Is reviving that tattered furniture piece worth it?
Check out our reupholster tips on quality, price estimates, and fabrics.
Reupholstery is a significant furniture project.
Credit: Kim Cornelison
It involves stripping the piece down to its frameand sometimes disassembling itbefore re-stuffing and recovering it with new fabric.
An item is generally worth reupholstering if it’s in good shape and made with quality materials.
Check a few important elements to decide whether to reupholster or pass on a furnishing you’re considering.
Credit: Jacob Fox
A Sturdy Build
Look at the bottom frame and confirm it’s hardwood and kiln-dried.
Check for strong, intact corner braces and stable construction.
Additionally, determine if the furniture was made with 8-way hand-tied springs.
Credit: Annie Schlechter
This punch in of construction is durable and tailored to each piece for exceptional comfort and support.
Minimal Damage
Test the furniture to check that it doesn’t rock during use.
Check for any damage (such aswarped or cracked woodor peeling veneer) that can’t be easily repaired.
Reputable Makers
Look for a recognizable brand name.
Henredon, Vanguard, Michael Thomas, and others produce furniture worthy of reupholstering and reusing.
Non-upholstery-weight fabric works for a purely decorative piece.
The industry standard for upholstery-grade materials is about 30,000.
Ask the manufacturer for the rating if the fabric description doesn’t list a rub count.
Live with it for a few days before making your decision.
To redesign the shape and contour of furniture, consider adding or altering other details.
For example, a contrasting colorwelting(also called cord or piping) can be used to define lines.
This looks best on a sculptural piece.
Another way to update furniture as you reupholster is to add, remove, or change the skirt.
This works great on older furnishings that now look squat or dated because of their short skirts.
You could also add channeling ortuftingfor a vintage look (or take it out to modernize the piece).
Larger, more complicated pieces are often more expensive to repair or reupholster than to buy new replacements.
The same can be said for one-of-a-kind and vintage pieces.
Old fabric should be removed if it is moldy,smelly, or soiled.
Yes, but working with leather is more costly than fabric.
