Blog · February 24, 2025
Walnut Creek Mennonite Church Pew Restoration | Sugar Creek, OH
Savanna Williams-Bowlin
When Walnut Creek Mennonite Church in Sugar Creek, Ohio, called us about their pews, they weren’t looking for a gut renovation. They wanted the sanctuary to feel like itself — just cleaner, more comfortable, and ready for another few decades of Sunday mornings.
That’s the kind of job we like at Sharpe’s Church Interiors. We reupholstered the pews with fabric from our Foundations Line, painted the white pew ends, and refinished the exposed wood. Here’s how it went.
What the church asked for
Leadership wanted the pews restored without losing the traditional look of the room. Nothing flashy — just pews that looked cared for again and would hold up for the next generation sitting in them.
The plan we landed on was straightforward:
- Reupholster the pews with Foundations Line fabric
- Repaint the white pew ends
- Refurbish the exposed wood so the grain showed again
All of it backed by our lifetime warranty on workmanship.
Why Foundations Line made sense here
For weekly worship and special services, the fabric has to hold up. After talking through options with church leadership, we recommended our Foundations Line. It was a good fit for Walnut Creek because it’s built for heavy use, comes in classic textures and colors that suit traditional interiors, and doesn’t fade or wear down quickly.
By the time we finished, the congregation had seating that looked right in the room and felt better underfoot. If you’re weighing fabric options for your own pews, you can see more on our pew upholstery service page.
What we were working with
Every restoration has its quirks. At Walnut Creek, years of regular use had left the usual marks:
- Faded upholstery from sun exposure and frequent sitting
- Scratches and scuffs on the exposed wood
- Chipped paint on the white pew ends
The trickiest part was the deeper scratches in the wood. We sanded and refinished those carefully so the imperfections blended without hiding the natural grain and texture. The goal wasn’t to make the pews look brand-new in a fake way — it was to bring them back so they still felt like Walnut Creek’s pews.
How we did the work
Reupholstery
We started by removing the worn fabric and padding. Then we applied the Foundations Line fabric pew by pew — tight fit, consistent look across the sanctuary, and a bit of extra padding for comfort.
Wood refinishing
Next came the exposed wood. Our crew sanded the surfaces, worked out the scratches, and applied a quality finish so the wood looked warm again and had a protective coat for the long haul.
White pew ends
The pew ends were repainted with a durable white finish. Against the new fabric and refinished wood, they cleaned up the whole row and gave the sanctuary that crisp edge again.
How it turned out
When we wrapped up, the sanctuary looked refreshed without feeling like a different church. New Foundations Line fabric, bright pew ends, and wood that looked cared for again — the traditional character of the room was still there.
The folks at Walnut Creek Mennonite Church were glad to have their seating back in good shape, and we were glad to help restore a space they use every week.
Thinking about a similar project?
At Sharpe’s Church Interiors, we treat pews like the everyday furniture of worship — used hard, often loved, worth doing right. Lifetime warranty on workmanship, on-site work when it fits your schedule, and fabric options including Foundations Line.
Most restorations take a few weeks depending on size and scope. You can choose your own fabric, and we also handle church interior design when you want the seating and the room to pull together. For more examples, see our pew upholstery in Phoenix, AZ and pew upholstery and refurbishing at Victory Church in Lakeland, FL, or learn more about our pew refinishing service.
Questions? Our FAQ page covers the common ones, or request a free estimate. Call us at (910) 694-3007 — we’re at 212 Bait Rd., Dunn, NC 28334. You can also follow along on Facebook and our YouTube channel.