“Should I reupholster this?”
You spot a rain-soaked piece of furniture on the curb with a “FREE” sign nearby and you think, “should I stop and grab that?”
You inherit your great grandpa’s favorite chair which you loved it as a child, but it has been sitting in a garage for the last 20 years. Every time you park your car you think, “what am I going to do with that?”
Your kids/pets/Father Time have wrecked havoc on the once pristine couch you bought when you got your first serious paycheck; you keep thinking you’ll reupholster it one day but you wonder, “is it really worth it?”
It can be intimidating to determine whether furniture is beyond repair, or if it can be given a new life. That’s where I come in.
Here is my short introduction on determining whether or not your furniture is a good candidate for reupholstery, which I made for Oconomowoc Public Library’s “Meet Your Expert Neighbor” series:
1.) See beyond what is in front of you
The fabric may be stained, ripped, severely out of style - ignore that. The cushions may be missing, moldy, or crumbling - doesn’t matter. Cotton, horsehair, and all matter of dusty foam may be poking out of corners - forget it. You want to get an idea of the actual frame of the chair and if it is in good shape - everything else is going to go. If the wood is soft, moldy, or you see signs of insect infestation - its probably a pass. However, if the frame seems good we are in business.
2.) Look for signs of quality
Is the frame made from hardwood or cardboard?
Hint: lift it up to get a sense of the weight of the frame and materials used
Are there coil springs?
Indicates it was made and/or upholstered by hand, versus assembly manufactured in a warehouse - a good sign that it was built to be reupholstered again and again
3.) Do you love it?
This is arguably the most important part! Damage to frames can be restored, weak or loosened joints can be mended, show wood can be polished up. It doesn’t necessarily have to perfectly match the rest of your furniture because you can custom design it to work with what you already have. If you are really drawn to something, be it for aesthetic or nostalgic reasons, let’s see if we can’t find a way to save it.
Bottom line: if you aren’t sure whether or not a piece is a good candidate for reupholstery, ask your local upholsterer!