We restore old sofa furniture. Do-it-yourself furniture restoration master class: wardrobe and sofa. Removing worn upholstery

Old furniture becomes unusable after years of use. The sofa looks like an old, hunchbacked camel, the fabric is wiped off on the sides, and, sitting in an armchair, can you reach the floor with your fifth point? A logical question arises: what to do?! Throw it away and buy a new one or refurbish? In our case, start repairing immediately!

To restore an old sofa, we need:

• Manual stapler with staples 6-8 mm,
• Hammer, pliers, set of keys (13, 14, rarely 17),
• Screwdriver with a thin sting for pulling out old staples,
• Awl, needle (crescent), thread, wide belts, scissors,
• Upholstery materials.

materials

For upholstery, it is best to use high-quality material such as velor, matting, chenille, jjacard, etc.

Mat Chenille Velor Jacquard

As a filler in furniture production, spring blocks or foam rubber are used. To replace them, you need to disconnect the bed from the linen tray (sofa) using a wrench. For the convenience of work, you can use a table, which will not only reduce the time of disassembly and assembly, but also preserve health.

Sofa disassembly

Upholstery fabric is removed using a special tool. This is an ordinary screwdriver, sharpened in a special way (for pulling out staples), or factory staplers.

Such devices are not only effective, but also safe, as they completely protect hands from involuntary slipping.

We must not forget that repairing sofas at home is considered an unsafe business, so excessive forethought and caution will not hurt.

After we have removed the old fabric, we can begin to replace the spring block or those springs that have broken.

Changing the spring block at home is very problematic, it must be ordered from the manufacturer, and this takes time.

Replacing sofa springs

A broken spring is marked with a marker Spring block after repair

We unscrew the spiral tape with pliers, if it is a rope (twine) - then we cut it off.

We install new springs in place, while not forgetting to fix them on the bottom of the frame.

Under the springs, it is imperative to lay a batting so that the springs do not create an unpleasant sound while sitting or sleeping.

Methods for tying springs Method for skipping twine

Here it is very important to know and follow the correct technique of the upper weave in order to maintain the uniformity of the protrusion of the springs in height. You can use the options above.

When the springs are replaced, lay the top layer with hard batting to avoid touching the springs with the fabric.

Tailoring of covers

We start the pattern and tailoring of the sofa cover. In order to facilitate the task, you can use the old cut, having previously measured all the details of tailoring.

• We remove the old fabric from the sofa. We carefully embroider the seams into separate parts using a special device for steaming. If there is such an opportunity, time and desire, then every detail can be ironed well to maintain the original dimensions.
• After ironing, it is advisable to number the parts so as not to get confused in the future. Everything that we got, we lay out on a new piece of fabric.
• You need to try to spread them out in such a way as to “fit” into a width of 1 m 40 cm - this is the standard width. Pay attention to how the fabric fibers go. Longitudinal can be put on the seat and back, and transverse is best on the sidewalls.

Difficulty may arise if the fabric has a pattern. It is necessary to accurately calculate the moments of joining, for example, strips, in order to avoid unnecessary consumption. The direction of the pile is also taken into account, this is especially evident on the velor fabric.

Always buy fabric with a margin. Take at least 100 mm of excess length and width!

When all the details are cut out, the frame is preliminarily repaired, the springs are changed, there is a new batting, only then you can start fitting the fabric cover.

All seams are sewn by hand. Marking needles can be used for fixation. Where the fabric sags, you do not need to cut it right away, measure everything to the end, and only then you can cut it and sew it up.

If you are using a sewing machine, set it up for the appropriate fabric. On a separate piece, check the quality of the seam. Where there will be allowances, make small cuts, especially in those places where the fabric goes at a right angle or in an arcuate line.

When the cover is sewn, it can be tried on.

Sofa upholstery fabric

The next step, the final one, will be shooting the rest of the fabric to the fold.

1. It is best to fasten the fabric in four places, this will serve as a kind of beacon.
2. With an interval of 2-3 cm, we begin to hammer in the staples, while at the same time monitoring the uniform stretch along the edges of the frame. There should be no tightness or sagging. We do the same with the chair.

Here, at first glance, in such a simple way you can do the restoration of an old sofa with your own hands!

Even the highest quality furniture in the process of intensive use fails or loses its former attractiveness. There is no need to immediately get rid of it after the purchases made. There are many ways in which you can update interior items. You don't even need a master for restoration. It is quite possible to fix a sofa with your own hands. Below are methods that will help give things an updated look.

If a thing has lost its former attractiveness, you can return it to its original appearance through a number of tricks.

How to update an old sofa:

How is furniture upholstery done?

In fact, this procedure is a major overhaul of furniture. If you try, you can get almost new furniture from an old sofa that fully meets the ideas of an ideal piece of furniture.

This work is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, even if you are not a home master. To restore a leather sofa, you need to prepare in advance all the necessary fixtures and materials.

For stretching you will need:

• screwdrivers and pliers (they are needed to remove old staples);
• a set of wrenches designed for nuts and bolts; tape measure (without it it is impossible to take measurements);
• construction or pneumatic stapler;
• staples (6-10 mm. In this situation, everything depends on the thickness and density of the material that will be used to upholster the repaired item);
• trash bags.

To sew a new sofa cover you will need:

• upholstery fabric (or leatherette) and lining fabric;
• tailor's scissors;
• special crayons for the material (in extreme cases, you can take remnants);
• reinforced threads;
• ruler;
• paper for creating patterns;
• sewing machine.

How to remake furniture at home?

Just follow the instructions:

Stage I: we begin to restore the furniture with its disassembly, which involves unscrewing and removing the locks, as well as detaching the old staples that were needed to fix the upholstery on the frame. Be sure to keep garbage bags on hand to remove dust and old filler immediately.

It is necessary to remove all unusable parts and debris

Stage II: carrying out repairs and replacing parts that have become unusable. In fact, the restoration of an old but beloved sofa is possible if you pick up the right spare parts. If you notice that cracks have appeared on the beams that form the frame, this indicates that their useful life has come to an end. It should be replaced by choosing solid beams. If desired, they can be ordered to a carpenter or prepared independently. In order for the alteration to be done with high quality, the joints of the beams should be registered using PVA glue. If you notice broken parts, then they also need to be repaired or new ones installed by sawing them with a jigsaw.

If necessary, it is worth replacing the beams

For their subsequent fixation, the master uses nails or a pneumatic stapler. This tool will be needed if you decide to return the furniture to its original form. Often, springs break during operation. We repair them by completely replacing the blocks. Sometimes this is the only solution that is suitable for bringing your favorite bedchairs back to normal.

Stage III: replacement of the filler, which is often foam rubber. Over time, it becomes caked, and becomes unsuitable for further use. We restore the seat by removing the old material and covering the new one. How to restore the seat? Only in this way, although it can be made easier by leaving the old filler if it is in good condition.

Foam rubber replacement is a mandatory step

Any, even the most durable furniture gradually wears out and becomes unsightly. The sofa, as an actively used piece of furniture, is no exception. Restoring the sofa with your own hands will restore its attractiveness and functional indispensability.

The easiest way to repair upholstered furniture is to invite craftsmen. This approach is justified if your sofa is unique and has an antique value, or if its design is very complex. In most cases, sofa restoration is a very real and economical undertaking. The question of how to restore a sofa is solved quite simply, if you spare no time and purchase high-quality material.

Useful information

The sofa consists of several elements that have a standard design. The main elements include the back, sides, seat. In addition, sofas may contain overhead elements (ottomans, pillows, etc.), additional mechanisms (folding mechanism, hinges, etc.) and decorating accessories. In turn, the main elements include the frame, upholstery, filler and back panel. The design of the seat also includes a shock-absorbing element.

The frames of the main elements are made of wooden blocks of different sizes. Usually, the bars are connected with adhesives, and the joints can be strengthened with screws. As a filler, foam rubber of various thicknesses and densities is used, as well as batting, synthetic winterizer or other soft synthetic fillers.

The shock-absorbing element of the seat is most often made in the form of springs, but it can also be represented by a thickened foam rubber sheet. The armrests of the sidewalls are formed by an additional layer of soft material. All the main elements are upholstered on top in fabric or leather. To prevent sagging or stretching of the fabric upholstery on the surface of the main elements, tightening elements are used (decorated, for example, in the form of buttons, rivets, etc.).

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Basic principles of restoration: step by step instructions

Any restoration of an old sofa (regardless of its reasons) includes the replacement of upholstery and filler, since the materials of these elements are subject to the most rapid wear. Replacement or repair of other elements is carried out as necessary, if they are damaged.

An exception is the repair of a fairly new sofa if the frame or shock-absorbing element is damaged due to mechanical stress or due to a manufacturing defect. In this case, the upholstery and filler remain in good condition and their replacement is impractical. When repairing, the upholstery is carefully removed and the damaged element is replaced, after which the upholstery returns to its place.

If, after identifying damage, it was decided to restore the old sofa, then it should be determined which element will only be repaired and which will be completely replaced. Accordingly, a list of required materials and their quantity is compiled.

When carrying out the restoration of the sofa with your own hands, you should simultaneously decide on the need to make changes to the design. The introduction of the following improvements will not cause any particular difficulties: an increase in the thickness of the sidewalls; changing the shape of the armrest; changing the rigidity of the seat and back, etc.

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The choice of upholstery material

Sofa upholstery is the most visible and most worn element of any sofa. The upholstery material must meet a number of requirements, such as:

• abrasion resistance;
• mechanical tensile strength;
• reduced ability to concentrate dust and dirt;
• aesthetic appeal;
• harmlessness to humans;
• dye fastness.

Leather upholstery has many advantages, but is expensive and difficult to do by hand. Such upholstery is used, as a rule, if the skin was on an old sofa. A good tapestry is very beautiful and aristocratic, more technologically advanced, but not much different in price from leather. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that both leather and tapestry have a long service life.

The choice of fabric color is very important both from an aesthetic and practical point of view. When choosing a fabric, one should take into account the need to combine it on different elements of the sofa design and location on the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe element itself. The least waste is achieved when using plain fabrics and fabrics with a small abstract pattern. Overspending of material occurs when cutting fabric with a large ornament in the form of geometric shapes, lines and cells of different colors.

Dense fleecy fabric is able to hide many flaws when it is stretched. When choosing a fabric, it is necessary to check that the pile is firmly fixed to the base. Cotton fabrics are not practical, wrinkle and do not have abrasion resistance. Velor fabrics look good, but have low wear resistance and actively collect dust.

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Filler selection

Foam rubber and synthetic winterizer are widely used as a filler. When choosing a material, you should especially pay attention to its quality. The synthetic winterizer should have a white color without significant shades. It should not emit unpleasant odors. The strength of the synthetic winterizer is such that it is difficult to break it manually; if it is easily torn, then this is a poor-quality material.

In the seat and backrest, foam rubber with a thickness of at least 50 mm or several layers with a thickness of 20 mm is usually used. The structure of high-quality foam rubber contains very small pores. When buying a material, you should check its elastic properties: after pressing the foam rubber with your hand, it should quickly return to its previous position.

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Dismantling the sofa and its elements

Restoration of the sofa begins with its complete disassembly. It is done in the following order. All overlays and decorating elements are removed. The sides open up. The mechanisms for folding the sofa and fixing the elements are being dismantled. Separate back and seat.

Complete disassembly of the sidewalls includes unscrewing the legs and fittings, removing the upholstery and removing the filler. The armrest is removed. The strength of the frame is checked.

Disassembly of the back begins with the removal of the back panel. Then the tightening elements are dismantled and the upholstery is removed. The filler is removed. The strength of the frame is checked.

Dismantling the seat of the sofa includes the dismantling of the tightening elements and the removal of the upholstery. Depreciation elements are removed. The filler is removed. The strength of the frame is checked.

It should be borne in mind that in a number of sofa designs, the upholstery of the back and seat is carried out with one continuous piece of fabric for both elements.

Often the seat of the sofa is installed on a pallet. Its separation and disassembly completes the disassembly of the entire sofa.

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Open new upholstery

The easiest way to cut a new fabric is through the old upholstery. If it was possible to remove it carefully, then it will serve as a template for a new upholstery. With this cutting, it is advisable to add 1-2 cm in all directions, providing an allowance and facilitating the subsequent stretching. If a decision is made to expand the sidewalls, then the corresponding change is taken into account when cutting. If it is impossible to use the old upholstery, all elements are measured using a tape measure and a meter ruler. Then a pattern is made on paper and cutting fabric.

To begin with, before proceeding directly to the restoration of the sofa with your own hands, you need to make sure that it is expedient to carry it out, namely, the integrity of the frame itself. After that, we will prepare all the necessary tools and consumables: a screwdriver, pliers, a hammer, a stapler, a sewing machine, threads, scissors, a screwdriver, PVA glue, foam rubber, coarse calico, synthetic winterizer, upholstery fabric. In addition, new springs or a spring block may be needed, depending on the degree of wear of the sofa.

So, let's move on to the restoration process itself, which consists of the following steps:

Content

Sofa disassembly

Dismantling the sofa is necessary, first of all, in order to identify damaged parts in its design, which will be replaced with new ones during the repair process, or to repair them, if possible. Let's start the disassembly by unscrewing the armrests. They are most often attached to two bolts, the first of which is under the seat of the sofa, and the second behind. The armrests can be combined with the legs or placed separately. In order to unscrew them, we raise the seat or you can move the retractable part, which depends on the design features of the sofa itself.

It is difficult to do without the help of outsiders in this matter, since the sofa is a rather bulky thing. After that, turn it over in the unfolded form, unscrew the back. When the back is removed, we dismantle the transformation mechanism using a conventional screwdriver.

Removing the upholstery

Thus, the sofa is completely disassembled, you can begin to remove the old upholstery from it. This is done with a flat screwdriver and pliers, which hook the ends of staples or nails, or with an anti-stapler.

We put the old covers aside and do not throw them away until we cut out new ones, as they will become a template for them. After removing the upholstery, we remove the old foam or batting filler, leaving only the spring block.

Replacing springs or spring block

Now check the condition and performance of the springs. If we notice deformations, breakage, etc. one or several springs at once, then we have to replace them. All springs of the modern type, as a rule, are attached to each other with special spirals. In order to disconnect one of them, we loosen the fixation of the spiral from one end, and pull it out from the other end like a screw. When the spring is released on both sides, we replace it with a new one. Next, we attach a new spring in the same way in the reverse order as we removed the old one.

For more information about the hauling of the old sofa, you can see the video

Sometimes there are situations when almost all the springs in the spring block must be replaced, then it makes no sense to change each of them individually. In this case, you will have to buy a new spring block and replace the old one with it.

Pattern of new upholstery and its fastening

After replacing the springs or the spring block, we proceed to the assembly of the sofa itself. First, we cover the spring block with coarse calico and fix it with brackets around the entire perimeter. Then, according to the shape of the sofa frame, we cut out a sheet of furniture foam rubber, which has a thickness of 30-40 mm. It must be glued to the calico so that during the operation of such a sofa it does not go. To do this, we apply PVA glue at the same time on the calico and foam rubber and apply them to each other until they stick together. To give additional volume to our sofa, you can also stick a piece of padding polyester over the foam rubber, which is cut out in the same way.

We carefully open the old covers at the seams, as a result of which we get a finished pattern. We apply them to the new upholstery fabric and cut out new covers strictly along the contour with a slight overlap. Then we sew each part of the cover together on a sewing machine.

We carefully put the ready-made covers on the sofa, while, in the process of fastening with the help of a furniture stapler, we stretch them during fixation in order to avoid wrinkles in the finished sofa.

Sofa assembly

When all its parts are upholstered with new fabric, including the backrest, armrests and others, you can proceed to assembly. This is done in reverse order, as in disassembly. So, the restoration of the sofa with our own hands is over and we have received almost new furniture that will serve you for more than one year.

Not every old and sagging sofa has a place in a landfill. Restoring upholstered furniture can bring as much joy as buying a new one. And maybe even more if you like to do things with your own hands. In this article, Dekorin will tell and show how sofas and armchairs are reupholstered with new upholstery, how pillow filling can be replaced, how to repair springs and mask minor damage. Let your old furniture be a source of pride!

Restoration of upholstered furniture inside and out. Step by Step Examples

Repair and restoration of upholstered furniture may consist of the following steps:

1. Disassembly of an object into its component parts. This is usually required for furniture with wooden legs, armrests or other parts that need to be repaired or replaced.
2. Sanding wooden elements with sandpaper, followed by cleaning with a damp cloth. A wet cloth should absorb all the small particles, so that the paint (or varnish) will lie evenly and last longer.
3. Wood painting. Before applying paint with a brush, it is recommended to coat the surface with a primer. We still recommend using spray paint, which applies easily and evenly, which will greatly simplify your work and save time. Usually 3 layers is more than enough. After the paint has dried, a protective coating can be applied to it, which will prevent chipping.

1. Replacement of interior filling and upholstery. About how to rest the springs inside an old sofa or chair, we will tell you in detail below in this article. As for the upholstery of upholstered furniture, it all depends on the characteristics of the restored product. For example, the seat of the chair in this example was enough to wrap with a new fabric, which was fixed with a stapler. See more examples with step by step photos below!
2. Assembling a piece of furniture into a single whole.

How do you like this transformation?

Restoration of pillows for sofas and armchairs

Perhaps this item is the simplest and most inexpensive in the process of restoring upholstered furniture. You will need to measure the height, length and width of your pillows and, based on the data obtained, purchase the required amount of foam rubber. Subtract about 5-10 mm from each edge to get the correct dimensions for filling the pillow. For softness and longer service life, be sure to wrap the foam rubber with batting or padding polyester. Here is what the finished filling looks like in the photo:

Repair of spring upholstered furniture: the best way

This method of repairing a spring sofa or chair is considered the most reliable of all existing ones, although it requires a lot of time. Consider its implementation step by step:

1. Make sure you remove all remnants of upholstery, staples and nails from the frame. In this case, the furniture body was already completely ready for the installation of the seat (cleaned, sanded, washed, painted). The springs were removed and set aside for later use. Before that, the master took a few photos so as not to forget how they were located.
2. Install the straps (slings) on the lower part of the seat for attaching the springs. The more of these strips you install, the stronger the seat will be. Secure them with a stapler, leaving a couple of centimeters of matter on each edge. The tension should be moderate so that the sling sags slightly when pressed on it.
3. The extra centimeters from each edge should be bent and also attached to the frame with a stapler. Repeat these steps until all vertical lines are installed, then move on to horizontal lines. Remember that they should intertwine with the vertical ones, and not just go under them.
4. Reinforce the strength of each webbing with three small upholstery studs. This is how the whole process of repairing upholstered furniture looks like in the photo:

5. Now you can proceed directly to the installation of springs. You can use an old photo or just evenly distribute them on the support from the lines. The end of each spring should "facing" in the same direction as all the others.

6. The springs are attached to the straps either with a special tool or with a thick string of twine and a special button. Each spring must be fixed at three points.

7. Drive 2 nails at the end of each vertical and horizontal row of springs.

8. Measure the length of the twine, which will be 2 times the length of the seat plus 40-50 cm. Fold the piece in half and create a loop around the nails, as shown in the photo below. After that, pulling the twine, hammer the nails with a loop to the very end with a hammer.

9. Now our goal is to intertwine the springs together to form the seat and connect all the springs together. Start and finish tying knots at each end on the second "ring" from the top, then immediately move on to the top rings. This will allow you to get a dome-shaped seat.

10. After you tie all the springs together, wrap the twine around the stud and hammer it in with a hammer until it stops. Fasten the free end of the thread with a stapler.

11. For the second thread from each fixed loop, repeat steps 9 and 10, but only it should be tied exclusively on the upper rings, without “falling” to the second level from the top.

12. Tie all the vertical rows in this way, then the horizontal rows and, to be sure, you can still walk diagonally. As a result, none of your springs will be able to move separately from the rest. Follow the step-by-step photo for fixing the springs in the seat of upholstered furniture:

Finally, there is still a constriction of the finished seat. In this case, the master simply sewed on the fabric (which could also be done with a stapler), and masked the seams with a ribbon.

Upholstery or upholstery replacement of upholstered furniture

Upholstering upholstered furniture can also be quite a chore, but it's definitely worth it, especially if you don't have any special plans for the weekend. Next, you will learn how to properly reupholster an old sofa or chair with your own hands.

Stage 1. Removing the old upholstery

1. You may think that you know this piece of furniture by heart. But still, before removing the upholstery, take pictures of it inside, outside, front and back, taking close-ups of especially difficult areas near the armrests, etc.
2. Carefully remove the old upholstery, being careful not to damage either it or the furniture itself. You may need a staple remover, screwdriver, and other tools for this. It is recommended to remove the fabric in the following order:

• From the bottom base (turning the sofa on the back or upside down);
• From the outer part of the back and armrests;
• From the inside of the back and armrests;
• From the seat.

The old upholstery will be used by you as a template. Before putting it on a new fabric, we advise you to iron it with an iron.

Stage 2. Sewing new upholstery and upholstery of upholstered furniture

1. Use your photos and old upholstery as a guide. Start upholstering furniture from the bottom base, then work on the armrests, backrest and seat in that order.

2. Cut the fabric according to the finished pattern, taking into account the following:

• At the edges that will be sewn together with threads, leave an additional 10-15 mm of fabric;
• At the edges that will be stapled, add about 50mm, which will be used to stretch the upholstery over the sofa.

3. Sew the sections of fabric where necessary and pull it over the bottom, securing with a stapler around the edges.

5. Behind her is the outer part of the armrests.

Pay attention to how the master did without seams and secured the outer upholstery of the armrests with a hammer.

The photo below shows an alternative version of the restoration of the armrests. The master fixed them with a stapler, after which he covered the staples with a beautiful braid.

1. Let's return to our example. After the armrests came the turn of the back. A rope sewn around the perimeter gives it an interesting and expressive shape.

This technique can also be used to give expression to the armrests, which was done during the restoration of this chair.

1. The outer part of the backrest is fixed in the same way as the outer upholstery of the armrests. Additionally, the sofa was decorated with buttons and new legs. In the next photo you can compare the sofa before and after the repair and upholstery.

Restoration of upholstered furniture: photos before and after

At the end of this article, we offer you a few more photos of upholstered furniture before and after restoration. We hope that these examples will clearly demonstrate to you that any furniture can be repaired beyond recognition and bring you pleasure with its new style, color and upholstery!

Also read: Furniture transformer for a small apartment



Also read:

And if you don’t have a desire to restore and reupholster furniture, then here are a few simple solutions for masking problem areas and repairing upholstered furniture with your own hands:

Do-it-yourself upholstered furniture restoration: tips with before and after photos updated: April 20, 2018 by: Margarita Glushko