I then simply wrapped the fabric over the top cushions, folding it at the corners like I was wrapping a present, and then used safety pins to secure the fabric on the back side of each cushion. Repeat the process for the bottom; however, leave the back open so you can have a large enough opening for the cushion. Try to find furniture that will not require a lot of sewing on your part.
Then we installed zippers into the back wall of the seat covers to make it easy to take them off and wash them if needed. Use a bit different approach for the chair. This will be good to refer to when you are putting the couch back together.
on January 08, 2015: Hi Tori. Even professional upholsters have to learn by hard knocks. Nails/screws that are sticking out or missing, broken boards/pieces, or sagging areas may be a sign that the furniture will require more work to fix up than you want to put into it. Carefully remove the fabric (or leather). Check outlet stores that specialize in upholstery fabric. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Do it right -- do it once.
On stapled edges add 2-3" more, which will be used to pull the fabric cover onto the sofa. Yes.
If using foam, use a Dacron layer between the foam and fabric layer.
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North Wind from The World (for now) on July 14, 2014: Wow! Please help :( I'm stuck!
The method whereby you go right through the foam makes a nice indent and ensures the button doesn't get caught on things. On paper, plan the cuts you'll make on upholstery yardage. Use the fabric as a pattern for cutting out new fabric.
Repeat this process to cut the fabric for the top and bottom. This thick material is very difficult to work with. Mine was a 54-inch roll, and most bolts of fabric are.
It comes in rolls and in differing thicknesses, but the thicker it is, the larger it will make the cushion, with a tighter fit back into the fabric cover.
Getting that fabric clean is hard to do and it is just such an eyesore.
Using a screwdriver and a staple gun, you can reupholster a chair without sewing one single stitch. Learn basic techniques first, practice, practice, practice!
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By signing up, I agree to the Terms & to receive emails from the “Rachael Ray” show. Choose a quality piece of furniture. They loved it so much that they wanted to literally be inside of it and managed to pull the arm fabric open so they could climb inside. Hire a professional if you are dealing with a vintage, quality piece of furniture.
This includes: Inside Seat Fabric (Spring Cover + Outer Fabric.
I needed five pieces: one for the front of each arm, one for each side of arm, and one spanning the top back of the couch. Mona Sabalones Gonzalez from Philippines on October 06, 2017: Graham Lee from Lancashire.
Is there a special tool I should use for upholstery tacks? When stapling, make sure the pattern of the fabric, if any, is aligned straight. I want it taught and tight. The very first thing you will need to do is to plan your project. Side panels of fabric (like on a sofa) may not require fabric removal, because often you can tack your new fabric over the top.
Reinstall.
There are several charts online that show drawings of different styles of furniture and the amount of yardage required for each. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors.
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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. This staple-removing process will probably be time-consuming. It's pretty much like your sofa actually.
Purchase thick, durable fabric. Get creative with the fabric you use to reupholster. are the secret ingredients in Rach's pumpkin spice pasta.
Add 5/8 inch to the top, bottom and sides for sewing the seam to join the sides to the top and bottom fabric pieces. Instead I came up with a no-sew alternative that cost me less than $30 and took only an hour or so of time. I bought two yards of thick outdoor fabric and cut it into three pieces – each just big enough to cover the top and sides of each cushion, with a little overlap.
Remove the old fabric, spread it out, and measure it. I started by getting my cording ready. You can cut it with regular scissors (not your fabric shears) to fit your piece.
ToriM (author) from Atlanta on September 28, 2018: Hi Jin, For my particular couch, there was no foam on the inside back or arm when I took it apart, there was only batting. I’m also loving the new gray fabric! Remove the screws holding the seat cushion to the chair.
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Older and antique furniture may have foam that is extremely flammable, or that burns at an extremely high temperature. Choosing an entirely different fabric from the original will express your creativity, but it will also transform that piece of furniture into something new.
What can I do if the cushions are attached to the couch? Measure the width, length and depth for the couch and/or chair cushions. ), what side of the piece was put on first, and what order you take the pieces off.
It is a flexible metal L-shaped strip with holes in one side for staples to attach it to the frame of the couch and teeth in the other side to grip the fabric. If you are going to re-finish the wood, remove the upholstery and as much other material as possible before staining. Because reupholstering is such a time-consuming process, try to select a fabric that is relatively neutral and will stand the test of time in terms of style.
This piece requires sewing: first the inside seat fabric covering the spring batting. Then add three times the depth of the cushion to the measurements for the length and width.
I am going to get busy this weekend on our Boat’s galley cushion. Use the fabric as a "pattern" for the new material.
I have dabbled in redoing chairs, but they were simple cushion redo’s. I I got waterproof material so it will be easy to wipe clean.
To compensate for that hidden seam or overlap, you need to add an "allowance" to every piece of fabric. use a screw driver or something flat to push the batting, and then the fabric, in to that space.
Thank you and all the authors. I did the inside arms first and then the outsides. There are riches to be found here. On seamed edges cut 1/2" from the old seam. Thank you for the tutorial. How can I create a softer, more comfy feel/look?
The last step in the process is to put the finishing touches on your couch.
I used staples and regular black material but the result was a disaster!
Now that you have measured and made allowances, it's time to draw the pieces on a small scale so that you can figure out how much fabric you will need altogether.
Here is a tutorial on using Curve-Ease which will make finishing the arms a little bit easier. For tips on replacing the cushions on your couch when you reupholster it, read on!
In this photo you can see the line of cording at the seam and the extra fabric allowance needed. Using Vaseline and spray paint for a shabby chic flower pot make-over. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Below is a photo of a little section of my planning to give you an idea of what this looks like.
If you want to stain or paint the wood on your furniture.
Oct 23, 2014 - Give your tired old couch a new look fast! So much so that it shattered about half of the light bulbs in our.
Despite not loving the color of the cushions, they’d served us well for more than five years.
If you can, take pictures of how it was put together to help you remember how to put it back together. To create this article, 14 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time.