Reddit reviews Arrow Fastener T50 Heavy Duty Staple Gun

Used to do this professionally.

Foam: https://www.thefoamfactory.com/seatcushion/foamtypes.html

You want to use closed cell foam, if possible. Open cell foam can absorb water and fluids(yick).

Temporary Adhesive: 3m77 is the best overall adhesive to prevent movement. It is NOT a permanent adhesive. https://www.amazon.com/3M-77-Multipurpose-Adhesive-Aerosol/dp/B0000AZ735/ref=sr_1_3

Permanent adhesive: Barge cement or weldwood. Both are equally good. Many brands advertise different names, but it's repackaged barge or weldwood (you can get a 55 gal drum). It tends to be more rigid so its only suitable for adhesing to a solid base, like foam to wood or foam to metal. https://www.amazon.com/00271-Weldwood-Original-Contact-Cement/dp/B0006MXRY8/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_200_lp_t_3

Upholstery leather: While Tandy is the cheapest source, they generally sell second quality hides that are factory overruns or seconds. A better source is either the Carroll Leather company or the Hide House. Both are excellent. You want a fully protected corrected grain hide in the 3-4 oz range. The hide should be a full hide, not half, which is approximately 55 sqft. Both companies will sell you a single hide. Estimate about $8 sqft, including shipping. My preference is the Carroll Leather company because they have a better online catalog, but both companies will send you samples if you ask nicely. Both are excellent reputable companies. http://www.carrollleather.com/colours

and https://hidehouse.com/products/index.html?Category=FETI

Also, if you plan to stuff any enclosed leather items, like pillows, you will need spray silicone to ease the stuffing. http://www.upholsterysupplyonline.com/products/Pro-Slip-Dry-Silicone-Spray-Case-Of-12.html

You might need some upholstery tacks and a tack hammer. https://www.vandykes.com/upholstery-tacks-nails-tools/c/1696/

Alternatively a good staple gun works well. Do not use the electric ones. They're expensive and usually don't work as well as the manual ones https://www.amazon.com/Arrow-Fastener-T50-Heavy-Staple/dp/B00002ND61/ref=sr_1_4

For random hardware, try https://ohiotravelbag.com/ and https://www.buckleguy.com/The company behind buckleguy makes the hardware for Coach bags, so it is usually superior quality.

If you sew anything, use polyester thread, NOT nylon. Nylon absorbs water, and breaks down under exposure to UV. Polyester is what the boat upholstery guys use because it stands up over time.

Pro tip: expect to use twice as much leather as you think. It takes a lot of experience to correctly judge upholstery dimensions and usage. Also, pull the leather tighter than you think. Go slow, measure twice, cut once, and realize that leather stretches in two directions.

Edit: Marine vinyl is a good substitution for leather. It's non porous, and easily cleaned. Fabric is measured by the yard, which means the width of the roll (usually 54") x 1 yard long. Quality vinyl is ~$10-$20 per yard, which is about 1/4 the cost of quality leather. https://www.joann.com/marine-vinyl/prd23669.html or https://fabricwarehouse.com/discount-marine-vinyl-fabrics/

you need a staple gun! they are so useful! (Link included for info, usually they are like $10 at Lowes/Home Depot.)

If you have enough assflab to florp over the edge of a chair, get a good solid staple gun and tack yourself in. There is nothing like a few chiselpoints embedded into the nether regions to remind you why you're there in the first place.