Recovering your furniture? Choose your upholsterer carefully

When you furniture is looking tired and out of date, you can give it a new lease on life with re-upholstery.

Re-upholstery is the technique of repairing old furniture like recovering a chair, replacing the springs and or foam inside a seat or repairing the joints etc.

Re-upholstery means extensive reworking of all the springing and padding, recover means the furniture is generally in good condition and just needs the fabric changed.

To see your furniture restored to its former glory can be very satisfying and can be cost effective when the furniture is of a quality worth recovering.

Cheaper furniture is generally not worth recovering because the frames and padding are rubbish so would have cost less to buy new then it would to recover, good quality furniture however is very much worth the effort because to replace such furniture would cost more than to recover it and another advantage is that you have far more fabric choices available when you recover as opposed to buying new.

It is very rare that a piece cannot be restored, whether modern or antique.

Recovering your furniture is often the way to go as you’re not going to have to compromise on the style of furniture because of limited choices on offer when buying retail. It allows you to keep the furniture you love and know works well in your house and make it as new again.

Reupholstering gives you the opportunity to personalise your furniture using quality materials and perfected trade techniques that will give you a piece that will last a lifetime.

At Cover It Upholstery Sydney when we recover any furniture we also make sure that all the necessary repairs are done and padding added or replaced where needed, this is all part of the service when you have your furniture recovered by Cover It.

When the furniture is in a fairy poor state we would need to re-upholster it first before covering it and this would be at an added cost but is always determined at the time of quoting and there are never any surprises at the end, what’s quoted is what’s paid.

There are big differences in what upholsterers consider part of the job when recovering a customers furniture and many will not do anything extra in terms of springing or padding etc and will just recover it as they find it.

At Cover It Upholstery Sydney it goes without saying that we make sure everything underneath the fabric is sound and will last the expected time you should get from your recovered furniture.

So when getting quotes to have your furniture recovered, offcourse you’re going to find cheaper quotes, and if you keep on looking will find ones even cheaper than that, but you must ask yourself why that is, why are they willing to do the same job for less? We all have the same overheads in terms of factory space, utilities, staff, advertising etc etc, so therefore need the same amount of money each month to survive. The only way you’re going to be able to do jobs for cheap is if you do them twice as fast… Do you want your job to be completed twice as fast??

Below are a few before and after photo's of recent jobs, for more visit www.cover-it.com.au

Quality Workmanship... goes without saying

At Cover It Upholstery Sydney we don't need the below instructions from fabric suppliers.
Having been in the industry as long as we have and seen the workmanship offered by many others, it's no wonder the suppliers feel the need to include these with their rolls of fabric... 

Seam Slippage Prevention

It is the responsibility of the furniture

manufacturer/upholsterer to employ a

seam construction, needle type and

sewing thread which is appropriate for

the fabric and furniture design. Different

fabrics for the same design of furniture

may result in varied seam constructions,

different seam tension areas also require

different seam strengths. The rupture of

a seam due to seam slippage is generally

not a fabric fault. A minimum of 10 to

12 seam stitches per inch (25mm) is

required along with a minimum of

13mm seam allowance. It is

recommended that the seam of any

woven fabric, which is liable to fraying

be overlocked or otherwise secured.

In some instances additional

strengthening of high load seams may

be required. This must be done at the

manufacturers discretion after testing

individual fabrics. The fabric supplier cannot

be held responsible for manufacturers/upholsterers

oversights.

Pile Loss

It is recommended that pile fabrics such

as velvets and some chenille's are not

upholstered directly on to foam surfaces.

It is advised all high wear areas are

covered by Dacron or calico to prevent

pile loss due to friction between the

foam and the fabric.

Manufacturers

Responsibility

All care is taken when selecting fabric

qualities for the Australian market.

To eliminate problems such as seam

slippage and loss of fibres from pile

fabrics, the fabric supplier request the

following to be taken into account

and be carried out where required.

FABRICS
LEATHER

Everyone visualizes the transforming effect of the fabric on a re-created sofa or chair. You could say the fabric "is part of the fun" of reupholstering. Fabric has character and personality. It speaks for your taste, your style. And in your own home, it can be as personal and individual as your signature.

Fabric is also one of the two big costs in Re-upholstery (the other is labour). So it's important to get good value as well as good fashion. The bigger the choice, the better the chance of finding a fabric that suits both your decor and your budget. This is where Re-upholstery gives you the benefit of rich variety and enormous volume. The selection is practically endless.

There are literally thousands of samples to choose from, imported and domestic, when combining the resources of all the fabric suppliers, all in different grades of quality.

How do you judge for wear?

As a general rule, tightly-woven fabrics and fabrics that are heavy will stand up to wear and tear better, as will leather. Fabrics such as satins, brocades or damasks are more delicate, and should be reserved for places where they’ll get less use or for soft furnishings such as scatters.

For example, one square inch of fabric with 8 or 10 thick threads doesn't have the strength of one square inch densely packed with 30 to 40 thin threads. To check a fabric yourself, hold it up to the light. The less light that shows through, the tighter the weave.

The Australian standard for measuring the durability of fabrics uses the Martindale Rub Test to recommend the end-use of the fabric.

Fibres also make a difference in wear. Natural fibres, like cotton, take colour differently from man-made fibbers. They can be richer, more subtle. While the man-mades have resilience and strength. That's how the blends came into use. So cotton with polyester, for example, gives you the best attributes of both. Other blends will use nylon, acrylic, and rayon. And man-made fibres alone (far advanced over the earlier versions) make many attractive long wearing pieces.

The appearance of certain textures will vary with use. Fabrics with a nap, like velvets, corduroys and faux suedes look different in different lights, and show wear where they've been sat upon. Silks are more delicate, but many are fortified with man-made fibres. And fabrics with highly textured surfaces like loopy tweeds and homespun’s can "pull" after a while. For cleanability, each fibre has its compensating feature. Natural fibres absorb soil faster than man-made fibres, but clean better. While man-made fibres are more soil resistant, but don't always clean as well. Many fabrics are treated with soil-resistant finishes, but the finish doesn't last forever, so be prepared after a time, to have the upholstery cleaned and the stain repellent reapplied.

Full grain leather

Full/Pure Aniline Leather that's been drum dyed without pigment applied to the surface. A light protective coating is sometimes added to enhance appearance and offer some protection against wear and soiling. It will exhibit all natural features such as scars, growth marks, fat wrinkles and brands.

·     The most natural leather exhibiting all natural markings and colour variations within the hide and from hide to hide

·     Will breathe and be warm in winter and cooler in summer

·     Soft to handle

·     Lower light fastness and if not protected will potentially fade more quickly than more highly processed leathers

·     Susceptible to soiling if used in high traffic areas.

·     Suitable for formal living areas. Requires regular care.

Pull! Up Aniline Drum dyed aniline leather with a topcoat of oil and wax effects, designed to exhibit a 'distressed look'.

·     Will breathe and be warm in winter and cooler in summer

·     Lightens in colour when stretched to produce a distressed effect, particularly in seating areas

·     Wax or oil effects can be evened out in appearance by hand rubbing the surface.

·     Suitable for formal living areas. Requires regular care!

Nubuck (leather suede) Drum dyed aniline leather where the surface grain has been buffed to give a fine, suede-like nap.

Nubuck requires a clear protective coating to provide liquid repellence. Suede-like finish

·Requires specific care products

·Suitable for formal living areas. 

·Requires regular care with Nubuck specific care products.

Semi-Aniline Drum dyed leather, incorporating a small amount of pigment and protective finish so as not to conceal the natural characteristics of the hide. High light fastness

·     Soft, but not as soft as Pure Aniline

·     Durable

·  Retains natural grain appearance • Easy to clean.

·  Suitable for formal, family and dining areas. Requires regular care.

Pigmented Drum dyed with a thicker layer of pigment and protective finish applied to create an even colour and texture. Higher light fastness

·     More durable

·     Easier to clean

·     Easier to care for

·     Surface covered with pigment

·     Not as soft as Pure Aniline or Semi Aniline

·      No natural appearance or characteristics.

·      Suitable for formal, family and dining areas. Requires regular care!

Corrected Grain Drum dyed with the natural grain removed; a layer of pigment or protective finish is applied. The leather is then embossed with an artificial grain to provide a uniform appearance.

·     Higher light fastness

·     More durable

·     Easier to clean

·     Easier to care for

·     Surface covered with pigment

·     Not as soft as Pure Aniline or Semi Aniline

·     Grain pattern is stamped onto the surface leaving no natural appearance or characteristics.

·     Suitable for formal, family and dining areas. Requires regular care.

B. Reconstructed Leather

Finished splits Re-coated corrected grain pigmented leather made from the more porous under layers of hide.

·  Embossed to mimic grain leather

·  Less durable than grain leather

·  Firm feel

·  Easy to dean

·  Suitable for small section office furniture such as office chairs and stools, dining chairs and carcass (frame and surrounds) of lounge suites. Requires regular care.

Note: There are many examples of leather advertised as "By Cast" or "Bonded".

This is where a laminate is applied to the more porous under layers of the hide.

Although this type of product is often advertised as By Cast leather or Bonded leather, it is not considered to be leather and should not be sold as such. This rubbish will peel and flake after around 2 years of domestic use.

                 

Why Recover or Re-Upholster your furniture

WHY RECOVER

If you like your old furniture why not recover it.

There are several factors to keep in mind when considering recovering your furniture.

The main ones to consider are: recover v new, the frame quality, the advantage of fabric choice, whether to recover or re-upholster.

Recover v new

It is often cheaper to recover an existing piece than to buy a new one of comparable quality. A quality piece of furniture would be more expensive to replace than to recover, therefore if buying new or custom made furniture you should buy the best quality that is affordable because your purchase is amortised across many years and will have good enough “bones” to have it recovered from time to time. Inexpensive furniture can break, pop springs (although cheap furniture wouldn't have those), and look worn and out of shape within a couple of years due not only to poor quality frames but also because the foam padding and fabric generally won’t stand up to frequent use.

A lot of retailers will guarantee the frames for 10 years, which sounds great but should there be a problem it will often be claimed to be due to the furniture not being treated right and the other 2 main components that make up your furniture, the padding and fabric are not guaranteed for very long at all. 

High quality foams such as Dunlop Enduro are guaranteed for life or 10 years for domestic use. Retailers of cheap furniture will not use this foam.

Workmanship, foam and fabric is generally guaranteed for a year when buying a new lounge suite. When you have your furniture recovered by Cover It Upholstery Sydney we guarantee workmanship for 10 years, and only use Dunlop Enduro foam for all extra padding or for when we replace seat, back or arm cushions. Fabric companies will give a maximum of 3 years warantee for domestic use which is standard but good quality fabrics can easily last 15 to 20 years. Cover It Upholstery Sydney can recommend and advise you on the right fabrics to suit the kind of wear your furniture can expect to get over it's lifetime.

Repeatedly buying cheap new furniture might seem like a good idea in the short term but in the long term will actually cost you more. 

With our planet's resources already stretched due to our throw-away society it will not only save you money, but may also help save our planet!

Quality frame construction 

Good frames are made from hardwood or a quality plywood at least 25mm thick, or a combination of both. They should be joined with double dowels and support blocks and screws. A quick way to test the quality of the frame in your furniture is to lift it, if made from hardwood it will be heavy, and if the furniture is 10 or more years old and has very minimal or no movement it is also an indication of a well constructed frame.

Frames made with metal braces, and those where staples are used without dowels are generally not the best. The wood used in such frames is usually of a lesser quality and doesn’t wear well.

If however you have such a piece and are fond of it because it has a style you like and couldn’t find again, or it fits a particular space etc, it can be repaired and strengthened so that it will last as long as any other hardwood frame.

The advantage of fabric choice

The choices of fabrics available are practically endless and you will be able to find exactly the right fabric to suit your decor and your budget.

When selecting fabric it is important to take into consideration the amount of wear it will need to withstand. There are natural and synthetic fabrics, and off course leather.

As a general rule synthetic fabrics are more durable, colourfast and soil resistant than natural fabrics but once stained also harder to clean. Natural fabrics absorb stains easier but are also easier to clean than synthetics. Natural fabrics take to dyes differently and can be richer, more subtle. Therefore a combination of synthetic and natural gives you the best of both. Fabrics can be treated with soil-resistant finishes but the finish doesn’t last forever so the fabric should be cleaned from time to time and the treatment re-applied.

Recover or Re-Upholster

If your furniture is in good condition and the springs and padding are still in good shape, a recover is all that would be required.

If you find the springs and/or padding is in bad shape it is best to fully re-upholster the furniture, which means, repairing/replacing springs and to re-pad with new quality padding, whether traditionally or with modern materials such as foam.

It is best to use the top quality “High Resilience” foams rather than the standard type if the furniture is to be in a frequent use situation.

Below is an extract from an article describing the benefits of having a traditional Club lounge recovered.

… she has a good eye for a bargain; so she was very excited when she found a fantastic 1930s-era Club lounge suite by the side of the road in a recent council clean up. Although the suite had seen better days, she thought it would be a crime for such a treasure to go to the tip. Instead, she decided to have it restored by a professional upholsterer. It was recovered with Gosh Australian leather in 'Glenrowan Bark', which has a soft, suede-like finish.         

She found an upholsterer and accepted a quote, making sure it included all the work to be done. One company may be cheaper than another, but this usually means they're not listing hidden extras such as casters or wooden detailing or other materials, or doing the job right.

You can choose from a range of fabrics and vinyls, but the most luxurious covering has to be leather!

The three-piece suite cost $5800 to restore. This sounds expensive, but buying a new quality modern lounge suite can cost in excess of $8000, and you’d never be able to buy a classic 1930s Club lounge for that price. The reconditioned lounge suite was independently valued at $12000.

Original cost: free

Cost to restore: $5800

Valued at: $12000

Profit: $6200

                 

The History Of Upholstered Furniture Part 5

5

LINTERS.

Is actually compressed flock, and can be procured in rolls. The

approximate weight of one roll 24" wide is approximately ll lbs. Linters like coconut pads are used mostly on double and single action beds. It is also a very popular stuffing material for spring unit cushions. The advantage of using linters is that it does not have to be teased, and like the fibre pad, can be cut to various shapes and sizes. In the motor industry it is sewn-to hessian, and is known as "Batt".

FOAM RUBBER
Using Latex Foam
Latex foam is made from Latex, which comes from the rubber tree, most of which are grown in the Far East. The greater proportion of rubber leaves the country in which it is produced, in solid sheet form, but for Latex foam manufacture it is shipped in its natural form as a liquid.

At the manufacturing plants, very small quantities of stabilisers,

falcanizing agents, and setting fluids are added to the Latex, and the compound whipped to a creamy froth in large whisking machines. The whipping results in the formation of the interconnecting cell structure.

The texture and firmness of the finished material are controlled by

this whisking process, and the more air bubbles there are, the lighter and softer the finished products. When the foamed mass has reached the consistency required it is poured into metal moulds of the desired shape and heated under controlled conditions to give it its final shape and resilience. The Latex foam is then stripped from the mould, washed and dried.

Latex foam must be stored away from the direct rays of the sun as it perishes and crumbles when subjected to this treatment.

Since Latex foam came onto the market during the 1930’s it made rapid strides as a cushioning material for upholstery, and more and more each year was being incorporated in settees, chairs, stools etc.

The main reason for this phenomenal growth was:

That it does not sag or lose its shape.

That the shape interpreted by the upholsterer and required by the designer will remain the same throughout the years. No longer is it necessary for the upholsterer to allow for sinking after use.

There is nothing to wear out or go wrong.

Latex foam does not make dust.

It has a fine tailored appearance when upholstered.

Methods of using latex foam.

Mock cushion seats in chairs or settees.

Most chairs and settees are made so that stock sizes of rubber

cushioning will fit without cutting and shutting, and gluing together, and

the most common sizes used at 20”x20”x2”or4” and 20”x23”x2”or4”. On mock cushion seats these rubbers are generally used on top of the conventional web sprung and canvas seats, and are taped with strips of tape specially manufactured for sticking to rubber or strips of calico glued to the rubber with special solution. These tapes are used for the purpose of holding the rubber in place by tacking to the sides of the frames.

POLYURETHANE FOAM

In today’s furniture polyurethane foam is used. There are many different grades and qualities available.

Today’s premium quality foams are a superior alternative to the old types of padding when used correctly and in the appropriate densities.

The History of Upholstered Furniture Part 4

4

PADDING

MATERIALS.

Since the advent of upholstered furniture some 400 years ago the

upholsterer has been constantly striving to improve the comfort of the

various pieces of upholstered furniture designed during his own particular

lifetime, and for many years the comfort of the upholstered product depended entirely on the ability of the craftsman. However, with the discovery of foam rubber and synthetics during the last thirty years the work of the tradesman upholsterer has been made much easier. It cannot be denied that although many synthetics have made much headway into the upholstering industry, many of the stuffing materials used during the last 400 years are still being used in the upholstery industry. This has been brought about by the reproduction periods of many of the antique pieces of furniture made by craftsmen in previous periods. This type of furniture calls for first and second stuffing’s stitched edges, and cushions filled with stuffing materials, which have been used as cushion filling materials for many years, and are still in demand, by a big section of the upholstery buying public. We also find that many of these materials are used in conjunction with the synthetics of today, let us therefore study some of these stuffing materials and see what influence they have

had on the trends of upholstery design.

Flock

Until the advent of Latex rubber, flock was perhaps the most sought after stuffing material on the market. As a filling on its own it was not satisfactory as it has a tendency to go hard and flatten out. However, when used in conjunction with a seat sprung with spiral springs, and if applied evenly and expertly by a craftsman, could be moulded into quite a comfortable seat or back. This material is made from fumigated rags, which are in turn teased in special teasing machines. Care must be taken when applying this stuffing material to an upholstered piece of furniture to ensure that all foreign matter is removed, and that the flock is completely free from lumps. Most upholsterers tease the flock in boxes with a stick before applying it to the actual job.

One of the disadvantages of using flock is that should the outside

covering material need cleaning, and cleaning fluids be applied then there is a possibility that the dye from the flock could be drawn through the cover thus ruining perhaps an expensive piece of material. This has often been the case when people have used shampoos to clean various pieces of upholstered furniture.

Horse Hair

An old timer that ruled supreme as a stuffing material for many years was horsehair. It is very resilient, and is still used by many upholsterers as a first stuffing for many types of upholstered furniture.

However, as in most things there are numerous qualities. The cheaper varieties consist of short hair with little resilience. Owing to the scarcity of horsehair, quite a lot of it, which is used at present, is reconditioned, and re-teased. It is often procured from old unwanted chairs and settees, and if washed sterilized and re-teased, can be used, irrespective of age, on fully upholstered furniture without any loss of its former resilience.

Horse hair is washed and sterilized by various methods, and after these processes it is twisted into rope, forming the curl, which is retained throughout its life, thus supplying the resilience and springiness so

essential. A large proportion is dyed black, whilst some is left its natural colour. These are called black and grey hair, but the colour is not so important as the length and curl. The shorter the hair the less the curl, and therefore the less resilience, and the greater the quantity required to obtain good results. Care must be taken when using horsehair as a stuffing material to ensure that it is completely covered with flock or linters, and should there be a laxity in this operation; the hair finds its way through the cover to the discomfort of the person sitting on it.

The History of Upholstered Furniture Part 3

3

Today our love of comfort is as great as that of’ the Victorians

but our way of life has changed, so that in the designing of chairs for today we must assess these needs, and find the best way of solving them. Our rooms are smaller than those of the past, and the

amount of time required in running a home reduced to a minimum.

furniture therefore should take up minimum of space without

Sacrificing any of its usefulness and comfort.

SEE WWW.COVER-IT.COM.AU FOR MORE

The history of upholstered furniture PART 2

2 Chairs became more elegant and graceful and were designed to enable the ladies and gentleman of the age to the up the elegant posing attitudes that were so popular. There was en elegance about the whole of this latter half the 18th century, with its finely proportioned streets, buildings, costumes and furniture. The coming of the19th century saw the beginning of many change that were to alter not only the face of Briton, but the way of life of millions of people. machines were to bring a new wealth, as well as new methods of manufacture; the population was to double in less than 50 years, and the demand for cheap food, clothes and furniture, and homes were to reach heights previously undreamed of. The first year of the century Saw the need for more, and more inexpensive furniture being met by simplification of style, and construction without much depreciation in quality; later the fine traditions of the 18th century lost in the fight for cheaper goods . Although we may condemn 19th century furniture as lacking in refinement, and reflecting the materialistic outlook of the Victorians towards their leisure, as well as their work, it is difficult to find fault with the comfort of their chairs. The introduction of the coil spring for the first time at the beginning of the 19th century was to open up wide possibilities in the design of comfortable chairs, Improvements in artificial lighting must have done much to encourage people to sit and read or do some hobby rather then retire to bed. By the 1830’s the idea that relaxing was not quite the thing was dying fast. The first deep spring chairs seem to have been installed in the men's clubs round St.James and Piccadilly, but quickly found their way into the Victorian home. The Victorians were well aware of the fact that comfort in chairs tends to be s personal matter, and that there Should be specially designed chairs for women as well as men. A study of Victorian furniture catalogues reveals the enormous range of styles and sizes in upholstered furniture in fact the Victorian Age can be called the Age of the upholsterer.

The history of upholstered furniture, PART 1

1 In the world of today comfort in sitting plays an important part whether we are travelling, working in an office, visiting the cinema or relaxing at home. The importance of sitting comfortably has a relatively short history, in fact the history of British chairs can be covered by some 400 years. Before attempting to solve some of the problems of today perhaps it is as well to consider the attitude towards sitting in the past, and the ways in which these needs are met. Almost all chairs up to the beginning of the 17tb century seem to have been designed on the lines of thrones; in other words, as chairs in which one sat with dignity rather than comfort, the hardness of the framed and panelled construction possibly being relieved by a cushion of padding of wool, horsehair, and feathers. To be chosen to be the head of a meeting, court or assembly gave one the honour of sitting in a chair, rather than on a stool or the floor, and so the word chairman has remained to this day. Even in the Elizabethan theatres it was considered normal to stand when watching a play. To be seen relaxing or reclining was considered to be bad manners, as well as showing weakness of character. This attitude towards sitting remained until well into the 19th century. The 17th century saw a big step forward in the standards of comfort in English homes. We find chairs becoming much more common, and upholstery an integral part of the design of the chairs. But it is in the beginning of the 18th century that we see for the first time chairs being thought of as truly upholstered chairs; in other words the frame work being designed from the point of view of a Skeleton to Support the flesh and "muscle" of the upholstery. Queen Anne wing-arm chairs are superb examples of the upholsterer’s art, but it must be remembered that these chairs, although extremely comfortable did not allow for very relaxed sitting. The height and depth of the seat together with the angle of the back did not allow for this. The rest 18th century saw the development of British furniture to a high level of design, and manufacture and is often referred to as the “Golden Age of Furniture”.

Highest quality workmanship and service guaranteed

At Cover It Upholstery Sydney we strive to give you the highest quality workmanship and service. We service all suburbs of Sydney, including Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, Northern Suburbs, Northern Beaches, Sydney CBD and Sutherland Shire. Just send an email with a photo of any furniture to be recovered to marcel@cover-it.com.au and we'll be able to give you an estimate on what the cost might be and if you like can then come to see you with fabric, vinyl or leather samples and give you a written quote. Should you accept our quote and assuming the fabric is available we can generally pick up your furniture within 2 weeks and return it to you in one to two weeks depending on the work involved. See our website: http://www.cover-it.com.au.