Reupholstery is a guaranteed way to completely transform the look and feel of your antique furniture pieces. Reupholstery can be done for so many purposes such as to refresh a weathered antique furniture piece, remodel an outdated accent, and even stitch back a missing fabric piece of your furniture upholstery.
While some people reupholster their furniture pieces just to attain the desired look, others perform this task to make the most of their quality furniture pieces. Whatever the reason may be, performing a DIY reupholstery of your furniture can be both simple or complicated, depending upon your knowledge of the procedure. Therefore, we at The Upholstery Master described below the efficient ways to reupholster your antique furniture pieces.
Tools & Materials Needed
It requires some tools or equipment and materials to self-perform this task and mostly these tools and materials are found at home but if not, then one should arrange for them prior to starting the process. The must-have tools and materials are listed below.
- New Fabric Material
- Staple Remover or Butter Knife
- Screw Driver
- Cleaning Cloth
- Vacuum and Fabric Cleaner
- Fabric Shears
- Strong Scissors and Pliers
- Staple Gun
However, there are some other things that come under the optional category meaning if arranged then good, otherwise it won’t matter too much. These things include a sewing machine, tacks, screws, extra staples, fabric glue, trim or cord, etc.
DIY Reupholstering The Antique Furniture
A self-reupholstery of your antique furniture pieces such as chairs, couches, etc can be an exciting but at the same time challenging task. Not only will it help you save the cost of hiring professional services but also will refresh your old, worn-out furniture pieces. Below, we’ve explained the step-by-step procedure for DIY reupholstery of your antique furniture pieces.
1. Choosing The New Upholstery Fabric
Obviously, one should buy new fabric first before starting to reupholster the furniture. And, if you’re reupholstering your furniture so as to attain the desired upholstery finish, then your choice of fabric (material quality and color selection) should be made with extreme care. Your choice of upholstery will not only determine the appearance of your furniture but will also protect your quality furniture pieces from damage.
You should always choose a highly durable, stain-resistant, and colorful fabric for your furniture, and this choice of fabric should be made considering your personal preferences and interior decor requirements. In short, try choosing a fabric that offers high-end performance on each scale.
2. Removing The Current Upholstery Fabric
Now that you’re fully equipped and have selected the fabric material for your furniture upholstery, it’s time to get to work. Usually, the existing fabric is attached to your furniture via staples, tacks, screws, etc.
So, you need to carefully remove the staples or tacks and should preferably use the staple remover for this purpose. In case of screws, use a screwdriver and always take care not to damage the furniture while removing the current fabric upholstery.
3. Clean The Furniture
Well, a lot of dust and gunk would have been accumulated over the years under the upholstery. So, you need to clean the furniture before reupholstery and should use a vacuum cleaner to do so. Also, availing of this opportunity, you can freshen up your cushions or repaint your furniture easily.
4. Precisely Cut The New Fabric
Now is the time to precisely measure and cut your newly bought fabric according to the furniture dimensions and you can use the old upholstery as a standard for precisely and efficiently completing this step. And having that said, you need to simply lay the new fabric over the old one, thus cutting it to the matching size and shape.
Keep in mind that any damage or irregularity in cutting the fabric will lead to a waste of your valuable investment and effort. So, don’t rush this step and take your time to complete it without any irregularities. In some cases, the old fabric is stitched to create a design that you can easily mimic up to your abilities by using a sewing machine.
5. Tack The Fabric Onto Your Furniture
To tack the fabric, start by lining the fabric to its place then smooth it out and fold it over the edges of the furniture. Of course, you will need helping hands so as to tightly hold onto the fabric and keep it in place. Once done, you can start attaching the fabric to the furniture by using a staple gun, screws, and tacks. Also, try to use a similar method to tack the fabric as the one previously used.
6. Add A Few Details To Finish Off The Project
Some people prefer to add some details to their fabric such as buttons or trims for making the furniture look more elegant. To let you know, this is the right time to add such details to the upholstery fabric but make sure not to make any cuts or damage to the fabric while doing so. And again, you need to use staples, tacks, or screws for adding these fine details to your project.
7. Take A Look At The Finished Project
The last step is to review your finished product which should appear seamless and elegant. Also, taking a look at it will help you address any loose threads or other mistakes, thus making your furniture look more beautiful.
Final Words!
Here, we’ve provided you with the information on the steps to self-reupholstering your antique furniture pieces such as chairs, sofas, etc. By following these simple and easy steps, you’ll be able to efficiently reupholster your furniture and have to invest only a little bit of your time, attention, and effort for a precise and smooth finish of your furniture. Hence, you don’t need to hire any professional for reupholstering your furniture and only require some basic tools and materials to perform this task yourself.