Reconstruction of upholstered furniture with your own hands. Do-it-yourself sofa upholstery

Even the highest quality furniture in the process of intensive use fails or loses its former attractiveness. There is no need to immediately get rid of it after the purchases made. There are many ways in which you can update interior items. You don't even need a master for restoration. It is quite possible to fix a sofa with your own hands. Below are methods that will help give things an updated look.

If a thing has lost its former attractiveness, you can return it to its original appearance through a number of tricks.

How to update an old sofa:

How is furniture upholstery done?

In fact, this procedure is a major overhaul of furniture. If you try, you can get almost new furniture from an old sofa, fully consistent with the ideas of an ideal piece of furniture.

This work is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, even if you are not House master. To restore a leather sofa, you need to prepare everything in advance necessary accessories and materials.

For stretching you will need:

• screwdrivers and pliers (they are needed to remove old staples);
• a set of wrenches designed for nuts and bolts; tape measure (without it it is impossible to take measurements);
• construction or pneumatic stapler;
• staples (6-10 mm. In this situation, everything depends on the thickness and density of the material that will be used to upholster the repaired item);
• trash bags.

To sew new case for sofas you will need:

• upholstery fabric (or leatherette) and lining fabric;
• tailor's scissors;
• special crayons for the material (in extreme cases, you can take remnants);
• reinforced threads;
• ruler;
• paper for creating patterns;
• sewing machine.

How to remake furniture at home?

Just follow the instructions:

Stage I: we begin to restore the furniture with its disassembly, which involves unscrewing and removing the locks, as well as detaching the old brackets that were needed to fix the upholstery on the frame. Be sure to keep garbage bags on hand to remove dust and old filler immediately.

It is necessary to remove all unusable parts and debris

Stage II: holding repair work and replacement of parts that have become unusable. In fact, the restoration of an old but beloved sofa is possible if you pick up the right spare parts. If you notice that cracks have appeared on the beams that form the frame, this indicates that their useful life has come to an end. It should be replaced by choosing solid beams. If desired, they can be ordered to a carpenter or prepared independently. In order for the alteration to be done with high quality, the joints of the beams should be registered using PVA glue. If you notice broken parts, then they also need to be repaired or new ones installed by sawing them with a jigsaw.

If necessary, it is worth replacing the beams

For their subsequent fixation, the master uses nails or a pneumatic stapler. This tool will be needed if you decide to return the furniture to its original appearance. Often, springs break during operation. We repair them by completely replacing the blocks. Sometimes this is the only solution that is suitable for bringing your favorite bedchairs back to normal.

Stage III: replacement of the filler, which is often foam rubber. Over time, it becomes caked, and becomes unsuitable for further use. We restore the seat by removing the old material and covering the new one. How to restore the seat? Only in this way, although it can be made easier by leaving the old filler if it is in good condition.

Foam rubber replacement is a mandatory step

Over the past ten years, it has become popular to restore old upholstered furniture - Soviet sofa-books, dining chair seats, favorite armchairs. Reasons why people give new life old things, almost sentimental - a relic sofa brought by great-grandfather in the form of a trophy from the war, or an armchair in which grandmother knitted a lot of socks for the family in three generations.

But more often we are surprised to understand that solid Soviet furniture in terms of quality and integrity of the frame is much better than the new one, which is in the low and medium price ranges. Such furniture is often made of raw timber, cheap spring blocks, and is pulled over with cheap and low-quality fabric from above.

A great number of master restorers have appeared - there are even such craftsmen who can transform appearance old sofa, that it will not differ from modern counterparts in design and content. But, in fact, with minimal household skills, desire and patience, do-it-yourself upholstery of upholstered furniture is a simple and even creative task.

Do-it-yourself furniture restoration and upholstery methods

Furniture restoration allows you to completely transform old interior items

There are two ways to update the appearance of upholstered furniture: washing and replacing. Both options are quite time-consuming and technically cumbersome, but doable! All efforts will pay off when you see and feel the fruits of your labor with a sense of complete satisfaction.

This option is best suited for small pieces of furniture: chair seats, stools and small armchairs. If you like the upholstery fabric on your favorite old sofa, it is well preserved, has a unique woven pattern, and you understand that the modern analogue is not affordable, then the sofa cover can be washed.

For washing large furniture covers, it is better to use the services of a professional laundry.

• Saving money - you only spend time with small expenses, including the cost of detergents and furniture fittings (staples, lining fabric).
• The revival of the authentic look of the piece of furniture.

Minus one, but significant - it is likely that the cover will “sit down” or even spread when washed. Since the upholstery fabric is not designed for washing, it is not treated for shrinkage, as, for example, clothing fabrics.

Complete upholstery replacement

This path is the longest and most difficult, but true. Old and dilapidated upholstery is mercilessly thrown away, and the sofa can please you with a brand new fabric in fresh colors. It is quite possible to do a complete replacement of a furniture cover yourself at home. But be prepared for the appearance of problems hidden under a leaky cover: cracked frame beams, broken springs, a broken fiberboard or a faulty lock mechanism.

If, after opening the cover, you are disappointed to find internal breakdowns, do not despair - just the operation to replace the cover develops into a more complex, capital phase of upholstering upholstered furniture.

Padding

This relatively new concept includes not only the replacement of the upholstery, but also: a complete repair of the frame, replacement of foam rubber, locks, spring blocks, everything that is needed. In fact, reupholstering is a major overhaul of upholstered furniture, as a result of which you will receive a new interior element made to your taste.

Overhaul allows you to save even the most "killed" furniture

Necessary tools and materials

In order for the work on the upholstery of upholstered furniture to proceed comfortably, measuredly and without unnecessary nerves, you need to prepare the necessary tools in advance.

Tools d for disassembly and assembly work

• Large flat screwdriver and pliers - hook and pull out old staples.
• A Phillips or flathead screwdriver to fit the slot of the screws that secure the lock to the frame.
• Set of wrenches for nuts and bolts.

Almost all upholstered furniture frames are bolted, so you can’t do without a set of keys

• Roulette - take the necessary measurements when replacing body parts.
• Stapler - construction or pneumatic. The second one is preferable, because, without any effort on your part, it drives long, strong staples deep into the wood of the frame, even through several layers of fabric.
• Staples - from 6 mm to 10 mm, depending on the thickness and density of the selected upholstery fabric.
• Garbage bags (bigger and denser).

To sew new covers you will need:

• New upholstery fabric - the choice in stores is breathtaking, choose according to taste and cost. In order not to make a mistake with the footage, sketch out an approximate detail before buying. Consider the standard roll width - up to 145 cm (together with the edging of the edges of the canvas) and the location of the patterns relative to the pile and gloss of the matter.
• Lining fabric for padding rear surfaces backs and seats. It is not necessary to do this, but the lining layer will protect the furniture from dust getting inside, and the cost of the lining material is low. Therefore, it is better not to neglect this simple operation.
• Sharp scissors, best of all special tailor's for cutting.

When cutting new covers, tailor's scissors will be simply irreplaceable

• Crayons or thin pieces of soap.
• Threads - no less than No. 10, and better - special reinforced for hard fabrics.
• Meter line.
• Pattern paper, if you are going to modify the appearance of the product: change the shape of the front, back and seats.
• Sewing machine.

Tightening technology

Dismantling old furniture

This is the first and dirtiest stage - you have to unscrew and remove the former, locks and disassemble the frame. Then remove all the old staples with which the upholstery is fastened to the frame.

After removing the upholstery, a rather unsightly picture may open up to your eyes.

Take care of the place of disassembly - you have to stir up the "dust of the ages" that has soaked the sofa or chair. And the staples have a nasty habit of scattering across the floor and digging into the soles of slippers (or feet). If it is not possible to disassemble the sofa on the street, cover the equipment (TVs, computers, etc.) with a film, and take everything you can to another room.

Keep garbage bags handy - you will have to throw away a lot of rubbish, which has turned into the internal stuffing of the sofa (armchairs, chairs, etc.). When you finish disassembling, immediately remove all the resulting garbage from the house. In the internal dust of upholstered furniture, various muck can lurk - from allergens to dust mites.

Repair work and replacement of parts

Having removed the old cover, you can find a number of serious breakdowns under the harmless scuffs of the upholstery, do not rush to give up and throw away the sofa, calculating in your mind how much it will cost to buy a new one.

All repair problems are solvable, and parts are replaceable - the list of breakdowns and how to fix them is not as extensive and scary as it might seem at first glance.

Cracked frame beams

All old sofas and armchairs are based on frames fastened with locks and glue. It is a strong and durable system, much better modern installation self-tapping screws. But when the service life ends, the corners of the frames give slack and crack. Beams need to be changed. Choose a dry tree, without knots, cracks and bark - bast or middle with an even straight structure. Otherwise, the beam, which carries a large load, and does not have strength and integrity, will quickly burst. A damp tree in warm and dry apartment conditions will begin to dry out and warp belatedly. It is better to repeat the lock saw - order a master carpenter or do it yourself. It is better to impregnate the joints of the frame beams with PVA glue before joining.

Broken parts made of fiberboard (pads-lintels of the seat and back frame)

Everything is simpler here - you measure the size and cut out new parts yourself with a jigsaw or make them to order in a furniture workshop. It is better to prepare separate parts of the jumpers (in old sofas there are usually three of them - the middle and two side ones), which are easier to change in case of a break. You can attach them to the frame with nails or a pneumatic stapler.

Broken springs not only impair the ammartization properties of furniture, but can also cause injuries and cuts.

A sore spot is the middle of the seat, where children love to jump and guests sit. Some craftsmen manage to "twist" the spring blocks, changing the burst springs to new ones. However, there is no guarantee that after some time some other old spring will not burst and for the sake of it you will not have to start all the work again. Therefore, it is more rational to replace the spring blocks completely.

Seat belt replacement

Any dense tape of a suitable width can act as belts.

Usually, the frames of the seats and backs of old chairs are pulled together with interlaced wide belts, on which foam rubber is laid. And the belts are very rarely torn, most often the junction of the belt and the frame is rubbed. Any belts that you consider durable will work as a replacement. The main thing is that they should be tightly woven, preferably from synthetic materials and a width of at least 5 - 7 cm.

Clumped foam

Any kind of foam rubber has such technical specification, as the number of compressions. This is an indicator of how many times the material can withstand compression and be able to restore its original shape and elasticity. Almost always, in old furniture, foam rubber has long outlived its usefulness in this parameter and has turned into dust or a viscous substance resembling sticky plasticine. Throw it away without regret and lay a new foam rubber.

It is better not to save on foam rubber - this is not only a soft layer, but also protection of the internal structure from breakage

Replacing locks

Also a common problem is over time. steel mechanism the lock becomes loose, play appears in it or the springs fly off, snapping the lock into the “sitting” or “lying” position. Inspect the lock carefully, it may be necessary to change the screw or adapt a new latch spring. If not, then the lock will have to be changed - fortunately, this is not a problem, in furniture fittings stores you will be offered big choice modern castles.

Master class on sewing new covers

The most creative stage of work. You can leave the look of the furniture the same, in which case, you can use old covers as patterns. Before use, they should be thoroughly shaken and vacuumed.

When cutting new parts, carefully monitor the location of the weft and warp threads, as well as the direction of the pile. This is especially true for the patterns of the past and the seat-back, if the width of the fabric does not allow you to make a one-piece cover (meaning the upholstery of the sofa-book).

With your creative and sewing skills, you can transform the look of old furniture into a modern, comfortable, and personal style. The main part of the modifications is achieved by foam rubber overlays - soft rollers on the formers, backrest headrests are added. You can take into account the location of the body in a sitting position and add foam pads on the seat (under the knees) and inserts under the lower back.

When using darts, folds, figured parts, covers will get completely new form and become more modern.

In order to qualitatively and beautifully perform work on modifying the appearance of upholstered furniture, you need basic skills in cutting and tailoring. If you are not confident in your abilities, it is better not to risk doing it yourself, but to involve a specialist in the work.

The nuances of cutting and sewing

• Leave a seam allowance of 1 - 1.5 cm, depending on the density of the fabric.

When cutting the fabric, be sure to leave 1-1.5 centimeters for the seams

• It is desirable to process the edges of the sewn parts with an overlock or zigzag.

• Coarse pile upholstery should be hand tufted before machine stitching to avoid shifting of parts.
• If leatherette, artificial or natural leather is selected for upholstery, then when making facial finishing seams as a presser foot sewing machine use a special roller. In extreme cases, you can smear the surface of the fabric under the foot with a thin layer of machine oil.
• In case of sewing into a case decorative overlays basting folds manually.

As often as possible in the process of sewing, do fittings - foam rubber, softening a rigid spring frame, pliable material, the shape of which is set precisely by the cover.

Fixing new covers on the details of upholstered furniture

Repair work has been done, the covers have been sewn, it's time to proceed to the crucial stage of stretching the new upholstery. You need to be clearly aware that the final result and the appearance of your chair or sofa depend on the quality of this stage. You will need patience and accuracy in your work.

At the stage of the last fitting, it will still be possible to correct mistakes - to sew in or loosen the corners a little, to alter the tucks. Do not be alarmed if the case is very tight on the frame - in the process of attaching it, you will still “shoot” it even tighter. Worse, if the cover is put on freely, because. attaching it with staples, there is a high probability of getting ugly folds and creases.

The sequence of work on fastening new upholstery covers:

• First of all, put the covers on the parts and, while they are in a free position, straighten them as much as possible. The seams should be even and parallel to the edges of the parts, match the corners of the covers with the corners of the frames.
• Then begin to fasten the cover with staples - holding the stapler in right hand, with the left constantly, with stroking movements, stretch the fabric from the middle of the part to the edge. Watch out for a smooth and evenly rounded bevel - this is especially true for the edges of the backs and seats of armchairs and sofas. It is better to start “shooting” with staples from the middle, so possible excess tissue will move to the edges, where they can be sutured by hand.

stapler - best tool for fastening furniture covers

• When upholstering the former, carefully cut out the holes for the bolts with scissors and shoot the edges of the cutouts with staples. If necessary, use a hammer to drive the staples into the wood more tightly.
• After stretching the upholstery, you need to close the wrong sides with sheets of lining fabric. Do not waste time carefully cutting and cutting out the lining with scissors. Having outlined the approximate length, taking into account the inversion of the edges of 3–4 cm on each side, make a notch with scissors and tear the fabric, the synthetic lining is torn exactly along the thread, which you will not get when cutting with scissors. Shoot the wrong side with the lining from the corners, pulling the fabric tightly.

Bylce - (from Ukrainian) headboard, chair, sofa armrest, armchairs, etc.

The last stage of work is assembly. When assembling the sofa, first of all, we attach the lock to the back and seat, then attach the resulting structure to the pallet of the book sofa and attach the former. When assembling the chair, you gradually mount the seat and back to one former, then attach the second to the structure. The legs are installed last.

Restoration helps to turn old furniture into new, stylish item interior

Video: hauling an old chair

Since the process of reupholstering furniture is quite complicated, we bring to your attention a short video that will clearly demonstrate all the stages of reupholstery, using the restoration of an old chair as an example.

Do-it-yourself upholstering of upholstered furniture is a responsible, time-consuming task, but with excellent practical benefits and moral return. You get satisfaction from the work done and an updated look of the piece of furniture repaired by yourself. And most importantly - an experience that, as you know, can start a new hobby, and possibly profitable business. Good luck with your repair!

If the upholstery of your sofas and armchairs has become unusable from long-term use, then you can contact the workshop or invite a specialist to your house to replace it. But, as a rule, such services are not cheap. But do-it-yourself furniture upholstery is painstaking, but not too difficult work.

Furniture upholstery services are quite expensive. To save money, you can do it yourself.

You don't need to reupholster if you have an expensive antique sofa. By repairing it yourself, you can significantly reduce the cost of furniture. In this case, it is wiser to call a professional restorer for help.

Pulling furniture with quilted surfaces or decorated piping, folds and draperies is also quite difficult. A person who does not have special skills is unlikely to cope with such work. In all other cases, even a novice master can upgrade a chair or couch.

Stages of work

All hauling of upholstered furniture with your own hands consists of the following steps:

What furniture looks like before and after reupholstering.

1. Disassembly into component parts, removal of side and rear backrests, legs, pillows.
2. Dismantling of worn-out elements (upholstery and softening pads).
3. Cutting and preparation of new parts.
4. Mounting new upholstery on individual pieces of furniture.
5. Final assembly of the finished structure.

Regardless of the type of upholstered furniture you want to update, you will need the following tools:

• Phillips screwdrivers and tools with a flat sting of various calibers;
• hex keys (if you are repairing fairly new furniture);
• wire cutters;
• side cutters;
• special furniture stapler;
• furniture glue;
• upholstery nails (regular and with decorative caps);
• accessories for sewing.

When repairing upholstered furniture with your own hands, try to avoid complex, curly patterns. Buy all materials with a margin. This will be needed in order not to stitch individual flaps.

Before undertaking the restoration of overall furniture, try your hand at a stool or chair. This practice will only benefit you. This will not only improve your skills, in a similar way you can choose the most convenient tool for yourself and master all the stages of work in practice.

Do-it-yourself furniture upholstery requires photo or video filming of all stages of work.

This approach will help you assemble the sofa or chair in the correct order after the upholstery has been replaced. Take a picture of all the main nodes, fastenings and connection of parts. The final assembly of furniture must be carried out in the same sequence in which you disassembled it.

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Material selection

Cutting furniture parts made of fabric is done according to the patterns.

When choosing materials for upholstering upholstered furniture, consider not only its appearance, but also practicality. It is wiser to purchase fabrics specifically designed for furniture upholstery: gabardine, velor, artificial leather or material that imitates it. Do not buy fabrics with an overly rough or embossed surface. It is uncomfortable to sit and lie on such sofas. Materials from high content synthetic fibers also do not add comfort.

When choosing matter, adhere to the following rules:

1. Do not buy fabric with a sharp and unpleasant odor. Wet your fingers and lightly rub the surface. There should be no traces of paint left on your skin.
2. If the material is fleecy, then run your palm over it in the opposite direction to the location of the fibers. If there are no hairs left on the hand, then the fabric is of high quality.
3. Thick and loose material, such as velor, will help hide some of the defects of inept hauling. For the same purpose, a fabric with a small but active ornament will also serve. In addition, blanks made of such material have to be less joined together, making sure that the pattern matches. Small mistakes just become invisible. But a large geometric pattern, especially a cage or borders, needs careful fitting of one part to another.

And don't try to follow fashion by trying to make your upholstered furniture look like an illustration from a magazine. Remember that sofas and armchairs in your home are primarily designed for your comfort.

The fabric can be secured with small nails.

No less attention should be paid to the choice of softener. High-quality foam rubber should have a porous and elastic structure. The bubbles in it are small, and when pressed with a finger, such material straightens out quickly, the dent disappears without a trace.

If you want to give your upholstered furniture a more rigid base, then purchase not one thick sheet of softener, but 2 thinner ones. And during installation, lay them with a layer of felt. Seats with this base last much longer.

Typically, the softener is sold in a vacuum package, which reduces its thickness by several times. Before starting work on the upholstery of furniture, free the foam rubber from polyethylene and let it rest for 1-2 days.

Sometimes a synthetic winterizer is also laid on top of a thick layer of foam rubber. When buying it, pay attention to the structure, density and thickness. These indicators should be the same throughout the canvas.

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Self-replacement

First you need to remove the main parts of the structure: side backs, seat, arms and legs.

Fixing fabric on furniture can be done with a furniture stapler.

All connections must be dismantled very carefully, trying not to damage the frame. If the bolts or screws are rusted, then do not try to rip them off, but use a special liquid to remove corrosion. To remove the old staples, pry the plywood sheet with a flathead screwdriver and pry it up, being careful not to break the plywood. After the fasteners are loosened, you can remove them. Try to unscrew the screws, and not pull them out of the wood.

If the fasteners are suitable for further use, then collect them in a box specially designed for this. But in any case, it is more reasonable to replace the old fasteners with new ones.

Use a flathead screwdriver or the tip of a utility knife to pry up the staples holding the old upholstery to the furniture frame. Loosen the leg fastening and only then remove the bracket. Try not to damage the upholstery, as it will later serve as a template for a new blank.

Do not just cut off the upholstery, leaving staples with a strip of fabric on the furniture. They will prevent you from fixing securely new material and can spoil the updated look of a chair or sofa. In addition, rust on old fasteners can show through new upholstery in indelible stains.

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Furniture frame repair

In addition to the soft parts of the furniture, you also need to repair the frame.

It is better to replace all softening pads (foam rubber and synthetic winterizer). Because you are unlikely to be able to straighten dents on them. And even if you put a new layer of material on top, then in these places it quickly deforms. But with wooden frame and the base, try to manage as carefully as possible.

Nets, springs and stretch marks that have lost their elasticity are also more reasonable to replace with new ones. Sometimes leather or rubber straps are used instead of springs in furniture. Examine them carefully. If you do not notice cracks, torn edges, and the material itself has retained elasticity, then such elements can be reused.

All joints and joints of the frame are best disassembled, cleaned of adhesive residue, then glued and fixed again. The joints are tightened with clamps for a period until the adhesive is completely dry. If the wood in the socket for the screws has worn out over time and the fastening in it is not held firmly, then drill a new place for fasteners 1.5-2 cm from the old one. On an already unused nest, be sure to put a wooden plug or putty it.

Remove all chips and burrs, sand the uneven edges of the frame. Otherwise, such defects may damage the new upholstery.

Remember that it does not tolerate haste and inattention. If you hurry, then in the end you will not get the result that you expected.

Any thing eventually becomes unusable 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 self-upholstery of the sofa. How, what and in what order to do, what materials to use.

Damage and types of repairs

Damage to a sofa or other upholstered furniture can be of different "severity". Depending on the existing injuries, a different set of works is required. Here's what might happen to your furniture:

So the upholstery of the sofa may include different work. From a simple upholstery replacement to a complete refurbishment, including part of the frame. The most troublesome part is with spring blocks. This is a long and painstaking job. 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"

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

• Without springs:
  • Foam rubber (polyurethane foam, the name PPU is also found) high density(also called furniture).
  • Foam latex. In terms of quality and convenience, it is better than foam rubber, but also much more expensive.
• With springs:
  • with classic springs connected in one block;
  • serpentine 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 constricting, then they look at the state of both parts, replace or leave - depending on the desire and possibilities.

But these are not all layers. In addition to springs, polyurethane foam / latex, a synthetic winterizer or thermal felt (or ordinary felt) is 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 stuffing a sofa. When repairing a sofa, they will need to be replaced with the same ones (if there is a desire to look) or similar in thickness and properties. So, in order to understand how a sofa upholstery should be done, first figure out what is inside it.

We disassemble the sofa and evaluate the scale of work

The upholstery of the sofa begins with its disassembly. In the process, you will be able to assess the extent of the damage and decide what exactly you will need to do. For this part of the job, you will need:

• a large screwdriver to unscrew the visible bolts (if any);
• a small flathead screwdriver, pliers, or a staple remover to remove the staples that hold the upholstery in place.

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

Actually, everything. First, remove the individual pillows, if any, remove the sidewalls. It's hard to tell here - there are a lot of designs. Look carefully, you will definitely find something. If there are sliding parts, you can try to start with them.

Separating the upholstery

The next step is to separate the fabric from the frame. It is stapled to wooden bars frame. We pry the brackets with a flat screwdriver, pull them out. Some can sit 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 too much. We then use it as a sample for a new sofa upholstery. There are several layers under the upholstery fabric. Maybe felt, synthetic winterizer, some kind of fabric. If the repair of the sofa was started only for the sake of replacing the upholstery, look at the condition of these materials. If there are signs of wear, it is better to replace. After all, it would be a shame if, in a few months, the sofa would need to be reupholstered again, but already due to the fact that the layers of the lining were worn down.

Once the fabric is off, it's time to evaluate which parts you'll need to change. With upholstery and lining under it, everything is clear. It is desirable to keep the pie in the same composition. If old materials were used that are not currently on sale or they 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 “pillows”. In order not to make a mistake 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 usually go under replacement. They can be made from high-density foam rubber, having folded several layers, you can order ready-made foam rubber in a store selling furniture parts. Smart to order exact dimensions(measure after the fabric and all layers have been removed) latex mattress.

If there are springs in the sofa, having removed all the covering layers, we get to them. If there are no broken springs, the frame and its connections are strong, without backlash and cracks, the substrate for the springs is in good condition, you can stop there. We change the covering layers, sew a new cover, stretch and fasten. This completes the upholstery of the sofa.

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

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

Classic box spring sofa pie and possible problems

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

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

   

2. Base for spring block. There may be options: lamellas (slats of elastic material), fiberboard, plywood. Most a budget option- Fiberboard, the most expensive - lamellas. The slats are attached to special stops (lat holders). When using plastic stops, there is a possibility of breakage. At the same time, low-quality lamellas can bend (in the normal state they are bent slightly upwards) or break - to reduce the cost, they are often placed through large gap. All this leads to the fact that the sofa seat is pressed through. Instead of wooden lamellas, snake springs can still be used. They also have sufficient elasticity, but cost less. The problems with them are the same.
3. The spring block. The block can be with independent or dependent springs. The first is cheaper, the second supports the body well. Such mattresses are also called orthopedic.
4. Felt or thick fabric(Tick, another similar dense fabric will do). This layer is needed so that the springs do not push through the foam rubber above.

   If the fabric is thin, it will tear, then the foam rubber will begin to crumble. But this is not the saddest thing - the lamellas arched into reverse direction. In the normal state, they should be curved up

5. polyurethane foam(PPU, foam rubber - all names of one material). A 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 displays how long the foam rubber will restore its original shape after the load is removed. Its thickness is taken from the original, factory cake. It is possible to make thicker without restrictions only on upholstered furniture that does not unfold (bench, sofa, armchair).
6. Sintepon. It is necessary so that the fabric does not “wash” PPU. It is usually glued to a layer of foam rubber - so that during operation it does not gather into folds. Glue is taken in a can.
7. upholstery fabric. The best are tapestry, chenille. They do not crumble, it is easy to sew from them. Flock and jacquard are good fabrics, but some of them “creep” at the seams. Therefore, when sewing, the seams must be strengthened. By the way, it is better to sew upholstery for a sofa with special threads of the Tytan brand. Ordinary, even thick ones, will quickly tear.

These are all layers and their features. You can add something (for example, a double layer of synthetic winterizer), remove it - it is highly undesirable.

The device of the sofa on the springs "snake" and options for its restoration

Snake springs in expensive models are used as an additional means 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 is separate. The installation step depends on the planned load. If your sofa began to sag, or the springs lost their elasticity, or broke, it is treated by replacement.

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

The tape is nailed on one side to the frame. Professional furniture makers then stretch it with a special tool, but you can replace it with an ordinary bar wrapped around in the middle sandpaper with large grains. You wind a couple of turns of tape on this beam, pull with both hands (make sure that the frame does not bend), fix the tape with staples or nails, release and cut off the excess. The same method is also suitable for increasing the life of a mattress with slats.

An example of sofa repair with step by step photos

The old sofa became quite uncomfortable, began to fail in places and creak. There is no way to buy a new one, it was decided to drag and change the upholstery. As usual, the sofa upholstery begins with disassembly. The legs were removed first. The railing was fastened on two large bolts, they were unscrewed and removed without any problems. Further disassembly is also easy - we unscrew the bolts that appear in turn.

When all the components were separated, the old upholstery was removed. Staples were removed easily - a frame 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 bars of the frame led, the fiberboard sank, 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, put down the dimensions in millimeters. With the drawing we go to the carpentry shop. Pay Special attention: The wood must be dry, preferably kiln dried. 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 spike / groove, smearing it with carpentry glue. But in order not to loosen up, the connection was reinforced with metal dowels.

First, the joints are glued, clamped in a vise. A hole of small diameter is drilled under the dowel, the dowel is driven in. The frame is in a vice until the glue dries.

We will use plywood 4 mm thick as the basis 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 the jumper, it is more reliable. We cut out the rectangles of the desired size, coat the frame with carpentry glue, lay the plywood, nail small nails. The length of the nails - so that they do not stick out from the outside of the frame. We additionally support the junction with a bar (50 * 20 mm).

The updated sofa will serve in the country, so we are trying to keep the budget to a minimum, we use an old blanket instead of a substrate for springs. We stretch it well, fasten it with staples using a manual one.

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 carnations with large hats.

Repair and fix 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 does not work with such, therefore, staples were cut from steel wire with a diameter of 1.5 mm, hammered.

In addition to fastening to the frame, the springs are also fixed with nylon constrictions. Twine was taken, folded in two layers, fixed 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 “ride”.

Some dense material should be placed on top of the springs, usually felt. AT this case used old flooring. Something like felt. It is quite dense and durable. Fold in two layers, cut to size. This layer must be attached to spring block. The coating is dense, you can’t pierce it with a needle, even a gypsy one. An awl of a large diameter will do, but it is not. We pierce the coating with a nail, which we push 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.

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

Case and cover

Sheathing this sofa turned out to be easy: the shape is simple, without decorations. The old case was torn open, a pattern was made from a new one, 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 - so that the fabric would not be rubbed. The fabric is inexpensive, so the edges had to be tucked up so as not to fray. Often they are left untreated.

The finished cover was laid out on the floor, 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 began to nail the cover from the middle, moving towards the edges. Staples with thick backs are used so as not to damage the fabric.

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

Sofa upholstery completed. Result checked 🙂

According to the test results: the seat turned out to be harsh, but for a tired back it is the very thing. For the house, of course, it is better to put foam rubber, and for lovers of comfort - latex.

Not every old and sagging sofa has a place in a landfill. Restoring upholstered furniture can bring as much joy as buying a new one. And maybe even more if you like to do things with your own hands. In this article, Dekorin will tell and show how sofas and armchairs are reupholstered with new upholstery, how pillow filling can be replaced, how to repair springs and mask minor damage. Let your old furniture become a source of pride!

Restoration of upholstered furniture inside and out. Step by Step Examples

Repair and restoration of upholstered furniture may consist of the following steps:

1. Disassembly of an object into its component parts. This is usually required for furniture with wooden legs, armrests or other parts that need to be repaired or replaced.
2. grinding wooden elements with sandpaper, followed by cleaning with a damp cloth. A wet cloth should absorb all the small particles, so that the paint (or varnish) will lie evenly and last longer.
3. Wood painting. Before applying paint with a brush, it is recommended to coat the surface with a primer. We still recommend using spray paint, which applies easily and evenly, which will greatly simplify your work and save time. Usually 3 layers is more than enough. After the paint has dried, it can be applied protective covering which will prevent cracking.

To learn more about painting, varnishing, decoupage and repair wooden furniture read our article Restoration of Soviet furniture.

1. Replacement internal filling and upholstery. About how to rest the springs inside an old sofa or chair, we will tell you in detail below in this article. As for the upholstery of upholstered furniture, it all depends on the characteristics of the restored product. For example, the seat of the chair in this example was enough to wrap with a new fabric, which was fixed with a stapler. More examples With step by step photos you will see below!
2. Assembling a piece of furniture into a single whole.

How do you like this transformation?

How to fix sofa and chair cushions

Perhaps this item is the simplest and most inexpensive in the process of restoring upholstered furniture. You will need to measure the height, length and width of your pillows and, based on the data obtained, purchase the required amount of foam rubber. Subtract about 5-10 mm from each edge to get the right dimensions to fill the pillow. For softness and longer service life, be sure to wrap the foam rubber with batting or padding polyester. Here is what the finished filling looks like in the photo:

Also read: How to do sofa cushions DIY (35 ideas)

Repair of spring upholstered furniture: the best way

This method of repairing a spring sofa or chair is considered the most reliable of all existing ones, although it requires high costs by time. Consider its implementation step by step:

1. Make sure you remove all remnants of upholstery, staples and nails from the frame. In this case, the furniture body was already completely ready for the installation of the seat (cleaned, sanded, washed, painted). The springs were removed and set aside for later use. Before that, the master took a few photos so as not to forget how they were located.
2. Install the straps (slings) on the lower part of the seat for attaching the springs. The more of these strips you install, the stronger the seat will be. Secure them with a stapler, leaving a couple of centimeters of matter on each edge. The tension should be moderate so that the sling sags slightly when pressed on it.
3. The extra centimeters from each edge should be bent and also attached to the frame with a stapler. Repeat these steps until all vertical lines are installed, then move on to horizontal lines. Remember that they should intertwine with the vertical ones, and not just go under them.
4. Reinforce the strength of each webbing with three small upholstery studs. This is how the whole process of repairing upholstered furniture looks like in the photo:

5. Now you can proceed directly to the installation of springs. You can use an old photo or just evenly distribute them on the support from the lines. The end of each spring should "facing" in the same direction as all the others.

6. The springs are attached to the straps either with a special tool or with a thick string of twine and a special button. Each spring must be fixed at three points.

7. Drive 2 nails at the end of each vertical and horizontal row of springs.

8. Measure the length of the twine, which will be 2 times the length of the seat plus 40-50 cm. Fold the piece in half and create a loop around the nails, as shown in the photo below. After that, pulling the twine, hammer the nails with a loop to the very end with a hammer.

9. Now our goal is to intertwine the springs together to form the seat and connect all the springs together. Start and finish tying knots at each end on the second "ring" from the top, then immediately move on to the top rings. This will allow you to get a dome-shaped seat.

10. After you tie all the springs together, wrap the twine around the stud and hammer it in with a hammer until it stops. Fasten the free end of the thread with a stapler.

11. For the second thread from each secured loop, repeat steps 9 and 10, but only it should be tied exclusively on the upper rings, without “falling” to the second level from the top.

12. Tie all the vertical rows in this way, then the horizontal rows and, to be sure, you can still walk diagonally. As a result, none of your springs will be able to move separately from the rest. Follow the step-by-step photo for fixing the springs in the seat of upholstered furniture:

Finally, there is still a constriction of the finished seat. In this case, the master simply sewed on the fabric (which could also be done with a stapler), and masked the seams with a ribbon.

Upholstery or upholstery replacement of upholstered furniture

Reupholstering upholstered furniture can also be quite a chore, but it's definitely worth it, especially if you don't have any special plans for the weekend. Next, you will learn how to properly reupholster an old sofa or chair with your own hands.

Stage 1. Removing the old upholstery

1. You may think that you know this piece of furniture by heart. But still, before removing the upholstery, take pictures of it inside, outside, front and back, taking close-ups of especially difficult areas near the armrests, etc.
2. Carefully remove the old upholstery, being careful not to damage either it or the furniture itself. You may need a staple remover, screwdriver, and other tools for this. It is recommended to remove the fabric in the following order:

• From the bottom base (turning the sofa on the back or upside down);
• From the outer part of the back and armrests;
• From the inside of the back and armrests;
• From the seat.

The old upholstery will be used by you as a template. Before putting it on a new fabric, we advise you to iron it with an iron.

Stage 2. Sewing new upholstery and upholstery of upholstered furniture

1. Use your photos and old upholstery as a guide. Start upholstering furniture from the bottom base, then work on the armrests, backrest and seat in that order.

2. Cut the fabric according to the finished pattern, taking into account the following:

• At the edges that will be sewn together with threads, leave an additional 10-15 mm of fabric;
• At the edges that will be stapled, add about 50mm, which will be used to stretch the upholstery over the sofa.

3. Sew the sections of fabric where necessary and pull it over the bottom, securing with a stapler around the edges.

5. Behind her is the outer part of the armrests.

Pay attention to how the master did without seams and secured the outer upholstery of the armrests with a hammer.

The photo below shows an alternative version of the restoration of the armrests. The master fixed them with a stapler, after which he covered the staples with a beautiful braid.

1. Let's return to our example. After the armrests came the turn of the back. A rope sewn around the perimeter gives it an interesting and expressive shape.

This technique can also be used to give expression to the armrests, which was done during the restoration of this chair.

1. The outer part of the backrest is fixed in the same way as the outer upholstery of the armrests. Additionally, the sofa was decorated with buttons and new legs. In the next photo you can compare the sofa before and after the repair and upholstery.

Restoration of upholstered furniture: photos before and after

At the end of this article, we offer you a few more photos of upholstered furniture before and after restoration. We hope that these examples will clearly demonstrate to you that any furniture can be repaired beyond recognition and bring you pleasure with its new style, color and upholstery!

Also read: Furniture transformer for a small apartment Also read: Top 10 things to do at home

And if you don’t have any desire to engage in restoration and hauling, then here are a few simple solutions for masking problem areas and repairing upholstered furniture with your own hands.