Frederick Furniture Upholstery

How to Reupholster a Couch

2009-10-14T17:30:00.000-04:00

Reupholstering furniture can be a great way to personalize mass-produced furniture. The process can be difficult, but if you are a do-it-yourselfer it can be done. Get some help from this article and get started on that couch today!

Find the right couch. Believe it or not, most furniture is designed to be re-upholstered, just as cars are designed to be worked on.
Select a couch that fits your taste, or is of a style that can be molded to something enjoyable by the time it is completed.
Take a few pictures of how the couch looked before you tear it apart, and especially during the process of "destroying it." Couches are not complex pieces of machinery, but this sort a project can last a long time, so it's good to have a nice "photographic memory" for referencing.
Carefully take the couch apart, being cautious not to damage parts that will be needed later, such as stuffing. It may be beneficial to keep the material that is removed from your couch to use as a template for the new material.
Inspect the cushions to see if any filling material will need to be replaced once the couch has been stripped down. This can get very expensive, very quickly, but don't skimp out, or the couch will be great looking, but also saggy and uncomfortable couch.
Use the same materials to attach the new fabric to the couch as the old fabric. If it is staples, purchase a good-quality staple gun, and "go to town." No matter which way you are attaching the fabric, be sure to stretch the fabric as you attach it, or it will stretch over time.The fabric on the couch was most likely attached to it using either upholstery nails, or staples. Even if the couch has upholstery nails, they are most likely mostly aesthetic, and the majority of the fabric would still be attached using staples. While upholstery nails look nice, they are tedious to put into place.
Rely on your intuition to figure out the best place to start attaching the new fabric. If the couch is designed so that a layer of fabric will lay over another part, it is a good idea to upholster the underlying part first. This may be a good time to consult the "photographic memory" compiled from before the couch was taken apart, or to ask for advice from a more experienced person.
Take pride in your achievements once the couch is finished. Perhaps the most important thing to do is show it off.

Tips

Often, part of re-upholstering is making new cushions. If you are purchasing furniture to re-upholster, a good rule of thumb is find furniture that should not require new filling material. Foam, and other cushion materials can be very spendy, and may make your project not cost effective.
If there is sewing that needs to be done, it may be best to wait until the last minute to do it, in case any of the following are changed: fabrics, cushion thickness, colors, wood stains, etc. If the sewing is to be done yourself, use the old cushions as templates--they were designed to fit the couch.
Do it right--do it once. It is worth spending a little more money for good material.
Find fabric on sale.
Use thick fabric. Couches are sat on, jumped on, spilled on, scrubbed, moved, slept on, etc. Purchase thick, durable fabric.
Furniture is unique. Even professional upholsters have to learn by hard knocks. Some things you can only learn and get right by doing them wrong a couple times--couches, unfortunately, often fit into that that category.
Try to find furniture that will not require a lot of sewing on your part.
For wood trimming: Solid woods can be re-stained for a lighter, darker, or different color finish. If you are going to re-finish the wood, remove the upholstery and as much other material as possible before staining.

Warnings

Older and antique furniture may have foam that is extremely flammable, or that burns at an extremely high temperature.

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Reupholster a Couch. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Ron's Furniture Upholstery Frederick Maryland:

301-514-5756

Furniture Upholstery Fabric Choices Frederick Maryland

2009-09-03T14:42:00.002-04:00

Furniture Reupholstered

Fine Fabric Choices for upholstering antique chairs and sofas in stock at Ron's Frederick Maryland Furniture Upholstery

From Frederick Maryland Furniture Upholstery

Ron's Furniture Upholstery: 301-514-5756

furnitureupholstery@frederick.com

Chair's Re-Upholstered in Frederick, Maryland

2009-09-02T21:21:00.003-04:00

Frederick Maryland Chair recently upholstered by Ron Wiekert: Last post was the front view, this one is the left view.

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Ron's Furniture Upholstry: 301-514-5756

furnitureupholstery@frederick.com

Ron's Furniture Upholstery Portfolio

2009-08-30T05:17:00.002-04:00

Fine Frederick Maryland Craftsmanship

Ron's Furniture Upholstery Portfolio, digital pictures of completed and not yet completed pieces of local Frederick Maryland furniture that's been (or is being) re-upholstered by Ron.

Ron's Furniture Upholstry: 301-514-5756

furnitureupholstery@frederick.com

Upholstery Care Tips

2009-04-24T22:27:00.004-04:00

Upholstery Care Tips

FAQ's on Leather
How do I care for my leather furniture?

Avoid placing your furniture near heat sources or near windows or other places that will expose it to direct sunlight. Keep the surfaces free of dust and spills. Apply a leather conditioner/protection cream several times a year to help resist staining and soiling and to improve clean-ability and prevent dryness.

What do the terms pigmented, semi-aniline, and full aniline mean?

Pigmented and semi-aniline leathers are dyed, then have another coat of pigment or a topcoat applied to provide more consistent coloration and resistance to staining. Pigmented and semi-aniline leathers give superior performance when used by an active family household. They also resist the fading effects of sunlight longer than full aniline leather.

Full aniline leather is not protected by extra pigment or topcoats. Transparent dyes are applied to the hide to give it color while maintaining natural markings, unique patterns, and suppleness. Full aniline leather is durable, yet more susceptible to penetration of fluids and body oils. It is best used where constant use and spills are not the norm.

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Upholstery Care
For optimum performance from your upholstered furniture, vacuum and rotate cushions frequently. Avoid placing in direct sunlight. Clean up spills as they occur. Ask your sales associate for the cleanability code of your fabric.

Code S:

Spot clean only with a water-free cleaning solvent. Pre-test a small, inconspicuous area before proceeding. Do not saturate. DO NOT USE WATER. Pile fabrics may require brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to restore appearance. Cushion covers should not be removed and dry-cleaned. To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to remove dust and grime is recommended. When cleaning a spill, blot immediately to remove spilled material. Clean spots or stains from the outside to the middle of the affected area to prevent circling. Overall cleaning by a professional furniture cleaning service only is recommended.

Code W:

Spot clean only with water base upholstery shampoo or foam upholstery cleaner. Pre-test a small, inconspicuous area before proceeding. Do not over wet. Do not use solvents to spot clean. Pile fabrics may require brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to restore appearance. Hot water extraction or steam cleaning is not a recommended cleaning method. Cushion covers should not be removed and laundered. To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to remove dust and grime is recommended. When cleaning a spill, blot immediately to remove spilled material. Clean spots or stains from the outside to the middle of the affected area to prevent circling. Use a professional furniture cleaning service when an overall soiled condition has been reached.

Code WS:

Spot clean with upholstery shampoo, foam from a mild detergent, or mild dry cleaning solvent. Pre-test a small, inconspicuous area before proceeding. Do not saturate. Pile fabrics may require brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to restore appearance. Hot water extraction or steam cleaning is not a recommended cleaning method. Cushion casings should not be removed and laundered or dry cleaned. To prevent overall soiling, frequent vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush to remove dust and grime is recommended. When cleaning a spill, blot immediately to remove spilled material. Clean spots or stains from the outside to the middle of the affected area to prevent circling. Use a professional furniture cleaning service when an overall soiled condition has been reached.

Code X:

Clean only by vacuuming or light brushing with a non-metallic, stiff bristle brush. DO NOT USE ANY WATER OR SOLVENT BASED CLEANER.

Ron Does Do Furniture Upholstery

2009-04-24T17:57:00.006-04:00

A full time employee of nearby Joe's Upholstery Shop near the Frederick Fairgrounds, Ron Wiekert does Furniture Upholstery in Mt Airy. Joes' Upholstery Shop does not do Furniture, perfering to focus on auto upholstery, convertible tops and boat covers.

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Ron's Upholstery in Mt Airy MD

2009-04-15T01:15:00.003-04:00

Ron's Upholstery in Frederick Maryland

Ron Weikert a Mt Airy Business man began his upholstery career as an employee of Joe's Upholstery Shop in Frederick Maryland. At his full time gig Joe's Upholstery does auto upholstery but they don't do furniture.. well fear not. Ron Does Do Furniture

From Frederick Maryland Furniture Upholstery

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