You’d be surprised at how simple it is to breathe new life into furniture. You might be noticing some signs of wear of tear and be considering buying new furniture to replace it, but this isn’t always the only option open to you.
There are many simple changes that can be made to restore furniture that can revitalise it and make it seem ‘as good as new’. For restoring seats, one of the most effective ways to reenergise a piece of furniture is to reupholster it. So long as the structure of the furniture is in good shape, a piece of fabric and a creative eye can go a long way.
Reupholstering and repurposing furniture
Reupholstering is an effective way of bringing dated, used chairs back to life. However, the task can be quite intimidating to those that have never done it before. Even though money can be saved, many favour the easy option of buying new chairs. But once you’ve got you head around the how reupholstering is done, you will begin to see all furniture differently and notice that furniture is made so that the fabric covering it can be replaced.
To reupholster your furniture, all that’s needed are some simple DIY tools, basic sewing skills and a suitable piece of fabric.
Simple, right? If you’re looking for an alternative option to buying new furniture, here is a guide on how to reupholster and restore pieces of furniture.
How to upholster a chair
Depending on the manufacturer, chairs will be reupholstered differently. They are most likely to be fastened on the underside of the seat with either staples or screws. Check the furniture that you will be working on and get the appropriate equipment to remove whatever it is that is keeping it fastened.
Chair restoration and upholstery tips:
1. Get all your equipment ready. For this project, you will need to have: pliers, screwdriver, staple gun, marking pen and scissors.
2. Remove the upholstery staples on the chair. This can be done with pliers but can also be achieved with basic hand tools. Once the covering is off, inspect the wood base and foam. If both are salvageable, reuse them! If they are worn or torn, replace them with new batting and wood, cut out to the shape of the one that is being replaced.
3. Once the batting and wood are fastened, cut the desired amount of fabric out; leaving at least three inches extra so that you have fabric to grasp when stapling it to the seat.
4. Place the fabric on the seat and centre the material. With the seat facing the work table, fold the fabric in and drive as many staples into the chair along the one side as necessary. Repeat this step along each of the four sides. Stretch the fabric as you work to ensure it is tight to the chair when stapling.
5. When you come to stapling the corners, leave two inches space and fold the fabric in diagonally. You want the corners to be as neat as possible, especially on the two corners that will be on show.
6. When the fabric has been fastened, trim the excess fabric down with scissors and check that the fabric is correctly aligned and the corners are symmetrical and tight. When happy, reattach the seat to the chair.
Which upholstery fabric should you chose?
The fabric that you choose to upholster the chair with should complement both the piece of furniture and the decor of the space. There are many options available, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. All fabric materials should be considered before buying rolls of a fabric that may not have been your best choice.
Here are some of the most popular fabrics to use when upholstering:
• Linen is best suited to sofas and relaxing areas. It will not withstand heavy use and is not the most durable but does resist fading.
• Leather provides an elegant look to a room and is easy to clean and maintain but it is an expensive material.
• Cotton is one of the most popular fabrics for upholstering. This is because it is durable and is easy to be personalised into different designs.
If you want your fabric to be as durable as possible, be aware of the thread count. The higher the thread count, the more tightly woven the fabric is. Durability is important if the furniture is going to be used every day by the public, for example in a bar or restaurant.
When it comes to the fabric’s design, choose one that suits the mood and décor of the room that it will be used in. While using the same fabrics on each chair keeps everything uniform, mixing fabrics and design patterns can create a visually appealing space if done correctly. Look at different fabrics and see how well they would complement each other.
Where can you buy upholstered and restored furniture
At Trent Furniture, most of our chairs and seating comes with an upholstery option. This is where you can put your own unique stamp on the furniture. With so many fabrics and patterns to choose when upholstering seating, you can select fabrics depending on your current décor and match it with your vision.
The fabrics shown on our website are the basic range that we always have in stock. If you struggle to find one suitable for your desired décor, contact us with a description of the fabric that you would like and we will endeavour to find an appropriate match. We can even upholster the chairs in your desired fabric. Just confirm that this is your preference when ordering.