Re-Upholster Furniture or Buy New

Should you reupholster your furniture, or buy new?

It would be very easy to answer yes, but that is not always the most practical nor the most truthful.
If you have a quality, robust and secure frame - no matter what the fabric or cushions looks like - then the sensible option would be to upholster. If the frame is in bad shape, then probably the answer would be to buy new.

Here are a few other points you might want to consider.

Have you’ve ever wondered why some furniture has lasted so long?

The answer is simple. It was made so much better than the new mass produced, often imported, low budget furniture that’s so widespread in stores today. Older furniture was made to be durable and comfortable.

It is economical to reupholster older furniture because you can't buy the same quality new furniture for less than the cost of reupholstering the furniture you already have.

Reupholstering also gives you the choice of adapting your furniture to any style or purpose you wish. You can customize your rooms and furnishings in your own special way, and with the thousands of varieties of fabrics to choose from, it makes upholstering your furniture, a cost effective solution.

Is it cheaper to re-upholster?

Many people are under the impression that reupholstery is an inexpensive alternative. This is not necessarily true. We can give you an honest opinion once we have seen your furniture.

To help you make a more informed decision, let's take a look at some handy tips for Fabric Wear.

Fabric Wear

How do you judge fabric for wear?

The tighter  the weave, the longer the wear. One square centimeter of fabric with 10 to 15 thick threads does not have the strength of one square centimeter densely packed with 30 to 40 thin threads. For example: a woven cotton tapestry, where the colours and pattern are tightly woven in with coloured threads, wears better than a cotton with colours printed on.

Here is a simple check for you. Hold a piece of fabric up to the light. The less light that shows through, the tighter the weave.

Another way to tell the fabric durability, is the number of "rubs" the fabric has endured. The number of rub cycles undergone before the fabric shows an objectionable change in appearance is counted and determines the fabric's abrasion rating. For Example:

15,000 - 20,000 rubs =  light contract upholstery.

30,000 - 40,000 rubs =  heavy duty upholstery.

Some important information about furniture construction here.

Frame Structure On Your Furniture

So what is a good furniture frame?

The frame structure is the most single important factor in re-upholstering your furniture.

Quality furniture frames for chairs and couches are made of hard, heavy wood and are usually joined with dowels and screwed and glued with corner blocks, and have web and coil foundation. These will hold fast and firm for a long time.  In the age of mass produced furniture, the frames are usually made from low quality wood with metal braces, or, staples are used in place of dowels. This is generally not the best.

These newer frames will often break, need repairs and have lesser quality foam and springs, and, very importantly, are light in weight.

If your old couch or chair has lasted 15 years or more, it's probably good or it wouldn't have lasted that long.

You can tell a good furniture frame by its weight.
They're heavy compared to most modern furniture. This is generally a good initial indicator of thequality.

But , be warned: There are manufacturers that conceal the true identity of the wood by using wood chipboard, which is also heavy.

At Anne's Upholstery, no furniture is re-upholstered until the woodwork has been attented to.

If any fault is found in the frame construction, we notify you. The problem is discussed.

A solution is found and the repairs and strengthening of the frame are carried out.

The importance of a sturdy frame construction in your furniture, cannot be over emphasised.

Because this can be a costly repair, the wood and construction of the frame, are of significant importance to you and to us.

In a factory environment , the average  time to complete one couch, from beginning to end, is 30 minutes.

One Chair, 10 minutes. When you look at the completed piece, it looks fine on the outside.

What you don't see, is what is hidden beneath the fabric. If you lift the chair, you'll find it's light in weight. Not a good sign.

So if you decide to buy new furniture, then please check for motion, especially the arms and back support.

Don't be afraid to sit in it and shift your position. If it moves - even slightly - our advise is to look for something else.

Contact us here or if you would like to browse the FAQ go here.