Custom fabrications...

Been awhile since posting but I guess better late then never. In this post I would like to talk about another way custom upholstery can be a great value.

Most upholsterers are going to be able to fabricate things from scratch or alter what you already have to better suit your needs. Many upholsterers will also be capable of making custom pieces of furniture built for your unique space. In addition to the high quality of handmade furniture, another benefit is minimizing the wasted space in your home. And we all know the value of our living space! It seems no matter how much square footage we have there still is not enough room. By having furniture custom built you can ensure it will fit nicely, utilizing your valuable space efficiently.

Above is an example of a daybed built into a dead end space, making use of a scenic view, and natural lighting which can be used for napping, relaxing, reading, extra storage, or even an extra guest bed!

That's about all I have time for, for now but this is another topic I hope to expand on in the future. Especially being that I personally plan on expanding in the area of making custom furniture. Many recent experiences with poorly built furniture I have repaired for customers has helped fuel my desire to build custom pieces. In talking to potential customers many have expressed interest in having the option of quality, unique furniture and the local customer service behind it.

Isaac

Apples and oranges - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Apples and oranges - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:



'via Blog this'



Is it really worth it to buy an orange for 40 cents when I can buy an apple for only 20?! well maybe the link to the chart below will help you decide.





http://www.diffen.com/difference/Apples_vs_Oranges





The Million Dollar Question



        "Do you think it even makes sense to reupholster when I can buy new for cheaper?''

This seems to be the million dollar question in the upholstery world these days.



Drastic Changes



In the past 10-20 years the furniture market has changed immensely. A brand new line of furniture has been introduced; Enter Disposable! A whole new line of furniture mass produced using minimal fasteners and glue, particle board, and covered with foam and fabric that are supposedly labeled "economical" (defined by google as "ec·o·nom·i·cal

ˌekəˈnämik(ə)l,ˌēkəˈnämik(ə)l/

adjective

1. giving good value or service in relation to the amount of money, time, or effort spent.

   "a small, economical car"").

But silver linings aside it is a word most often used when referring to something of low quality, which in my world does not translate into a good value.

Main Stream

Before this new line took over, the main stream furniture was built to last. Pre disposable-era, furniture was considered an investment.   The price tag of that furniture was similar to todays, but of course when you take inflation into account, it makes it much more expensive. In other words, instead of price going up with inflation, the quality has come down. In todays world we are surrounded with gadgets we would all love to have so the last thing we want to blow our budget on is that stuff we just so happen to relax, visit, eat, sleep, and text on day in, day out.

Time to Update

Many folks are finding themselves in the position where they want to update their furniture for the first time in 10-25+ years and are trying to compare the value of their last purchase to the cost of reupholstering assuming todays furniture is as good or better then their previous purchase. Unfortunately it seems impossible for them to comprehend that buying new furniture vs. having a quality piece refurbished and reupholstered can not even be realistically compared. There for they haul that "heavy old peice of junk" out and "shiny new" in, only to find themselves with a lemon.

Gaining Steam

Although many of the small time, quality furniture companys of old have gone out of business or followed the pack, there are still plenty of quality options. One of them being your local upholsterer! Most will be able to make you a piece from scratch if you so will. In fact there are many benefits to choosing this route, and it is a trend that is gaining popularity. Having a piece custom made to dimensions that fit your unique space can help you make much better use of your living space. The cost and value of controlled environment space by itself makes a custom piece a great value.

The Million $$ Answer

To me the comparison is black and white. Call me bias if you will since I am after all an upholster/fabricator/etc.. and that is how I make my living, but I believe in the work I do and enjoy it. If I did not, well I probably would have quit a long time ago. Like almost anything in life, you don't truly know until you have experienced it first hand. I have done enough repairs on modern day disposable furniture to feel confident in the conclusion I have drawn...

 "If your convinced you want an apple, I'm probably wasting my breathe trying to convince you to buy an orange instead".

Boat top material selection

So you have decided you are going to have a boat top made, but how do you know what kind material to use and how can you be sure you are going to get a product that will last?

Well the first step is to find a reputable upholsterer who specializes in marine upholstery services. They will be able to point you in the right direction. One very important thing is to start with the correct thread. T-90 bonded polyester thread or heavier with uvr resistance is the most common type used. It is easy for some one to mistakenly use nylon thread knowing its initial strength is greater then polyester but unfortunately if it is exposed to the element it's breaks down fast causeing costly repairs. Even with the use of the correct thread it is not uncommon for the canvas to outlast the stitching requiring repairs as long as a high quality canvas is used.

One option you may want to consider is to request thread that is garunteed  by the manufacturer to last the full life of its use. This will certianly cost a little more initially because the thread is very expensive, but it will save you down the road and be more cost effective in the long run.

Custom top from scratch.. Top made out of Top Notch

The next important step is to pick the canvas to suit your needs. The best known brand of boat topping is easily Sunbrella. Sunbrella is certianly an excellent quality marine cover material but is not always going to be the best option. The biggest thing Sunbrellas is know for is its color retention. It resists fading very well. It is also light weight making it easy to handle (install, store, etc). However it does have a tendency to stretch out over time, especially if it has snow or water loads to carry.  It also has another weak point being just that, it is not the greatest at resisting abrasion wear and load tears. This will require the canvas worker to spend more time reinforcing trouble areas and the extra time and material will lead to a higher initial cost but when done right and cared for properly will often give you the biggest bang for your buck over Sunbrellas long life expectancy. Another bonus of going with the Sunbrella is if you ever decide to sell your investment (boat), potential boaters will be comforted knowing it has a custom top made out of Sunbrella. There are many other high quality topping materials but everybody finds comfort in a well known brand name and the others have not been around as long or branded as well as Sunbrella.

A boat cover that will see lots of wear and abuse (for example a boat cover that is intended for use while being trailered) wil require a stronger material. One specific canvas that I like for such applications to Top Notch. It also has good fade resistance and is among the strongest of marine cover materials.

Like all topics there is a ton more to expand on but we'll keep it to a readable length and hopefully follow up with a part 2 sometime in the not toooo distant future!

Isaac

Boat Covers: Protecting your investment

With another boating season coming to an end, now is a good time to get your boat fixed up, during the off season to avoid down time next boating season.  The biggest thing you can do to protect your boat and to keep it looking like new for many years to come is to keep it covered up whenever it is not being used. I have seen boats ten years old that have never been covered and the interiors are completely shot. I have also seen many boats 25+ years old with original interiors that look like new because they are always covered when not in use.

There are a few options available when it comes to covering up your boat. Many of the big  box stores carry one size fits all covers which are made and priced "economically". These covers are not the longest lasting or most convenient putting on and off but are better then nothing and an upgrade from a tarp. Unfortunately many people will get annoyed with the hassle of using one of these covers and eventually just quit using it.

Another option is to have a custom cover made. One of these will be made to fit your specific boat, made to last, made to be convenient putting on and off, and will look a lot better then a blue tarp or one size fits all (which probably doesn't fit that well).

The sun is what does the majority of the damage to your boats interior, but keeping your boat covered will also save endless hours of cleaning up after seagull dropping, pine needles, leaves etc. allowing you to spend more time out on the lake!

Furniture: when to reupholster

If your first thought when turning to an upholsterer is "I'm looking for a cheap alternative", chances are that custom upholstery is not for you. However, if you already have a good quality piece of furniture, having it re-upholstered may give you the most satisfaction with the end result and save you a few bucks in the long run.

In today's market there is a wide range in the quality of furniture available. Looking for something cheap? Well cheap is what you are going to get! I do not wish to cut down the furniture companies, they make what their consumers demand and buy.  There are plenty of quality furniture options out there as well. This is the type of furniture worth upholstering when it is time to update.

If you go back a few years, say 10-15 plus, the majority of furniture was built to a standard worthy of reupholstering regardless of the brand. Today's market is closer to 50-50 as it is built for quantity sales vs. quality sales. Many use cheap foams that break down in 1-2 years (depending on the use it gets), fewer glued joints on the frames, cheaper frame materiels (particleboard etc. vs. solid wood), and lower quality fabrics. Looking back 40-50 years you get into the antiques which are not only neat, one of a kind pieces, but also built to last. Anything from that era has already stood the test of time, and given the chance will give you many more years of service!



One scenario that comes about fairly often is this :


Customer:  I bought this recliner 3 years ago, and we really like it, but the fabric did not hold up at all. What's it gonna cost to have it reupholstered?

Upholsterer:  $xxx

Customer:   Really?! I could buy this same recliner again, new for that price! Why would I reupholster when I can spend the same amount and get something new?


...the answer?

....Not all fabrics are made equal. Some are made for durability, some strictly for design, and some to incorporate a little of both. Let your upholsterer know what it is you are looking to get out of your purchase and they can help point you in the right direction. This is a topic I will cover in depth with a future post but for now back on topic...

Upholsterer:  Sure you could go buy that piece of furniture again, but you will find yourself in the same place again in a few years. The investment has already been made in a piece to your likings, consider investing in a material that will meet your satisfaction the second time around.




There is plenty more to be said on this topic but I will have to wrap things up for now. Any specific questions you may have please feel free to comment!

I will end with a picture of a quality rocking, recliner that has been redone in a fabric keeping both durability and design in mind.

Stretching into the blog world.

As an upholsterer, I find myself explaining to others over and over the benefits of custom upholstery versus buying mass production. I know that custom upholstery is not for everyone and to convince you that it is, is not my intention. However I do wish to pass along some insight to those who may wish to make use of the services a custom upholsterer can offer you.

In this blog I will cover  many topics, including the benefits of custom upholstery, when to reupholster, and topics ranging from furniture, to boat tops, custom auto interiors, and beyond. Any questions or topic suggestions are welcome.

As owner/operator of an upholstery shop I can only spread my time out to so many different things so this blog may take some time to evolve, but if I don't get started sooner then later it probably won't happen at all!

Below is one example of a one of a kind creation from an antique chair with new leather, foam, and wood finish.

Antique Refurbished

Below are links to the website and Facebook page of my personal business if you would like to check those out!

http://www.allseasonsupholstery.com/
http://www.facebook.com/AllSeasonsUpholstery