Upholstering the sofa with your own hands

Sometimes I really want to change the situation in the apartment and change the furniture. Sometimes the old sofa simply loses its original appearance, but there is no money to buy a new one. What to do in this case? There is a way out - hand-wound sofa!

Let's take a closer look at all aspects and stages of this, at first glance, difficult process.

Let us consider in more detail the most popular materials for exterior upholstery and for interior filling. Not every material, from all existing ones, can be suitable for stretching sofas - certain properties are required, for example:

• fabric must have a high degree of wear resistance;
• the material should be dense and color-resistant - that is, the color should not fade and dim with time;
• the upholstery should not shrink, the fabric should shrink and stretch well if necessary;
• resistance to friction - on the fabric should not be formed pellets;
• It is best for the material to have a special impregnation that protects it from the absorption of liquids and the appearance of stubborn stains;
• it is good if the material has such qualities as environmental friendliness and resistance to fire;
• the fabric must be breathable - it is this quality that will help prevent the material from spilling over the seams.

Let us consider in more detail the most popular options for upholstery for sofas, features and advantages of each of them.

This is the name of nonwoven material, which is made by gluing the fibers of a material with a special base. It is resistant to damage, easy to clean, does not fade and does not absorb moisture. In addition, the animal's hair does not stick to this material, therefore, caring for the surface of the sofa, it will be enough to wipe it with a damp cloth.

Artificial suede has a lot of properties that satisfy the needs of consumers.In addition, it has a lower cost than natural suede, but is not inferior in any way for some quality characteristics.

Artificial suede is very durable and has a high wear resistance, does not fade and wears off only after a very long service life. However, there are a number of shortcomings, which, by the way, do not concern the functionality of the material: when using chemical cleaning agents it quickly becomes unusable, it cannot be durable, if it is not carhed into the base.

The leather substitute is a quite practical and rather cheap material suitable for stretching the sofas. Genuine leather can be very expensive, and since a large amount of leather can be needed for upholstering a whole sofa, they use a more budget artificial option.

Kozham has such advantages: resistant to moisture, not susceptible to rapid abrasion, practical, easy to clean.

But, unfortunately, in addition to the advantages, this material has some drawbacks: it quickly undergoes burning, it is clearly visible mechanical damage, strongly adheres to the bare skin of a person.

Ecoskin is also popular, which also has an artificial origin, but is made from more environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic materials.

The material is woven and in its soft texture is similar to rayon fibers. It consists of both natural and synthetic fibers, in equal proportions. The fabric is very durable and wear-resistant, so that the sofa can last for many years without losing its original appearance. In addition, it does not fade, and the variety of colors provides a wide range of sofas to choose from.

A material whose surface resembles a multitude of small caterpillars is obtained by means of a special interlacing of fibers and threads. This fabric is both natural and synthetic. The advantages include the preservation of the original form - the fabric is not deformed and does not stretch.

The fabric is practical, long retains its original appearance and bright colors. The disadvantages include the lack of moisture-proof properties, high cost and sensitivity to the mechanical effects of animal claws.

Tapestry is the most popular fabric for upholstery. It is also called two-faced, because the ornaments that are painted on it can often be used both from one side and the other. The fabric contains a large amount of cotton, and the remaining fibers are natural. The material has a high degree of strength and durability, has a moisture-resistant impregnation, does not fade and pleases buyers with a wide range of flourishes and patterns.

The material is mixed because it contains fibers of viscose, polyester and cotton. Besides the fact that the fabric is very attractive and pleasant to the touch, it is also quite durable, elastic and "breathable", that is, it is well breathable.

But there are a number of drawbacks: extremely soft cleaning is applicable, the stains are very difficult to remove, the material is subject to rapid loss of the original appearance, because it wears out very quickly.

In addition to the outer upholstery, in some cases, it is necessary to replace the inner sofa and the old sofa. Consider the most popular materials that are best suited for this:

• Polyurethane foam. Very practical, hypoallergenic material that can withstand heavy loads. It is well ventilated and promotes good circulation of moisture;

• Streamfiber. Elastic durable material having a reasonable price. It is not subject to rotting, does not allow the appearance of parasites and is the orthopedic basis of the sofa;

• Felt. Natural material obtained in the process of felting wool by various techniques. The material is not used as the main mattress, but its insulating and wear-resistant features make it an excellent lining option;

• Latex. It is considered elite, therefore it is used for filling expensive sofas. It is durable, elastic and belongs to the category of orthopedic materials;

• Coconut Tow. Natural material made from coconut fibers. The mattress of this material is absolutely not elastic and quite hard, but it is hypoallergenic and quite profitable.

It is not enough just to choose suitable materials necessary for the waist of the sofa. An important aspect is the calculation of the amount of tissue.

Calculate the amount of material is not as difficult as it may seem at first glance:

• First of all, you need to carefully remove the old fabric, which was upholstered sofa, keeping the parts intact.
• The next step is to thoroughly measure them, and then summarize all the results regarding horizontal forms. To the amount received, it will be necessary to add the twentieth part of the result, which will go to the joining of patterns and seam allowances. The result will be the required length.
• The width is calculated in a different way and is much simpler: you only need to measure the widest part.

If there are cushions, they should also be taken into account. The amount of fabric needed for sewing pillows is calculated as follows: the width and length of the products are measured, the results are added to each other and doubled.

In case the old upholstery cannot be removed or cannot be measured, all measurements will be only approximate - double values ​​for the length and width of the sofa are usually used. For the upholstery of the sofa with massive armrests and additional details, the length of the product should be multiplied by five, in order to avoid a shortage of material.

It is good if, when removing the old upholstery, it is preserved in a holistic state - then making the pattern is easy. But what to do if it is impossible to cut new ones according to the old patterns? In this case, you have to make your own pattern, suitable for a particular model of the sofa.

Let us take a closer look at the process of drawing up a pattern using a simple example:

• Armrest. It is necessary to measure its external, internal and front parts. In the end, for the two armrests should get six parts - a pair of all listed.
• Seat. One continuous piece is cut out, which is divided in half by bending. One part of the part will cover the surface on which they sit, the other part flows into the lower front, vertically positioned surface.
• Back. Several parts are cut out: the front part is in a single copy and the two halves are designed for the waist of the back part of the back. It should be noted that the back of the back should be almost twice as long as the front, because it covers the entire back of the sofa.

In addition, when cutting out parts, you need to add a few centimeters to each edge - for processing the edges of the material and for seam allowances.

In addition to patterns and fabrics, for the constriction of sofas, you will need special working tools, without which the whole process will simply be impossible. Let us consider in more detail the entire list of tools, as well as the functions that they perform:

1. To dismantle the old upholstery and some outdated parts, and then assemble the sofa, you may need a wrench, a manual screwdriver, or an electric screwdriver.
2. To remove the upholstery and detach the old furniture brackets need pliers or a special device designed specifically for this. It should be careful, because the staples have sharp ends and, falling on the floor and lost, they can easily get into the leg and injure you.
3. For the waist of the sofa at home and fixing the material is better to use a furniture stapler and brackets of the required length. For a small amount of work, you can use the mechanical model, but if you have to fit a large number of parts, it is better to opt for an electronic product.
4. Need a hammer and a construction knife. These tools are useful if you have to customize any parts directly in the process of fixing and fixing them;
5. Do not forget about the tape measure, the length of the line, pencils and fabric crayons, as well as sharp scissors. All these things will be indispensable when taking measurements, drawing patterns and making fabric parts.

Hauling furniture is not such a difficult task as it may seem initially. It is necessary to study in advance all the main stages of work, as well as draw up a plan of upcoming actions that will help facilitate the process and not miss any important details:

• First of all, you need to disassemble the sofa, since it is simply impossible to over-load the piece of furniture in the assembled state. It is necessary to carefully loosen and unscrew all the parts so as not to damage the fasteners, since after the waist all the parts must be returned to their places.

After parsing the sofa, the next step is to remove the old upholstery. You must carefully loosen the brackets and pull out the material. If necessary, you can replace the mattress.

• Replacing the internal filling is the next step. At this stage, replacing the foam or spring frame. It is worth noting that the first option is much easier to work with. In the case of a spring mattress, its complete replacement may not be necessary. If the frame is in suitable condition, you can repair and correct the shape of the springs with the help of improvised tools.If the springs are completely unusable, the replacement of a whole sofa mattress will be necessary.

• Next is the replacement of the filler of the back of the old sofa, pillows and armrests, in case they are soft.

• After replacing the internal filling, it is necessary to cut out all the details of the fabric and sew the corresponding parts together.

• After the pattern and stitching parts together, the upholstery stage begins. We overtighten the armrests, seats, pillows and back of the sofa.

In the lower part of the seats, armrests and sofa frame material is attached with special furniture brackets.

• After fixing all the fabric parts and completing the upholstery of the sofa should be its final assembly. At the end of this stage, the sofa will take a completely different look, without changing its design.

A change of upholstery will help an outdated piece of furniture to play with new colors and become a stylish center for any interior.

A more detailed process of stretching the sofa can be viewed in the next video.

Drag simple straight model of the sofa is quite simple, the difficulties can only consist in working with armrests.But it is much more difficult to change the upholstery of the corner sofa, since there are different models, with different features that cause difficulties in the work.

Consider options for waist corner sofa for example of two models

A sofa with a rectangular corner element is much easier to update, since fewer parts need a waist. Often, these models have a dolphin mechanism and large cushions that serve as the backrest.

The main stages of the upholstery of such a model are no different from any other:

• the sofa must first be disassembled;
• restore the mattress or completely change the content;
• take measurements from all parts;
• Cut new upholstery.

In addition to standard parts, you will need to cut out the upholstery for the corner rectangular element. If necessary, you also need to change the content and upholstery of the hidden part, which becomes visible when decomposing the sofa and is part of the bed.

In addition, upholstery need armrests, the back of the sofa and all the sofa cushions. Since they are an independent element and do not have a clear frame,You can change the filling of pillows to any other option, for example, more hypoallergenic or environmentally friendly.

We will have to make a little more effort and approach the process with all the attention. The complexity of the upholstery of such a sofa lies in the unusual shape of the back, as well as the presence of additional semi-circular elements mounted on the armrests. In addition, the corner of this sofa consists of a prominent square detail and a triangular element in the corner.

For upholstery will need three elements: a square, a triangle and a rectangle. In addition to the back in the waist and need all the lower elements of the sofa - parts that are in a vertical position under the seats.

Padding a sofa with a spring mattress may require special effort. Let's take a closer look at all the main stages of working with this model of sofa mattress:

• First of all, we select the appropriate materials. For example, as a mattress seal, the option with springs is perfect dense felt, which is used specifically for furniture.

• With the help of a special stapler for furniture, we fix the cut piece of felt to the wooden frame of the sofa seat. Use small but durable brackets that will help fix and hold the material at the base.

• This is followed by the preparation of the spring unit. If you have purchased a new one and it does not fit in size, you need to adjust its dimensions with the help of a grinder and special cutters. The received spring block needs to be fixed on the same wooden basis of a seat. Furniture brackets and stapler can be used.

• After that, you need to cut foam strips corresponding to the height of the springs, and lay them around the perimeter of the entire block. Foam rubber will also need to be fixed at the base. In addition, the strips should be fixed and between themselves.

• Then you need to cut from felt and foam rubber parts corresponding to the size of the resulting frame and put them in the following order: first felt, then foam rubber. It should be noted,that for the reliability of foam parts is best to fix a special glue for foam rubber.

• On top of the resulting structure impose another layer of felt, slightly larger. For better grip, it will be necessary to glue it in the middle, and at the edges to stitch it with strong nylon cones.

• After preparing the spring seat, it is necessary to carve out for him the upholstery of the appropriate size, stitch it in angular places, then pull it onto the seat and fix it properly at the base of the frame with a furniture stapler.

Sometimes it happens that the sofa does not need a full waist, but only partially upholstered. This may be relevant in the presence of scuffs and places with the formed pellets.

Let's take a closer look at step-by-step instructions for a partial waist using the example of one sofa:

• Step 1. It is necessary to disassemble the sofa, undoing absolutely every detail, without exception.
• Step 2. Carefully remove all the upholstery without damaging the well-preserved parts. If on any details the waist is not made, they do not need to touch (in this case, the bottom parts and the basics of the armrests).
• Step 3. Carefully inspect the entire filling of the sofa. Restoring if there are any serious flaws.
• Step 4. We cut out the necessary parts from the new fabric (in this case, these are the seats, the upper parts of the armrests, part of the backrest and pillows).
• Step 5. We preserve the upper part of the back and sew it with the parts subject to replacement.
• Step 6. We make a banner and we fasten material with wooden frame bases.
• Step 7. We finish the process of waist and collect the sofa.

When self-constriction of the sofa should not rely only on themselves. It is best to familiarize yourself with the advice of experts who can assist in the work and protect against absurd mistakes.

Consider the most popular tips masters on hauling sofas:

• It is worth using dense materials. The sofa is the most popular furniture in the apartment and is used most of all, therefore it needs to use a dense, wear-resistant material for the waist.
• If you intentionally purchase an old sofa to make a waist, you should take care of the upholstery, since replacing it may be financially and energy-consuming.In addition, you should not choose highly complex models in order to reduce the time spent on the waist.
• It is not necessary to change the upholstery material if you want to change only the shade of the sofa. It will be enough just to paint the material.
• It is better to leave the fabric parts stitching at last, after replacing the filler, because when using a new material, the volume of the seats and the backrest may slightly decrease or increase.

An old wooden-framed sofa needs a complete renovation, which will give the piece of furniture a more modern look. In this case, there is a need to build new, more voluminous and soft armrests, as well as the reconstruction of the lower part and hauling it with fabric material.

For the waist of the old leather sofa used soft velor. Ivory tint in combination with a velvety surface looks just amazing.

Very stylish version of the upholstery of a small sofa. In this case, used wool thick drape. The combination of elements of different shades gives the product an extraordinary charm and unique style.

A white leather sofa with soft pillows will draw a flock of bright green fabric, thanks to which the piece of furniture will play with completely new colors.