Posted on August 22nd, 2018 by giorgibros
Life can take a toll on your favorite furniture, but that doesn’t mean you have to replace it. Reupholstery is a great option for those sturdy pieces of furniture you’re not ready to part ways with. While changing up the material on a chair or sofa can bring it new life, not to mention new style, custom reupholstery can sometimes come with a hefty price tag. To help you determine if it’s the right option for you, we’ve come up with a list of the top five things to consider before youreupholster furniture. Things to Consider: The most common items that people reupholster are chairs. Living room and dining room chairs are great candidates for reupholstery because they do not require nearly as much material as sofas, sectionals and loveseats, making them affordable pieces to refresh.1. Size and Type of the Furniture
When deciding whether or not to reupholster, always consider the size of the piece, as it will play a major role in the cost. Larger pieces means more material and more labor required, so it may be best to start small with chairs before diving into reupholstering a sofa.
2. Sentimental and Monetary Value
The value of a piece of furniture, whether sentimental or monetary, may be reason enough to choose reupholstery over buying new. Maybe the armchair your mother used to read to you in needs a fabric refresh before going in your new baby’s nursery. Or, maybe your antique dining room chairs were handmade with top-quality materials, and their value is only increasing with each year.
Sometimes our furniture doesn’t hold any special meaning or value to us, in which case it’s okay to pass it on for something new. However, if your furniture is full of good bones and good memories, reupholstery is just what you need to replace that dingy old fabric with something you’ll love.
3. Existing Damage
Damage to upholstered furniture typically comes in three categories: upholstery, stuffing or structural. When deciding whether to reupholster or buy new, check out your piece for any damage that will add to the cost of reupholstery.
Upholstery damage is the most common since it includes discoloration from sunlight exposure, stains from spills and pets, and rips and tears. This damage isn’t pretty, but can be easily fixed with reupholstery.
The stuffing in your chair or sofa could suffer from years of wear and needs replacing. Often times, if your piece of furniture is old enough to need the upholstery upgraded, it also needs the stuffing replaced. Worn out cushions or lumps and bumps indicate that new stuffing is needed.
When the damage to your furniture is not just cosmetic, but structural, be warned that the cost of repair can be high. If your piece wobbles or squeaks, the frame is most likely damaged and you’ll want to consider if the repair is worth the cost to you.
4. Choice of materials
Now comes the fun part! Choosing the material for your chair or sofa will depend on your design preferences, lifestyle and budget.
Pick from a variety of colors, patterns and material types for your piece. If you have kids, pets or an active lifestyle, you may want to consider performance fabrics for extra durability.
5. Cost to Reupholster Furniture
Reupholstering a piece you already own is a fun way to freshen up your furniture and update your style, but you’ll want to consider the costs associated with the project.
As we discussed above, size, damage and materials are all factors that determine the cost of reupholstery. Additionally, you’ll want to budget for the cost of labor. Reupholstery is time-consuming and labor-intensive, so labor accounts for a significant portion of the total cost.
Other special work required, such as tufting, aligning patterns, and attaching or replacing welt cords, will also add to the price.
Is it worth it?
After considering each of the factors above, you can now decide if reupholstery is the right choice for you. Sometimes a unique piece of furniture is worth the extra cost to make new, but if the cost far outweighs the value of a piece, it may be best to go part ways and purchase a new one.
Whatever your choice, Giorgi Bros. is here to help! Visit our Design Center to meet with experts who can help you determine if it’s best to reupholster furniture.
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