Reupholstering furniture

[mac78]

We acquired a platform rocker from Dave's mom who is 87. It came from her lake cottage she is selling. We always like the chair, it rocks and it overstuffed and is so darn comfy, even if it is old.

It is in very very good shape. But, it is ugly and faded and needs reupholstered. I called one place and they quoted me $250 to $350 plus material at $20 per yard. OMG. So, I am wondering. Where can I get directions to do it myself. Honestly, I don't care if it isn't perfect, anything will be better than it is now. I will take pics later of it to show you. Maybe someone will have an idea of how I should go about it. In all honesty, if we get the arms off, it really doesn't look that hard. ;), and I refuse to pay someone $300 to do it. I could buy a new chair for that. I figure I can get material at Jo Anns or where ever.

[ChapterTwo]

I'm hoping to reupholster a chair that my cat destroyed, and I have this whole page on Google saved, for that mission. I know that at least one site SELLS instruction tapes, but I think there's enough info for free. I like the on showing the wingback chair. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=how+to+upholster+a+chair&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

[mac78]

Here are pics of the chair I want to do. While I am sure it is a "job", I can't see $250 to $350 in labor in doing it. So, what are your thoughts. How hard do you think it will be.

This chair is old...it comes from a lake cottage, but it is so comfy and it rocks and I love to rock. I would refinish the wood on it.

[CohenCottage]

One of my friends is a decorator, and she always uses a car upholstery place b/c they have great skills and are much cheaper than a traditional reupholstery person. You might want to call some body shops and see if they can recommend someone.

[cheapdiva]

You have 2 options - either reupholster it by taking it apart and keeping the fabric in tact to use as a template to re-do it or make a slipcover. You'd actually slipcover the chair and then make little tie-on slipcovers for the arms.

I will tell you that with this kind of chair it will actually be easier to reupholster than slipcovering (and will probably take less fabric). If you have a technical school close by, contact them - they should have a reupholstery class and you have to bring a piece of furniture for the class. They usually provide all the tools except the furniture piece and the fabric. You may have to wait until fall but what better time to do this kind of project??

[yarborough house]

Looks like a pretty straight forward upholstery job. The only part that looks a bit difficult are the arms. If you are okay with you doing it then go for it. It is amazing what a staple gun can do for you..and even if you have to staple on an area that will show - that is what trim and glue guns are for dear. I kinda like it when I have to staple on areas that upholsterers somehow have the talent to hide as then I can add trim and it makes it a bit more "me" not so like from a store..just me though :)

[annielinz]

On the HGTV decorating message boards that I frequent there were a few folks that actually painted their upholstered pieces and they came out great, they equated it to a leather look/feel.

The jist is they painted with regular latex paint. I've attached the thread that has the intructions. It may not work with that particular fabric but I've been dying to give it a try on something. Just an alternative thought.


http://boards.hgtv.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/4434079532/m/4541036593

[mac78]

thank you for that link, very interesting.

[Lynzee]

Great chair, Marie!

The key is going to be in taking it apart. CD is right...if you can get the old fabric off in pieces as it was originally cut and put on and use those as a "pattern", the job should be fairly easy. I reupholstered a sofa and loveseat once and that's what I did. I bought a set of cheap washable markers and color coded everything as I took it off the furniture. "LA" for "left arm" marked on the fabric I removed (and later on the back of replacement piece of fabric I cut), then marked the places on the furniture where it needed to be reattached--"S" meant staple here, "G" meant glue here, etc. If there wasn't a piece of wood to write it on, I drew it on a piece of paper and labeled it there. The result wasn't showroom perfect, but I was satisfied--and so was my pocketbook! :D

I think you should go for it! You'll do fine!

[mac78]

Dumb question here......so do you actually take the chair apart? Separate the back from the seat? I think I know how to get the arms off.

[Lynzee]

It looks to me like the arms will probably need to come off. Unfortunately, I don't think there's any way to know if the back needs to be taken off except to take the fabric off and see how it was originally done. You may find that the fabric is just tucked and stapled and the two pieces don't need to be separated or you may find that the two pieces are simply bolted together and can be easily separated. Looking at the pictures, there doesn't seem to be any way to tell without actually getting in there.