Do you have a beautiful but worn out piece of furniture that you really love? Have you acquired a one of a kind chair at a second-hand thrift store? If you find that you can’t simply just replace or throw away a piece of furniture, then reupholstering might be exactly what you need.

Reupholstering your furniture can give it a new look or restore its original splendour. It can also give new life to an otherwise boring piece of furniture. However, you should remember that reupholstering is a major undertaking and may involve completely rebuilding your furniture from its frame. If you are considering getting your furniture reupholstered, there are still some important things to consider.

Look at the structure of the furniture

Your pieces of furniture are all built differently, and because most people are looking for more economical alternatives, mass-produced furniture that come with lower standards in manufacturing have become more popular. This means that a lot of furniture, especially the newer ones, only last for a few years or at least a decade before they need to be reupholstered to make it usable again.

To know whether your furniture needs to be reupholstered, look at its structure. See if it has a solid construction and if the frames fit together nicely. Good pieces of furniture are usually constructed with a dovetail or a mortise-and-tendon which are methods that tightly connects the wooden pieces with interlocking joints. You can also check if the corner braces are strong and intact. If the piece will be completely reupholstered, these are the parts that will be left.

Consider the materials used for the furniture

If you have determined that your furniture is structurally sound, it’s time to check whether the materials will stand the test of time. You should be aware of what materials are used in the frame, support and cushions of the piece.

For the frame, hardwood such as oak, maple, cherry and walnut are considered the best choices because they are durable and stable. Some softwood such as pine and cedar will warp and dent easily and engineered wood such as particle board and plywood are not the best options since they are not durable enough, especially for furniture such as chairs or couches that would continually bear heavy weight.

You can also check if the seating support is built with springs or web suspension, or both. Springs, when properly tied, should provide excellent support to a persons’ weight. When it comes to the cushion, the most common today is high-density polyurethane foam.

Ask yourself whether your furniture is worth reupholstering

The best kind of furniture to be reupholstered should have at least reached a decade without showing considerable wear and tear so you are sure that it can withstand use for a couple more decades. If you’re in possession of this, consider how you would feel seeing the piece every day.

If it has a stable structure, a furniture that complements your space and one that you would want to keep for a very long time, then this would determine if you are making the right choice of investing in having it reupholstered rather than simply finding a replacement or buying a new furniture.

If you have an heirloom furniture that has sentimental value, or a piece that you just love and know that you won’t be able to replace, or maybe it’s just so unique it helps add style and character to your home, then it may be worthwhile to have it reupholstered.

Find a good upholsterer

This is a very important part of reupholstering your furniture. The upholsterer will determine the final look of your furniture so it is best that you also do your research. South West Upholstery have been in the business for a long time so you are certain that we have the necessary experience to be able to deliver what you need.

You can make a list of questions to clarify what kind of reupholstering your furniture will need and the processes that need to be done on your piece. To help you know what you want for your furniture, we can provide our expertise or give you images of previous pieces we have upholstered for inspiration. Because of our no-pressure approach, we always take the time to understand your requirements for your furniture. We want your finished product to be exactly how you visualised it.

As an experienced company and the most recognised upholstery business in Bristol, our team of upholsterers can answer your queries and give you a quote after seeing the piece. With a vast pool of knowledge, we are confident that we will be able to complete any project to a high standard. To know how our team works and view the quality that we’re making, we encourage you to visit us at our store and see.

If you have decided to reupholster a piece of furniture but are still unsure of how to proceed, we at South West Upholstery will be more than happy to help you. We are a recognised Bristol Upholstery service and cover all your upholstery, reupholstery, and soft furnishing needs, including caravan, boat and campervan upholstery. South West Upholstery have in-house experts that will offer a range of options that will suit your needs. We can assure you that we do our best in each of the pieces we receive to ensure that our work will last you for many years. Book a visit to our office by contacting us on 0117 370 2745 / 0117 332 0800 or emailing us at [email protected].