Having your furniture reupholstered can give it a whole new lease of life. And that’s a wise choice when we’re all more concerned about sustainability. You may have inherited an old Parker Knoll piece that you want to refurbish, or your sofa cushions may have lost the comfiness. The re-upholstery process strips everything back to basics for a fantastic result that you can enjoy for years to come.

Re-upholstering is a process that you can’t rush if you want top quality results. But we believe craftsmanship is worth the wait. Read on to find out how each step of the process works, so you know the process that goes into every re-upholstered piece.

Initial consultation

Before any work begins, we’ll speak with you to discuss your options. We’ll explain the re-upholstery process, including your fabric options from leather to easy-care Aquaclean fabrics. We’re completely transparent in our approach, and we won’t recommend services you don’t need.

Inspection and polishing

We begin by carefully stripping the frame down and making any necessary repairs. We’ll start by removing the original cloth re-upholstery to expose the structure. Then we’ll assess the condition of the stuffing, springs, padding and webbing. If you’ve requested French or standard button polishing, we’ll carry it out now before moving on to the next stage.

Springs and webbing

Webbing is the layer on which your upholstery sits, so it needs to be up to the job. It’s often impossible to know whether webbing and springs need replacing until we’ve thoroughly inspected them.

If we find they’re failing and need replacing, we’ll contact you with a quote. If you agree, we’ll go ahead and replace the webbing and springs. In most cases, we’ll be able to realign and reattach the original springs to restore the comfort and dimensions of your furniture.

Whatever repairs we make, we always use materials and methods appropriate to the furniture we’re re-upholstering, whether it’s a mid-century modern classic or a period piece.

Stuffing and padding

Our upholsterers will decide whether the original padding materials are reusable unless you have already requested new materials. If not, they’ll replace them if necessary. The first layer of padding will be attached to the base layer of hessian and secured in place.

At this point, we’ll add any new padding to your furniture or replace feather stuffing with high-quality foam should you request this. Our upholsterers take a great deal of care to match or improve your chair or sofa’s original dimensions and restore the level of comfort you require.

Top cover

With the frame rebuilt and padded, we can begin the process of adding the top cover. Whether you’ve chosen a woven fabric, faux leather or the real thing, this is the stage where it’s carefully secured in place. We take equal care when adding any finishing touches, including braid, piping and decorative studs.

When we apply your chosen top cover, your vision for your re-upholstered chair or sofa truly comes to life. We can also change the appearance of your piece by adding new legs and castors at this stage.

Quality checked and delivered

Finally, we quality check every newly re-upholstered piece of furniture to make sure it lives up to our usual high standards of craftsmanship. We will then carefully wrap your sofa or chair and send you pictures in order for you to undertake a final inspection before delivering it to your home.

At South West Upholstery, we pride ourselves on providing the best upholstery services Bristol has to offer. Get in touch if you’re thinking about reupholstering a favourite sofa, or pop into our Southville showroom, and we’ll be happy to help.