5 Things to Consider Before Re-Upholstering the Sofa
Re-upholstering a sofa is a big investment, and you don’t want to be second-guessing months after the new piece of furniture is placed in front of the fireplace. Pick the wrong material, and you’ll battle snags and stains for the years to come. Make a mistake on the model, pattern, or color, and your entire living room suffers (or you’ll have the sofa re-re-upholstered). So, before you choose new upholstery for your living room sofa, find out what things you need to consider in terms of style, comfort, and durability. Here’s how to pick a fabric you’ll be happy with many years from now.
But first, what is upholstery?
Upholstery is the materials (fabric, padding, webbing, and springs) that make up the soft covering of your sofa. The upholstery process first began in the Middle Ages and since then grew in popularity around the world. Over the years, a multitude of materials has been used to cover sofas. Present upholstered living room furniture uses foam and metal springs for greater durability. While you cannot see the interior materials, they make the difference between a comfortable and hard sofa. Therefore, besides paying attention to the kind of fabric you choose, you should also have the care to select high-quality inner layers because they directly impact the level of comfort you experience.
Is it worth to re-upholster a sofa?
Yes! It’s always worth to re-upholstering your sofa when its frame is sturdy. You support a workroom professional and save potentially high-quality furniture from a landfill. This is also more sustainable than replacing worn-out items with new ones. The best way to determine if your sofa is worth re-upholstering is to ask a local upholsterer to check it. They can evaluate its qualities and tell you if it’s the moment to buy a new one. Compare the re-upholstery quote with the price of a new sofa, and if it’s more affordable to re-upholster it, don’t think twice.
How to choose the best upholstery material for your sofa
As you browse for upholstery fabric for your living room sofa, let your practical needs lead. Consider who uses it and how you live to determine the type of material you need to choose. If you have children or pets, you need an upholstery fabric stain resistant that stands up to accidental household stains. You may love how silk velvet looks on Pinterest photos, but it quickly gets destroyed in a house with pets and children. The sofa in a high traffic area like the living room needs a durable fabric because it gets more wear and tear than any other furniture piece from your house.
The big mistake homeowners make is not considering how the upholstery fabric ages over time. Check the label and ask the workroom professional a couple of questions to find out what the material ingredients are, its cleaning needs, and what maintenance requires. How will it look in five years? And also try to answer some questions yourself. Will I still like it if it loses from its color? Will I clean the upholstery fabric regularly? Will I close the drapes when the sunlight is bright during the summer?
Before breaking the bank on an expensive upholstery material, have a look at the following list of things you need to consider.
Check examples of previous upholstery projects
Do not pick the upholstery provider immediately after you finish scanning through re-upholstery companies. Sofa re-upholstery is a complex process, and some fabric providers can quote a low or high process depending on the materials they use and the processes they follow. The best way to determine if the upholstery fabric provider is the ideal choice for you is to look at other examples of their work. Check their previous projects, ask them to send you photographs, and have a glimpse at their social media profiles.
Trust your upholster to recommend the best fabric for your sofa
Considering the extensive range of options available in upholstery fabrics, patterns, designs, and colors, you almost need higher education to decide on your own. However, your upholsterer has experience covering sofas, and it’s advisable to ask for their recommendation. A stain proof fabric is suitable if you have children or pets. Other materials become rigid in time and require special care. Your upholsterer can guide you through the variety of options available and help you pick the right one.
The time required to re-upholstering your sofa
The average re-upholstering project takes around a week. But it can take longer if the sofa also requires restoration or refinishing. The contractor handling the job can estimate the number of days required after examining the sofa’s condition.
Hidden costs
Re-upholstering a sofa you already have is a great way to revive it. But to understand if you can afford to do it, you need to consider the cost associated with the project. It’s possible to overshoot the initial budget if you neglect some factors, and it’s not the upholsterer’s fault. For example, you may forget to treat the furniture piece for worms, and the upholsterer has to do it for you. Flourished and additional processes can also increase the final price. They can tell for sure how much it costs only after they strip the sofa down to its frame and identify its needs.
Sentimental value
Besides the above factors, you should also consider if the sofa has sentimental value. For example, if it’s your grandparents’ sofa and you want to keep it as their legacy, it’s worth spending money on updating it even if it’s not in its top shape, and buying a new one would cost less.
Re-upholstering the sofa can also increase its value. Antique items, in particular, can be upgraded to increase their value and sell them later.
Final words
Always choose an upholstery material that can stand the test of time. Stay away from too trendy patterns and colors and pay more attention to the fabric’s properties. You want a fabric that’s easy to clean, doesn’t stain easily, and matches the living room’s style.
