In this article: how to choose upholstery; how to choose foam rubber; characteristics of foam rubber; how upholstered furniture is upholstered; what tools and materials will be needed; the sequence of the upholstery of the sofa-book; change or not change the filler when changing the upholstery; some of the nuances of upholstery.
A sofa, an easy chair, some kind of sofa or couch are indispensable items in any apartment or house. They decorate living rooms, where you can sit comfortably and watch TV, read the latest press or your favorite book. Two problems usually arise with upholstered furniture: how best to arrange it and how to replace the upholstery. Family council brainstorming will help you solve the first problem, and this article will help you solve the second problem.
Despite the desire of the owners to preserve the impeccable look of their favorite piece of furniture for as long as possible, many factors interfere with this desire: restless children, pets, hot drinks (they are difficult to hold in their hands), neighbors from above (they are periodically poured), cosmetic repairs (and like cement got under the film on the chair?), etc. In other words, the upholstery takes on an unpresentable look and you need to do something about it. The solution to the problem is to do-it-yourself furniture hauling. Doubt that you will succeed? How will it work out - after all, the work of the master is afraid!
Foam mats used for upholstering furniture differ in three parameters: thickness of the mat, density and hardness. The optimal thickness of the foam mat should be: for the seat and backrest - at least 40 mm; to add volume to the sides of the sofa (chair), 20 mm thickness is enough. Repair of upholstered furniture is carried out with foam rubber with a density of 25 to 30 units. (or kg / m3) - for backs and more than 30 units. - for seats with a hardness of up to 46 units.
Its service life depends on the density and stiffness of the foam rubber - the lower the density, the higher the tendency of the foam rubber to crumbling and deformation during physical exertion. Higher rigidity increases the wear resistance of the filler, but decreases its elasticity. Therefore, in the upholstery of furniture for seats, foam rubber of two different types stiffness: a harder first layer, then a layer with less rigidity.
In addition to foam rubber and upholstery fabric you will need a rough cotton fabric or canvas - it is covered with foam rubber and only after that the upholstery fabric is attached. This creates a double dust barrier.
How to calculate the right amount of material for upholstery
The required amount of foam rubber is determined after measuring the places for its laying on the sidewalls, backrest and seat. Upholstery fabric and canvas are required in the same amount, the total footage is determined after measuring the old upholstery. It is necessary to purchase materials in larger quantities than is actually required - by about 10-15%. So you can protect yourself from mistakes in the calculations and the drawing can be adjusted.
Stage one
We disassemble the sofa-book into its constituent elements. To do this, you need to disconnect the sidewalls by unscrewing the fasteners between them and the frame. We remove the sidewalls to the side and disconnect the seat and backrest from the frame. We remove the locking mechanism from the back and seat, separating them from each other. In the process of disassembling the sofa into elements, a digital camera will come in handy - before dismantling, take a photo of the fastening procedure, this will greatly facilitate the reassembly after the furniture upholstery is completed.
Unfasten the upholstery on the sides - it is usually stapled at the bottom facing the floor. To remove the staples, use a minus (flat) screwdriver and round-nose pliers - you need to pry the bracket and remove it with round-nose pliers. Do not cut the old upholstery - loosen and pull it off the side of the sofa. Under the old upholstery there will be either a layer of foam rubber, or cotton batting or synthetic winterizer, connected to the wooden (plywood) base of the sidewall with glue or staples. If you are satisfied with the state of this layer, you can leave it unchanged. Nevertheless, if the sofa has been in your family for a long time (more than 7-10 years), then its filler is unlikely to good condition and various insects could well settle in its contents.
Suppose that you still decide to replace the sofa filler - it must be completely removed from the sides. You don't need to be careful here - rip it off without ceremony. Inspect each side panel: remove the remaining staples and pieces of filler without touching the fastening screws that connect the side panels to the base of the sofa.
So, you have completely exposed the base of the sidewalls - it's time to think about whether you want to change their appearance, for example, give them volume. To get the volumetric (rounded) sides of the sofa, you need foam rubber with a thickness of 20-40 mm. Do not put foam rubber from the inner, invisible from above part of the sidewalls, otherwise it will be difficult to connect them to the frame.
Put the sidewall on a sheet of foam rubber with its outer (outer) side and with a wallpaper knife make a pattern so that the foam covers the entire outer side of the sidewall and 45-50% of the inner side (i.e., the section of the sidewall from the top to the sofa seat). On the left and right, make an allowance of about 70-80 mm to wrap the sidewall from the ends. Then pull and wrap the foam rubber along the ends of the sidewall, securing it with staples using a construction stapler. Next, fasten the foam rubber at the bottom of the front side and, wrapping it around the top of the sidewall and pulling it, secure it from the inside. Now it's the sailcloth turn - place the foam-covered sidewall on the unfolded canvas and cut it open with scissors. The canvas should completely cover the entire layer of foam rubber, it must be fastened from the bottom, then pulled, wrapped over the top and secured with staples. Then pull and fasten on the sides - first one side, then pull and fasten the other.
If you decide not to add volume to the sidewalls using foam rubber, put cotton batting or synthetic winterizer on them in one layer, followed by covering with canvas. A line of upholstery fabric - it must be cut out using the old upholstery as a template, then sewn and put on the sidewalls, pulling tightly and securing with staples from below. When cutting new upholstery, make sure that the pattern on both sidewalls matches, do not confuse the wrong side and the right side of the upholstery fabric. The larger, due to the laid foam rubber, the volume of the sidewalls must be taken into account when cutting the material, slightly increasing the size of the patterns.
Furniture restoration - back and seat line of a sofa-book
Move the finished sidewalls to the side so that they do not interfere, placing them vertically. Start from the seat - carefully remove the old upholstery, remove the filler, exposing the spring block. Inspect the springs: if they are damaged, replace them. If the wooden seat frame is loose or defective, replace them and reinforce the frame using furniture screws of sufficient length.
Lay a thick fabric on the spring block, attaching it in several places to the block with a coarse thread and a needle. Lay the foam - first a layer of hard foam, then softer - across the frame and the spring block installed on it. Attach the foam to the front of the wood frame, pull through the spring block and secure to the back of the frame, then to the sides. Next, you need to cover the foam rubber with a canvas cloth, attaching it to the front of the frame, pulling it and securing it on its back side - pull it with some force, avoiding folds. Fasten the canvas at one end of the frame, stretch and secure at the other end. When you have cut new upholstery based on the old one, take into account the larger amount of filling. A variant of the upholstery solution - without making a cut for the old upholstery, fasten and tighten the new upholstery fabric in the same way as the previous canvas, i.e. fixing it in front of the wooden frame, and then pulling it tightly and securing it at the back, just also fix it on the sides.
Backrest upholstery
It is made similar to the seat upholstery, but with some reservations. When laying the filler, hard foam rubber is not used, only soft foam. The foam layer is attached only to the upper part of the wooden frame and is not displayed on the lower one - it must be cut along the edge of the spring block. Why is this done - if you remove the backrest foam from edge to edge of the wooden frame, then it will either not be possible to unfold / fold the sofa-book after collection at all, or it will be extremely difficult - the volumetric foam will completely block the gap between the seat and back flaps.
If you remove the layer of foam rubber from edge to edge of the wooden frame only on the sofa seat, then the remaining gap will be sufficient to unfold / fold the sofa. When hauling furniture with your own hands, be sure to pay attention to this nuance. Let me remind you again - watch out for the coincidence of the pattern of the upholstery on the seat and back!
Padding of furniture - the final stage
All elements of the sofa-book are covered and ready to assemble. Inspect the main frame of the sofa by replacing the damaged parts and strengthening the loose ones using furniture screws and PVA glue (it is better to use PVA dispersion - it is more saturated). In the process of upholstering furniture with your own hands, the final assembly of a piece of upholstered furniture is one of the most difficult stages.
It is necessary to install and fix the locking mechanism, making sure that it is stable fastening - if necessary, bore the holes in it for screws with a larger diameter and fix the locking mechanism frames to them. When connecting the back and seat of the sofa to each other, force is required. If it is not possible to connect, it means that the layer of foam rubber between them is too large - carefully unfasten the upholstery and canvas on inside the seat frame and cut off some of the foam with a wallpaper knife, i.e. reduce its volume. Tighten and secure the canvas and upholstery one by one, then try to connect the back and seat with the locking mechanism - everything should work out.
Install the backrest and seat of the sofa, connected to each other, on the main frame, make sure that they are fastened properly. Then attach first one, then the other side. Check the folding / unfolding sofa, if necessary, slightly loosen / tighten the fasteners.
That's all, the work is over, the sofa's hauling is completed - we put it in its proper place and use it along with other pieces of upholstered furniture.
This article describes the process of stretching a sofa-book, as one of the most difficult objects of work on changing the upholstery and filler. The upholstery of an armchair, sofa and any other piece of upholstered furniture is carried out in almost the same way.
Abdyuzhanov Rustam, specially for RMNT.ru
It would seem, why drag old furniture with your own hands, when today in stores there is such a wide selection of headsets and individual furniture items? There are several reasons.
Not all furniture sold can boast of high quality and durability - many new samples are produced and assembled in very dubious industries: in private workshops equipped with technically imperfect equipment. Branded sets that are brought from abroad from eminent furniture factories, and not every consumer can afford the products of reputable domestic manufacturers.
Meanwhile, in city apartments and in country houses citizens still have soft kits released back in the days when the word GOST had weight and aroused confidence. There are also imported sets that could stand and stand in dining rooms and living rooms, delighting the hosts and their guests. It's just that the upholstery of such sets has lost its brightness, color, and maybe even torn, burst, cracked over time. So why buy something new (and there may not be free funds for this) when all you need is to refresh the look of the headset? Moreover, you can do it yourself, spending only on new upholstery material.
Let's try to figure it out: how to repair upholstered furniture with your own hands? What is required for this? Where to start and what is the complete algorithm of similar renovation works?
Table of contents:Upholstery
Of course, the hauling of old furniture begins with the choice of material for the design of the new upholstery. And here everyone is guided by their own taste, and, of course, by financial capabilities.
Leather
Leather upholstered furniture is always beautiful. And it looks expensive. With such furniture, any interior acquires noble features. And if you guess with a shade of material and make a high-quality hauling, you can literally transform the appearance of your own living room.
Looking for leather to replace your old upholstery? Pay attention to samples that are not too thick (no more than 3 mm thick) that retain good elasticity. It will be especially convenient to work with such.
You can find “furniture” leather (in pieces of optimal size) in shops selling consumables for shoemakers. If there is no such outlet in your city, then you will have to search the Internet. In the world wide web, most likely, you will find genuine leather of the right quality and suitable size.
Important: you should not buy leatherette for furniture constriction - it is absolutely short-lived! Yes, and working with him is problematic for an amateur.
Textile
There are only two options: either look for special upholstery fabrics, or buy the most ordinary tapestry... With colors, patterns, ornaments - whoever likes what and fits the design of the existing interior in general.
Tapestry, by the way, is cheaper than fabrics for upholstery, but it is just as beautiful and durable, and its structure eliminates the formation of puffs (this can be fundamentally important for pet owners). Any holds on this fabric do not break the fabric pattern, they are easily masked.
Textile upholstery has an undeniable advantage over leather if you need to overtighten old furniture. ... You can always buy the fabric of the desired length and width., therefore, the repairman will not be faced with the need to select pieces by shade, pattern, structure... Moreover, an amateur is unlikely to be able to do this, except that he can turn to experienced craftsmen.
In general, it is better to pull the upholstery on your own with a cloth, then it will probably turn out neatly and beautifully, even the first time. If, of course, you follow the instructions.
Necessary tool for pulling furniture
When changing the upholstery of upholstered furniture with your own hands, you will need to solve a number of problems:
- Disassemble individual furniture elements, remove parts.
- Remove staples, nails and other fasteners holding the old upholstery.
- Pull on the new material and fasten it securely.
To achieve the above goals, the following tools will be needed:
Where to start hauling upholstered furniture?
First of all, it is necessary to carefully inspect the furniture item, the upholstery of which is to be replaced in order to detect the attachment points to the body and the connection of the holding parts to each other. For example, when planning to replace the material with which the head of the bed is upholstered, the first step is to study the connection of the back with the bed, in order to then carefully remove this element.
As soon as the part for the constriction is dismantled, it will also need to be carefully examined, from all sides. The purpose of the inspection is to study the upholstery fasteners... It is necessary to remove the old material carefully, trying not to damage the base and remembering the sequence, since you will have to fix the new upholstery along the old "tracks", but in the reverse order to dismantling.
Important! If removing an element from the furniture does not give a complete idea of how the upholstery is fixed, you will have to remove all linings and decorative inserts from this part, getting to the fixation points (carefully using a chisel or knife). By the way, the upholstery can be attached not to furniture staples, but, for example, to glue or pins. Such cases are the most difficult to dismantle during the constriction process.
A cardboard tape can be nailed along the ends of the part, creating a relief around the perimeter and hiding possible gaps. It can be easily damaged during dismantling, but it is imperative to restore it or lay a new one. A headboard tape, for example, can be cut out of a piece of leather.
The finished leather strip for stiffening will need to be soaked in a concentrated aqueous solution of PVA glue and dried.
The soft "filling" of the part, if it is not damp and does not fall off with dust, can be left intact- its service life is much longer than that of the top furniture covering. However, if the filler has become unusable, it will need to be changed as well. And here you cannot do without the advice of a specialist, since only taste and financial capabilities will no longer be enough to select material for this type of work on specific furniture.
Self-replacement of old upholstery with a new one: the subtleties of the process
As soon as the old upholstery is removed, you can proceed directly to the hauling- that is, the design of the part with new material. But first, for a prepared and pre-cut upholstery fabric (or tapestry), you will need to trim the edge so that it does not start to crumble during operation.
The principle of hemming for upholstery textiles is practically the same as that used for processing the edge of garments - a cut of fabric is tucked in and fixed. Only a furniture stapler works instead of a sewing machine.
The first edge of the upholstery is applied to the part with the wrong side out and secured with a staple, then the fabric is turned over and covers the hammered staple, etc. So you need to move to the edge of the treated surface. Then tuck the textiles in a "corner", move to the next facet of the object, and so on.
Important: in the process of fastening the fabric with stapling staples, the tension of the textile should be controlled, preventing it from sagging or, conversely, constricting. A narrow strip of fiberboard can help in this - the upholstery is wound on it in one turn, and then the fabric is pulled along the entire length with this strip. Once the textile is stretched, the strip is nailed (with a stapler) to the part along with the fabric.
In general, the hauling of upholstered furniture is not such a difficult process - it is quite possible for independent implementation, even without any special knowledge and professional tools.
Restoration of an old sofa
An old solid sofa, which the hand does not rise to carry into the trash, can continue to serve faithfully to its owners. The main thing is that its frame is intact, the mechanisms work and the springs do not sag, and the upholstery can always be pulled over.
What is required for this?
Self-tensioning technology
The sofa for the banner will have to be completely disassembled - remove all parts, linings and decorative elements that only need to be dismantled.
Note! When disassembling the sofa frame, it will be necessary to number all the constituent elements.
If there are any minor defects in the frame, they will have to be eliminated - for example, to replace broken / bent planks, broken springs. After that, you will need to assemble the frame, having smeared all the joints with glue. And then tighten it with a clamp and fix it with cruciform dowels.
The next step is to prepare the fabric for the outer upholstery. And cut out parts from plywood for attachment to the frame. The finished elements will need to be fixed on the sofa frame with stapling staples. And already on the plywood parts, the blanket is fixed (again, on the staples with a stapler). And also the springs are strictly vertically fixed so that they do not move. For this, simple brackets are made of galvanized wire (each 2 cm long).
The next stage is the production of measurements of the upper part of the spring web. And according to the figures received, the old carpet is already being cut. In this case, on each side of the piece, 4-5 cm are left for allowances.
The resulting piece covers the spring surface of the sofa. And then the carpet is fixed neatly around the entire perimeter with carnations (the edge is tucked up due to the allowance). For reliability, you also need to sew the edge with a nylon thread (with a seam whose pitch is 5 cm).
Now the next blanket. It must be secured with an overlap (5 cm). And from a dense fabric, sew a cover according to the frame template and attach it to the frame (from the back side).
To the front side, you will need to nail a new upholstery fabric with staples, ensuring its uniform tension over the surface and bending the edges of the material.
It's no secret that over time, the upholstery of upholstered furniture loses its original appearance, especially if there are pets in the house, old furniture often does not fit into the new interior after renovation. In this case, you should not change the existing furniture for new interior items.
A simpler solution would be to replace the upholstery fabric and upholstered furniture lining. In most cases, this is not difficult at all. This short overview provides detailed instructions how to pull the sofa with your own hands.
Self-hauling sofas
It is quite possible to renew the covering of upholstered furniture on your own or with the help of professionals. When performing work on your own, you can face the following difficulties, which are difficult to overcome without special skills:
Problems can arise during the first stage of furniture disassembly. Sometimes it is problematic to do this without special skills and tools. Therefore, deciding on this work, you need to test your strength by pulling at least a stool. On this simple task, you can hone technology and choose a tool.
The details of the sofa can have complex geometric shapes. Therefore, it is difficult for them to make the correct pattern, and then carry out the correct stretch. The pattern will be easier to make if you copy it from the old upholstery.
Pulling a sofa with a book, which essentially consists of two rectangular halves and two sides, is much easier than a non-folding sofa with large armrests and additional pillows, or in the case when the pattern consists of several pieces of fabric.
When restoring old furniture, it is not enough to replace only the upholstery. Often it is necessary to replace the filler, repair the frame and even replace the springs in old sofas.
Antique furniture requires very careful handling, it is better to entrust its repair and renovation to professionals.
For decoration, materials that are difficult to work can be used. Leather is much more difficult to deal with than fabric. For the first hand-made banner of the sofa, it is better to choose fabric materials.
Work technology
This task is time consuming but quite doable work. It is not difficult to pull the sofa at home if all steps need to be performed carefully and in accordance with the recommendations and instructions.
At the first stage, the sofa is disassembled: overhead elements, seat, back are removed. Fasteners come in handy during assembly, so they are carefully assembled.
Next, the old upholstery is removed. This is done using an ordinary thin flat screwdriver. The cover should not be thrown away, as new fabrics will be cut into its shape. After removing the coating, you need to check the condition of the internal structure and clean it.
Foam rubber requires mandatory replacement, since it has a short service life compared to natural materials. Instead of foam rubber, a relatively recently appeared synthetic winterizer, which has a long service life, can be used. In addition, you need to fix and check the fastening of the metal springs.
Then patterns are made from the new material. It is very easy to make them using the removed old upholstery, you just need to add a few centimeters on each side for an allowance, the excess of which is then cut off. All fabric blanks for the pillows and for the sofa itself are made in the same way.
It is better to purchase upholstery fabric with a small margin. Since, if the dimensions and calculations are inaccurate, it may not be enough and in the worst case it will not be possible to buy it.
Different materials are purchased depending on the purpose of the furniture. They can be made from breathable, natural, but not abrasion-resistant fabric, ideal for sleeping, or they can be made of abrasion-resistant leather, suitable for long-term continuous use, for example, in organizations.
Buying fabric or leather is a very responsible event, so before pulling the sofa, you should study the photos of various design solutions, choose your individual style, choose the right fabric and shop.
Selection of material
The choice of materials should be done with great care. It is necessary to select fabrics not only by their design and combination, but also by their quality.
Textile good quality should not smell harsh. The pile should be firmly attached to the base, there should be no shedding. Its consumption depends on the pattern of the fabric, since in some versions it is required to set the pattern in a certain direction.
The synthetic winterizer is also not the same and requires a choice. When buying it, you should pay attention to the fact that it should be white, odorless, durable, not torn in your hands.
Foam rubber also comes in different qualities. The main characteristic feature is the size of the bubbles. In high-quality foam rubber, the bubbles are small, and in lower quality material, they are large. The size of the bubbles, oddly enough, determines the durability and wear resistance of the foam rubber.
Cloth upholstery is the final step and is carried out with a construction stapler and glue. This operation is easier to accomplish if you take photographs of the furniture before disassembling.
Self-upholstering at home is quite feasible, but requires some skill and patience. A neatly made constriction will give pleasure and save a lot of money.
Upholstered furniture, especially sofas, have a slight drawback; over time, their upholstery wears out and becomes unusable. Some people immediately think about purchasing a new product, but this is not necessary. If the upholstery has become unusable, but the frame remains as new, then the upholstery can be replaced by yourself. Of course, hauling a sofa with your own hands is quite troublesome, but doable. But it is worth finding out the features of this process.
When to update
Usually the frame, the constituent elements are stronger than the furniture upholstery. Therefore, over time, it becomes necessary to tighten it. So when is this process necessary?
Typically, restoration is performed for reasons:
- the structure of the upholstery, filler has lost its appearance;
- the presence of defects or manufacturer errors. Sometimes a defect can be subtle, some buyers may simply not see it with the naked eye. But after a few years of malfunction, defects may appear;
- changing the dimensions, shape of the product. Perhaps, after a few years, the owners will want to change the appearance of the sofa, in which case it will be necessary to carry out the hauling;
- changing the style of the interior of the room - the old type of upholstery in these cases may simply not fit into the new kind premises;
- accumulation of large amounts of dirt. Upholstered furniture, pillows are an excellent environment for the accumulation of various microbes, dust and bacteria. Especially often, dirt accumulates in the filling, in the foam rubber. Moreover, when contaminated, foam rubber begins to emit toxic substances.
This process will be much cheaper than purchasing new furniture. Therefore, you can view a photo or video of this process and feel free to start its implementation.
Material selection
Before pulling the furniture, you need to choose the fabric for the upholstery. The basis of the fabric for furniture must be strong and durable. At the same time, the owner can choose the type, structure, design at his discretion. If you want the furniture to become richer, more beautiful, to add luxury and chic to the style of the room, then upholstered furniture is upholstered with leather. In other cases, you can get by with an ordinary fabric in the form of flock, chinilla, jacquard.
For the constriction of upholstered furniture at home, different types of fabrics are used:
- flock is a fairly dense fabric. It has high strength, is not subject to abrasion, catches from animal claws;
- chenille - it happens on the basis of glue or fabric. On the basis of glue, it deforms during wet cleaning, dries for a long time. With a fabric base, moisture-resistant, wear-resistant;
- tapestry - this type of fabric can be used for self-constriction of the product. Has strength, high density, long service life;
- jacquard - this fabric is quite expensive, but its quality justifies the price many times over. It can be used to tighten old furniture of any design, modification;
- leather - this type of material has a fairly high cost, but it is often used during sheathing. It is mainly used during the constriction of leather sofas, when the material becomes unusable, becomes old, cracks and various defects appear on it;
- velor - this type of fabric is in high demand. This is due to the low price and excellent qualities. Velor has a long service life, and after sheathing gives the product softness and comfort.
Velours 
Tapestry 
Jacquard 
Leather 
Flock 
Chenille Instruments
Repair and hauling of the sofa, first of all, should begin with the preparation of the necessary equipment. Further quality, wear and tear of the sofa will depend on the correct repair process and compliance with all the rules.
What tools are required:
- flat-type screwdriver;
- anti-stapler - it will be needed to remove old staples;
- set wrenches from 8 to 19 mm;
- it is imperative that there is a special sewing machine at home that has a large foot lift;
- high strength threads - these products will help to perform a high-quality hauling;
- stapler for stapling material;
- scissors for trimming material;
- nippers and side cutters;
- material;
- foam rubber;
- decorative buttons, as well as various other decorative elements;
- glue - for convenience, you can use a special glue gun;
- drill, screwdriver.
Reinforcement technology
All the tools have been purchased, the material has been purchased, you can start the work itself. But many professionals still advise, before sheathe a sofa with your own hands, you should look at a photo or video with a detailed process of these works. After a careful study, the repair and rebuilding of the sofas will be straightforward. It is advisable to carry out the whole process in stages, you should not try to do everything at once.
Disassembly
The first step is to disassemble the removable parts of the structure. This process will definitely require the use of a tool, it is advisable to be careful not to damage the furniture. In order for the assembly process not to cause difficulties, it is better to take a photo that shows the sequence and location of all structural elements.
All fastening elements should be collected in some box and put away for a while in another place, so as not to accidentally lose.
The next step will be to remove the old coating. The whole process must be performed step by step:
- we prepare a screwdriver or staple remover, these tools will be required to remove the upholstery material;
- using a screwdriver or a staple remover, it is necessary to remove all staples, but they should be removed carefully. Staples will be required for further sheathing of the new material;
- the condition of the filler is examined - it must be cleaned of dirt, dust. If necessary, it should be replaced with a new one;
- be sure to inspect all springs under the filler, they may have come off or they should be tightened. If necessary, replace the old elements with new ones;
- inspect all fasteners - all fasteners are tightened, wooden joints are glued.
Old upholstery must be carefully removed 
Replace filler if necessary 
If necessary, you can replace the springs by fixing them with brackets Pattern and preparation of new upholstery
How long will it take to cut a new cover, especially if you are pulling a corner sofa? If you decide to do it yourself without a sample, then of course it will all take a lot of time. It is better to use old upholstery items. If these elements are not present, then the material can be applied to the sofa and the necessary marks can be made, but do not forget to make allowances for the seams.
For constriction, you should purchase as much material as possible, it is better to let it remain. It will be much more difficult therefore to look for a fabric of the same type. Moreover, the remainder can be used for other purposes.
Pattern of details Padding of individual parts of the product
How to properly pull furniture:
- first of all, you need to cover various decorative elements;
- then armrests, side parts are fitted;
- the next step is to trim the seat;
- at the end, the back is pulled.
Staple the fabric. The distance between the staples should be no more than 4 cm.
During the constriction, the fabric should be laid out evenly so that the entire pattern is clearly visible. After sheathing, there should be no irregularities, deformations, folds.
It is necessary to cover the back and seat with a cloth 
We tighten the sidewalls Assembly
The assembly process must be done in the reverse order, just as the product was disassembled. But so that the process does not cause difficulties, it will be possible to refer to the pictures that were taken during the parsing of the sofa. Usually the build process is fast and easy.
The plating instructions are not so complicated, you can do everything yourself. If the upholstery of the sofa has become unusable, then it is not necessary to go to a furniture store to buy a new one. You can watch a video, study the features of self-cladding, and everything can be done on your own. The main thing is to have desire, little skills and patience.
All finished parts are fastened 
Video
In the process of repair, all objects and elements of the room are subject to changes. But not everyone has sufficient funds to renovate furniture. If the frame is still strong and reliable, then there is no need to go to the store to shop - you can modify and restore the upholstered furniture yourself. The central place in the living room is occupied by a sofa or sofa. If you do not know how to make a banner for little money, then we recommend that you read this article.
Instruments
As with any other process, it all starts with planning and preliminary work. If you are going to fit the sofa at home without the involvement of specialists, then you should perform all the steps in order. To begin with, a tool is selected. You need to stock up on the following:
- screwdriwer set;
- hammers;
- scissors;
- construction or furniture stapler with staples (optimal size 8-10 mm);
- pliers;
- set of wrenches;
- screwdriver;
- PVA glue).
In addition, new materials should be selected: filler and upholstery material. Let's consider the most popular options.
Filler
Among modern fillers, the leading place is taken by polyurethane foam, which can be bought in a hardware store at an affordable price. When buying foam rubber, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics:
- Density. Depends on which element the filler is selected for. For example, a higher reading is needed for seating, and a lower one for the back and armrests. So, experts recommend choosing a density of 30 kg / m 3 for seating (brands EL3040 and EL4050), and for armrests - 25 kg / m 3.
- Softness.
- Elasticity.
Among the domestic producers of foam rubber, the Muromporolon company stands out, which for several years has been offering its consumers quality products with a large list of advantages:
- quality;
- security;
- environmental friendliness;
- hypoallergenic material;
- affordable cost.
Covering materials
After you have decided on the filler, you can proceed to the choice of material for the upholstery. The choice is large enough, most often consumers choose the following options:
- Tapestry is a dense and noble fabric that has dust-repellent properties. A great option for rooms made in retro style.
- Jacquard is an artificial silk with a double-sided pattern. The material is very aesthetic, so it looks solid. Cleans up without problems.
- Flock is made from natural (cotton) or artificial (polyester) base. The material has a velvety feel in a small volume, thanks to which it is pleasant to touch it. Can be cleaned dry or wet. Such a sofa is not afraid of cat's claws, since there are no marks left on it.
- Velor possesses high rate durability and low pile. Does not wrinkle.
- Chinil - in appearance, it is quite similar to velor, but unlike it, the material is of higher quality. In addition, it breathes, has a slight hairiness.
- Artificial suede - can be either non-woven or woven. The material is well cleaned, you can carry out wet cleaning warm soapy water.
- Leather can be either natural or artificial, depending on the restoration budget and personal preferences. The material is durable and practical, but is afraid of the effects of animal claws.
Regardless of what is chosen, the following requirements are taken into account:
- strength;
- ease of cleaning;
- resistance to ultraviolet radiation;
- environmental friendliness;
- attractive appearance.
Also, furniture tape, braid and edging should be recorded in the list of required materials. These are consumables that will be needed for upholstery.
Getting Started
When all necessary materials and the tools are collected and purchased, you can go to work. First, the sofa should be disassembled into basic elements. As a standard, each model consists of the following parts:
- back;
- seating;
- armrests;
- lower part (tsar);
- backrest locks.
To do everything correctly and not break the components, follow a simple algorithm of actions:
- Remove the bolts that secure the armrests to the base.
- Remove seats.
- Disconnect the drawer side.
- Unfold the sofa and turn the front part to the floor.
- Remove the back.
- Remove locks.
- Remove the seats.
- Remove old fasteners: nails and staples.
- Remove old upholstery and filler.
- If there are faulty and broken springs, remove the block completely.
The upholstery and filler must be carefully removed, since later on they will be used to pattern new elements.
Main part
The main part of the process includes several stages. To know exactly how to properly fit the sofa, you should do everything in stages and carefully.
Internal repair
You should start with the repair of the frame, namely with the spring block:
- faulty elements are carefully unscrewed with pliers;
- install new springs;
- insert the block back and secure it with nails.
It is possible to make old springs more resilient using foam pieces or an old blanket. We fill the springs with pieces of cut foam rubber. If an old blanket was chosen, then they cover the entire block from above and stitch it with a needle and twine. In order for the foam rubber sheets to lie tightly, they are pre-coated with glue. To make the foam look more voluminous, you can lay a synthetic winterizer on top of the foam rubber.
Sagging springs can not be removed, it is enough to stretch them - so they will last longer.
Sewing covers
Regardless of whether the sofa will be upholstered in leather or fabric, the procedure is very simple:
- on the floor, with the wrong side up, lay out the fabric, on which we lay out the elements of the old upholstery on top;
- we fix it with needles so that the elements do not shift;
- we circle all the components with chalk, not forgetting about the seam allowances;
- we cut out the material;
- we sew everything on a sewing machine.
We cover the elements of the sofa
When everything is ready, the sofa is directly upholstered, or rather its individual components:
- we put on stitched covers on the back, seats and armrests;
- the places where the new items will be fixed should be exactly where the old covers were located;
- we fix new covers with a stapler, while the material must be tightened every time we drive in the subsequent fasteners.
It remains only to assemble all the components in the reverse order of disassembly, while paying attention:
- on the coincidence of labels;
- the fastening of the lock occurs first to the back, then to the seat and to the tsar;
- mount the sidewalls, and then the armrests;
- at the end, we fix the wooden panels, having previously varnished them, if necessary.
All processes are quite simple and require only care. Now you know how to fit the sofa yourself and save a decent amount on it.
Constantly stretching the upholstery is required in order for the material to lay down evenly and smoothly. Work should be done on long side and move towards the short one.
Features of skin tightness
If leather was chosen as a new material, then the fitting process is somewhat different, more precisely, it will be necessary to take into account several important points. It should be noted that a sofa covered with leather will look somewhat more respectable, and the care process will be easy, because unlike textiles, it is easy to remove dirt, dust from the skin, greasy stains and other types of pollution.
The sequence of work when disassembling and repairing the sofa frame is no different from the previous description, so we will not dwell on it again. We pay great attention to removing the old upholstery, which will be used as a template for the pattern of new material. In addition, you will also need a lining, which will be any adhesive material.
When sewing new covers, we take into account the following features:
- we exclude the sweeping process, since the needle can leave holes in the material;
- all upholstery elements from the seamy side are fixed with adhesive tape;
- so as not to damage the skin when sewing (the sewing machine foot may leave marks), you should first grease the material with petroleum jelly.
You will also have to work with the allowances that were left for the seams in the process of cutting out. If you put them together, then on the front side they can bulge out. To get a flat and smooth surface, you should well separate and smooth the allowances with an iron through cheesecloth.
The seams will be securely fastened if the tape is used.
Summing up, we can say that the restoration process can be completely performed independently without involving outside help... It is enough to purchase the necessary materials, assemble a simple tool for work and start the painstaking business of tightening the sofa.
Video
An old sofa can be "brought to life":