Crucial Tips You Need to Know Before Reupholstering Furniture
Check out our reupholstery price guide and tips to decide if it's worth it to revive that worn-out chair or ottoman.
Fact checked by Marcus Reeves
Reupholstery is a significant furniture project. It involves stripping the piece down to its frame—and sometimes disassembling it—before re-stuffing it and recovering in new fabric. Reupholstering furniture is pricey if you hire a professional, and it's a lot of work to do on your own, but the results can be stunning. Sometimes a bit of updated fabric is all a faded armchair needs to reveal its true potential.
That said, not every piece of furniture is a good candidate for reupholstering—and you should know a few things before you begin. To help you get started with your reupholstery project, we have some must-know tips about which items to reupholster and the types of upholstery fabric that work best. We'll also share some ideas about decorative elements to add during the project. Whether you plan to reupholster furniture yourself or hire a professional, this expert reupholstering advice will help you turn old furniture into a personalized piece you'll love.
How to Choose Furniture to Reupholster
Look beyond ugly fabric to the furniture's bones. An item is generally worth reupholstering if it's made with quality materials and is in good shape. When deciding whether to reupholster or pass, check the following:
Look at the bottom frame and make sure it's hardwood and kiln-dried. Check for strong, intact corner braces and stable construction.
Determine if the furniture was made with 8-way hand-tied springs. That means the springs were tied in eight different places, so it is secure in every direction: side-to-side, front-to-back, and on both diagonals. This type of construction is durable and tailored to each piece for exceptional comfort and support.
Test the furniture to make sure it doesn't rock during use. Check for any damage (such as warped or cracked wood) that can't be easily repaired.
Look for a recognizable brand name. Henredon, Vanguard, Michael Thomas, and others produce furniture worthy of reupholstering and reusing.
Best Fabric for Reupholstering Furniture
Upholstery fabric can be costly, but it's typically built to last. So, take the time to choose a material you'll be happy with. Fabrics come in various weights, and the best one for your reupholstery project depends on where and how the piece will be used. Bedroom furniture fabric, for example, doesn't need to be heavy-duty, but fabric for living room furniture often does. Non-upholstery-weight fabric works for a purely decorative piece.
When shopping for reupholstery fabric, check the back of the fabric swatch for the Wyzenbeek rating, or the rub count, to gauge the fabric's durability. This rating is determined by an abrasion resistance test in which a machine rubs the fabric and keeps track of the number of rubs before it's worn. The industry standard for upholstery-grade materials is about 30,000. Ask the manufacturer if the fabric description doesn't list a rub count.
To help with the decision:
Take home a fabric sample and set it against existing furniture to see if you like it. If needed, ask to borrow a bolt or sizeable hanging sample to cover as much of the piece as possible.
Live with it for a few days before making your decision.
Keep in mind that reupholstering furniture is an opportunity to update the piece to a more contemporary design, not just copy the previous look.
Choose a different color, go from a solid to a pattern, or change pattern scales for a bold new look.
Related: How to Clean Upholstered Furniture to Keep Your Sofa Looking Spotless
Furniture Reupholstery Ideas
As you reupholster, you can change more than just the piece's fabric. To really change the shape and contour of furniture, consider adding or altering other details. For example, a contrasting color welting (also called cord or piping) can be used to define lines. This looks best on a sculptural piece. You can also try a mingled cord (three colors twisted together) or a cord with a lip instead of a contrast welt.
Another way to update furniture as you reupholster is to add, remove, or change the skirt. This works great on older furnishings that now look squat or dated because of their short skirts. Have an upholsterer install a skirt higher on the piece for a more graceful look, or add banding to the bottom of the skirt. You could also add channeling or tufting for a vintage look (or take it out to modernize the piece).
Typical Costs for Reupholstering Furniture
The cost to reupholster furniture will vary according to region, fabric choice, and project details. These estimates for popular professional reupholstery projects can give you an idea of the average cost:
Couch or chair cushions: $70-$200 each
Dining room chair: $150-$600
Armchair: $300-$1,000
Sofa: $600-$1,800
Large sectional sofa: $1,000-$4,000
Check with an upholstery company for exact details on pricing, or try reupholstering the piece yourself to save on labor costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to reupholster or buy new?
For simple pieces (like dining room chairs) a DIY reupholstery project may be a cost-effective way to get a new look. For larger, more complicated pieces, it is often more expensive to repair or reupholster a piece than to simply buy a new one. However, if you have a sentimental attachment to a piece, it may be worthwhile to have it professionally reupholstered regardless of the cost. The same can be said for special one-of-a-kind and vintage pieces.
Do I have to remove the old fabric before reupholstering?
No—with some exceptions. If the fabric is moldy, smelly, or soiled, it should be removed. You should also remove the old fabric if it has a bulky texture or will be visible through the new fabric. If the existing fabric is flat and free of stains or smells, feel free to reupholster right over it.
Can leather furniture be reupholstered?
Yes, but working with leather is more costly than fabric. Whether or not the project will be worth it depends on the quality, value (both sentimental and actual), and size of the item. If you aren't ready to drop a lot of cash on repairing a worn leather furniture piece, try restoring the existing leather first.
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