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I am having a sofa recovered. The sofa has good cushions but I like the feel of down and would like them to have down padding on the top. What can be used. Having new cushions made seems like an unnecessary expense. Thanks!
It may seem unnecessary to replace the existing cushions, but that is what you will most likely need to do to get the down that you want. What you want is a down envelope with a foam core. The only other possibility is to have a down envelope made and then insert your existing foam if it fits.
This isn’t exactly upholstery, but looking at some of your other comments here, I was hoping you might be able to help me.
I have an older rocking chair (something like an early glider, I suppose). The seat cushion is placed directly on something I can only describe as a wire mesh. The grids are about 1″ x 3″ and the mesh is hung from the seat frame by springs. The wire mesh is wrapped with what looks like paper and then some sort of vinyl/plastic over that.
The question (and I can send an image if that helps) is : What in the world is that wire mesh called, and where can I order a replacement? The wire mesh has broken and I cannot use the chair without it.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
I haven’t exactly seen what you describe. I’ve seen similar set ups of a system supported by springs. I doubt if you could find the same product. Send me a photo if you like to my upholsteryblog email address.
I am redoing a chair that has been in my wife’s family for decades. It has rocker springs and is pretty low to the ground.
I took detailed pics when tearing it apart. It had zig zag springs, covered by burlap, then a pile of horse hair, cotton, etc…
I am wondering if it would be appropriate to switch to an stretchable webbing to start, then a sheet of poly, then batting, foam, batting, etc?
Are you a fan of this change? What is the exact order of buildup that you would use for either method? Thx much!
I would not replace the zig-zag springs. Start with a good jute or synthetic burlap over the springs, a heavy deck pad to pad to pad the springs, then your foam and batting.
I have an old fainting couch that folds out into a bed that I am attempting to reupholster. It was padded with horsehair and and when folded out into a bed it had springs on burlap and on the rails covered in a wired mesh fabric and the springs were tied together with jute string. Everything was really loose and the wired mesh was very old. What I would like to know is what are my best options to restore back to original shape but make for use and comfort. Should I re-tie the springs and what kind of padding should I use for the couch portion? Any help or tips is appreciated.
Hi Travis- Yes, retie the springs. Then burlap over the springs. You can use jute or synthetic burlap. For padding, start with a stiff deck pad to protect the padding from the springs, then foam, then batting. I also like to put the seats in muslin before the finished fabric. On top of the muslin, use another layer of batting then the finished fabric. The muslin will also give you practice for the finished fabric. Try to maintain the same thickness of padding as the original.
Hi. I am going to recover my fabric covered dining room chairs, and I would like to add a soft, clear vinyl covering to the new fabric covering. When I do this, should I staple the two layers at the same time, or do them separately? Thank you.
I would cover with the clear vinyl separately.
Hello, I just found a Louis XV style sofa and I am going to attempt to upholster and repair it. It is over 6 feet long. The wood is painted white, I may strip it so it has a whitewashed look.
It seems that it is filled with horse hair and someone added a piece of 2 inch foam on top. It also seems to have springs and cords to hold it up but someone screwed in a piece of plywood underneath. I have refinished furniture, made slipcovers and covered dining room chairs. I want to learn how to reupholster and thought this may be a good project
since it consist of a seat and the back. Am I out of my mind? And any ideas on how old it may be? Thanks any advice will be well appriciated.
If you’re comfortable working on the piece then it will be a good project. Since I haven’t seen the sofa, I have no real way of knowing how old it is. Based on horsehair in the seat it is most likely 100 years or older.
You should remove the plywood on the bottom and replace with webbing and retie the springs.
Thanks Joe. I removed the horse hair and everything except for the webbing and the springs. I will remove them and replace the webbing. And then put the springs back in. Then I am planning to cover the springs with muslin and them use 3 inch foam. The only other issue I have is that the when I turn over the sofa, there is no flat piece of wood to adhere the webbing. It is carved and scalloped. I have been studying how it was assembled and it seems that they staples the webbing to the inside wall in front and then to the bottom of the scallop, thus, leaving the webbing on an angle. I guess I will staple to both inside walls of the wood carved frame. I think this may be harder for me.
Webbing can be tricky because chairs and sofas are usually not perfectly square or rectangular. There are curves, legs in the way and wood that sometimes is not in good condition. Keep in mind if the webbing is applied in an even and organized way, it makes it that much easier to set the springs in place.
Hi there. I have a stripped victorian spoon back chair frame I am upholstering from scratch. I would like to button tuft the back. How do I go about the back assembly when there is nothing to the back frame except the outer wood frame and one rear back center vertical support member. What are the buttons going to be attached to? Am I going to build the tufted back as a unit then attach the whole assembly to the back or am I going to tuft it in place?
The other question is the arm pads. The wood arms of the chair are about 1 1/8″ wide, and the bases for the padded armrests are like 2 1/4″ wide, so they overhang the arms on the outside. Do I just upholster these blocks and stick them on? I’m having trouble visualizing them. Yikes!
Any pointer would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
In general you would upholster the back in place. You’ll probably need to attach burlap to the back frame. Then put your padding on the burlap and then tuft. Attach the button to tufting twine and push, with a tufting needle, the twine thru the padding and the attached burlap. On the back side of the burlap, make a slip knot and put a piece of cotton batting in the knot. Pull the knot tight to secure the button.
If the arm pieces are original to the frame, then yes, upholster those and attach. An overhang is generally normal for a chair like that.
Thank you for the advice. I am planning to use burlap, then cotton and then 2″ foam to build the back padding, then cut holes for the buttons, top with dacron then fabric. Does that sound about right? Also, should I tie the springs and pad the seat first to determine how far down to bring the back padding? Last question, if I tuft in the center of the back I’m going to run into a vertical wooden support. Should I drill holes and run the twine through the holes and tie off behind the wood or push the burlap forward and tie the buttons off, letting the knot be in back of the burlap but in front of the wood? Thanks Joe, this is really helpful!
Your plan sounds good. Finish the seat first, then the back. As for the vertical wooden support. As a last resort, drill a hole large enough to fit the needle and twine thru and not much bigger. If the support is not very wide, you can sometimes push you needle thru to the side of the support and it still looks okay. You’ll need to make that decision. Good luck.
Hello,
I am having concerns about my recent finding- I came across a headboard in the back of an alley ( not sure how long it sat there) but I live in a beach city and it can get pretty foggy here.
I have stripped the fabric off the hb however, I am not sure if it is okay to keep the foam/batting on or a change is required?
Thanks in advance
E.J.,
You may just want to replace the batting and foam since you don’t know the history of the headboard. At a minimum, I would remove and replace the batting, then decide on the condition of the foam. If the foam looks and smells acceptable to you, I would leave it in the sun for a few days before proceeding. If you smell or see any signs of mold, replace the foam.
Thank you for your suggestion on stretching the spring. We stretched it by inserting coins into the coils.
I have to replace springs on the foot rest of a recliner chair. How do you stretch the spring in order to apply it? They are very tight and there is little room to work on them.
Sometimes those springs are stretched with a special tool. Short of having the tool, attach one end of the spring. On the other end, wrap a piece of strong twine around the end of the spring and pull hard into place.
Hi: I am redoing dining room chairs and am not sure what kind of foam, batting or both to use. The fabric store mentioned 2″ rubberized foam in a medium density??? Four of the six chairs i am doing are very old and have a bating of some sort. I was thinking of replacing them all so they are more the same. any help would be great Thanks sharon
I’m not sure I know what “rubberized foam” is. In all my supply catalogues foam is either Latex Rubber or polyurethane foam along with some soy based foams. That being said, you generally want to replace the old padding with the same general thickness. So if the old padding was about 2′, then 2″ foam with a medium compression will probably be fine. But, you also need to consider the Density of the foam. Foam with a density of 1.8 or less will not last as long and will not be as comfortable as foam with a 2.6 density. So check the density number also. Then cover the foam with a batting or bonded dacron.
Also consider that 2″ of foam is not all that much for an adult body to be sitting on. Sometimes with 2″ foam a firm compression will work also.
Thanks, Joe for your helpful info. Unfortunately, I’ve purchased foam that my husband finds too soft. (Unfortunately, I don’t know the compression or density of the foam I bought – and neither does the gal who sold me the foam.) I’m not familiar with dacron and am wondering how much additional cushioning to expect. Also which weight of dacron do you usually use – 1/2 oz? Or something else? Thanks.
Jennifer
The foam is really the core of the comfort. The dacron is not meant to contribute to much to comfort but mostly to add a general softness, a protective layer between the foam and fabric and to add a crowned effect vs something looking flat. So don’t expect any type of dacron to make up for the feeling of the foam.
There are many types of dacron. It comes in a batting kind and a bonded kind. It might come down to what you can get locally. If you decide to go with the bonded kind, use no less than 1/2″ and as much as 1″ bonded dacron.
Examples:
Bonded & Stitched
Synthetic Batting
Hi Joe,
I am planning on reupholstering my dining room chairs and am wondering whether I should cover the foam with cotton batting or dacron, (or both?).
I bought 2″ foam – what I though was high density – but when my 180 lb husband sits on the foam, he bottoms out and hits the wood board under the foam. My hope is that the batting gives us a bit more cushioning. Which would you use? Is there any reason to use both cotton and dacron?
Thanks in advance for your wisdom!
Jennifer
There are two things to know about foam: Density and Compression.
Density: ranges from 1 – 3.5 Lb. per cubic foot. Generally the higher the number the better. Standard furniture grade foam has a density of 1.8. Higher quality foam like I use is 2.6.
Compression: soft(21 lb), medium (35 lb), firm (45 lb), extra firm (70 lb) is the amount of weight it takes to depress a piece of 4″ foam 1″.
So in your case with 2′ foam, I would be using foam with a 2.6 density and a compression of firm or medium if you find the firm to be to firm. But the 2″ firm will last longer. All the batting I use is polyester(dacron). I Don’t use cotton batting because it is dusty and can smell after a while.
Batting: Albany Foam and Supply sells battings. For cotton vs polyester, I only use the Synthetic White.
I have just purchased an Italian armchair, but while unpacking it I realized that part of the chair has changed in shape. The top left corner of the backrest has slightly altered in shape. As I had it shipped from Italy to Japan, I am thinking it must have happened during the trip by sea. I wanted to ask if the upholstery foam will eventually reshape itself or if I need to get some work done on it? Thank you in advance for your help!
The foam may regain it’s shape on it’s own. Some of it depends on the type of foam. But if you had access to a steamer, steaming the foam should bring the shape back right away. Be careful though, because you don’t want to damage the fabric. It may be safer to place a towel on the fabric first, then steam the foam thru the towel. If the chair fabric is leather, I would not recommend the steam as it could damage the leather. Hope that helps.
Great Thanks
Hi Joe
I have another question for you. I have had a few lessons on upholstery but mostly have taught myself by trial and error. I was taught to use an upholstery staple gun to staple my double welting cord on instead of glueing. Now that I have finished my chair, I can see some of the staples even after I squished the cords together to conceal. Is this to be expected or should I pull some of the staples out and hot glued them. It will not be easy to pull out the staples without fraying the fabric so I’m reluctant to do so unless this makes my piece less than professional looking. I’m not sure If I’m being to picky, but my eye goes straight to the staples. How do you apply double welting cord?
I always hot glue double welt. It’s much smoother looking glued on. The only time I staple is at a stress point maybe where the staple won’t be see. The exception maybe a thick velvet or chenille, but even then, you don’t want to see any indentations where the staple is. Stick to hot glue.
I am attempting to create queen size headboard and am in the process of purchasing the materials needed would you tell me what is the difference between dacron and batting and also what is upholstery deck dacron. Also if dacron is best to use do i use 1/2 inch our 1/4 inch or just dacron cushion wrap?
Many thanks Lisa
what is the difference between dacron and batting
Dacron is batting. Batting is a padding made of either dacron or cotton that comes on a roll. Typically it’s softer compared to the stiffer types of padding.
what is upholstery deck dacron
Dacron that is used for decking is typically very stiff to help cover the feel of seat springs.
Also if dacron is best to use do i use 1/2 inch our 1/4 inch or just dacron cushion wrap
What you use depends on how thick, how soft, etc, you want the headboard to be. You could use something as thick as 2″ soft foam with dacron padding or just dacron padding maybe 1″ thick. 1/4″ dacron is the equivalent of not using anything. So it really depends on the look and feel you are after as to what materials to use.
I need an honest answer. I brought a couch and loveseat from Thomasville in August 2012. It was delivered at the end of October 2012. I complained about the cushions sinking, pipping all crooked and seats not firm. They finally came to house and agreed. My question is will the lot of material on replacement cushions match after all these months (so far 6 months) and still did not get them back. I think they should replace the entire couch and loveseat. But they are not agreeing.
You are asking two questions. One of an upholstery nature. The second as a legal question. For the upholstery question: There is a 75/25 chance of the dye lots matching or not matching. You will just have to wait and see which it is. And some of it may not have to do with the dye lot. You furniture, depending on the fabric content, may have started to fade even as early as six months.
The second part of your question I can only answer after watching years of People’s Court. The furniture company is probably only obligated to replace the seat cushions if that is your complaint. If you get the cushions back and the dye lot is off by a large margin, then you have a new complaint to replace the sofa. If the dye lot is off by a tiny amount, the fading issue may come into play.
At this point all you can do is wait for the cushions to come back. But keep in mind, most of this will come down to the Quality of customer service the furniture store is willing to extend to you. They have lots of ways to get out of replacing your entire sofa.
Hi,
I have a several year old leather sofa. The recliner has a metal frame and several clips on the serpentine springs have failed. I believe these clips are Leggett and Platt ME-L clips, are there any suppliers who sell this type of clip.
Thanks
I do not have any resources for those clips, Sorry I can’t help. This is what I have for standard clips from Albany Supply
I have a Natazzi leather couch that was new in 2009. It has attached cushions and they have been sinking since it was new. It has a stretch webbing that runs the length of the couch and has no support in the middle which is why I believe it may have stretched out.
Any suggestions of how I can get this right again will be appreciated.
Hi candy- Without being able to see the construction, I can’t really say what needs to be done other than replacing the webbing. The fabric under the cushions would most likely need to be unstapled, removed and then new webbing. The frame should really have braces where there is a break in the seat cushions. So in the case of a three cushion sofa, it should have two braces from front to back. Two cushions would have one brace in the middle.
You’ll need to contact a local upholsterer and see what they would charge to replace the webbing and possibly install two cross braces to the frame. Without the bracing, the same thing will happen soon after the webbing is replaced.
Hi,
I have no experience in sewing or upholstery but am interested in learning. Do you have any suggestions for places to learn on the Cape?
Thanks!
Jenn
Hi Jenn- I am not aware of any places that officially teach upholstery on Cape Cod. Mostly by that I mean any of the technical schools. The most common way to get started is to find an upholstery shop that is looking for help. The harder way is to buy some basic equipment and start doing some small projects. At the moment, I’m not in the position to take on an apprentice.
You could call all the upholstery shops on the Cape and see if they need help.
As for sewing, I know Murray’s Fabrics in Orleans has sewing classes. But, most of the classes are for dressmaking and quilting.
I have a leather, Danish Dux recliner with foam over zig zag springs that I’m thinking about re-covering, but the foam has broken down. What thickness and density of foam should I use?
Ideally you want to use the same thickness as the original. Try to find a spot in the old foam where you can measure how thick it might have been originally.. I would only be guessing because I have no idea of how the chair was constructed. An upholstered chair with a loose cushion most often has 4″ foam with a dacron batting wrap. A recliner seat may have less.
As for density, the minimum you would want to use is 1.8 density with a medium compression. Ideally you would want to use a 2.4 or 2.6 density with a medium compression. If you find the foam is say 2″, I would then recommend you use a “firm” compression.
Hi,
I have a large couch that needs some cleaning and it has synthetic light grey upholstery. I have found a website Upholstery Cleaners that suggests using the following mix to clean:
5 cups of water
2/3 cup of baking soda
¼ cup of white vinegar
1/3 cup of ammonia
I was just wondering if it is a good and safe mix to clean my furniture. I would prefer not to use any chemicals if possible and try natural cleaners. Any other ideas would be appreciated.Thanks in advance!
Alex- I don’t make any recommendations on cleaning fabric. My experience with cleaning upholstery fabric is it gets dirty faster after it’s been cleaned.
That being said, keep these in mind:
1) Make sure you test a small area first. It’s helpful to know what the cleaning code is on the fabric. Some fabrics are rated with a “W” which means it can be cleaned with water. Others may have an “S” which is cleaning with a solvent. If your fabric has any rayon in it, water can leave rings. So test first.
2) There is no point in cleaning the fabric with any kind of a water solution if you do not extract the dirty water. Otherwise, you are just pushing the dirt beneath the surface. In a short amount of time, the dirt will find it’s way back to the fabric.
3) Do not saturate the fabric and get it dry ASAP.
I have a reclining chair where the corner screw for the frame has come out. The recliner has zig zag springs underneath. Should I try to spread the frame or remove the springs and replace the screw and replace the spring? If removing the springs is the answer whoe do I do that without taking the whole chair apart?
It’s hard to comment on the corner screw because I don’t know where it is in relation to the frame. If the springs are attached to the top of the frame, then yes, the seat would need to be removed, upholstery and padding removed and then finally the springs loosened. If you can give me a description of where the screw is, such as holding a corner block, I may be able to help.
Joe,
(Apologies in advance for the length – wanted you to have all the pertinent info) What a wonderful site and resource! I have recently acquired a beautiful set of early 1950′s sofas and chairs (2 each). The sofas each have one arm and one rounded end, and the chairs are very wide and “atomic” looking. I believe they were recovered in the 1960′s with a beautiful turquoise brocade that is in fantastic condition. Only one problem – came from a smoker’s home so the upholstery STINKS. I want desperately to save the fabric, but I know all the padding has to go and these need frame-upward attention, so am using one of the chairs as a “guinea pig” test – stripped the fabric off, marked the pieces, serged the edges, and shipped them off to the dry cleaners. (Also treating the frame for smell.) In the meantime, I have stripped all the layers of padding off, and found large marshall units in the seats and backs. Underneath those are sinuous springs and jute webbing. The zig zag springs still seem to be very firm, but the helicals have lost tension and I will replace those as well as the webbing. The question that I CANNOT seem find the answer to is – how do I tell if I need to replace the marshall units? They are very odd shapes inside specialized wire frames, but the outer fabric coverings are falling apart and I know I will have to remove that fabric, too. Can I remove the individual coil fabric and just re-install the units? How do I tell if the coils are worn out? There are no obvious broken springs, but I’m not sure how far they should compress. They are already 60 years old – should I just replace them on principle? (This will be a pain! They are 3 in diameter springs inside the marshall units – can’t find those now.) How much life can I expect from them? Ideally I would like to have 30 years from the spring/padding redo. On the pieces, there is no “deck” – just one continuous tight seat, but we notice that when you sit on the sofas, your body wants to sort of slide forward. The padding consisted of a rubberized sheet coir or hair product on the springs, a 1 in piece of very old latex foam, and then LOTS and LOTS of compressed cotton. Could the “forward slide” be the result of the worn padding, or the springs? I have a fair amount of experience with recovering pieces, but nothing this big! Any assistance you can provide is very much appreciated! (I can also provide pics as needed.) THANKS THANKS THANKS!
First: If you are able to reuse the old fabric after it has been cleaned and the frame has been re-padded, any upholsterer will be quite impressed.
Marshall Units: I don’t have a ton of experience with marshall units. It’s hard to picture why anyone would use a combination of marshall units, zig-zag springs and webbing. Can you send a photo to my upholsteryblog email under my avatar.
Leaning Forward: This usually happens if the back of the padding is not as high as the front. If it were lack of tension in the springs, I would think you’d have a sinking in feeling. Try building up the front of the sofa a little so it helps to push you back. But, this will be difficult if you need to fit the old fabric back on.
Joe,
Do you have any experience using a product called Enviro-Fiber Foam in upholstery? I found it at envirotextile.com. Write-up says it is coconut fiber that has been combined with a natural latex to produce a multi purpose high density green foam product.
I was going to use natural latex wrapped in wool for my new sofa cushions, but this has caught my interest. It is much less expensive than natural latex and the upholstery man can cut it to shape as it is sold in 4 x 4 sheets of 1″, 2″ and 4″. I would then have to have the fiber foam wrapped in cotton or wool.
Really hard to decide on a product like this when you can’t touch it first. Maybe I should ask for a sample?
Thanks for taking the time to help.
I looked at the Enviro-Fiber Foam and it does look interesting. There are no specifications on durability, compression or density that I could see. Latex foam is generally rated for a life of 20 years and has at least compression ratings.(soft, medium, firm)
The worst that can happen if you use the Enviro-Fiber Foam is it will not last as long, but then again maybe it will. You may want to call the company and see if they can provide you with how long it lasts and if it comes in soft, medium or firm.
If you decide to use it, please report back with a review.
Joe,
I’ll wait and experiment with Enviro-Fiber Foam in a chair cushion rather than a sofa. So, back to 100% Latex for the sofa. What is the best way to wrap Latex? I was going to save money and wrap it in Dacron (cost effective but not fire resistant and not eco friendly), but was told by the foam store where I was going to make the purchase that it would only last 5 to 10 years and that I might need to wrap it in a Muslin cover too before the upholstery fabric goes on. That life expectancy is a whole lot less than the 20 years you mentioned. Would I be better off wrapping it in organic wool with a Muslin book wrap? Would that extend the life of the natural foam? 20 years of life is fine with me but 5 to 10 seems like a waste of time and money.
Thanks very much for your help.
Wrapping the foam and putting it in a muslin cover will definitely extend the life of natural latex foam. Air is what will dry it out. Real natural latex foam has a life of 20 years if taken care of.
I found a bergere chair on line 699 orig 1699 . The loose seat and back said made od dacron and down. Should I buy it?
You haven’t given me any information that I could help you with. Is the bergere chair new or used. Does it need to be upholstered or not. If you provide a link to the chair, I may be able to help. But, what people spend on furniture really depends on their budget and how much they like a piece.
Happy to have found your blog! I live in New Jersey and am concerned about all these things I am reading regarding the toxic ingredients of today’s couches (polyurethane foam treated with fire retardants to be exact). We have 3 young children and our family room couch is from IKEA, terrible I know. In an effort to remedy the situation, I purchased two items on Craig’s List, a couch (Pennsylvania House) and a barrel swivel chair (Fairfield), from the late 60s early 70s. Both a beautiful orange velvet, just the sort of color popular in those days. Anyway, this interesting CONSUMER ALERT TAG is posted to the bottom of each piece “Keep your furniture and family safe from fires caused by careless smoking. Do not smoke when drowsy. Remove immediately any glowing ember or lighted cigarette which falls on furniture. Smoldering smoking materials can cause furniture fires.” I THINK this means the pieces are not fire retardant? My original idea was to have the pieces striped to the frame and rebuilt from scratch, but perhaps instead I can just buy latex foam for the seat and back cushion replacements and call it a day? My upholstery man is willing to work with me but seems clueless about what the Consumer Alert tag means and seems to think I have lost my mind. He also told me that ripping the chair down to the frame would cost me $950.00, that is on top of the expensive latex foam I would supply, and the fabric. I’ll do that if I have to, but don’t want to spend money for things that are not necessary. Upholstery shop also told me that foam can be all over upholstery, not just in the seats and back cushions? I would love your thoughts and suggestions for how to proceed. Thanks very much!
To strip the furniture down to the frame and start from scratch would be expensive. I won’t comment on the cost because every upholsterer’s prices are different. The consumer tag means that the furniture is not flame retardant and will catch on fire if exposed to a flame or smoldering cigarette.
It would be very difficult and expensive to make every supply in your furniture non toxic. The least expensive way to modify the toxicity of the furniture you purchased would be as you say to replace the seat and back cushions with natural latex foam. You could also use an eco friendly fabric. Latex foam comes in 1″-6″ sheets. Theoretically you could replace the padding on the back and arms with latex.
Any synthetic material is going to have some level of toxicity. So to start from scratch you would basically need all organic cotton/wool batting, spring twine, webbing, all under covers. You would then need latex foam and organic cotton fabric. Unfortunately, a tough task for any upholsterer to accomplish.
Then the other issue arises: What about the other products in your house, breathing vehicle exhaust, drinking water and list goes on.
Unless you have just completed a new house built from the bottom up to be eco friendly and non toxic, and the furniture is the only thing left, then stay realistic and save some money. Use latex foam for the cushions and pick a non toxic fabric.
Or Check out Ekla Furniture
Just wanted to say thanks for your very helpful input and the reality check. I’ll simply use latex for the new cushions and 100% hemp fabric on my new purchases, especially since I know the foam that I won’t be replacing wasn’t treated with flame retardants. Thanks again.
I have a 1950′s 93 inch sofa that has 3 cushions that I would like to reupholster. The cushions are in remarkably good shape but when I reupholster, I would like to convert to one long cushion to give it a more modern look. Is it possible to use the 3 pieces of foam combined to make one cushion? I was thinking by wrapping it in Dacron that it might work. What do you think?
It really depends on their condition. If the edges are are not squished to much, it might work. Make sure you use a good foam spray adhesive to join them together before you wrap them in dacron.
Thanks for your reply and suggestions. I’ll give it a try.
Hi there, I’m upholstering my mum’s old bedroom chair which was so badly torn i have no fabric pattern to follow. I’ll try to attach a photo but essentially the inside curve is causing me problems! The fixed wicker back makes it really difficult to access the curved back of the seat with the staple gun and therefore I think my only option is to staple it from the top and apply a gimp braid to hide any unevenness. if this is the case, how do i neatly double over the fabric while maintaining the curve? so many questions! If you have any other suggestions I’d be really grateful (I’m guessing curve ease wont hold it tight enough)… Many thanks. Ace blog!
Emma, send a photo to the upholstery blog address next to my gravitar.
Hi there, We have a camel back, big barrel arm, Broyhill sofa that is about 15 yrs. old. It is in like new condition. I was considering purchasing a new low back sofa with smaller arms, to save space, but really don’t want to due to the current one being in great shape. The question is, Is it possible to gently remove the fabric from the back and arms, and cut down the hump and the arms. Then re-wrap and attach the upholstery.
Thanks
Hi Jackie,
If by “Gently” you mean easily and inexpensively, no it can’t be gently done. Of course it can be done, but there is a lot of work to do it. Here is the order in which the upholstery is put on:
1) Seat
2) Inside arms
3) Inside back
4) Outside arms
5) Outside back
In order to properly cut down the arm size, the outside back and arms would need to be removed. Unless you have extra fabric, it would be difficult to get them back on as before. I don’t think many upholsterers would attempt that job unless you had extra fabric to replace at least the outside back and arms and even possibly the inside arms. Hope that helps, Joe
Hello,
I’m trying to tackle re-upholstering a club chair and have a question about how to properly apply the jute webbing on the bottom of the frame.
The two side rails are curved causing them to be on a different plane compared to the front and back rails. How does this affect the traditional weaving that one would see in a normal flat frame?
Does the webbing necessarily need to be weaved?
I don’t have any pictures to reference the way it was originally attached.
Hopefully my description is adequate. I can send pictures if necessary.
Thanks
Please send a photo to the address next to my avatar.
A frame like that can be a little tricky. What I would do is start with the webbing going side to side. Then do front to back. I would weave them as normal as weaving gives you the greatest strength.
The front of the chair will be the trickiest as that is where the curve differential will be the greatest. Because of that, you’ll need to gauge how tight to stretch the webbing. If done properly, the weaving should be smooth and evenly pulled in the front. One trick would be to put the first side to side piece of webbing as close to the front legs as possible. Also, the more webbing you use, especially front to back, the more even the front will come out.
Great blog! I have recently inherited an antique récamier (chaise longue) that was stored in a cabin for many years. I definitely want to have all the filling replaced but I am not sure what is best for a piece like this. So far, I have received different suggestions such as coir fibre, cotton, foam, etc. but I really don’t understand the differences between them when it comes to comfort and durability. Could you please tell me what you would suggest and let me know if I should stay away from some of these recommendations? Thanks.
What type of comfort are you looking for. Soft and squishy, medium or firm feeling. Is there a seat and back cushion.
Soft to medium is what I consider to be comfortable but on the other hand maybe firm is more appropriate for this piece. There is no seat and back cushion. It sort of looks like the ‘Reupholstered Recamier/Fainting Couch that was posted Tuesday, September 8, 2009′ on the following link except that mine has a simple, straight, wood frame: http://www.workroomintelligence.com/blog/index.php?m=09&y=09&entry=entry090908-055548.
I really want to do what is ‘right’ for this piece but I’m not sure what that is!
Without lose cushions, you’re some what limited with your choices. I would use a soft 2.6(+/-) Density foam on the back portion and a medium 2.6(+/-) Density foam on the seat portion with polyester or cotton batting on top of the foam. I prefer polyester batting. I can’t tell you the thickness of foam, but you’re going to be somewhere between 2″-4″ thickness of foam plus batting. Cover the springs with either a jute or synthetic burlap and then a dense pad on top of the burlap, then your foam. The dense pad eliminates the possibility of feeling the springs. The dense pad is like a heavy weight stiff carpet underlayment. I’d send a link to it, but my supplier of the pad (B & M Upholstery Supply in CT) does not have a supply link.
I should also note that the chaise in the picture looks much firmer than mine.
Thanks for your prompt reply! I really appreciate it!
Hi, just found your blog and hoping you can help me! I inherited my Great Aunt/Uncle’s 9 ft. Custom-made curved couch! It’s in fantastic condition (usually only sat on for special occasions!) and about 40 yrs. old. The fabric is original yellow silk-brocade and was in great shape until my puppy chewed only the fabric, off of the ends of both cushions! It’s made from hard-wood, all feet intact, cushions, back & sides perfect, but moving it from OH to IN, the springs are now touching my carpet. My hope is to reupholster it & fix the springs, but I am sure from it’s size it will cost a pretty penny! I also would have no problem attempting it myself! If all else fails, I can purchase my parents 2 yr. old couch from them (brand new, only been sat in couple times!), but I feel since it’s been taken care of so well, in fantastic condition, and I love it’s size, it would be best to fix it and continue to use it. My problem is, can I find someone to just fix the springs & reupholster it myself? And how do I find a responsible, good reupholsterer in my area, since I’m new at this! Ay advice you have would be greatly appreciated! I can also send pics of it if you need to see it. Thanking you in advance for any help or comments.
Hi Linda,
You should be able to find an upholsterer to just fix the springs. If you’re lucky, the springs can be repaired from the bottom if the ties on the top of the springs are not broken. You then remove the old webbing, re-secure the bottom part of the spring to the bottom of the frame and re-web. If the twines are broken on the top of the springs, the whole seat will have to come apart and the springs will have to be completely re-tied. If the old seat fabric can not be put back on, the seat can be reupholstered in muslin since it will be recovered anyways. Once the springs are repaired, you could also consider a slipcover as a less expensive alternative. Of course that depends on the style of the sofa. Some times a slipcover isn’t appropriate for the sofa style.
To find an upholsterer, I suggest you Google or Bing “upholstery + Your zip code” Hopefully the results will be an upholstery shop in your area. Get their email address and send a photo of the sofa to them. Ask them for an estimate for a complete upholstery job as well as to just repair the springs. That way you can decide if the costs are worth it or not. You can also ask your neighbors for any upholstery shop recommendations. Feel free to come back and ask more questions after you contact a local upholsterer.
Thanks so much, Joe! I’m REALLY trying make a decision based on my head and not my heart!! As I’m getting older I’m finding out preserving the past for good reasons DO MATTER! I am going to take your advice and will definitely keep you in the loop! I’ll try to get pics off to you this weekend. Sadly, I’ve tried to find a slipcover, but b/c of it’s length the only solution we’ve found to work is a California King bedspread! It’s stretchy and is @ 6in. too short on each end, but covers @ 95% & w/2 big dogs it works!! Thanks so much again! Have a great day! 😉
I guess by slipcover I meant a custom fit slipcover. You would buy fabric and a person would cut and sew a cover to custom fit your sofa. You could inquire about it with the people you talk to about the springs.
That makes perfect sense Joe. My husband was against the idea too, so he was happy to have some back up to his opinion! Lol I feel much more confident in moving forward with the chaise now. Thanks for all your help Joe!
Don’t hesitate to ask more questions if need be as the project moves along.
Help Joe!
I’m so thrilled to find your blog and am hoping you can help answer a couple of questions for me.
I recently bought a chaise lounge off of Craigslist. It’s an old french styled chaise (with a horse hair and cotton base with a separate cushion full of horse hair) in need of a full reupholstering job. The webbing and springs were falling out of the bottom! I have stripped down the base of the chaise, taking photos along the way, firmed up the wood trim and added new webbing. Here’s where I am a little stuck on what to do…or rather, how to do it.
As far as I can tell, the base of the chaise had a soft, rounded edge to it. It was a little hard to see the shape since the webbing was torn up and the springs where touching the floor, but the burlap containing the horse or hog hair has an edge roll sewn into it and there was no edge wire attached to the springs. It looks similar to the front of this chaise:
http://p2.la-img.com/1001/28530/10950368_1_x.jpg
I think this is ok, but what I’d really like to do is a base with a strong edge to it. Something similar to this:
http://blog.french-quarters.com/files/2010/10/chaise-3.jpg2_.jpg
Am I right in assuming this can be done with edge wire and edge roll? If so, how do I tie the springs to the wood trim if there is edge wire in the way? Do I tie it back to the inner edge of the base wood trim? I’ve done a lot of online research, but every example I’ve seen about tying springs, they do not show how to tie them when there is edge wire involved. Also, should the edge roll overlap the edge wire completely to protect the fabric, or is partially ok?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
You’ve taken on quite a project. Just to be clear, did you take apart the whole seat and will need to retie the springs.
Hi Joe, yes I did. I think I had to. The fabric was faded, the webbing torn and the wood trim needed to be shored up. I also removed all the tacks and finish nails that went around the edges…that was a solid 8hrs of work! Lol So yes, I do need to retie the springs. They were originally tied only 4 ways, and not the 8 ways I’ve seen everywhere else.
I highly recommend NOT doing a wire edge. Three open sides with a curved front is very difficult to do a wire edge even for a pro. And it’s not the proper application for your piece. After the springs are tied and you put the burlap on, you can add something like 1″ plywood to the top of the rail where you have the springs tied off to. On top of the plywood, I would then put a 1 1/4″ edge roll. That should bring you slightly higher than the springs and you’ll have a firm edge to upholster over. You want the seat edge higher than the springs and it’s padding. Otherwise there will be a big gap between the seat edge and the bottom of the cushion. Hope that’s clear enough.
If you still have the old edge, they can sometimes be reused. Get it on the best you can, then put a new piece of burlap over it and hand stitch it into place.
When using ply-grip does there need to be piping along the seam or can it be used w/o piping?
Thanks for your help.
The piping(welting) helps to hide the edge of the ply-grip. Although it is not necessary, I think it looks better with welting.
I’ve recently seen furniture upholstered with ‘patchwork’ cotton fabric. Is this strong enough? Does it need to be backed? I’ve been told upholstery fabric is much stronger than quilting cotton. Can regular cotton be used to upholster?
Just about any fabric can be used to upholster. The difference is the type of service you will get from the fabric. A piece that gets heavy use should have a sturdy upholstery weight fabric. With light use, you can get away with a light weight upholstery/slipcover/drapery fabric. Your fabric sounds like it’s very light weight. That will be the type of use you can give it. Hope that helps.
I had to remove the heavy wood trim pieces (one carved long piece along the bottom, two large carved pieces for the front of the arms) in order to refinish them and to reupholster the couch in a lovely purple on purple stripe fabric. The only problem: unbeknownst to me the wood pieces were slightly warped before removing them and I’m now having a heck of a time attaching them back to the couch. They were originally attached to the couch using what appear to be small two-sided nails and even after straightening out the remaining nails to make them perpendicular to the surface again, I’ve found they are no longer sharp enough to hold the pieces on for more than several hours. Is there a place where I can find more of these nails (I’ve tried with no luck)? Or should I be using wood glue? Hot glue? Some other adhesive? I’d love your advice, as the couch is ridiculously perfect-looking now, except that I can’t get these (now gorgeously stained) wood pieces back on the darn thing. Thanks! -Jess.
Hi Jess- The best thing to do is fill in the old nail holes in the wood pieces and put new finish nails close to the old holes. Slightly counter sink the new nails and fill in the hole. Hope that helps. I use something like a wood colored wax crayon to fill the holes.
Thanks so much!
You’re welcome.
I have leather on the flat parts of the cushions of my sofa but the sides of the cushions are vinyl. The vinyl is cracking where the two join. Can I glue on a piping that will withstand this constantly used and under friction area?
Sounds like a messy fix to me. The best fix would be to replace the vinyl portion with a better grade vinyl.
I am upholstering a headboard using foam with batting over it. I am also upholstering the bed rails. Should I use foam or just batting?
You could use 1/2″ or 1″ foam plus batting. All depends if you will even see/feel the rails with the bedding on.
Hi, I am rebuilding some restaurant booths (bottoms only). They are in awful condition. I used 2″ kay-arc connecting links on the previous ones I did. But now am out of the connecting links.(was told by a supplier, they don’t make 2″ anymore) Can’t find them anywhere. I have used edge wire before but the springs still get moved around by {waitress’ knees cleaning the tables.
}….. I have used spring twine and tied them together, but that doesn’t last long either. So far the connecting links work the best but can’t get any more. Any suggestions???? Thanks, Joni
I’m afraid I can’t help as I’m not familiar with the kay-arc links. Do they go by any other names. I do very little commercial work and what I have done all the booth seats and backs were solid foam and not springs. These must be pretty old booths.
Thanks for your reply and yes my project is finished. What’s funny to me is I did exactly what you advised me to do. Cut in center of spindle, added a piece of fabric to cover uncovered area and then folded under and stretched to cover as much of opening as I could. It turned out very nice. It felt good being a novice to do it correctly!
Glad you figured out !!!!
Hi Joe,
I’m trying to decide the best filling material for a new sofa. I have a bad back and need firm support. I’ve selected high density foam seat cushions (2.7 lbs and 30 ILD) and 8 way hand tie springs. For the sofa back the furniture store offers standard dacron, down blend, or a premium fill (synthetic down clusters of poly fibers). Which do you recommend that will provide firm support and longevity? Thanks, Connie
Hi Connie,
Seat Cushions: 2.7 Density is fine. A compression of 30lbs is on the soft side. My suppliers sell medium density at 35.lbs. If you’re looking for a firm feel I would try to go higher than 30 lbs.
Back Cushions: I’d say they are both about the same. The best back cushion would be an envelope style cushion. The envelope could be either down or synthetic with a soft foam core with a compression of about 18-20 lbs with around a 2.6 density.
The furniture store offers 2.2 / 33 or 36 ILD and 2.7 /30 or 40 ILD foam seat cushions. Would the 2.2 /33 be better than the 2.7/30 ILD that I had initially chosen? (Because the 36 ILD felt like I was sitting on a bench). For the back they do offer a premium wrap (synthetic down) with a foam insert. This is similar to an envelope style. How thick should the foam be in the envelope or insert? The store has foam that is 4″ thick at 19 ILD for the insert. This seems very hard. What do you recommend based on these new options? (Or should I stick to the Dacron backs and 2.2/33 ILD seats?)
I’m not going to make a recommendation. But I will say about seat foam, the softer the foam, the harder it is on the back and the faster it breaks down. The ILD is what I call compression. A compression of 30 is on the softer side of medium. The best thing to do is sit in the furniture and see how it feels because going strictly by the numbers won’t help.
Everyone’s idea of “comfortable” is different.
I purchased a new couch and chair. The chair has box edge uphostery and looks and stands up well; whereas and the couch has tuck edge cushions both top and bottom and elsewhere on the couch and it seems to look cheap and does not stand up well and it was expensive!
Sounds like the chair and sofa are not a matching set. The difference in the cushion styles has less to do with how the cushions will hold up vs the quality of filling.
You could make an argument though, as you do, as to the boxed style looks more refined!!!
Hi
I have an old spring type rocker that I m doing for myself just for a project. It has an open back that wonder what to do with shoul;d I do both sides ? There s no marks of any kind on this rocker to help me date it or find a nice picture of one like it! Any advice?? thansk Ken
hi again
just a note that in the 2005 pics on your hop site there is a beautiful chair like mine! same base and seat from there up your woodwork is MUCH more fancy than mine …..but the back is the same roughly, is that upholstered on both sides the same ?? is that done with webbing or on a thin plywood and placed in ?? thanks again….ken
Ken, sorry for the late reply. If there are no marks to tell how the back was done, then I would attach the outside back piece to the inside of the frame facing out. I think it looks better that way and there is no need to cover staple/tacks on the outside of the back. Looks cleaner.
The back is upholstered. The support is webbing and burlap.
Hi,
I am upholstering the seat to an antique rocker. I have replaced the webbing, added the foam and chair roll, covered in dacron and am now applying muslin over this before applying the fabric. I did this because the fabric I chose is light weight and I wanted to apply it over a smooth surface. However, This chair has a ladder back and I cannot figure out how to go around the spindles on each side of the back of the rocker. when I got the rocker all of the upholstery had been removed so I have nothing to refer to. But I know it was fully upholstered byt the tack holes around the edge of the seat. More than likely there was a skirt also attached around the seat of the chair. My problem is how do I make the cuts so that I can fold the fabric so there are no raw edges exposed around these spindles. I made a slit and then a v-cut so there is no raw edge in the front but as I come around the sides and back of the spindles I have raw edges that cannot be folded under. Thank you.
Gina,
Sorry for the late reply. Your project is probably finished. You’ll need to arrange the fabric so you are able to cut into the center of each spindle. That way you have a small amount of fabric to fold under on each side. In the back of the spindle, a lot of times a separate piece of fabric is back tacked to cover the space that your seat fabric can not cover.
Hi Joe,
I hope that you can give me some advice please. This is going to be long ( i hope you can bare with me) I hired an upholsterer to recover an Art Deco sofa. I wanted the sofa kept to exactly the same proportions as was given to him originally.
The upholsterer had to get in touch with me as he had forgotten the colour fabric i had requested and he told me that he had taken out the original springs and frame and replaced them with modern zig zag springs, I told him I wasn’t happy about this and he hadn’t phoned me to tell me prior to this conversation and then proceeded to tell me that i had said that i wanted the seat flattened off, this was untrue so I asked him to keep the original arc in the seat and arms. I had it back today and I can’t believe that he has altered the proportions of the sofa completely and it looks awful. He has done a good job with the fabric but the proportions are all off, I haven’t paid him yet, and I wanted to know how to approach this?
Can he alter it at this late stage do you think? as it has lost its Deco charm……..
Many thanks and I desperately look forward to hearing from you.
Steve
Hi Steve,
Since the piece is completed, there isn’t much that can be done in terms of making it look it did originally, short of starting over. If it has a loose seat cushion, maybe extra dacron could be used to give it a crown. I can’t imagine why anyone would take out coil springs and replace them with zig zag springs. Coil springs are superior to zig zag in most circumstances.
I don’t want to advise you about payment. Generally the workmanship would be guaranteed to your satisfaction. That could mean a refund of your money and having another upholsterer redo the sofa or giving the current upholsterer a chance to redo it to your satisfaction. It would be helpful if you had photos of what the piece looked like before the new upholstery.
Hi Joe,
Thank you so much for the reply which is much appreciated and very helpful.
The springs were a big issue, but he was very intimidating and the sofa had already been butchered by that point so I didn’t really know what to do and what my position was (wish I had found you at that point!)
Thankfully I did take photos before hand.
So once again thank you and glad there are guys like you around.
Many thanks
Steve
My pleasure. Report back on the end result if you can.
Hi Joe,
I am recovering two chairs (I was told they were made in the 70′s).
Upon removing the original fabric and padding, I expected to find webbing on the chair back. Instead, there is a silvery, plastic-like material that supports the back. I am not sure if I should replace it. Hoping you could tell me what this material is or what it is called? I will attempt to email a picture.
Hi Erin,
That is a synthetic burlap. As long as it feels tight it should be okay without webbing. Joe
I just rescued a chair from a neighborhood pickup ( dumpster?)…it is a very cool chair but needs work…It has a wooden frame. The back of the seat plus the the arm pads and the box cushion sides are all a distressed leather. The back of the chair and the seat top are like a tapestry fabric. The top of the seat cushion looks as if a dog may have gotten to it and the fabric is ripped…My question is this. I have removed the top piece of fabric from the seat. The rest of the chair looks to be in great shape, padding on the seat and all. The seat is stationery with nail heads at the base so that the cushion is not removable…Can I just redo the top of the seat without prying off all the nailheads and maybe damaging the leather and somehow stitch on a new piece of fabric to the leather sides of the box cushion? Or does the whole seat need to be replaced and then tacked back on with new nailheads?
Carla – I would need to see a photo. My email is under my name.
What is the most durable material to have a chair upholstered in; leather, synthetic leather, pvc vinyl, or standard vinyl?
Thanks,
Vin
Based on your choices for durability, I would have to go with a high quality vinyl. Only because vinyl is so cleanable. There are many new leather like vinyls on the market. But keep in mind, leather is real skin and the winner for feel.
I am about to make a trapezoid shaped cushion for a bench in a bay window. I have made a template in order to have it fit properly as the depth on one side is and inch more than the other. It is understood that the cushion will not be able to be flipped over because of this. I have made many custom bench cushions that have square corners, but this will have acute angles at the front corners and I am wondering if they should be treated differently. I imagine it will be difficult to get such tight corners properly filled. Any tips?
I would imagine your cushion is finished by now and looks beautiful. Or do you still need some help?
I recently stayed at Eventi in New York, where they had amazing bedheads. link: http://www.easyvoyage.co.uk/images/hotels/375002/850×570/portfolio01_big.jpg
I was wondering how this would be done. Is it a case of stitching in between the ridges so the fabric is in contact with the backing, or maybe many individually upholstered elements? Potentially a DIY upholstered headboard idea!
Hi Dan,
The uniformity of the channels would suggest to me the fabric and backing were stitched together and the channels were filled with some sort of tube. A large commercial upholstery workroom could do it that way. It could however, as you say, be done with many individual elements by back tacking each channel into place individually. The only way to tell would be to actually examine it. I think if I were to take on the project as a DIY, I would choose to back tack each piece into place. Good luck if you decide to tackle the project. Feel free to ask more questions once you get started.
Hi Joe,
Is there a way to layer materials so the squeak goes away, or could I remove the springs and add webbing to the top and then do a separate covered box cushion? Thanks!!
I recently purchased 2 club chairs with exposed wood arms. I’ve taken the fabric off the seat to reveal a layer of a cotton stuffing type material wrapped around a thin layer of foam, then another piece of foam and then serpentine springs. The problem is the springs make that “old furniture” squeak when you sit on the chair and I’m not sure how to fix that. This is my first reupholstery project. I’m not planning on re-using any original materials since they have a weird smell
Hi Hayley, The squeak most of the time comes from the clip attached to the frame that the spring clips into. I call the springs zig-zag springs. You should be able to eliminate the squeak by opening the clip and carefully removing the spring. There is a lot of tension. Place a piece of cloth in the clip and place the spring back in. That should eliminate the squeak. To remove the spring, I often cut a piece of spring twine. Loop the twine around the spring and pull. The springs can be hard to pull with your hands alone. Hope that helps.
Hello, can you comment on the suitability of monofilament thread versus colored upholstery thread? What would you consider “best practices” for using either type of thread?
Many thanks
I use clear monofilament mostly where the thread is exposed and I need it to blend, such as a top stitch. Otherwise, I use only #69 polyester thread. The polyester thread is strong and it holds up well to humidity and sun. I buy all my thread at the Thread Exchange and they have lots of information on their site about all the threads. Check it out.
I wish your site had a search feature because you might have answered my question befaore…I have 3 captain’s guest chairs that we have had in storage for a decade or more… I want to recover these chairs with some indoor/outdoor fabric and repaint them white for a coastal/beach theme…they are very comfortable chairs…and use in our new vacation home.
two of the chairs are vinyl covered and two are lind of nubby fabric covered…the arms and back are covered and the back is curveed…some of the seats need to be tightened too,,,
can I recover them w/o making patterns and sewing seams to allow for the curving of the arms and back?
I have done some simple upholstery before–and was hoping I could just wrap the back/arms and use upholstery tacks to hold the material on the underside of the back/arms…
does it depend on the suppleness of the fabric–I might try to find some linen remnant or heavy cotton/rayon–not vinyl…something w/o much pattern…
Hi Texas Teacher- Most likely you will need to seem the backs to allow for the curve. The exception may be a super stretchy fabric. A vinyl can be heated with a blow dryer and stretched quite a bit. Without seeing the chairs, that’s the best advice I can give. Good Luck
I have a question regarding jute webbing….does the color line in the webbing correlate to anything? Like tension strength or weave? I have a specific project in mind and will be using the jute webbing on its own and wondered if one color line was stronger than another??? Thanks for any advice you can offer…
Elise
Hi Elise- To be honest it’s been a while since I’ve used Jute webbing. I only use polypropylene now. it’s lighter, stronger doesn’t stretch or have an odor. I do know with Jute, there is a heavier seating weight and a lighter weight for arms and backs. If I remember correctly, the the red was for seats and the black for backs.
Hi, I just purchased some upholstery fabric, and it has a chemical smell to it, and feels a little rough. Should I was the fabric, and then spray scotchguard? Or, should I air it out, and see if that gets rid of the smell. It is a dry clean only fabric, but it is going on my kitchen chairs. My concern is that it will smell when I put it on the chairs, and when sitting on it with shorts on, it will feel rough & scratchy. Thanks for any help. J
Hi J – Since the fabric is dry clean only, I can’t recommend that you wash it. You could try airing it out, but since we don’t know what the smell actually is, airing may or may not work. I personally would buy new fabric. You could try returning the fabric with the complaint that it has a strong chemical odor.
In a fit of madness I purchased a camel back sofa that had already been stripped of it’s fabric. It was so cheap! I couldn’t resist! Anyway… This isn’t my first reupholstery project, but I haven’t done anything with arms like this. It’s pretty common, inside arm piece, outside piece, and a front? piece that would have piping around it. My question is, are these pieces sewn and slipped over the arm frame or are they attached with some crazy combination of curve ease and…. ? I did not see a place to attach a picture but I do have one that I could email if it would be helpful. Thank you!!
Casey – The arms most likely were sewn and slipped over the frame. That would not be a normal application for Curve Ease or Ply Grip. You can email a photo to to the address under my name.
It has been a while sense I installed zig zag springs. I can’t remember how you measure for them. Can anyone out there refresh my memory?
Basically stretch the springs out from the front to back of frame and leave a 1-1 1/2″ crown
Thank you for your help. However, the more I have looked into using the zig zag spring the more I think I should use the coil. Do you know of any good websites that give a step by step instructions for tying the springs?
Coil Springs are more comfortable the zig-zag springs. So it is a better way to go if the frame will take it. It’s also more work because you have to web the bottom of the frame, etc. I don’t have any good links to share on how to tie coil springs. It’s first a matter of getting the correct size and tension coil spring to properly fit your frame. In general I think you’d be talking about a #2 spring for a chair. Besides getting the correct size spring, tying springs is also about feeling the tension as you tie the spring and that comes with experience. The main goal is to get the springs tight and standing up straight. Don’t forget to weave the webbing on the bottom, as weaving increases the strength of the webbing. Lastly use Syntwine and not Jute to tie the springs. Syntwine is more forgiving on your fingers. Jute will give you blisters. You can buy Syntwine in 1 Lb. spools which is plenty to tie a set of chair springs.
Terrific! that helps a lot. I will try your suggestions. Thanks again for the advise. Don’t know what i would do without the good advise on this site.
Hi Joe,
I am trying to recover some old tub/barrell chairs. I am having trouble getting the inside back to fit the curve. The original was vinyl sewed in 3 sections with seams on either side of the inside back. i can’t use the vinyl from the original as it is stretched and torn. Is there an easy way to cut the fabric/vinyl to fit the deep curvature to eliminate wrinkles?
You’ll need to cut as originally done in three pieces. The way I do it is to cut three pieces and lay them out on the back. Mark with chalk the angles and sew the three pieces together. Make sure your centers are marked on both the fabric and chair. Then it’s just a matter of pulling and stretching.
Hint: If the old pieces can not be used as a template, it is sometimes easier to mark out your new templates “before” the old fabric is removed. That way the padding is held tightly in place.
What is the difference between buttoning and tufting? Do you have pics to illustrate the difference?
Tufting is usually referred to when there are pleats involved that are created when the button is pulled tight. This is referred to as “hand tufting”. Pleats can also be created by sewing them in. This would be referred to more as “machine tufting”. You can find photo examples all over the Web.
Hi Joe,
Awesome resource! I’d love any ideas you have on this redesign I’m considering. I apologize if I’m not describing something correctly, this is my first foray into the world of reupholstery.
I have a silver velvet tufted sectional sofa that I absolutely love. It is only a year or so old, but so is my puppy. Between all the jumping, digging, etc., I have “popped” 4 tufts so far on the seat. Rather than relegate it to storage or keep having the holes repaired, I am hoping to redesign the seat. I’d like to replace the tufted seat with long cushions (the two sections are about 7′ long each). I’m assuming I would want to take out the existing padding and replace it with a single long cushion on each section. Would this be an expensive undertaking if I send it to a professional? I’d like the seat to be comfortable (not a quality I’d use to describe it now) but still be clean and tailored. What would you suggest for the fill?
The cushion covers are going to be patchwork of different colored and patterned fabrics, mostly in the black, white, gray/silver range. The patches will be fairly large, so sewing the actual cushions should be a pretty easy step.
If I haven’t hit the budget yet I was considering replacing the buttons on the back rest with the same assortment of 6-8 fabrics to make covered buttons to tie it in. I got a quote a while back from an upholsterer and I recall it being shockingly expensive to replace the buttons. Would this cost even more than the seat? The person I spoke to that time had made it seem like a very complicated process, but maybe they didn’t want/need my business.
I know a lot of the cost will depend on fabric choices and customization, but could you give me a rough estimate for this type of redesign? Is this a major undertaking? Logically, I thought the long cushion strategy would be simplest and cheapest, but I’m no expert on this. I just want to make sure I’m armed with a little knowledge before I agree to the estimate.
Here’s an examples of the look I’m going for, but mine would be left with the existing upholstery on the arms and back.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80336402/box-sofa-patchwork
Happy to give more details if you need it. Thanks again in advance for any advice you have!
Best,
Regan
Hi Regan,
To get a general idea of what a professional upholsterer would charge, you can do this:
On one side of the cushion, add both widths and both lengths together. Multiply(in inches) that number by .50-.75 cents and you will get a general idea of labor cost. Example: 20″D x 60″L = 160″ x .50 cents = $80.00 for labor.
For 4″ 2.6 high density foam, measure the cushion length(in inches) and multiply that by $1.50 per inch and you will get a general cost for new foam.
If you want the foam wrapped in dacron(recommended) measure the length of both top and bottom of the cushion(in yards) and multiply that by $6-8 per yard.
How many yards of fabric will I need to cover a chair that measures 30x30x28? Thanks!
I would need more information such as a description of the chair. Does it have an upholstered back and seat. Are their arms and are they upholstered. Are the legs upholstered. Is it a living room chair or dining room chair. Does it have a skirt. Does it have a loos cushion.
I am trying to re-upholster my 6 loose cushion couch. There is no skirt The cushions sit on flat wire springs and an oak frame. I would like have matching cording and 5 covered buttons On loveseat and couch there would be 5cushions needing buttons The cushions are about 25″ x27″ I also need the matching lives eat done. It has 4 cushions That is. Total of 10cushions
Hi Mary Beth – I’m not sure what your asking, but it sounds like you need to know how much yardage you need. If that is the case, you’d need a minimum of 12 yards of fabric with no pattern match. At least another 2 yards with a pattern that needs to be matched.
I have a 1986 bayliner capri it has two of the standard back to back seats in it. i had someone measure to see how many yards a material i need and they come up with 14 yards that seems like a lot to do just the two seats. What do you think?
Hi Dan,
I’m not familiar with the boat you mentioned. I do furniture upholstery, not marine upholstery. It does seem like a lot of fabric, but since I’m not familiar with the seats, I can’t say the yardage amount is incorrect. Sorry I can’t help more.
Hi there, I’m thinking about reupholstering my dining room chairs, but want to do it very inexpensively. I was wondering if non-upholstery fabric would be durable enough, or if you think it would wear so quickly that it wouldn’t be worth the time and energy? I’m thinking of using just a basic, thin cotton fabric.
Thanks!
You can still do the chairs inexpensively by using an inexpensive upholstery weight fabric. Check out the prices at fabric.com
I’m looking at having my sofa and loveseat reuphostered. Both are single solid back, with two “T” cushions. There is a box pleat skirt on both as well. If I want a solid material, how many yards should I consider buying?
It’s hard to estimate fabric yardage without a photo or dimensions, but you’ll probably need around 28 yards for the sofa and love seat.
I recently purchased a side chair from the 1940′s and would like to reupholster it. I’m not concerned about value, other than having a comfy place to sit. It needs to be reupholstered anyway as the webbing has deteriorated and is hanging off of the bottom. It has been reupholstered before as evidenced by the many holes in the underside already. Whoever fixed it before did not reupholster it properly. There are mistakes in the trim around the top of the seat and no muslin under the tapestry fabric they used. They also did not stagger the tacks for the webbing, which is why it gave out. I am concerned about making any further holes in the bottom of the chair frame because I do not want to cause it to split and I am at a loss for what to do. Is there a way to put the webbing on top of the chair frame instead or is it always on the bottom for a reason? I was planning to use staples instead of tacks, as they do less damage to the frame. Is there any difference in how well it would hold up?
Also, if I have to put the webbing on the bottom, is it possible to replace the springs with a high gauge foam or would that negatively impact the structural integrity of the chair? I just don’t want to do anything that will cause harm to the frame itself over time. Currently the frame is very sturdy and in fantastic shape (except for all of the tack holes on the bottom).
Cathy- It might be possible to put the webbing on the top of the frame, but I would need to know more about the chair. That’s usually something to figure out when you actually have the chair on the bench. The way I usually do a repair based on what you described is glue new pieces of wood to the inside of the chair frame. I then shape the new webbing to the added wood. I generally use poplar. After gluing, I clamp and screw the new wood to the frame. If the frame is curved, sometimes it can’t be done that way.
Another solution is to fill the holes with Minwax 2 part High performance Wood Filler
Thank you and yes, the frame is curved, which makes it that much harder to work with. It makes a U shape in the back but the front has an almost W shape to it (but very slight). I think that the frame would be good enough for staples, I’m just not sure how long those last as opposed to upholstery tacks. Whatever I do, I’d like for it to last as long as possible.
I would use the Minwax wood fill. In general, for stapling webbing, use 9/16″ staples. For attaching fabric, use 3/8″ staples.
I have a wooden day bed. It is a very heavy/solid bed. I am interested in making a ‘headboard’ to go in between the head and foot of the bed, so it looks more like a sofa. How do I attach the headboard to the bed, do I need to remove the back wood section on the bed first, or can I place the board infront of it?
THANKS!!
Hi Bonnie,
Sorry for taking so long to reply. Since what you’d like to do is not a standard upholstery project, I’m not sure I can offer much advise. I don’t know anything about the construction of either the daybed or the headboard you’re constructing. You could send me a photo of the daybed and maybe I could help..
Hi am recovering 6 tufted back dining chairs they look like a side chair. I am going to use a solid fabric and would like to know how many yards of fabric i need per chair.
Thank You
Shelly
Hi Shelly,
Without knowing the measurements, I’d guess about 1.5 yards per chair. If the fabric price is OK, I would go ahead and get 10-12 yards.
Hi Joe,
I am in the process of gathering my materials for a tufted headboard (chartreuse headboard pictured below). I am thinking to use 2″ foam with 2-3 layers of upholstery cotton batting. Will this provide a comfortable headboard to lean against? I have only heard of using 2 layers of dacron, but I would prefer to use the cotton. Also what size buttons do you think they used? Any other information will be helpful as well. Thank you, Patti
HI Joe, Here’s id the link for the headboard. http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/hi-low-diy-tufted-headboards-102561
Thank again, Patti
Hi Patti – Those headboards on the page link look more like 3″ foam to me. If you were to use 2″ foam, use a minimum of three layers of batting. The cotton may help in giving it a softer look vs a stiffer bonded dacron. The buttons look like #30 buttons, standard for tufting. Hope that helps.
Hey friend!! Great site with good information. Keep it up!!
DEAR JOE,
I have a traditional camelback sofa. I would love to remove the seat back from the frame to create an upholstered daybed and salvage its fabric to cover a piano bench.The couch seat cushion is one piece and the scale is ideal. Can a layperson remove the back without compromising the couch frame?
I am Hopeful and appreciative of your advice!
Denise
Denise,
If you are talking about removing the entire back of the sofa, practically speaking, this can not be done.
1) The arms arms are structurally tied into the back. You would have very unsteady arms.
2) Removing the Back would expose a substantial amount of unfinished upholstery, which would need to be addressed in some way.
3) All of the above would require a skilled professional and it would be expensive.
But all that being said, If you feel like a project, by all means give it a try. Start by taking the outside back fabric off and you will begin to see what the project will involve. Let me know how it goes.
I am in the process of reupholstering a round ottoman. I have taken the bottom cover off and it seems that the inside consists of two plywood “drums” on top of each other and the fabric comes from the top and to bottom and meets between these 2 drums along with a row of piping. Does this make sense? I am not sure how to get the 2 plywood drums apart, or if I am mistaken about the way they are constructed. There are 4 upright plywood supports and they may be glued. Do I force them apart? Should I just cut away the fabric if I can and leave the frame intact? I’ve only ever done chairs seats and backs before. Thanks for any advice!
It’s hard for me to answer your question without seeing the ottoman frame. The first thing you need to do is find out if the fabric is infact sandwiched between the two pieces of plywood. Some times with a round ottoman they will simply put a break in the middle by welting the fabric in the middle and continuing down with the fabric. Have you tried just lifting the fabric from the bottom and pulling it to the top to see if it will come off in one piece.
If you’re still having trouble, send me a photo to the email address under my logo.
Thanks for responding! I have unstapled part of the bottom and the fabric is sandwiched between 2 of the plywood frame pieces. I think the frame may be glued–I removed staples and it did not come apart and there seems to be some glue residue. I have emailed photos– I hope they were to the right address.
Can you advise me on the best approach now? Should I make a slipcover with a piping divide and staple at the bottom? Can it go over the top of existing fabric or should I cut it off? I assume I would have to remove the piping to remove lumps. Do I need the old cover to make a pattern for new fabric? I am a little nervous about sewing something completely round. Do I staple under the piping to secure middle?
Thanks so much– I invested a lot of money in the new fabric and really want to get this to work. Lori
Oh, one addtional question: is it ok to staple into the side of the plywood frame (the layered side)? I just want to make sure the staples would be as secure there as into the top or bottom of the plywood.
You should be able to staple into the plywood, but if you’re stapling through welting, I would use a 9/16″ staple if you can. 3/8″ may not be strong enough.
Hi Joe,
This is a wonderful resource, thank you so much!
I thought it would be pretty simple to make an ottoman, but there are some details I still need to iron out. I hope you can help me.
1. The finished height: the seat of my couch and chair are 17″. What would be the most comfortable height for the ottoman?
2. The cushion: I have an extra cushion insert from my new couch (due to a problem when the couch was delivered). It’s firm 6″ thick foam, all nicely wrapped in 2 oz. dacron and enclosed inside white muslin. I’d like to use this, but the question is how. Should I use it at its full thickness, or should I attempt to slice it in half to make a 3″ thick pad?
If I need to cut it, what would be the best way? I’ve heard an electric knife is best, but I don’t have one. The cushion is about 28″ square, my ottoman frame is 13.5″ x 24″.
Thanks so much!
Carolyn
Hi Carolyn,
I would keep the height of the ottoman around the same height as the seat cushions.
If you want to use the full 6″ height of your existing cushion, you would need to make the ottoman frame height around 11″.
To cut your existing 28″ square cushion down to 13.5″x24″, remove the dacron and use a fine tooth hand saw if you have one. I would not attempt to cut the height in half without the right equipment, as it is very hard to get even. Alternatively, you could also just get a new piece of foam and wrap it in dacron.
I am preparing to buy fabric to upholster a loveseat size (2 cushion) hide-a-bed. I have not found any guides to help with deciding how much cloth I’ll need. Can you shed some light on this?
Fabric yardage would depend on several things. Pattern repeat, T-cushion or rectangular, skirt/no skirt. In general for a two cushion, love seat size sleep sofa, 14-16 yards.
The sofa I have has a T-cishion & will need a skirt, but not a gathered one. I think you call the other kind “box-pleat”.
thanks-
I would get 16 yards.
Is it possible, difficult, or impossible to take a smooth headboard and reupholster it as a tufted one?
It is possible, but difficult. Less difficult would be to keep it smooth and simply put in buttons. Otherwise, YouTube has many videos on how to tuft. Good Luck
Hello,
I noticed a piece of the cloth on the underside of my sofa is ripped.
Of course, I turn it over and found 4 tears. Temporarily I have electrical tape.
In your opinion, is it worth my attempting to replace the cloth? If so, is this
a simple fix I can do myself?
Thanks so much.
Tracy
New Jersey
Sounds like you’re talking about the “cambric” dust cover on the bottom. The main thing is you do not want to see it hanging. If you cant’t see it, or you can tape it so you can’t see it, it should be fine. If you don’t have a good staple gun, it could be more trouble than it’s worth to replace it.
But just be sure there is nothing broken with the frame that caused the tear. Usually a tear happens when a pet tries to get under.
Thanks very much for the great information regarding my camelback sofa. I’ve not found a source online for the 100% Denier Microfiber, and as we’re way out here in the country, 50 miles from Houston, could you suggest an online source for this material?
You could contact Rosario Aguiniga at West Coast Feather and Down in Los Angeles. She may able to help you. (323-268-0083) Hope that helps.
My antique camelback sofa has a carved wood frame extending across the back and down the arms. The front feet are also carved wood, the back feet are plain. The seat is divided into three cushions. The sofa needs rebuilding and I’m wondering if it would work to have the seat restructured into one long cushion. If so, can it be filled with a combination of polyester and down, or what would you recommend for structure and comfort alike?
Ann – Single cushions on camel back sofas look great. I don’t care for the poly/down mixture. Two apposing textures that I find get lumpy after a while. In my shop, you would have these options.
1) Solid fill 50/50 down/feather
2) Solid 100% Denier MicroFiber (a great synthetic down alternative)
3) Envelope Style Cushion / 50/50 down/feather in the envelope with a soft high density foam core
4) Envelope Style Cushion / 100% Denier MicroFiber in the envelope with a soft high density foam core
5) Soft-Medium high density foam/dacron wrap (least expensive)
Hope that helps
hi quick question, i would like to reupholster a wingback chair in an old hudson bay point blanket. will i need to use a fusible interfacing on the back to stabilize the wool or just use as is? thnx
To be honest I’m not that familiar with fusing interfaces because I deal mostly with traditional upholstery weight fabric. I would think a bigger concern would be the wear the facing surface will get vs the back. But that’s up to you. You could interface the blanket just to give it some extra strength.
I am considering having a 96″ rolled arm sofa reupholstered. It has one large seat cushion and had five throw cushions across the back that I would like replaceed with two or three foam cushions. It does not have a skirt, is 26″ deep and 27″ high. I would like the foam cushions on the back to be 29″ or 30″ high. How many yards of fabric will it take and how do you calculate that? Thanks!
Hi Sue, You’ll probably need about 16 yards of fabric based on what you described.. Measuring is pretty straight forward. You measure the pieces on the sofa that will need to be upholstered. Your cuts are based on the idea that the fabric is about 54″ wide. Example: So if you’re measuring the outside arms and the measurement is 27″W x 18″H, you then need 18″ of fabric because you’ll cut the two outside arm pieces side by side.
I received an old chair and I plan to reupholster it myself. However, the zig zag (sinuous) springs on the seat bend down when it is sat on and it’s not comfortable – how do I reinforce these springs? Are zig zag springs supposed to be the only thing supporting the weight when there are no coil springs? Would I install webbing for more support (if so, do you do this on top of or below the zig zag springs) or do you think i need new, firmer springs? Thanks!
Also, I should mention that there is no additional cushion that sits on top of the springs – there just appears to be some padding on top of them.
Zig Zag springs can definitely wear out or can be to soft. You could replace them with a heavier gage zig zag spring. Or, you could replace them with a coil spring. Since the seat is a tight seat with no cushion, be sure to use a heavy seat padding over the springs so you can’t feel the springs.
Thank you! Do you think that rubberized hair and then some batting would be enough on top of new springs?
Rubberized hair is not enough.. I would start with a natural or synthetic burlap, then a heavy deck pad and a minimum of 2″ of high density foam. And finally a layer of batting.
I have two general questions:
1. How do you know if your springs/webbing need to be replaced on a chair? If I sit on them and they feel ok, is that all I need to know? Or could there be a reason under the hood, so to speak, that I could only see by opening the chair up? Would I be looking for holes/fraying in the webbing? A spring that is flat? Something else?
2. Is there a point where the wood in the frame of a chair can no longer be reupholstered? I have some antique chairs, and I’m wondering if there’s a point where too many staples/tacks/nails have damaged the wood beyond further reupholstery. Is there any fix for that?
1) If the webbing is not sagging and you can not feel the springs from the top of the seat, the springs and webbing should be fine.
2) There is a point when to many tacks have ruined the wood that the webbing and springs attach to. There are a few methods to fix the situation.
a) attach a new piece of wood next to the old wood.
b) fill the nail holes using a 2 part wood epoxy from Minwax
c) Replace the frame with new wood. That’s extreme and probably not worth it.
Joe, thanks so much! Hope you had a great holiday.
I have found a bed on sale at Restoration Hardware whose shape I like, but I’d want to change the fabric. I verified that the headboard detaches from the frame, and asked customer service twice if it would be possible to reupholster it and never got a clear answer from them. Would you be willing to look at the pictures of the headboard (link below) and assess whether it would be easy to reupholster, or if there’s something about the fabrication of it that would make it hard or impossible to do so? Thank you!
http://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod80051&categoryId=cat1600007
Hi Sharon,
I looked at the link you provided of the bed. If the headboard detaches from the frame, which it most likely does, I see no reason it can’t be upholstered. The upholstery itself is pretty simple. No tufting or complicated curves. I suggest you forward the photos to your local upholsterer to get a price. Hope that helps.
Run an after school care for artistic Big kids through my church… How do I purchase old leather samples for art projects?… Had some Hancock & Moore samples but they are long gone… Where could I find sone… I know they’re out there…please help the Artsy!??…
I’m afraid I can’t help with that. Your best bet would be to call local upholstery shops that work with leather and see if they have any remnants. Or Google “leather manufacturers” and make some calls.
I have a lot of leather pieces. I make chaps for horseshowing and always have left over pieces. It is the same weight as upholstery leather – 2 to 21/2 oz – I have quite a few plastic bags all ready to go if you are interested.
Valerie – Thanks, but I don’t have a use for leather remnants at the moment. Someone was asking me a while back about leather remnants and if I think of who it was, I’ll get back to you. Thanks, though.
Hi!!
I am re-upholstering my sofa, and I found a very affordable fabric. It is
a 52%Cotton/ 48%Poly blend. It is an indoor/outdoor fabric, which will be
great for me, since I have kids and pets. However the website does not
have it as appropriate for upholstery. They list all the fabrics that are
appropriate but this one only says mediufm weight fabric. I received a
swatch today and it seems fine for upholstery. However when I asked
the store they said it is not for re-upholstery, but they didn’t give me
a reason. I did some “stain tests” and is is GREAT! It doesn’t fray or
rip, is very sturdy… and is stlil very pliable and feels good. What do you think?
Finally, the name of the fabric is Mariano Texture Blue. Thank you so much
in advance for your time and attention to this matter!
Paula
Hi Paula – First thing is most indoor/outdoor fabrics I come across have no cotton content in them. Cotton, rots, fades and mildews outdoors. The fabric sounds like a “multi-purpose” fabric. Some multi-purpose fabrics don’t have a specific application rating. If you’re satisfied the fabric is good for your application, then use it. Just be aware it sounds like the company you’re purchasing the fabric from will not warranty the fabric if used for upholstery.
I have an older stationary rocker (on four legs) with wood wing-back sides and arms and also spindles for the back. There are two loose cushions but the base of the chair is upholstered with a skirt (to hide the rocker bits). I would very much like to reupholster this chair but need some advice on how to upholster around the spindles. Thanks!
Hi Jennifer – I would need to see a photo of the chair.
How can I send you one?
Next to my avatar, click on my email link. Then just attach a photo to the email.
Done!
Hi Jennifer,
It’s to complicated to try to explain in an email how to make all those cuts around the spindles. I would simply take apart what is there and use the fabric as a template of sorts. You’ll see that there are little pieces cut directly behind the spindles. When you start it, you’ll probably find out why your grandmother might not haver done the tidiest job. A lot of exact type cuts. Good luck, Joe
am disassembling a loveseat for reupholstery but can’t figure out how wood trim is applied to arms and base. Removed two phillips screws from front base but trim did not budge. If I emailed you a photo can you tell me how to do it? Thanks so much.
The trim could either be glued, stuck or still attached with some finish nails. You just need to gently pry what you can to see where it is still attached.
thanks, joe. Finally discovered that the show wood was attached with a 1.5″ screw in the middle of the arm piece and toenailed at its bottom with another screw. After loosening those a bid the front base trim, which was like dove-tailed in, just slid out. Really appreciate your interest. Rose
Hi, Joe. We’re building in a little window seat but don’t have room for a cushion, just a solid wood top. I’d like to dress it up a bit in a way I’ve seen on old chairs, etc., by covering the middle with leather, or some such, over a thin padding of some sort, outlined with upholstery tacks. How should this be done? Do I wrap the material and any padding over cardboard first, before taking it down, for instance? What padding? Thanks very much for your thoughts, Rosie
Hi Rosie – I’d need to see a photo of the window seat area.
Hi Joe, I’ve decided to reupholster my couch and loveseat after finding some bargain fabric. I would like to reupholster over existing fabric. After much research online I am unable to find any helpful, and simple instructions on how to do the arms of the sofa. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much.
Hi Nancy – I wouldn’t be able to give specific information on how to upholster an arm of a sofa, as every sofa arm is different. It would probably be best for you to ask a specific question you might have. Why do you need instructions on just the arms and not the back, seat deck, skirt, cushions, etc.
Dear Joe, I like the look of tufted upholstered headboards but am wondering if there are any practical pros or cons to tufted headboards versus smooth ones? Thanks, Sharon
Hi Sharon,
Tufting has a certain look. If you you like it you like it. It is more expensive to have done and the tufts can accumulate dust after a while and has a mild ornate look. Smooth is easier and less expensive to do, easy to keep clean and a simpler look. It all depends on what you prefer better. I happen to like the cleaner simpler lines of a non tufted headboard. It may also depend on the fabric pattern you use. It also depends on if you’re talking deep tufting or just buttoned. Hope that helps.
I have a Riverton Collection sofa made by Hitchcock and the springs need to be retied, it does not need to be reupholstered at this time. The sofa is 20+ yrs. old, is it worth fixing? and would it be costly?
Thank you, Sally
Hi Sally – If your sofa has a skirt, it does make it a little more expensive to re-tie the springs. The skirt needs to come off and the outside fabric needs to be lifted in order to get to the springs. You’re probably going to pay $400.00 – 600.00 plus/minus to get the job done.
Hi Joe,
I have six dining chairs with upholstered seats but tall wooden slat backs. I would like to create an upholstered back for them. I have been researching (unsuccessfully) on the internet to see what type of materials I need and how to do this. I have reupholstered seat cushions and I’m confident that I could do this. My question is what material , ie. cardboard, do I use to apply the foam, batting and new fabric to and how can I attach it to the back of the chair. I prefer to completely cover the wooden slats so that you cannot see them in front or back of chair. I hope my question is not too confusing. Basically I want to end up with a framed upholstered seat back.
Thanks so much, Lisa
Sorry for the late reply. Your project is probably finished by now! I guess what you would cover the slats with would depend on if they were curved or not. You could use panel board or 1/8th” plywood to attach to the slats. Then pad with 1″ high density foam and batting.
But this is the type of thing I’d really have to see to get a feel of what’s needed. You could always email me a photo of the back.
Joe, Thanks so much. I felt I must clean it; as we found it in the trash and who knows how old it is. An initial cleaning followed by care and vacuuming…may be good enough. We always have air cleaners on anyway, since we live in the desert. It is very good of you to be available for so many people this way. I appreciate your time, really! You bless many people! toni
Thank you for your thoughtful answer. You suggest not to clean the chair? I vacuumed it until I saw very little dust in a white cloth through the vacuum nozzle. If I don’t hear a reply from you, I will believe I should not clean it. Many Blessings to you! toni
Hi Toni,
By all means clean it if it will save the cost of upholstery. All I’m saying is that after you clean it, the fabric will be more susceptible to getting dirtier faster than before because you’ll have weakened the fibers of the fabric. This is especially true with cotton and less so with a synthetic fabric such as polyester.
Hi Joe, In trying to be GREENER, people mention using Ultratouch Denim for various types of filling. Would it be good for a seat cushion? Can you use wool blankets at all? How would you best clean upholstery? We found an old chair in France and brought it home. It may be an antique and we don’t want it ruined. It’s good of you to spend time to help folks out. Thanks, toni *(allergic to feathers and sensitive to chemicals)
Hi toni – It’s good to be Green. I don’t know much about wool as a filler. I don’t think wool blankets stacked would be very comfortable. For the masses, I have to be more traditional in some ways, like comfort. I use a lot of synthetic & Soy based products that are hypoallergenic. I carry a nice line of green fabrics. But I don’t have suggestions for the type of filling you want to use.
As for cleaning, I think any type of cleaning ruins the fabric. It’s a tradeoff between trying to get more life out of the fabric The only types of fabrics that hold up to cleanings are polyester and acrylic fibers. If you do get the chairs cleaned, the cleaner should be extracted from the fabric after cleaning. Otherwise you’ve just pushed the soil deeper into the padding.. Good luck….
hi Joe,
I just purchased a set of old channel/scalloped back chairs that i was going to redo. After tearing them down I found a small piece of paper with style number and lot #. Is there anyway to find out the year these were made by those numbers? I am sure they are not too old may 50′s I would guess.
Hi Vicky,
With the Internet, who knows what you could find out. If the manufacturer were still in business, you’d have better luck. . Good luck
Hi there,
I havent attempted an upholstery job (other than smaller fabric projects), so any advise is good advise…I want to know if the footstool I currently have (that is now done in fabric) could be done in leather (in the same way – for ex. it currently has two layers-the main with a pillow like top attached, the rope edges-along the edges of the pillow like top, the curved bottom where its attached to the wood frame and legs, etc)…Im also interested in how to go about attaching the curved bottom (ie nails would have to be used, can i just use glue for this?, what are the steps to accomplish-if it can even be done?)…Thanks in advance,
Greg
Hi Greg – You can usually use fabric or leather in most cases. You’ll need a heavy duty sewing machine to do the pillow top in leather. I don’t work with leather anymore. Not sure what you mean by attaching the “curved bottom”.
Hi, I have an antique camelback sofa with a scrolled wooden frame. The decorative wood on the front of one of the sofa arms has cracked & sags a bit. I’m not sure if I’m explaining it well (the wood extends upward from the outermost leg, defines the sides of the sofa, & rounds outward into a small scroll). I could send a picture if that helps.
I’m interested in reupholstering the sofa though and was wondering if I could just epoxy glue that wood back together? Or does it need more aggressive repair like nails or something? I was also wondering if there are any pitfalls to using a crushed velvet upholstery fabric.
Hi ELI – Hard to tell how to fix the wood without seeing it. In general wood is glued back in place by cleaning the area, re-gluing and applying pressure. Like clamps.
No pit falls I know of with crushed velvets. There are all kinds of crushed velvets and it has it’s own look to it. Get a good quality and you’re good to go.
Thank you so much, That is what I was picturing. It will be enough to figure out the relief cuts around the arm supports. I didn’t want to have to be so specific on the edges to fold them under especially since there is sort of a medallion design that I would like to center on the seat. Really appreciate your advice. Cathy
Joe
Thank you for the help on the ottoman frame. One more question…would you use edge roll and if so how thick? Thanks again!
You can, but you don’t have to. If you do, use 3/4-1″ edge roll. Fit 1″ foam snugly up to the edge roll, but not over it. Then, with your next layer of either 1 or 2″ foam, cut 3/4 – 1″ larger than your plywood. The 1″ foam is just a filler to compensate for the height of the edge roll.
Using the edge roll will give you a squarer look to the edge.
I have an old oak rocker with padded seat including springs. The seat has been redone by professionals but they left the final layer, the upholstery fabric for me to do myself. I thought you stretched and stapled the fabric to the wood and then put gimp over the edge to conceal the raw edge and put decorative nails over that but understand you don’t use the nails with the gimp. I really like the look of the decoratve nails for this chair. So how do I attach the fabric first. Do I have to fold over the edge as I stretch it and then staple it down? If so how do I cover the staples? Will I just hide them under the nails? Need help.
Hi Cathy,
I always use gimp. It’s easier than trying to fold the fabric and have it look neat. Just use a gimp that will blend nicely with the fabric so it will be less noticable under the nails.
Joe,
In an attempt to save money, my husband and I are wanting to make our own cocktail ottoman, with dimensions of approximately 48 x 26 x 19, with turned feet with casters. As I have searched the internet on a DIY ottoman, I have seen where people have used jute webbing on their frame as the base for the ottoman OR they have mounted a stain grade piece of plywood on top of the frame (and then mounted their foam to the plywood). Which is better/easier/more durable? I do not feel up to the task of mounting springs for an ottoman. This ottoman will be used by our family on a daily basis, including by 6 and 8 year old boys. Any suggestions on the best type of frame to build would be appreciated as well. Thanks so much for your help!
Hi Kim,
Your height of 19″ is already close to the height of a chair seat. I wouldn’t add much more than 2-3 ” of high density foam. If you try to find something close to a 2.6 density in a medium compression, that will hold up the longest. What I would do is cut a piece of 3/4″ plywood to fit the top of the ottoman. Cut the foam 3/4′ larger than the plywood on all sides. Then upholster. Attach the plywood to the ottoman by screwing it from somewhere from the bottom, usually from the corner blocks. The beauty of that system is if you want to upholster it again, unscrew it and the reupholstery is simple.
Joe, I am upholstering a camel back loveseat. I have removed all of the pieces and the front panel of each arm is a covered cardboard piece that was nailed to the frame. I have saved the 2 pieces and will recover them. My question is, should I nail them back on going through the front of the fabric and piece or should I try to put the nails back into the cardboard before I recover it? When I removed the pieces I thought the nails had been put in the cardboard and then the fabric had been put on but after I took the fabric off of the cardboard pieces I now think there are nail holes in the front of the fabric. The nails that were used had almost no head on them.
Nailing thru the fabric is OK if the nail hole will not show. You would use a 1 or 1 1/2″ finish nail. If you’re working with a light colored fabric, wipe the nail first as sometimes there’s residual machining oil on the nail. If the fabric is a loose weave and you can kind of wiggle the fabric apart with the nail, then it should be OK. Once the nail is in, push the fabric fibers back in place.
Other methods would be to use two pieces of cardboard. Insert a panel nail through the first piece and place the second piece on top. Then upholster. This works good if you can not place a nail thru the fabric.
I am doing some upholstery work on home projects. (small projects – seat cushions, stools, etc) Is there a good electric stapler that you would recommend for this type of upholstery work?
Hi Bernie,
I use only air guns. But, one of my supply catalogs has a commercial grade electric gun, the Duo-Fast Electric Tacker. That’s probably as good as you can get for electric.
Hi, planning on redoing my dining chairs, they do not have drop in seats. There is webbing on the bottom of the chair, I can either tighten this or make a new wooden bottom. Is there an advantage of one over the other? Is webbing more comfortable since it has a little more give?
Last time I reupholstered them, they seemed pretty saggy but I don’t think I used the correct density of foam.
Would appreciate your opinion, thanks
If the webbing is still in good shape, you can just tighten the webbing by stretching a little more. I don’t really recommend using wood on the bottom. You’re better off tightening or replacing with new webbing.
Hi Joe,
I just purchase an old antique settee that is cutout on the back on two sides with just a 3 inch portion of the wood down the middle . I am assuming they would be upholstered which would show on the front and back. Not sure how to attach that. Would I attach to a cardboard of some sort? wanting to button tuft it like a medallian back Any ideas would be appreciated.
Hi Vicky,
It would probably be better if you could email me a few photos.
How much fabric should I order to cover a sofa 96″ wide by 36″ tall and 39.5 ” deep It is a plain 54″ wide fabric thank s
Need to know a little bit more about the sofa. Does it have seat and back loose cushions, skirt, etc. If it meets all those condtions you’ll need 18-20 yards.
Joe,
We are a small upholstery shop in Dallas. I have one question that is really bothering me. How do you ensure customers are happy with their foam/fill material? I try to keep samples but given the quantity of thickness, density and compression possibilities, I find it very difficult to efficiently manage all the possibilities. (plus, several people come in and want combinations of various compressions to try and get a soft upper layer and then a more supportive middle.) It’s kind of driving me nuts. Any advice?
PS. We’re on the internet at Dallas Upholstery if you have the time to check us out and offer any advice. Your blog is fantastic!
Thanks for the nice comments. Cushioning can certainly be a dilemma. In general, I use Albany Foam and Supply 4″ 2.6 Density Ultra foam medium with a 1.0 oz stitched dacron wrap. That satisfies most of my customers for chairs and sofas. For someone looking for a more plush cushion, I use an envelope style with a 2.6 density soft foam. The envelope can either be down/feather or Denier Microfiber. The envelopes I order from West Coast Feather and Down and use my own foam core. For other customers I use solid down/feather(50/50) or solid Denier Microfiber which is a great alternative to down. All those combinations work 90% of the time. I get a lot of customers who complain more about cushioning being to soft. I sell a lot of foam replacing soft cushions. So my advice is to stick mostly to high density 2.6 foam with a compression of around 35lbs. And always wrap the foam. Other than that, listen to your customer and be creative. If I’m doing foam replacements, I always have the customer bring the cushions in for me to see and measure. Hope that helps.
My boyfriend owns an auto body shop and we want to expand it to do auto trimming. Our only problem is that we need a supplier for fabrics and materials, do you have any suggestions?
By now I’m sure you have the fabrics all figured out. If not, you could start with Burch Fabrics. You can find them online.
Hi
What do I need to look for when purchasing an air compressor and staple gun?
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca – For a staple gun I use a BEA that takes a #7 staple. I think the BEA is the best and the #7 staple you can get everywhere. The only time it will not fire a staple is when it’s empty. Compressors depend on what your use will be. For one person, a small compressor is fine. I use a Bostich Trim Air. It’s only a few gallons, but it does everything I need and it’s maintenance free. If I’m blowing off a piece of furniture, it tends to get low on air rather soon. But that’s OK. It recovers quick. (no pun intended) Plenty of air for any kind of stapling. it’s very light and portable for use in or out of the shop. I also have a monster 13 gallon Speedaire. Great compressor, but it’s noisy, heavy and not so portable. But if two or more people will be working off one compressor, you’ll probably need something like the Speedaire or certainly bigger than the Bostich Trim Air. You’ll find the smaller the gallons, the sooner the compressor comes on to replace air. The larger the gallons, less time coming on to replace air. Hope that helps.
Dave,
My Mom gave me a leather Hancock & Moore wingback chair that was purchased in August, 1996. Its dimensions are too wide by several inches to get through our basement door. Is there a way to take the chair apart so that I can move it to our basement and reassemble it there? This chair has lots of sentimental value as it was my late Dad’s favorite chair.
Thanks very much, Gary.
By now you’ve probably figured out that there is not an easy way to disassemble a wing chair. Sorry for the late reply. It would probably be easier to take the basement door off.
I am interested in doing some automotive and motorcycle seat upholstery, but I don’t know what would be a good machine for sewing the heavier materials involved, I have found some machines on ebay and craigslist, but I am having trouble nailing down a specific model, any advice?
Dave,
I’m looking for a new machine myself. I’ve used for many years a Pfaff 145 and love it. The best repair and sales sewing machine shop around here is Reliable Sewing Machine. They like to sell Juki. But if I can get a Pfaff 1245, I’ll be happy. If I were you, I’d call around, ask around and get as much info as you can before buying. My machine is the most personal tool in the shop.
Hi, what questions do I want to ask when interviewing a prospective upholsterer?
Stephanie,
That’s a tough question. Most of my customers are repeat customers or referred by a customer. The rest come from finding me on the Internet. There, my photo gallery usually takes care of any questions perspective customers have. So I guess I would ask if they have a website with photos you could look at. Also how long they’ve been in the area. Virtually no one ask me for references anymore and I’m glad. Over the years I’ve had customers say they’d be happy to be a referral if needed. But most people don’t want to be contacted. You could also ask if they do the work themselves or contract it out. If they contract it out, that may not be a bad thing. If the price is where you want it and the workmanship is good, that’s what matters the most. Hope that helps. Joe
I recently bought an old Jenny Lind spindle “dayman’s bed” which had an upholstered seat cushion and two back bolsters. I opened the upholstery to find the foam covered in muslin. The foam was in fair condition but the seat especially was soft and, of course, the fabric had problems. Well, I took it to an upholsterer and am pleased with the job EXCEPT after I returned home and unzipped the pieces, I discovered he did not include the dacron as promised (though not in writing.) Is this a big deal? I really want this upholstery job to last. I picked out the firmest foam for the 4 inch seat and medium density for the back bolsters. I’m wondering if I go back and ask for the dacron, will it “mess up” the nice, even look?
Thanks!
Hi Johanna,
One of the purposes of dacron is to help with friction between the fabric and foam. This is not scientific, but I believe the fabric wears better with dacron on the foam. If you think they look nice as is, you probably won’t gain a huge amount by having the dacron added. But If you think it should have been added as part of your verbal agreement, a layer of 1/4″ bonded dacron should be enough and won’t change the current look that you like. Hope that helps.
purchased 2 bradington-young recliners in Jan ’11; strong odor – asked dealer who said it was the leather, but I am familiar with leather and it is not that. (purchased 2 similar B-Y recliners for another location 3 years ago, no such issue) Opened the zipper head pillow, bolster and seat cushion – all three have the distinct odor coming from the fill. Took back and top fills out of zipper pouches/covered with plastic and placed several arm & hammer baking soda boxes in the contained area for 2 days. Did a little. What is your take?
Larry, I would bring them back and get your money back. But now you’ve probably voided any warranty that you had. No other suggestions for you I’m afraid.
This blog is by far the best I have come across in the upholstery category. We have just started a blog, nothing like as nice as this, but just started. If ever in orange county California check us out, your experience and opinions would be appreciated. We do Upholstery in orange County ca</a?
Thanks for the nice comments! The “Ask an Upholsterer” page is surprisingly very popular. Surprising in the sense that people like yourself finds it! Again thanks, and by the way, was that a job offer in sunny Southern California? Just kidding
When reupholstering slip seats in the traditional style, what kind of problems if any, will just slightly overlapping the webbing cause? It is important that I use the jute webbing I finally found at a local craft/fabric store, which only comes in a 3.5″ width. I know that when I tack down each of the three strips going from front to back, the ends of the webbing at the back, will have to overlap. The opening of the frame measures 10.0″ at the rear, and 12.75″ at the front. The side to side tacking shouldn’t be a problem. Thank you for your help!
Jute webbing as you know is thick. The only problem you could have is feeling the webbing when you sit on the seats. As long as you use enough padding, you should be OK. The polypropylene webbing is lighter and stronger and would maybe have been a better choice. What kind of padding are you using over the webbing?
Thank you for the information Mr. Gramm. I have just finished tacking down the webbing on the first seat frame. I’ve also tacked on a piece of burlap. I plan to use vegetable fiber under flax twine loops for the padding. Is there a good method of determing how many pounds I will need? Have you any tips on where can I purchase it? I think it will probably be necessary to cover the vegetable fiber with upholstery batting too. What do you think?
Glad you made it that far Melissa. None of my suppliers carry vegetable fiber. It’s either horse hair, foam or dacron. You could try Van Dyke Restores. Keep in mind that any type of loose fiber on your project will be VERY difficult to work with as far as a consistent thickness and feel. Good Luck!
How many yards of 54″wide fabric do I need to cover 45 chair seats 14″ X 15″. No sewing or seams just staple to underneath side.
1) Is there a pattern to match
2) Is the 14″ measurement the width or length
I have a 1950′s vintage Scandinavian dining room set. The chairs have slip seats which wrap over the front edge of the chair. The seat sections are solid plywood with covered with a thin layer of horsehair, a thin layer of batting and muslin beneath the fabric.
Over the years, the muslin and fabric have been replaced, but I believe the chairs still have the original batting and horsehair.
I want to strip off the old padding and horsehair. I have found upholstery foam which is slightly thicker than the padding and horsehair combined.
Most information I have found suggests using foam and batting combined. This will make the slip seats too thick, especially where they curve over the edge.
I had intended to cover this with muslin and not use any cotton batting.
If I compress the foam as I am stapling on the muslin, I can get a smooth, tapered edge.
The fabric I will be using is fairly heavy.
Is the addition of batting really necessary?
By compressing the foam as I am stapling on the muslin, I believe I can make a tapered edge.
One of the main reasons to use a cotton or dacron batting is to reduce the friction between foam and fabric. It will actually make it easier to get smooth edges all around the slip seat. You can use a thinner batting such as a 1/4 or 1/2″ bonded dacron to keep it from being to thick. That being said, it’s not totally necessary. Just makes it easier.
Thank you, Joe.
I tried one chair without batting. The biggest problem I found was making the right angle turn with the foam over the front edge. Would you suggest I use foam on the seat portion only, and use a layer of batting over the seat and down the edge?
Janet, What I do there is use a spray adhesive to hold the foam in place around the wrapped edge. It works the best with 1 or 2″ foam. Anything thicker than that and it gets difficult to wrap..
I have taken a sectional couch apart. We were given it and I would like to save it. Dont want to keep the interior stuff and would like to replace it. If the sectional is about $1800, am I going to spend that price in replacing all the insides?
How do you get a tight fit of the dacon and is it needed?
I don’t think if it would cost $1800. to replace the insides. By “insides” I assume you mean the padding on the arms and back as well as the cushions. BUT, it’s a lot of extra work to do that. I need more info to help more.
Hi
I want to reupholster my ottoman, the problem is that the legs do not come off. I can not figure out how to go around the legs. I am using leather (fake). There seems like there is going to be so much extra material around the legs not sure what to do. Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Susan
Susan,
It’s all a matter of pulling, cutting and tucking in the right places. Vinyl stretches like crazy. That’s probably part of your problem.
Hi,
I want to re-upholster this ottoman and it is 38″ sq by 15″ High. How many yards of fabric will I nee?
Thanks
Please see link for ottoman
http://www.westelm.com/products/tillary-sofa-f985/?bnrid=3901801&cm_ven=EDM&cm_cat=PROMO&cm_pla=20101203_Tillary&cm_ite=hero_cta_shop_sofa&cm_em=kaiduku@hotmail.com
Hi Irene – As shown in the link photo with a solid fabric, it will take 2.5 yards.
Thank you
I am looking for dedium ot firm density hypoallergenic foam for a massage table (very little compression ) and a good covering material. Wife is very sensitive to smells. Is the soy based foam a good option or do you know of a good source for foam?
Carl,
Soy based foam will be your best choice for environmentally friendly foam. You can find it at Albany Foam on page 6 of their catalog. It’s called Novus Soy Foam. As for the cover, you’d want to use a polypropylene based vinyl. I don’t have a good source for that, but I’ll check around and reply back if I find something.
Hi,
I just purchased an antique (early 1900′s they say) camel back settee that is structurally sound but needs re upholstered. I have taken it apart down to the frame and have the pieces for patterns. My question is, I am wanting to button tuft the bacfk but am unsure of how many to do. The settee is on 54″ across so don’t want too many or too few. What would be a good way to figure this out?
Hi Vicky,
I think for a settee that size, you would want between 9 and 12 buttons across and maybe four rows. The rows depend on if the settee has a loose seat cushion or not. You could probably get away with three rows with a seat cushion. Twelve buttons across would make the buttons around 4″ apart – Nine buttons across around 6″ apart. The photo is just for an example. It’s about the width of your settee and is a camel back style.
That is great. Thank you for your quick response. Mine is similiar to that but with lose cushions. I will probably go with the 9 across. One more thing. It was filled on the back with 2 layers of cotton batting and a lining of horse hair in the middle. Is it possible to steam clean/deodorize the horse hair and re-use it? It really smells old and musty.
Vicky – There’s really no good way to sanitize the horse hair. Getting it wet could only make it worse. Was the back of your settee tufted originally??
Thank you Joe, I was afraid of that. So should I just use foam wrapped in batting? I do believe it may have been at one time but I only found 3 buttons on the back that were lose but there seemed to be evidence of of more on the back where they tied them but I can not find very many markings on the fabric to go by. This is really my first big project and just want to do it correctly to keep the integrity of the piece as much as possible. I re upholstered an antique brass bench last year with button tufting (my first attempt) and it turned out really nice but again; that was just one cushion.
I would really like to thank you for taking your personall time to answer all of our questions. This is a God send. Thank you.
Vicky
Vicky – are you simply adding buttons to the back or deep tufting with the pleats. Because deep tufting will require that you make holes in the padding for the button to pull the fabric into. That’s what creates the pleats and the look of the tufting in the photo.
I am acutally wanting to do deep tufting with pleats but as I said, I honestly don’t thing it was originally done that way because there is not enough fabric to indicate it. I would assume they were just decoration. So should I use foam and wrap it? then punch the holes? and how would you mark the fabric to match the holes?
Yes I would use foam and cotton. You’ll want at least as much foam in thickness as the horsehair and a few layers of batting. To do deep tufting you’ll need to mark the foam with the button pattern that you want to use. Then cut the holes in the foam. I use a #22 button die to make the holes by hand. Then the two layers of batting. Once the batting is on, work a hole through the batting where the buttons are. I sometimes use my finger or a pair a scissors. To go step by step explaining how to do deep button or diamond tuft would take forever. So I’m going to suggest that you look at some of the many YouTube videos on the subject. Just do a search for deep button tufting or diamond tufting. Then feel free to ask more questions after the videos.
Thank you for the direction. I am somewhat familiar with the diamond pattern as that is what I did on the bench but I did have a pattern to follow with it so I will still find some videos since I am starting from scratch on this piece. I can not get a picture to upload so I will send to your email and then send a picture when I am done. Thanks again for all the info.
Hi Joe,
I have my loveseat tore down to the frame and springs. All the webbing was rotten so need to replace. My question is what is the best approach to reattaching the webbing to the coil springs from the bottom? when I took the cover off the botton most of them were just lose. I have not attempted this feat yet so I am at a loss on this one. Do I tie the springs to the webbing?
Vicky,
Are you leaving the spring twines tied to the top of the springs in place? If so, What I do is tie the springs to the bottom of the frame using spring twine. The tie is less complicated than the top twines. Simply tie each spring at the bottom of the spring in rows going the length and width and attach to the bottom of the frame where the webbing goes. Then cover each row of springs with your webbing. Don’t forget to weave the rows of webbing for added strength. Hope that helps.
Yes that helps. I am having to retie a lot of the springs because the old twine was rotted and broken but at least I know which direction to go with it now.
thanks again.
Hi Joe, the spring info was great and worked fine, thank you. I just had an appraisal on my piece (just the frame) and they tell me it is a Louis XV style french piece. When I do research on this style it seams all of the pictures I see have a “single” style bench seat cushion. This piece came with two box cushions. In your professional opinion; would you keep with the two box cushions or go with a bench cushion?
Vicky,
I like one. Plus it takes less time, which never hurts! Good Luck. Send a photo when your done.
Then that is what I will do. Do you have an email address? not sure I know how to upload pictures on here.
thanks for all your help. Should be done in a couple of weeks; time permitting.
Hi Vicky – use the email link under my logo.
Hi there-
after a few moments of desperation I think you are just the person to talk to! I have a project that I have in mind, but can’t seem to wrap my brain around the logistics of how to accomplish it. I would like the create an upholstered daybed. I found just the one I want to replicate and now it is a matter of figuring out how. I have a limited knowledge of upholstering but I am hoping this will be my chance to learn a little more. Below are a few links to images of the daybed concept:
I love the framed look that the sides have around the main panel. I was having a hard time figuring out if I would upholster the main panel and then do the framing upholstery using tack strip or if I had that backwards and should be doing it in reverse. Here is a link to the plan for the overall bed structure that I am going to have my husband build (with the exception of the finials, scalloped side and a few other minimal modifications):
http://www.knock-offwood.com/2010/05/furniture-plans-lydia-daybed.html
If you feel this plan will not work to accomplish what I am trying to do-please let me know! I really appreciate your help and advice. Any suggestions or instructions would be helpful! If you have further questions or need clarification just let me know.
Hi Kara,
I can see your not afraid of taking on big projects. The difficulty in the job will depend on how much knowledge you have in terms of the supplies and materials needed and padding techniques. The upholstery part of the project comes in four parts in this order.
1- Front and back rails get upholstered
2- Top and sides of foot and headboard get upholstered
3- Inside and outside panels of the head and footboards get upholstered
4- Seat cushion
There are several ways to complete the panel look in the linked photos in your question. Pad and upholster the top and sides of the head/footboards leaving the square opening in the center for the panels. I would use either a stiff cardboard panel board or 1/4″ plywood for the panels. Once you upholster the panels, the panels can be attached in either of these ways.
1- If the fabric is thick or textured enough, you can use a small finish brad nail. Work a small hole in the fabric with the brad and nail through the fabric and panel board. Once secure, work the fabric back until you can’t see the hole. This will only work if the wood on the frame is thick enough to secure the brad.
2- Sandwich several panel nails between two pieces of panel board. Upholsterer and bang the panel into place with a rubber mallet. This will only work if the wood on the frame is thick enough to secure the panel nail.
3- Upholster and hot glue the panel into place. I would use cardboard panel board with this method.
Hope that’s enough info for you to decide whether or not to start the project. Feel free to ask more specific questions if needed. Here is a general materials list you can expect to use on a job like this. All of it can be found at my main supplier, Albany Foam and Supply
* staple gun
* 1″ foam for for the head/footboard top and sides – 1/2″ for the panels – dacron batting over foam
* Spray adhesive to secure the foam to the frame
* 5″(?) foam plus dacron wrap for mattress cushion
* Panel nails and or brads
* Panel board or 1/4″ plywood
Hi Joe-
Thank you so much for your help and suggestions!!! We just built the bed last weekend and my fabric came in a few days ago. Once I get all of the upholstery supplies I will begin the upholstering!
I am sure I will have a questions when I get there, but I wanted to thank you for the information you have already provided.
I chose option number two to adhere the center section with in the framed portion. I hope it works!
Thanks again.
Great – Look forward to hearing from you Kara !
Hi Joe, I have a large “L” shaped sofa and my cat used both arms as a scratching post, leaving the stuffing falling out and the material a mess. The sofa is okay other wise except for the arms what is your suggestion? Thanks Bonnie
Hi Bonnie,
Not sure what to suggest to you. Is the same fabric still available. It would be expensive to replace the fabric and repair the stuffing damage to “new” condition. Your best solution may be to get new matching fabric – make a fitted arm cover and attach it as best you can. Of course the padding would need to be repaired also. Any willing upholsterer could do that for you if you didn’t want to do it yourself. Hope that helps.
hi there, I am looking all over for this upholstery fabric. Do you have any ideas. The only thing i have to show the fabric is this link. I love the pattern
Avington Slipper Chair – Leaf
thanks for any help! I am very new and green when it comes to upholstery =)
Hi Lisa – I didn’t have any luck finding that particular fabric. One place to search is Greenhouse Fabrics.
Hi Joe,
We have a “zero-gravity” chair in black leather. The bottom/footrest area has a worn spot from my husband’s shoes. The rest of the chair is in fine shape. I would like to have the worn area repaired but not the whole chair recovered. Is that possible? Something you can do? (I live on the Cape.)
Thank you.
If you haven’t found someone to fix the foot rest part of the zero gravity chair, please send a photo to my email address.
Hi, I recently had two matching slipper chairs reupholstered. They were purchased at an antique store and, when I purchased them, they smelled very musty and possibly mildewed. I stripped the chairs of their fabric (down to the padding and canvas underneath the seat). What remained of the seat, after stripping the fabric, had a very strong odor — musty and mildewey. I then had the chairs professionally painted. After the painting, I had them reupholstered. I told the upholsterer of the strong odor. I believe that he replaced some of the seat padding (although I do not what exactly). I picked up the chairs the other day and they look great. Out of curiosity, however, I smelled the seat padding to make sure that they no longer smelled. They still have a slight musty odor on the seat, underneath the cushion. When I place the seat cushion on, the smell transfers slightly to the bottom of the cushion. Perhaps I am being too particular, but I just do not want the smell to get worse.
Hi Alison,
If the musty/mildewed padding was not replaced, it’s likely the smell will last for a long time. High humidity and dew points will make the odor worse. With low humidity and dew points, the odor will be less obvious. So it will depend on what part of the country you live in and whether your house is air conditioned or not. I wish I had something better to tell you.
Thank you. They are in an air-conditioned setting. It seems that the seat padding was replaced in certain parts and not in others. I think the source (from smelling the area) is the padding that is over top of the springs. Is there any way to peel back that portion of the upholstered area and replace the padding over the springs. I am just frustrated because some padded areas were obviously replaced and other areas were not. I am very pleased with the outcome of the reupholstery, but somewhat worried that something musty- smelling lies underneath. You can only smell it when you actually “put your nose to it,” but I still know it’s there (and I am kind of a clean freak)! Do you think that is something that I should attempt to remedy (i.e by having that portion of the seat redone)? Thank you in advance. I appreciate it!
Hi Alison – Very sorry for the late reply to your last question.
To do it right, there’s a fair amount of work to get to the seat padding. The seat deck is the first part to be upholstered – which means lifting up all the outside parts of the chairs to get to the staples etc.
If you have an oral or written contract that says that the musty padding was to be replaced, then I would talk to the upholsterer about a remedy.
Hello! We just purchased a sectional, but need to position the pieces differently than they are originally configured. Two brackets with 6 screws each are on sides that are now visible. We want to remove them and yet protect the fabric, leaving the possibility down the road to reattach the brackets if we need to reposition how we use the sectional in the future.
I do have Brass Tacks that decoratively fit the fabric and cover the holes, but the holes are larger than the tack nails, and the tacks do nothing to secure the fabric. Do you have any suggestions? Is fabric glue enough? Do the holes need to be fully plugged with something?
THANK YOU so much in advance for your input and suggestions.
Kay
Kay- Fabric glue should be enough. If you want to use the brass nails – either fill the screw holes with toothpicks and then tack the brass nails or hot clue the back of the brass nail and press into place. Hope that helps.
I’m reupholstering a tufted wingback chair that I found on craigslist. The fabric I have chosen is a large scale ikat. Since I don’t want the pattern to get lost in the tufts, I have decided to plug the holes in the foam. What is the best way to do this keeping a very smooth look? Is it best to fill them with dacron stuffing using some spray adhesive, or is there a better way to go about it? Thanks, Shannon.
Hi Shannon – Fill the holes with dacron at about the same compression(softness-firmness) as the foam. You don’t need to use adhesive. Then cover it all with a layer of dacron batting and you should be good to go.
Thanks Joe. Just one more question I forgot to mention. The foam also has slits cut into it between the holes, do I need to do anything with these? thanks.
In that case, I would use a light amount of spray adhesive to close the slits. Just peel back the foam and get a very light coat of spray adhesive on both sides of the foam and press evenly together. I like to use latex or vinyl gloves to keep the adhesive off my fingers. Citra-Solve, by the way, is a great solvent for removing adhesive from the hands.
Hi Joe,
I have a 7 year old Hancock & Moore leather sectional. The cushions can barely hold their shape anymore. I took apart the cushions and found that the the back rests are filled with a batting/stuffing that looks like it is divided into 3 rolled sections. The seats are batting/stuffing on top of a foam piece–the foam is in great shape. The batting seems to be fairly compressed now and the cushions could use some more stuffing. We have 4 big teenage boys and with their friends this couch gets a lot of wear. What would you recommend as a batting/stuffing to buy for this type of sofa and for the amount of wear it gets. If there is something I can use, where would you recommend I get it?
Also, what are your thoughts on those leather recoloring kits? This was an expensive sectional and I would really like to keep it and have it looking nice for a few more years.
I would appreciate any advise! Thank you for your time,
Colleen Bauer
Hi Colleen – I would use what’s called “stitched dacron” to wrap the seat cushions. It’s dacron with a polyester cloth on both sides of the dacron stitched together. You could use the same thing to wrap the loose filling in the backs or you could add to the existing filling with a similar product that is already there. I would check with your local upholsterer to get the supplies.
As for the leather re-color, I’m afraid I can’t help with that as I have no experience with it.
Hi. I have a 25 yr old Hancock & Moore leather high back Executive desk chair that has been well used (by me). The springs are shot and there is an indentation in the chair that makes me keep sliding forward on the cushion (which I recently put new foam in). My question is whether it’s worth having new springs put in the chair, and what approximately that would cost. Other than one broken wood decorative piece that goes over one of the 5 metal wheeled legs, the chair is in very good shape. Thanks. I appreciate having someone to ask.
If the springs are either zig-zag or coil springs, it may be worth fixing if you like the chair. if the spring system is some sort of proprietary system, then it’s probably not worth fixing. Prices vary widely from local upholsterer to upholsterer and more so from one end of the country to the other, but on Cape Cod you could be looking at $200.00. Keep in mind that sight unseen, it’s hard to give an accurate price. Feel free to email me a photo of the chair.
Hi. I have a 14 year old recliner (probably Hancock & Moore or Bradington Young) which is currently covered in fabric. It is either time to upholster or replace. Can you help? The chair seems to be in good working order but the fabric has soil marks that just can’t be removed. Does it make sense to upholster the recliner? Is there a fabric you would recommend to give it another 14 years? Joe thanks for helping.
I stopped upholstering recliners a while ago. For me, they are very labor intensive and I have to charge a ridiculous amount for labor. You might get a different opinion from another upholsterer. Technically, there’s no reason a recliner can’t be upholstered if the mechanism is working properly. It just comes down to cost effectiveness for you the customer. Call a local upholsterer and see what they would charge, then compare with a new recliner. As for fabric – try to get something that is able to be cleaned with water such as a fabric with a polypropylene content. JF fabrics from Canada has a good selection. Hope that helps. Thanks for asking!
Hi. I found your web site while researching how to make a button tufted ottoman using a table frame. I have a beautiful table frame and don’t want to cover its sides. I have purchased a square of plywood to just fit on top, and plan to button tuft the wood adn then bolt it to the table. I intend to use 3″ foam on top of the plywood. My question for you is: Do I need to use an edge roll on the outer edge of tyhe wood? If I don’t use an edge roll, will there be a hard edge? Suppose I decide not to use the plywood, but to use jute webbing instea. How can I finish the piece so the fabric is only on the top of the table frame and doesn’t overlap the sides (which are too pretty to cover up)?
Many thanks!
Hi K,
Thanks for finding me. Sounds like a nice project. I would upholster the plywood and screw it to the table top from the bottom. That will give you the cleanest look. As for the foam, with or without an edge roll will probably work. The main thing is to always cut the foam larger than the plywood. That will help eliminate the hard edge when pulling your fabric over the edge of the foam. If you don’t use the edge roll, cut the 3″ foam at least one inch bigger than the plywood on all sides. Using an edge roll creates another step. Say you use a 3/4 ” edge roll. Staple the edge roll onto the plywood so it’s even with the edge of the plywood. You’ll have to fill the void in the middle that will be created. So in that case, use 1″ foam that fills the plywood up to the inside of the edge roll. Then use 2″ foam, cut to cover the foam and the edge roll, overhanging the edge roll by 1″ on all sides. That will give you the 3″ you want and a softer looking edge. I would also cover the foam with batting or bonded dacron. It will be much easier working with your fabric. Foam creates a lot of friction. Hope that helps. If any thing is unclear, write back!
Hi, to answer the question about places for classes in Denver: I found a great class through Colorado Free University – although, don’t let the name fool you… it wasn’t cheap. I took an 8 week class, but I think they only offer a two week class now. Adil, the teacher, was great. I think he is trying to get out of the business though – or at least go more in to interior design. I learned a lot, but not quite enough to tackle the bigger projects. Good luck to you!
Candice
I have 2 slip covered love seats in which I replaced the foam in the seat cushions so they are in great shape…but I need to refill the loose cushion backs which are curved L shaped. They are filled with loose batting fill. What is the best kind of fill to use and the best place to get it…and how do you know how many pounds you need.
Thanks
Hi Pam,
Thanks for leaving a comment. There are so many types of loose fiber fill it’s nots funny. Are you going to fill the back cushions yourself or have an upholsterer fill them. My favorite is a loose fiber fill called “micro denier”. I think it keeps it’s shape better than any loose fiber on the market. I take a pattern of the cushion and send it to West Coast Feather & Down in Los Angeles. They send me back a new cushion with a down proof ticking cover, filled with Micro Denier.
To fill them yourself, you could try a supplier like Rockford Supply. They sell to the public and have a product called “slick Fiber”. They tell you how much slick fiber it takes to fill a 20″x20″ throw pillow. The site is below. You’d have to measure your cushions and figure out how many pounds that you’d need. You can find the slick fiber here. “http://www.rochfordsupply.com/shop/Pillows_and_Padding/Loose_Fill/Slick_Fiber/index.html”
The least expensive alternative may be to call your local upholsterer and see if he/she has loose fiber in stock. I usually have some on hand and also have barrels full of remnant loose fill that I give away.
Feel free to write back with more questions, if needed.
Upholstering a sofa and the sofa had some type of fabric used to extend the fabic in the areas that are unseen . What is the stuff called that is used to extend the fabric? I really would like to know. In the past, I have used other pieces of fabric from other projects. It is especially helpful when you use expensive fabric or leather. Please help.
Hi Walton,
I’ve always called that a “pull“. I keep tons of remnant strips of fabric that I use as pulls. I did a search on the Web and didn’t find much info on it. But I did find a site that sells a product they call “pull strips”, for that very purpose. Their description matches my term as “pull”
Here’s the product description from “http://www.sind.com/product.aspx?ID=2210″
Pull Strips – Sewn to decking material and other fabric parts to allow the upholsterer to pull outer fabrics in place for stapling, Propex pull strip fabric is specifically designed with the tensile strength to hold staples, enhance seam strength and reduce seam slippage.
Hi there, I found your website while looking up information on upholstery careers. I am intersted in getting in to this line of work. Even though one of your posts says its a dying trade, I think that young customers are looking for ways to modernize their furniture without having to purchase all new. Do you have any ideas for how to gain experience and/or learn the trade? There don’t seem to be many courses on upholstery in denver?
Thanks!
Candice
Hi Candice,
Thanks for writing. I guess when I say “upholstery is a dying trade” it’s because of just the situation you’re in. Someone wanting to learn the upholstery trade, but no where to learn it. It’s not just the Denver area. Even here in the Northeast, vocational schools have dropped their upholstery courses years ago and adult education classes are all but impossible to find.
I couldn’t agree more about younger people wanting to have their furniture upholstered. When I started, the average age of my customers were 60 and older. Now, I’d say my customer base is late 30s and up. That’s a big change. So there are fewer and fewer upholsterers, but the client base is still there. I would try calling all the upholstery shops in your area to see if any of them are willing to take on an apprentice. Youtube has lots of upholstery videos also. You won’t learn as much from a Youtube video as you would as an apprentice, but it would be a place to start.
Let me ask, have you done any upholstering before and what skills do you already have for an upholstery career?
Hi Joe, thanks for your reply. I have been thinking about approaching a local shop to see about offering my help (however minimal!). It is a good question – what skills do I have??? I can sew, I am creative, and I love to work with my hands. And, I cannot sit at a desk 8 hours a day… is that enough? Talk to you soon, Candice
Candice,
Sound like you have the desire and skills to get started, especially sewing. Sewing is a huge part of upholstery. Do you a have a space to work and any tools yet?
Hi again, I have space in my house, and garage. But, I think I should look in to becoming an apprentice to gain experience. I can’t really see someone trusting me with a big job if I tell them I did an ottoman or something! I did find a class here through Colorado Free University that I will take next month. That should be a good taste to see if I want to pursue it further. Thanks so much for your interest. I will keep checking out your blog. Happy Holidays!
Candice
Hi Candice,
I think you’re taking the right approach. The course will give you an idea of what a career in upholstery will entail and the equipment needed if you were to start your own business. And it would be helpful to have some basic knowledge in trying to apprentice with an upholsterer. What most people don’t realize about upholstery is what make a piece look spectacular, usually starts with the foundation. The frame needs to be tight, springs need to be tied and the padding has to be right. Without that, the fabric won’t look good. So gluing and spring tying are a must to be a well rounded upholsterer. But in reality, upholstering is mostly a lot of copying and then the more advanced work of redesigning a piece.
Please let me know how the class goes. I’ll be curious to hear what they teach you. Today on Cape Cod we have a blizzard warning for Saturday night and Sunday. I’m going to try to get my last piece promised for the holidays delivered today before the storm. Happy Holidays to you and thanks for finding my blog!
Hi Candice,
I am also interested in taking classes in the Denver area. Did you have any luck contacting any of the local shops for an apprenticeship. Any information would be helpful, thank you.
Elizabeth
Emily Griffith is the only place that I have found that offers a level 1 and level 2 class
Hi joe,
I have a huge tufting job to do in leather. In the past for the few buttons i’ve had to make I just skive the leather thinner. Do you know of a quicker method to make leather buttons. Standard leather is too thick. Also Do I need to make holes in the foam to tuft, what tool is needed. I could use some advice on tufting if you have any.
Best regards,
JC
Hi JC,
Sorry for getting back so late. Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution for making leather buttons. I don’t do much of that these days.
I can help a little with the tufting question. Yes, make holes in the foam where you want the buttons. I don’t do huge amounts of tufting so I use a #22 button dye/cutter. Some times you may even want to score lines in the foam between the button holes in the diamond shape. I prefer a firm foam. If I was using the previous fabric as a pattern, I may mark the holes out on the new fabric with chalk. But if I’m starting without a pattern, I just start in the center with my first button. Then, work the fabric into the next button hole with my finger. The button is about the same size as the end of a finger, so the button fits perfect into the same spot your fingertip was. The main thing is to keep the lines in the fabric, in both directions, straight and level. Don’t know if that helps, but that’s my take on tufting.
Hi Joe,
I have 6 dining room chairs maybe from the 1930′s or 40′s that are wood with leather seat attached by large bronze nail heads. The leather is beautifull worn but half of the chairs need repair. Can the chairs be restored with leather that looks older or reclaimed?
Thanks, Pam
Pam,
One thing I an not is a leather expert. I tell most people it’s cheaper to buy new furniture in leather than it is to have me upholster it. But in your case, it sounds like you have nice vintage furniture that you want to keep. Are you trying to restore just the ones that need repair and match the ones that don’t need repair or will you redo all of them. Matching will be difficult. If new, get the most worn style leather you can find. I just did a quick search for “making leather look worn” and found some crazy ways to make new leather looked distressed or worn. But I will tell you that buying leather by the hide for reupholstery is expensive. So making new leather look used, worn and distressed may hard to do knowing how much you paid for it. Sorry, but that’s all I can say about the leather. The bronze nail heads can be found in a few places like Van Dykes Restorers .. Hope that helps a little.
Pam,
I was reading old posts to try to find help on my project. You probably no longer need an answer, but maybe it will be useful to someone else.
The current trend in leather is a more “natural” look. You can now buy lightly corrected pigmented leather that shows markings from brands/scars/mosquitos or even leather that is designed to patina by showing surface scratches, wrinkles and wear. If you can’t find a local upholsterer to provide you with hides, you can always buy them from a furniture store. The trick is finding a furniture store that offers custom leather upholstery. If you can choose from an array of leathers for a piece then you should be able to buy a hide. Most manufacturers will not provide leather by the hide pricing in their price book the way they provide fabric by the yard pricing so many salepeople don’t know it’s even an option. An experienced salesperson who is willing to go the extra mile and contact the rep or the manufacturer to find out availability and pricing is essential.
Thanks for adding the info about acquiring leather. I know you weren’t necessarily referencing me, but in my case it’s not about going the extra mile for the customer. Although I have many good years ahead of me in the upholstery business, after thirty eight years in the business my hands just don’t want to pull and stretch leather any more. Upholstering with leather is much different than upholstering with fabric from an upholsterers standpoint. Leather requires a lot of stretching, most of which is done with a leather stretching tool, but non-the-less still hard on the hands.
I will say that there is a misnomer out there about leather furniture and that is about it’s durability. Most of the calls I get for leather have to do with repairs. Either it got ripped in moving or the dog or cats claws have damaged it or it’s losing it’s color in places.
The bottom line for me is I like leather furniture, but I’ll leave it up to other upholsterers to work with it.
Hello, I am getting a couch and loveseat upholstered with leather. I have had different estimates on how much leather I will need. From 6-25 hides?!? Are some people just trying to get my money? Why is there such a difference? Here are the specs…
couch- 84″ long x 38″ high x 34″ front to back.
3 – 25″l x 25″w x 5″h cushions to sit on and 3-25″l x 19.5″w x 5″h cushionsfor the back.
It has a 4 inch legs, so 34″ of leather to cover the back, if that makes sense. The cushions are also not fixed and are square.
loveseat- 62″long x 38″ high x 34″ front to back. same size cushions as couch, but it has 2 of each instead of three.
How many hides would that be if an average hide is around 50 sq. feet? Thank you so much for your time.
Hi Karina,
It’s not clear from your email if the sofa and love seat are fully upholstered or not. By that I mean arms, back seat deck, etc. You need to order 18 sq. ft. of leather for every yard of fabric. So assuming that the sofa and love seat were fully upholstered and the sofa needed 18 yards and the love seat 16 yards of fabric, that would be a total of 34 yards of fabric. So 34 yards of fabric x 18 sq. ft. of leather would equal 612 square ft. of leather needed. If a hide averaged 50 sq. ft, then you would need a total of approximately 13 hides. (612÷50 =12.24 hides). Additionally, 10-20% extra should be ordered for flaws or unusable parts of the hide. That would bring your total hides closer to 16.
So what you need to do is ask your upholsterer how many “fabric” yards is needed for both pieces. Take that fabric yardage number and and times it by 18. That will give you the total square feet of leather needed. I would be happy to calculate the number for you if you could supply me with the fabric yardage. Hope that helps.
Hi – I have noticed in the interiors magazines that there are a lot of items that are having their arms and/or legs covered in fabric but the fabric almost looks ‘sprayed on’ – the features of the arms/legs (eg claw-and -ball feet) are clearly defined. Is this a property of the fabric, the method of application or both? Could you explain how to achieve this look? Many thanks from rainly ol’ England.
ps – here’s an example http://squintlimited.com/furniture/heritage/upholstery/chairs/101/
Hi rainy ol’ England,
Thanks for writing. We’re about to get a tropical storm here on Cape Cod. You might even get the rain from it next week as it crosses the pond! To answer your upholstery question – It looks to me like it’s paint. There’s no way to get fabric to do that unless it’s heat molded and I doubt if they did that. Probably free hand with some crackling technique also. Hope that helps. Joe
Hi There, I am in Atlantic Canada and attempting to do market research on the upholstery industry. I was wondering if you could share where I could find market research information on upholstery. Many thanks, Maureen
I don’t really know. That’s a good question. It depends I guess on what aspect of the upholstery industry you wanted the market research on. I’d contact the Upholstery Journal
Hi,
I have recently purchased a leather sofa and when I bought it, I was told the cushions would bounce back after someone had sat on them. I have only had the sofa a couple of weeks and the cushions are left wrinkled everytime someone sits on them. A representative from the shop I bought the sofa from has been to look at the sofa and they have said I need to ‘dress’ the sofa every morning, smoothing out the wrinkles as you would do with a bed. I was wondering if this is true of some sofas or whether they are trying to pull a fast one?
I would appreciate any advice.
Thanks Jade
Hi Jade,
Thanks for the question. It’s a tough question because there could be a lot of reasons for the wrinkles. I would not want to “dress” it every time I sat on it. First, there are different types and grades of leather. And leather does have a natural tendency to stretch a little. The softer the leather, the more it will stretch. But, if the foam is too soft, the leather will wrinkle more. So, I suspect the foam as the problem. Foam is rated in two ways. Density and compression. The density rating, indicates how long the foam will last. 1.8 density is commonly used in new furniture. I offer my customers a 2.6 density, a longer lasting foam. The compression, indicates whether the foam is soft (21lb. compression), medium (35lb. compression) or firm (45lb. compression) in feel.
If you want to pursue it with the furniture company, here’s a question to ask. “What is the density and the compression of the foam in my sofa”. If they tell you a 1.8 density with a 21lb. compression, that’s a soft foam that will not last and will cause wrinkles. If that’s the case, you could ask them to replace the existing foam with a higher density foam with a medium(35) compression. Especially since they told you the cushions would bounce back. I hope that helps. Feel free to post back with more questions, if needed.