
Cheap Walmart Stool
My cheap Walmart stools haven’t been holding up to the wear and tear of a large family. I bought them a few years ago, and I was glad I bought extras. One by one, their screws wouldn’t stay in anymore, or they would break somehow.
When one bit the dust, we’d get out a new one. Twice, a leg fell off, and the stool fell, gouging a hole in our wood floor. I was ready for a new set, but just didn’t want more cheap stuff. Plus I knew that quality stools can be pricey.
Recently, we noticed our favorite furniture store was going out of business. It was the kind of place that sells real wood, and they stain it the color you want. It’s expensive stuff, but nothing else compares when you need it to endure the rough use from a bunch of kids.

Sturdy Wood Stool
So I stopped at the store for a look. Not only did they have some handsome, sturdy stools, they also had a dining set that was perfect for our family. It was big enough to hold all our plates AND the food. And it came with 10 chairs and leaves so we could expand it for guests and special occasions. Not only that, everything was HALF OFF.

Solid Wood Table & Chairs
I knew it was now or never. I picked the colors I wanted and asked them to do some distressing. I knew it wouldn’t be long before my kids had done some distressing of their own on it, but I wanted it all to blend in.
I was breathless when they delivered the furniture. It was gorgeous! Everything fit just right.
But there was a problem. The seat cushions were all light cream. They were beautiful, but I knew they wouldn’t last a day that way. I needed heavy duty protection against stains.
I immediately went to Walmart and bought some thick plastic vinyl to use for a kid-proof covering.

I had my son, Nathan, unscrew the cushions from the chairs and stools (and reattach them when I finished).

I vacuumed my workspace, because the plastic attracts hair like crazy (we have 2 dogs, and kids with thick hair, not to mention my husband).

I cut plastic plenty big enough to cover the cushions,

wrapped the plastic tight,

and stapled it to the underneath of each cushion with a Bostitch staple gun.

Many of the staples didn’t go in all the way, so I had to hammer them. I used a few tacks, also.

I cut away excess plastic, so it wasn’t so bulky underneath the cushions.


I am finishing the last 3 cushions this morning, and the covers have been working beautifully.

Kid-proof, and they look great. Now to cover the table top . . .













I think this is a great idea! nice job! Hey it was fun to see you and your family at the puppet show.
Thanks for your comments, Paula! Seeing you and your happy smile makes me happy!
Jenni, you did a great job. Next time, save yourself the hassle and elbow grease by using my product, the SmartSeat Chair Protector. The SmartSeat is a waterproof, stain resistant, and machine washable cover for upholstered dining room and kitchen chairs. It protects like the vinyl that you put on, but is easy to use, remove, and wash. It also is a lot nicer to sit on than plastic. Come check out our website for more information, http://www.smartseatdiningchaircovers.com/.
Thanks for the info, Rebecca!