the bottom and all 4 sides.  To give these panels a slightly cushioned or plush look, I first cover them with white flannel which I cut slightly over sized.

Then I apply spray adhesive to the poster board sections - turn them over, press the cardboard in contact with the fabric, cut off the corners - and fold over the edges. The clipped corners allow me to make a sort of miter without having to overlap the claw.

Now I cut the fabric in the same way.  Apply adhesive to the flannel, then attach and fold the material.   Once the panels are finished, I simply set them in place.  On larger pieces like armoires and drawers, I sometimes use double stick foam tape or small dabs of hot metal glue to hold the sections in position.

It also may help to use a stiffer board to make the panels more rigid.  Now you have to admit, that's a pretty easy way to turn something simple into something elegant.  And if you want to change the fabric, just take these panels out and replace them.