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.