Do-it-yourself upholstered furniture repair: tools and materials. Reupholstering a sofa at home - what material to choose, the cost of furniture repair, do-it-yourself restoration step by step Furniture upholstery repair, reupholstery with your own hands

It would seem, why drag old furniture with your own hands, when today there is such a wide selection of sets and individual furniture items in stores? There are several reasons.

Not all furniture sold can boast high quality and durability - many new models are produced and assembled in very dubious production facilities: in private workshops equipped with technically imperfect equipment. Branded sets that are brought from abroad from famous furniture factories, and the products of reputable domestic manufacturers are not affordable for every consumer.

Meanwhile, in city apartments and in country houses citizens still have soft kits produced back in the days when the word GOST had weight and inspired trust. There are also imported sets that could stand and stand in dining rooms and living rooms, delighting the owners and their guests. It’s just that the upholstery of such sets has lost its brightness, color over time, and maybe even torn, burst or cracked. So why buy something new (and there may not be free funds for this), when all you need is to refresh appearance headset? Moreover, you can do this yourself, spending only on new upholstery material.

Let's try to figure it out: how to repair upholstered furniture with your own hands? What will it take? Where to start and what is the complete algorithm for such repair work?

Table of contents:

Upholstery

Of course, reupholstering old furniture begins with choosing the material for the new upholstery. And here everyone is guided by their own taste, and, of course, financial capabilities.

Genuine Leather

Leather upholstered furniture is always beautiful. And it looks expensive. With such furniture, any interior acquires noble features. And if you choose the right shade of material and carry out the upholstery with high quality, you can literally transform the appearance of your living room.

Are you choosing leather to replace your old, worn-out upholstery? Pay attention to samples that are not too thick (no more than 3 mm thick), maintaining good elasticity. It will be especially convenient to work with such people.

Find “furniture” leather (in pieces optimal sizes) can be found in shops selling consumables for shoemakers. If your city doesn't have one point of sale, then you will have to search on the Internet. On the World Wide Web, you will most likely find genuine leather of the required quality and suitable size.

Important: You should not buy leatherette for upholstering furniture - it is absolutely short-lived! And it’s problematic for an amateur to work with him.

Textile

There are only two options: either look for special upholstery fabrics, or buy the most ordinary tapestry. With colors, patterns, ornaments - whatever you like and suits the overall design of the existing interior.

Tapestry, by the way, is cheaper than upholstery materials, but just as beautiful and durable, and its structure eliminates the formation of puffs (this can be fundamentally important for pet owners). Any snags on this fabric do not break the fabric pattern and are easily masked.

Textile upholstery has a definite advantage over leather if you need to reupholster old furniture . You can always buy material of the required length and width, therefore, the repairman will not have to select pieces according to shade, pattern, structure. Moreover, an amateur is unlikely to be able to do this, unless he turns to experienced craftsmen.

In general, it’s better to reupholster the upholstery yourself with fabric, then you’ll probably get it neat and beautiful, even the first time. If, of course, you follow the instructions.

Necessary tool for reupholstering furniture

When changing the upholstery of upholstered furniture with your own hands, you will need to solve a number of problems:

1. Disassemble individual furniture elements, remove the parts.
2. Remove staples, nails and other fasteners holding the old upholstery.
3. Stretch the new material and secure it securely.

To achieve the goals described above, the following tools will be needed:

Where to start reupholstering upholstered furniture?

First of all, it is necessary to carefully examine the furniture item, the upholstery of which is to be replaced, to identify points of attachment to the body and connections of the holding parts. For example, when planning to replace the material with which the head of the bed is upholstered, the first thing you will need to do is examine the connection between the back and the bed, so that you can then carefully remove this element.

As soon as the part for the reupholstery is dismantled, it will also need to be carefully examined from all sides. The purpose of the inspection is to study upholstery fasteners. Take off old material you need to be careful, trying not to damage the base and remembering the sequence, since you will have to attach the new upholstery along the old “traces”, but in the reverse order of dismantling.

Important! If removing an element from the furniture does not give a complete picture of how the upholstery is fixed, you will have to remove all the linings and decorative inserts from this part, getting to the fixation points (carefully, using a chisel or knife). By the way, the upholstery can be attached not to furniture staples, but, for example, to glue or pins. Such cases are the most difficult to dismantle during the reupholstering process.

Cardboard tape can be nailed to the ends of the part, creating a relief around the perimeter and hiding possible gaps. It can easily be damaged during dismantling, but it is necessary to restore it or install a new one. Such a ribbon for the headboard, for example, can be cut from a piece of leather.

To impart rigidity, the finished leather strip will need to be soaked in a concentrated aqueous solution of PVA glue and dried.

The soft “filling” of the part, if it is not damp and dusty, can be left intact- its service life is much longer than that of the top furniture covering. However, if the filler has become unusable, it will also need to be changed. And here you cannot do without consulting a specialist, since taste and financial capabilities alone will no longer be enough to select material for this type of work on specific furniture.

Independently replacing old upholstery with new one: the subtleties of the process

Once the old upholstery is removed, you can proceed directly to the reupholstery.- that is, the design of the part with new material. But first, the edge of the prepared and pre-cut upholstery fabric (or tapestry) will need to be hemmed so that it does not start to fray during use.

The principle of hemming textiles for upholstery is almost the same as that used for processing the edges of garments - a cut of fabric is folded and secured. Only instead of sewing machine furniture stapler works.

The first edge of the upholstery is applied to the part with the inside out and fastened with a staple, then the fabric is turned over and covers the driven staple, etc. So you need to move to the edge of the surface being treated. Then tuck the textile in a corner, move to the next edge of the object, etc.

Important: In the process of fastening the fabric with staples, the tension of the textile should be controlled, preventing it from sagging or, conversely, being overtightened. A narrow strip of fiberboard can help with this - the upholstery is screwed onto it in one turn, and then this strip stretches the fabric along its entire length. Once the textile is stretched, the strip is nailed (with a stapler) to the part along with the fabric.

In general, reupholstering upholstered furniture is not such a difficult process - it is quite possible to do it yourself, even without any special knowledge and professional tools.

Restoration of an old sofa

An old, good-quality sofa that you wouldn’t dare throw in the trash can continue to serve its owners faithfully. The main thing is that its frame is intact, the mechanisms work and the springs do not sag, and the upholstery can always be retightened.

What will it take?

Self-stretching technology

To reupholster the sofa, you will have to completely disassemble it - remove all parts, linings and decorative elements, which are only subject to dismantling.

Pay attention! When disassembling the sofa frame, it will be necessary to number all the constituent elements.

If there are any minor defects in the frame, they will have to be eliminated - for example, replacing broken/bent boards or failed springs. Afterwards you will need to assemble the frame, covering all joints with glue. And then tighten it with a clamp and secure it with cross-shaped dowels.

Next, you should prepare the fabric for the outer upholstery. And cut out parts from plywood to attach to the frame. The finished elements will need to be secured to the sofa frame with staples. And the blanket is secured to the plywood parts (again, to the staples with a stapler). The springs are also fixed strictly vertically so that they do not move. To do this, simple brackets are made from galvanized wire (each 2 cm long).

The next stage is taking measurements of the upper part of the spring sheet. And according to the received figures, the old carpet is already being cut out. In this case, 4-5 cm are left for allowances on each side of the piece.

The resulting piece covers the spring surface of the sofa. And then the carpet is carefully fixed along the entire perimeter with nails (the edge is turned up due to the allowance). For reliability, you also need to stitch the edge with nylon thread (with a seam, the step of which is 5 cm).

Now for the next blanket. It must be secured with an overlap (5 cm). And sew a cover from thick fabric according to the frame template and attach it to the frame (on the back side).

The new upholstery fabric will need to be stapled to the front side, ensuring its uniform tension over the surface and bending the edges of the material.

Sofa- the main element in the living room, which emphasizes its interior, which means its appearance should always be attractive. Worn upholstery will not add chic to the room. Unfortunately, no one is immune from the appearance of characteristic shortcomings, especially considering the significant and regular loads that this piece of furniture experiences. In this case, wear occurs naturally. But it also happens that pets irreversibly damage the upholstery. In both cases, replacement cannot be avoided. It often happens that the cost of reupholstering furniture is almost equal to buying new one. To help you save your family budget, in this article we will provide useful tips , how to reupholster a sofa with your own hands.

1. Where to start?

Before taking on such a responsible task, and even without the proper experience, you should sensibly assess the situation and understand whether your sofa is really worth reupholstering. There are cases when the furniture already resembles a wreck, but it’s still a shame to throw it away. But at the same time, everyone in the household is just waiting for the moment when something will finally break, so that there will definitely be a reason to take it to hell. In such cases, even independent restoration will reach the price tag of a new piece of furniture. Therefore, you should not go to extremes. The exception is when the sofa is valuable as a family heirloom or is an antique. There are several other situations when it's worth abstaining from manual replacement, for example:

If, nevertheless, an unambiguous decision is made to act, it will be necessary to go through all the labor-intensive restoration processes, namely:

• Dismantling an old piece of furniture into individual elements;
• Complete removal of worn upholstery, and sometimes;
• Thorough inspection of the frame, spring block and other parts;
• Choosing new upholstery material;
• Upholstery cutting;
• Fastening fabric to individual furniture parts;
• Reassembly of the structure.

Let us consider in more detail, taking into account key tips from cabinet furniture manufacturers and restoration and reupholstery specialists.

2. Stage I - dismantling the old sofa

If your sofa is a standard configuration, the process will not be difficult and will last about an hour. In order for everything to be quick and organized, first of all, you need to prepare everything necessary tools:

• You definitely can't do without a set;
• A set of wrenches for nuts or bolts;
• In the absence of keys, pliers will do.

Dismantling must begin with those elements whose fastenings are visible. Usually these are the sides of the sofa, after unscrewing which, nuts are found that secure lifting mechanism. After removing the mechanism, you can disconnect the back and seat. If the sofa has legs, you can start disassembling them. At this stage it is very important to keep all fasteners intact. If in some places the parts are connected to each other using grooves and protrusions, you should not make sharp jerks so as not to break them.

Necessarily remember the sequence of your actions. After all, you have to assemble the furniture according to reverse scheme. It is important to remember which of the fastening elements connected this or that part of the sofa. Otherwise, in the end it may turn out that this bolt is not the right length, and the required one is already hidden somewhere under the sidewalls. We'll have to take everything apart again.

3. Stage II - remove old upholstery

When the sofa appears in front of you in the form of separate parts, you need to carefully remove everything that is old and has lost its visual appeal and functionality. Be prepared for the fact that you will have to get rid of more than one hundred staples from a furniture stapler. This process can become very painstaking and annoying if you do not prepare everything in advance. required tool:

• First of all, the bracket will need to be pryed off with something; a thin flat-head screwdriver will do for this;
• Now you need to remove it; pliers or round nose pliers will do for this;
• A utility knife may come in handy.

The work will progress much faster if you first pry up all the staples on each part and then remove them. There will be no time wasted changing working tools. To avoid finding staples later in the most unexpected corners of the apartment and to avoid injury, immediately prepare a garbage bag.

When removing fasteners, be careful not to cut the fabric itself. At the stage when you need to cut new upholstery, you can use old fragments as patterns. Under the fabric you will find filler. It can be foam rubber or other materials. In older models, filler often fills the space between the springs. You need to carefully pull it out too.

When starting this stage, after you have prepared the necessary tools, we recommend that you cover the area of ​​the floor on which you will be working with oilcloth. The old filler may simply crumble in your hands and turn into dust, which will quickly spread throughout the apartment. There will be a lot of garbage.

4. Stage III - visual inspection and identification of problem areas inside the structure

There is no point in wasting time and effort replacing the upholstery if the inside of the sofa is damaged. A beautiful fabric will not hide the holes that form when the filler loses its density. It will not hide sagging structural elements, which are the result of a stretched spring block. It is for this purpose that it is necessary to completely clean the frame of all unnecessary things - so that find And troubleshoot problems. Under the filler you will find springs or mesh or belts. All these components, including the joints of the wooden frame itself, must be carefully examined. If springs stretched, belts burst and are torn, and metal or nylon guy wires no longer perform their functions, all this must be replaced with new parts. Very often the springs burst in the middle of the seat.
If you find cracked wooden crossbars, They also need to be replaced without fail. To do this, choose well-dried wooden beams without knots or cracks. The presence of such defects will serve as stress concentrators, and under heavy load the crossbar will soon burst again. Damp wood, gradually drying out under the influence of the temperature in the apartment, will become deformed, which can cause distortion of the entire frame.

Experts advise saturate the joints of new and old beams with PVA glue before reassembling. In older models, the frame has three fiberboard jumpers, one in the middle and two on the sides. Very often they also burst after many years of use. It is useless to repair such parts. It's better to do a complete replacement. You can attach the jumpers to the frame using small, larger quick way– use a pneumatic stapler.

Regarding filler. In 95% of cases it needs to be thrown away. To replace the worn one, you need to purchase a medium or high degree of hardness with high density values. Its height should be at least 45-50 mm, and better yet – 60 mm. This will not only make the seat more elastic and give it an attractive shape, but will also protect the internal parts from damage. To ensure a longer service life of the filler itself, it is recommended to wrap it with several layers of padding polyester. If you need to change the filling in the back, you can use foam rubber of a less high degree of rigidity. This will make your stay more comfortable.

Very often he blabs himself lifting mechanism Uncharacteristic play appears or the springs fall off altogether. If the problem is not resolved by replacing the screw or spring with a stiffer one, you should buy a new lock.

As you can see, reupholstering a sofa yourself is not only about replacing the top upholstery. This is the replacement of all structural elements that have lost their original appearance. Only like this complex work will lead to the desired result and give a second life to old furniture. Of course, if your sofa was simply damaged by pets, or you decided to fit the furniture into new interior by changing its color, then you may be lucky enough to avoid all this.

5. Stage IV - choosing new upholstery

It's time to begin the most creative stage of our work - choosing new, beautiful upholstery. First you need to decide what you need amount of material. This will be very easy to do if you measure all the parts old fabric and to the resulting amount add a margin of 0.5 meters. Firstly, you can make a mistake during the cutting process, and secondly, since you are doing this for the first time, for convenience, you need to leave more space for the folds. What for? pay attention When choosing a new fabric for upholstery:

Considering all these points, the choice can be quite difficult. Below we provide a short list most popular upholstery materials and their operational characteristics so that you can quickly navigate.

• Microfiber- a type of synthetic fabric that is highly resistant to various contaminants, high humidity and temperature changes, affordable cost. Therefore, it is very easy to maintain. Microfiber good quality perfectly breathable and hypoallergenic. To confirm this, you must ask the seller to present the appropriate quality certificate. This material will be ideal for. The only drawback is that it is flammable. To avoid trouble, simply place furniture away from gas stove. Color palette quite diverse, there are both plain and colorful varieties. There will be plenty to choose from.
• Fleece fabrics, e.g. velor or plush, are very gentle and delicate. They quickly lose their color under the influence of ultraviolet radiation and have a low degree of abrasion resistance, which makes them unsuitable for upholstering a sofa that will be used daily. The exception is material called flock with a diagonal weave of fibers, which in appearance resembles velvet. It is slightly less durable than microfiber, but is more attractive in appearance and is suitable for upholstering a sofa in the living room. The advantage of flock is its resistance to food and other contaminants. Modern flock has a special silicone coating, and its surface is very soft and pleasant to the touch.
• A chic but expensive material is jacquard. It is distinguished by high performance characteristics and a rich, varied palette of colors and textures. Its surface practically does not wear out and does not fade. The fabric itself is very dense and durable. However, if you have pets or children, then you should think about it, because caring for jacquard is very difficult. He does not tolerate contact with damp cloth and is more suitable for strict ones, and its surface is cold to the touch.
  
• Tapestry– a type of fabric with a high degree of wear resistance and density. Able to keep its shape well. Retains stability and richness of color for a long time, regardless of the influence of external factors. The tapestry has antistatic properties. The color palette is also very diverse. All this makes this material very popular among furniture manufacturers.
• Chenille- a type of natural fabric with the addition of synthetic and artificial fibers, considered ideal option for upholstery of sofas. Its peculiarity is its very high strength, which is achieved by a special production method and the addition of a small amount of synthetic fibers. This fabric is very warm and pleasant to the touch. Sitting on such a surface will be very comfortable. And any dirt can be easily removed from the surface with an alcohol or vinegar solution.

6. Stage V - making a pattern

Once a suitable fabric has been selected, you need to cut it into fragments. To simplify the process use old upholstery which must first be shaken out or vacuumed well.

7. Stage VI – securing the new tissue

Finally, everything is ready, the beautiful new covers have already been sewn, and it’s time to attach them to the parts of the sofa. You must understand that it is from this stage the end result depends. Whether the surface of your sofa will be smooth and flawless, or whether folds and distortions will form on it, depends only on you. Therefore, you need to work slowly and carefully. It’s better to try on all the covers first, because for now you have time to make adjustments. You may have to stitch something in manually, cut something somewhere, there’s nothing wrong with that. Better to discover it now. It is better if the cover fits tightly than loosely. IN latest version Wrinkles may form when secured with staples. So, subsequence yours actions:

This is the difficult and painstaking process of reupholstering a sofa with your own hands. But if you complete all the steps thoughtfully and measuredly, the result will exceed all your expectations. And your new “old” sofa will delight you for several more years.

Any thing becomes unusable over time and upholstered furniture is no exception. But in the case of furniture, it is possible to restore its original appearance and properties. This article will discuss reupholstering a sofa yourself. How, what and in what order should be done, what materials should be used.

Damage and types of repair

Damage to a sofa or other upholstered furniture can vary in severity. Depending on the existing injuries, a different range of work is required. Here's what can happen to your furniture:

So reupholstering a sofa can involve different jobs. From simply replacing the upholstery, to complete update, including part of the frame. The most troublesome part is with the spring blocks. This is long and painstaking work. If the “historical accuracy” of your furniture is not important to you, it is easier to replace a failed spring block with foam rubber or (better, but more expensive) furniture silicone. If everything is done correctly, the sofa will become even more comfortable: incorrectly tightened springs cause a lot of inconvenience.

Types of "soft part"

Let's talk in general terms about what the seat and back of the sofa can be made of. There are options:

• Without springs:
  • High-density foam rubber (polyurethane foam, also called PU foam) (also called furniture foam).
  • Foamed latex. In terms of quality and convenience, it is better than foam rubber, but also much more expensive.
• With springs:
  • with classic springs connected into one block;
  • snake springs that support the foam/latex filling.

These are the most common types of sofa seats. In more expensive models, the spring block can be supplemented with a layer of polyurethane foam or latex, which makes the seat more elastic and comfortable at the same time. When reupholstering, they then look at the condition of both parts, replace or leave them - depending on desire and capabilities.

But that's not all the layers. In addition to springs, polyurethane foam/latex, padding polyester or thermal felt (or regular felt) are also laid. This is if the sofa is more or less modern and not too expensive. Older exhibits may contain matting or burlap, batting (or something very similar), horsehair, dried seaweed and other now almost exotic materials for sofa stuffing. When repairing a sofa, they will need to be replaced with the same ones (if you want to look) or similar in thickness and properties. So, to understand how a sofa should be reupholstered, first understand what’s inside it.

We disassemble the sofa and assess the scale of the work

Reupholstering a sofa begins with disassembling it. During the process, you will be able to assess the extent of the damage and decide what exactly you need to do. For this part of the job you will need:

• a large screwdriver to unscrew visible bolts (if any);
• a small flat-head screwdriver, pliers or staple remover - to remove the staples that secure the upholstery.

The main thing is to remove the old upholstery. Then everything will become clear

Actually, that's all. First, remove the individual pillows, if any, and remove the side panels. It’s difficult to suggest here - there are many designs. Look carefully, you are sure to find something. If you have retractable parts, you can try starting with them.

Separating the upholstery

The next step is to separate the fabric from the frame. It is attached with staples to wooden blocks frame. We pry the staples with a flat screwdriver and pull them out. Some may fit very tightly; it is easier to pull them out by grabbing them by the raised back with pliers or pliers.

We remove the fabric carefully, trying not to damage it too much. We will then use it as a sample for new sofa upholstery. There are several layers underneath the upholstery fabric. Maybe felt, padding polyester, some kind of fabric. If the sofa repair was started only to replace the upholstery, look at the condition of these materials. If there are signs of wear, it is better to replace. After all, it will be a shame if in a few months the sofa needs to be reupholstered again, but this time because the layers of the lining have been removed.

Once the fabric is removed, it's time to evaluate which parts you'll need to replace. Everything is clear with the upholstery and lining underneath. It is advisable to keep the pie in the same composition. If old materials were used that are not currently on sale or are too expensive, replace them with modern analogues. The main thing for folding sofas is to reach the same height of the seat and back that were before, since folding mechanisms are designed for certain parameters of the “pillows”. In order not to be mistaken with the thickness of materials, find unworn (or least worn) areas and measure the thickness.

Assessing the damage

This stage is needed if the sofa seat is uneven, there are humps and depressions, protruding springs (and from below too). In seats that consist only of foam rubber, everything is simple: they are usually replaced. They can be made from high-density foam rubber by folding several layers; you can order ready-made foam rubber at a store that sells furniture spare parts. It is wise to order a latex mattress according to exact dimensions (measure after removing the fabric and all layers).

If the sofa has springs, remove all the covering layers to get to them. If there are no burst springs, the frame and its connections are strong, without play or cracks, the backing for the springs is in in good condition, we can stop here. We change the covering layers, sew a new cover, stretch it and fasten it. This completes the reupholstery of the sofa.

One of the common defects of spring blocks is a broken spring. There are also sofas with spring snakes that are attached to the frame and give elasticity to the foam mattress standing on top

If there is any damage listed above, the spring unit will have to be separated. It is attached to the frame frame using U-shaped brackets or nails. Now you have completely disassembled your sofa into its components. Next is the replacement and repair of damaged parts, and then reassembly.

Classic sofa pie with a spring block and possible problems

To understand how to repair a sofa at home, you need to know what layers of materials are needed and in what order. For example, in a sofa seat with a spring block the sequence will be like this (from bottom to top):

1. Frame made of plywood or wooden blocks. A plywood frame is more reliable, but it takes longer and is more difficult to make. Therefore, pine bars are usually used. They are connected according to the tenon-groove principle, gluing the joint with wood glue. If desired, the connections can be strengthened with dowels or corners (aluminum).

   

2. Spring block base. There may be options: lamellas (straps of elastic material), fiberboard, plywood. Most budget option- Fiberboard, the most expensive - lamellas. The lamellas are attached to special stops (lamella holders). When using plastic stops, there is a risk of them breaking. In this case, low-quality lamellas can bend (in normal condition they are curved slightly upward) or break - to reduce cost they are often placed at large intervals. All this leads to the fact that the sofa seat is pressed through. Instead of wooden slats, there may also be snake springs. They also have sufficient elasticity, but cost less. The problems with them are the same.
3. The spring block itself. The block can be with independent or dependent springs. The first one is cheaper, the second one supports the body well. Such mattresses are also called orthopedic.
4. Felt or thick fabric(teak or other similar dense fabric will do). This layer is needed so that the springs do not push through the foam rubber located above.

   If the fabric is thin, it will tear, then the foam will begin to crumble. But this is not the saddest thing - the lamellas were bent in the opposite direction. In normal condition they should be curved upwards

5. Polyurethane foam(PPU, foam rubber - all names of the same material). Special dense foam rubber is used. If you choose, in addition to density, look at such an indicator as the durability coefficient - the higher the number, the better (and more expensive). This indicator reflects how long the foam will take to restore its original shape after removing the load. Its thickness is taken according to the original, factory cake. You can make it thicker without restrictions only on upholstered furniture that does not fold out (banquette, sofa, armchair).
6. Sintepon. This is necessary so that the fabric does not “erase” the polyurethane foam. It is usually glued to a layer of foam rubber so that it does not bunch up during use. The glue is taken in a can.
7. Upholstery fabric. The best are tapestry, chenille. They don't fray and it's easy to sew with them. Flock and jacquard are good fabrics, but some of them “creep” at the seams. Therefore, when you sew, the seams need to be strengthened. By the way, it is better to sew upholstery for a sofa with special Tytan brand threads. Regular ones, even thick ones, will quickly tear.

These are all the layers and their features. You can add something (for example, a double layer of padding polyester), but removing it is highly undesirable.

The design of a sofa on snake springs and options for its restoration

Snake springs in expensive models are used as additional remedy to increase elasticity. In budget models, a foam block can be placed on this base. They are attached to a wooden or metal frame across the seat - each spring separately. The installation step depends on the planned load. If your sofa begins to sag, or the springs have lost their elasticity or are broken, the solution is to replace them.

To increase elasticity and extend service life, when reupholstering a sofa, the number of “snakes” can be increased. Another option is transverse reinforcement with rigid corsage ribbons (which are used for straps on bags and backpacks).

The tape is nailed on one side to the frame. Professional furniture makers then tighten it using a special tool, but it can be replaced with a regular block wrapped around the middle with coarse-grain sandpaper. You wrap a couple of turns of tape around this beam, pull with both hands (make sure that the frame does not bend), secure the tape with staples or nails, release and cut off the excess. The same method is also suitable for increasing the service life of a mattress with slats.

An example of sofa repair with step-by-step photos

The old sofa became completely uncomfortable, began to sag in places and creak. There is no way to buy a new one, it was decided to reupholster and change the upholstery. As usual, reupholstering a sofa begins with disassembly. The legs were removed first. The railings were fastened with two large bolts; they were unscrewed and removed without any problems. Further disassembly is also not difficult - we unscrew the bolts that appear one by one.

When all the components were separated, the old upholstery was removed. The staples were easily removed - the frame is made of pine timber. The spring block itself turned out to be without defects, but there was a crack in the frame, one of the frame beams sagged, the fiberboard sagged, although there were no cracks.

Frame repair

Since the frame bears the main load, it is better to replace damaged elements. We carefully measure them, draw them schematically, and put down the dimensions in millimeters. With the drawing we go to the carpentry shop. Please pay special attention: the wood must be dry, preferably kiln drying. If you know how to work with wood yourself, you can do it yourself.

It was decided to connect the frame, as it was, with a tenon/groove, coated with wood glue. But to prevent it from coming loose, the connection was reinforced with metal dowels.

First, the connections are glued and clamped in a vice. A small diameter hole is drilled under the dowel and the dowel is hammered in. The frame stands in a vice until the glue dries.

We will use 4 mm thick plywood as the base for the spring block. The sheets are standard, a little more than 1.5 meters, and the length of the sofa is almost two. It turns out two pieces. It is better to make the joint of the pieces on a jumper, it is more reliable. Cutting out rectangles the right size, coat the frame with wood glue, lay down the plywood, and nail it with small nails. The length of the nails is so that they do not stick out outside the frame. We additionally support the joint with a plank (50*20 mm).

The updated sofa will serve in the country house, so we try to keep the budget to a minimum; we use an old blanket instead of a backing for the springs. We stretch it well and fasten it with staples using a hand tool.

The base for the springs is an old fleece blanket

If possible, it is advisable to put thermal felt here. It is more reliable and not so expensive. It is cut to size, straightened and nailed around the perimeter. You can use staples or nails with large heads.

Repairing and fixing the spring block

To fasten the spring block, you can use powerful U-shaped brackets, and it is better if their legs are sharpened. But the stapler doesn’t work with these, so steel wire We cut staples with a diameter of 1.5 mm and hammer them in with a hammer.

In addition to being attached to the frame, the springs are also secured with nylon straps. Twine was taken, folded in two layers, secured with the same wire staples. We tighten the constriction so that it does not press down on the springs, but the tension should be sufficient so that the block “does not move.”

Some dense material should be placed on top of the springs, usually felt. In this case, the old one is used flooring. Something like felt. It is quite dense and durable. Fold in two layers, cut to size. This layer must be attached to the spring block. The coating is dense, you can’t pierce it with a needle, even a gypsy one. A large diameter awl would be suitable, but there isn't one. We pierce the coating with a nail, which we push through with the handle of a screwdriver. We thread a thick thread into the holes made. The stitch pitch is about 3.5 cm. To speed up the process, we use several nails at once.

Next, “according to plan,” there should be foam rubber, on top of which a padding polyester is placed. In this project, it was replaced with two layers of densely elastic material, which had been stored in the attic for a long time. Instead of padding polyester, another old blanket was used. To prevent the blanket from moving around, it was tied around the perimeter with threads (in conventional technology The synthetic winterizer is glued to polyurethane foam or latex using glue from a can).

Case and cover

Upholstering this sofa turned out to be easy: the shape is simple, without decoration. The old cover was ripped open and a pattern was made from new, not very expensive upholstery fabric. In the place that falls on the corner of the sofa cushion/seat, a thick tape was sewn from the inside to prevent the fabric from fraying. The fabric is inexpensive, so the edges had to be rolled up to prevent fraying. They are often left unprocessed.

The finished cover was laid out on the floor, and the restored part of the sofa was placed in it. At this stage it is important that the fabric is stretched evenly and does not wrinkle. We started nailing the cover from the middle, moving towards the edges. Staples with thick backs were used to avoid damaging the fabric.

The back of the sofa was restored in the same way, the armrests were covered, then all the parts were screwed to the folding mechanism. The thickness of the pillows matched, so there were no problems.

The reupholstery of the sofa is finished. The result has been verified :)

According to the test results: the seat turned out to be a little hard, but it’s just right for a tired back. For the home, of course, it is better to use foam rubber, and for those who like comfort - latex.

There are different materials furniture upholstery, some of them quickly fail. Often, the product itself is suitable for use - it has an intact frame, filler and fittings, but it no longer looks aesthetically pleasing. For such a situation, there is a practical solution - this is reupholstering the sofa at home, calling specialists from a furniture company or a private craftsman. Replacing the upholstery gives furniture new life.

Sofa upholstery material

Textile

It is known that everything good materials to create new upholstery home furniture must have certain properties. The special qualities of the fabrics provide long-term operation for its intended purpose while maintaining an aesthetic appearance. The material must have high wear resistance in order to upholstered furniture it could be used for years without any damage remaining. An important property of the fabric is its 100% hydrophobicity. This quality means repelling moisture, which is very useful in everyday life.

The material must be very durable so that it does not rupture under the pressure of people sitting on the sofa. This indicator reflects the durability of the new upholstery. Ideally, the fabric is smooth and soft so that it is pleasant to the touch, which ensures the highest comfort for users - adults and children.

For example, these practical materials are in demand today:

• jacquard;
• chenille;
• anti-claw;
• velours;
• flock;
• matting;
• tapestry;
• microfiber;
• leatherette

Leather

Genuine Leather

Today, a very useful service exists and is gaining popularity - specialists visiting your home to reupholster furniture with genuine leather. If necessary, craftsmen take the sofa for a while and work in their workshop. Genuine leather requires more investment than woven upholstery. A professional approach involves careful planning of new furniture upholstery - a set of patterns is made and the parts are sewn together according to the pattern.

It is important to choose the right thickness natural material. Supple leather performs best in upholstery. It is not recommended to reupholster a sofa with leather thicker than 3 mm, as it is too rough and difficult to work with. It is easier to stitch leather with a thickness of 1.5 mm. New upholstery is made from dry leather, but if it is wet, it can subsequently shrink.

Eco leather

Today tighten old sofa practical and aesthetic eco-leather costs half as much as purchasing the same new furniture. Eco-leather is cheaper than natural leather and holds its shape perfectly. It is not recommended to do this operation yourself, especially since you can’t just buy the material in a store. It's better to turn to professionals. Eco-leather is good because it has high wear resistance and lasts up to 10 years. The material is water-repellent, very pleasant to the touch and surprisingly elastic. New upholstery will be easy to care for. Moreover, at first glance, eco-leather is completely indistinguishable from genuine leather.

When using such a sofa, allergies are excluded and there is no irritation on the most delicate skin. Eco-leather does not attract dust and does not deteriorate under the influence of high and low temperatures. The reupholstering process is very labor-intensive and requires many tools and skills.

photo instructions - how to reupholster a sofa

How much material will be required for restoration?

Only professionals can correctly calculate the consumption of materials. If you take on this matter yourself, you will have to study some of the nuances. First you need to decide what kind of material will be used. Next you need to take accurate measurements of all the details of the sofa. The parts are cut out taking into account seam allowances and folds of the fabric. Be sure to measure the longest and widest parts of the backrest, seat, cushions and armrests. Draw the diagram of the sofa as a sketched diagram. Add up all vertical indicators and divide by 100.

It is important to depict vertical and horizontal details correctly, in correct position. The resulting number approximately reflects the length of the piece of fabric in meters that will be needed to cut all the details. To determine the required width of a piece of fabric, you need to start from one of the horizontal parts, the one that is the widest. When you calculate the width and length, add another 1 meter for every 5 meters for ease of cutting.

Approximate fabric consumption:

• double sofa - up to 9 sq.m. m;
• three-seater sofa - up to 12 sq.m. m;
• kitchen sofa (corner) - up to 6 sq.m. m;
• corner sofa or regular sofa with 2 armchairs - up to 22 sq. m.

Typically, fabric consumption increases greatly if it has a complex pattern that must be carefully adjusted when joining parts. It can also waste a lot of material if there are no patterns and the design is done on site. In the case of very thick armrests, backs or seats, or complex non-standard furniture shapes, a lot of fabric is also consumed.

Types of sofa reupholstery

Corner sofa

Update corner sofa involves certain specifics, it is more difficult to work with than the classic one. If you contact craftsmen who reupholster furniture, the work will begin with inspection and disassembly of the furniture. All details are signed for convenience, since we deal with corner design. Next, the upholstery and filling are disposed of. New material determined by the user. Then measurements are taken and new parts are cut according to the model of the old ones. If you make a mistake at this stage, the upholstery will be uneven and wrinkled.

After cutting, the reupholstery process begins, and then the craftsmen assemble the corner sofa, and it looks like new. Although the process is labor-intensive and takes a lot of time, it is worth it.

Kitchen sofa

It is known that modern budget kitchen corners with a sofa wear out quickly and the upholstery looks unpresentable. It can be damaged by children or pets. This picture spoils the interior of the kitchen. If the kitchen sofa has become unusable, there is no need to rush to dispose of it. It’s worth calling specialists; they will be able to quickly restore warped furniture and completely replace the upholstery. This can be a left-handed or right-handed corner. It can be re-stretched without sewing the parts together or with sewing.

Craftsmen know how to update kitchen sofas with decor, for example, sew buttons, piping and lay stitches. It is possible to replace padding polyester or foam rubber, replacing them with similar new insides. Broken frame parts must also be replaced. The new upholstery can be genuine leather.

Sofa book

Each of us knows well what a sofa-book looks like; many have been using it for a long time. You can exchange your favorite piece of furniture for short term refresh by replacing the casing with a new one. The tightening technology has been proven over the years and requires standard tools. Anyone can do the job furniture maker, even with little experience. Some even try to reupholster a sofa themselves, but you still need to have an idea of ​​the process. To update the book you need screwdrivers, a stapler, a hammer, pliers, PVA glue, coarse threads, a drill, a wallpaper knife, scissors, chalk pliers and a nail puller.

New covers can be made from any fabric that the customer chooses. As a rule, book sofas are cheaper than others complex structures. Often, reupholstering a book at home is combined with replacing some outdated parts.

Sofa armrests

It often happens that the sofa looks like new, with the exception of the armrests. Worn or holey sides spoil the appearance of the furniture. The armrests of upholstered furniture are the most vulnerable place with which people come into contact the most. We place our hands on the sides or sit on them, or this part can be ruined by a pet due to the need to scratch everything in the absence of a scratching post. New armrests are covered with genuine leather, eco-leather or any dense material that will match the color and texture of the main part of the sofa.

Repairing armrests will be inexpensive, since there is no need to dismantle other parts. Very little material is used, so you can save money. All the workers have to do is disconnect the armrests, remove the upholstery and cut out exactly the same parts, attach the upholstery and sides in place.

photo of sofa reupholstery

How much does it cost to reupholster a sofa at home?

Here are approximate prices for professional sofa reupholstery:

• covering the sofa elements with thick natural leather - 19,500 rubles;
• updating a corner sofa with leather - 17,000 rubles;
• restoration of a large sofa with leather - from 12,000 rubles;
• restoration of a medium-sized sofa with leather - 7,000-10,000 rubles;
• updating a leather sofa with wooden or fabric armrests - 3000-6000 rubles;
• full leather sofa cover - from 15,000 rubles;
• updating a corner sofa with leather and leatherette - from 14,000 rubles;
• upholstery of a soft corner sofa - from 8,000 rubles;
• restoration of a sofa for 2-3 seats with soft leather armrests - from 5,500 rubles;
• covering a sofa without armrests with leather - 3,500 rubles;
• stretching a 3-seater sofa with new eco-leather - from 9,000 rubles;
• stretching a 2-seater sofa with new eco-leather - from 6,000 rubles;
• eco-leather upholstery of a sofa-book or sofa bed - from 1600 rubles;
• updating the upholstery of a corner sofa - from 8,000 rubles;
• upholstery of a classic sofa with leather or fabric - from 4,000 rubles;
• restoration of a sofa-couch or sofa-book with wooden armrests- from 2300 rub.;
• cover of a modern book without armrests - from 3,500 rubles;
• restoration of a sofa without armrests - from 2800 rubles;
• renovation of a very old sofa with replacement of springs - from 9,000 rubles.

The prices for the work are indicated; perhaps the visit of the craftsmen will be paid separately.

Restoration by a private master

A private craftsman is the one you need to reupholster your sofa with high quality without removing it from your home. The fact is that contacting a special large furniture repair company is good, but more expensive, since the payment includes remuneration for the company and the workers for their labor. If you are dealing with a self-taught furniture maker, who is called a “jack of all trades,” then you will not lose. The fact is that usually a private owner has a lot of experience behind him and has approximately the same knowledge as qualified craftsmen from a furniture company.

Don’t be afraid to contact private craftsmen, as their services will cost you little. But try to discuss in advance all the nuances of the upcoming work to update your furniture, and also control the work process.

reupholstering furniture at home

How to reupholster a sofa with your own hands?

Below is given step by step instructions By self-stretching sofa:

• disassemble the furniture - carefully remove all parts (sides, poufs, back, seat and pillows);
• Place all fasteners in a container so as not to lose them;
• using a flat-head screwdriver and an anti-stapler, remove all the old upholstery (in some places you will need to open the staples);
• replacement of the insides is carried out if the old ones are out of order and wrinkled (for example, you often have to change the foam filling, it is short-lived);
• replace belts, nets and correct defects in springs, if required;
• cutting new parts from a single piece of fabric will be accurate and fast if you take the old parts as a basis (be sure to take allowances into account);
• Pull the new upholstery moderately tightly and evenly, gradually aligning the parts with a furniture stapler to the base;
• When all the parts are covered with fabric or leatherette, you need to assemble everything in the reverse order.

In addition, when reupholstering furniture at home, padding polyester, metal dowels, glue, wire, nylon thread and self-tapping screws can be useful. There are many tricks to the process of updating furniture; this matter can be learned, but it takes practice.

As you can see, if you wish, you can reupholster the sofa without leaving your home. This event will not take much time. The update will definitely cost much less than buying new furniture, which means it will allow you to save a lot. New upholstery can be from any available material, have any colors and textures, at the request of the owner.

No matter how expensive, high-quality and generally wonderful the upholstered furniture is, sooner or later you will still have to deal with such unpleasant phenomena as wear of the upholstery and stretching of the springs. It’s not just time that can damage furniture.

If the sofa has lost its original appearance, you can change the upholstery yourself.

Frequent relocation from one place to another, careless handling, pets - all this can result in damage to the upholstery and furniture mechanism. Of course, you can buy a new chair, sofa or armchair, but you can reupholster the upholstered furniture yourself and save money.

Fabric selection

The fabric for the upholstery should be dense and easy to clean.

First of all, if you decide to reupholster upholstered furniture yourself, you need to choose a fabric. When choosing fabric for upholstery, pay attention to the following important characteristics:

• the material must be durable and dense;
• the fabric should be easy to clean and keep its shape;
• the upholstery must be impregnated with a dirt-repellent or water-repellent solution;
• the fabric should be able to withstand cleaning with a brush or sponge using soap solution or special means and without them.

These parameters indicate the quality of the upholstery material and are decisive when choosing and purchasing it. If the upholstery you choose meets all or at least most of the listed characteristics, then you can safely begin choosing the color, pattern, texture, relief and other important points.

For upholstery, you can also use a combination of several different fabrics.

Most often, people who decide to reupholster upholstered furniture themselves give preference to the following materials:

• skin;
• flock;
• nubuck;
• tapestry;
• jacquard;
• chenille.

Modern technologies make it possible to create material of any design and structure, so you need to pay special attention to the quality of the upholstery.

The standard set of tools that allows you to reupholster upholstered furniture yourself is as follows:

For reupholstering furniture, the main tool is a furniture stapler.

• furniture stapler (can be bought at any hardware store, the most budget option will do);
• foam rubber (use material 4-6 mm thick, it can be bought either at a specialized furniture fabric store or at a regular hardware store);
• staples for a stapler (use hardened staples 1-1.4 cm long, buy them immediately with the stapler);
• flat screwdriver;
• wrench for bolts (preferably adjustable);
• pliers;
• hammer;
• tailor's scissors.

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Upholstery of a chair with a seat

Most often, furniture such as chairs, sofas and armchairs are reupholstered. it is necessary to begin with an inspection and assessment of its frame. Over time, it can become quite loose. It definitely needs to be strengthened. For this purpose they are used metal corners. Sometimes simply gluing the frame elements is enough.

First you will need to unscrew the backrest and remove the old upholstery fabric from it. As a rule, it is secured with staples. Next, you should examine the filler. If necessary, it is replaced with new foam rubber.

In order to reupholster a chair, you need to strengthen the frame, and then remove the upholstery fabric.

Make a pattern from old upholstery. Attach the new fabric to the backrest using furniture staples and place the backrest in its rightful place.

Do a similar job with the seat of your chair. If you need to unscrew it, be sure to save all fasteners, otherwise in the future you will have to waste time looking for a suitable replacement.

Take the seat upholstery material and place it face down on a flat, hard surface. Place the old material on the new upholstery and mark it. Don't forget about allowances. In the case of a chair, 2-3 cm is enough, now you can cut the fabric along the intended contour. If the fabric has a pattern, make sure it is evenly positioned. Attach the upholstery to the seat using staples. Place the finished part in place and attach it securely, ensuring maximum fixation.

As a result, such easy work you can give new life to your chair and end up with a beautiful product.

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Sofa update

Padding soft sofa new fabric is quite a troublesome job. It is very important to comply correct sequence and do everything carefully. First of all, you need to prepare the necessary tools, namely:

• upholstery;
• pencil and paper for patterns;
• stuffing material;
• round nose pliers;
• threads;
• sewing machine;
• hammer;
• nails or staples;
• construction stapler;
• scissors;
• set of screwdrivers and keys.

Disassemble your old sofa, freeing the seat, arms and back. Be careful not to damage the furniture frame, otherwise the reconstruction process will be significantly more complicated.

Remove the old staples using pliers and carefully remove the upholstery fabric. Select new suitable upholstery material. Classic fabrics such as tapestry, flock, jacquard are best suited. These are very practical, beautiful and easy-to-use materials. It is not recommended to use leather and substitutes unless you have the appropriate skills. Ordinary sewing machine may not be able to handle such materials. A medium-sized sofa usually takes 7-8 linear meters fabrics 1.4-1.5 m wide.

Carefully examine the condition of the “insides” of the sofa. If necessary, replace the padding (high-density foam rubber, holofiber, polyurethane foam, down, felt are suitable) and strengthen the frame elements.

Take old upholstery fabric, lay it out on paper and make a new pattern. Then cut out the necessary pieces from the new upholstery. Sew the seams using a machine. If desired, you can diversify the style of the upholstery material, for example, use several fabrics of different colors and textures at the same time.

Now you can proceed directly to reupholstering the sofa. This must be done as carefully and carefully as possible so that there are no sagging or folds. The material is pressed to the sofa using a special powerful construction stapler. TO wooden frame the fabric is nailed with small nails or fastened with staples every 18-20 mm. After all parts are covered with new fabric, the sofa is assembled.

Such restoration does not take much time, but it allows you to save money on the purchase of new furniture or the services of third-party craftsmen and get an updated sofa.