What Is Reupholstery? A Guide to the Furniture Reinvention Process

If you were inspired by a beautiful furniture reupholstery transformation online, you’re probably wondering if your favorite comfy couch is a rehab candidate. But what is reupholstery, and how does it work?

Chances are there’s still life left in the seat, but you’ll need a professional furniture upholsterer near you to talk you through the process, including the expense. Here’s what you need to know about furniture reupholstery before diving into your first project. 

What Is Reupholstery?

Reupholstery offers the chance to change a furniture item's current look and functionality, whether it's an antique sofa, a beloved club chair, or a cherished window seat overlooking a magnificent view. A professional upholsterer gives worn or damaged furniture a second chance to serve your household well by repairing the furniture’s structure and incorporating new materials and fabric. Some people may choose to reupholster a beloved furniture item instead of buying new furniture as a way to reduce furniture waste.

How the Reupholstery Process Works 

A reupholstery project usually moves through several steps for the best outcome. Depending on the furniture’s age, size, amount of damage, and availability of materials, it could take weeks or months to finish. Keep in mind that the steps vary based on furniture item—for example, the process to reupholster a chair differs from revamping a couch.

1. Remove Existing Upholstery 

The first step is to tear down the existing upholstery. When the upholsterer removes the fabric and interior materials, they will expose the frame and the areas of disrepair. This step also shows the upholsterer the original work so they can match the same techniques later. 

2. Frame Exam and Repair 

The frame inspection includes tightening and repairing all furniture joints. Other issues that need attention, like dry rot, mold, or pest damage, are fixed, too. 

3. Replace Belts and Springs 

If you hear a ping or groan while sitting on your sofa, your belts (webbing) or springs might need replacement. Both features are essential to the foundation of your furniture and commonly wear down over the years. Belts distribute the weight and help the piece bear the load, while the springs add the “give” that lets you settle into a seat cushion. 

4. Replace and Add Fill Replacements 

The furniture’s stuffing and padding supply the comfort factor and shape the furniture's style and look. For example, consider how an overstuffed loveseat compares to a slim, sleek chaise. Both are comfortable but have different amounts of fill throughout the piece. The reupholster will replace and refill the item’s cushioning before moving onto the final steps. 

5. Final Reupholstery Finishing  

Adding the new furniture fabric and finishing details is an exciting part of the process. It’s the final step in re-creating a piece of furniture. Note that if you want to add deep buttons similar to a Chesterfield sofa, they’re added after the fill replacements and before the final upholstery.

After you’ve chosen a new fabric or leather and details like piping, the upholster works to bring the reinvented furniture to life.

Is Reupholstery a DIY Project? 

In most cases, it's best to let a professional renew your furniture. They have the patience, know-how, and skill-related tools to get the job done. When hiring an upholstery service, you should ensure they specialize in the type of item, material, and project in question, and assess their qualifications and references.

However, if you want to try reupholstery, start with a simple project like changing the cushion fabric and filling on your dining room chairs. Recovering a furniture item is when you install new fabric over the current version, which is a much more manageable DIY project than reupholstery. Plus, you don’t want to risk damaging an expensive or sentimental piece of furniture during a DIY disaster.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Reupholstering?

No two reupholstery projects are the same, so if you're on the fence, trust an expert eye to determine if your furniture is worth saving, especially if you don’t have an emotional attachment or don’t plan to pass it down as an heirloom piece. The pro will talk you through the pros and cons of the reupholstery process. 

Pros of Reupholstering

• Less furniture waste: You’ll save another piece of furniture from the landfill by reupholstering your current item. If sustainability is important to you, reupholstery is the way to go. 

• Preserving family heirlooms: If you can’t let a precious family heirloom go, reupholstery gives it new life for years to come. 

• Maintain high-quality furniture: Quality furniture was designed to last for decades—your project might not be as expensive as you think.

• Reimagine the item’s use: An upholstery service might suggest affordable ways to reimagine the furniture for a new use.

• Customization: You can customize more details on reupholstered furniture compared to buying new. 

Cons:

• Affordability: It may be difficult to justify spending thousands of dollars on a reupholstery project when it's possible to buy new furniture (maybe more than one piece) for less money. 

• Damaged beyond repair: If your furniture has extensive structural damage, there’s a chance it's beyond repair.

• Length of project time: Depending on the extent of the recovery, you could live without the furniture item in your home for weeks or months.

Is Reupholserty Worth the Cost? 

Not sure what to expect to pay for your reupholstery project? Furniture reupholstery costs vary based on type, fabric, condition, and other factors, but here are some of the fees associated with this type of project. 

• The average cost to reupholster furniture is $715 per item. 

• The price to reupholster an item ranges from $370 to $1,100, depending on repairs. 

• Materials cost between $50 and $70 per yard. 

• Labor costs range from $40 to $100 per hour.

Sometimes it's worth the money to reupholster, for example, if you only want to upgrade the fabric and fix a minor repair. But in many cases, buying new furniture is more affordable. You’ll also have to consider the sentimental value and the extent of the damage to the furniture. Complex repairs require many hours of skilled labor in addition to a long list of pricey materials like new fabric and down cushions, depending on the type of update you want. Consult a pro furniture reupholster to review the options for your piece.