I get a lot of questions about furniture reupholstery.  “Is it worth it?” Is the biggest one I hear. Here are a 5 ways to tell if it makes sense to have a piece of furniture re-upholstered, or to start from scratch and buy new.

1. Is it old, vintage or antique?

If the answer is yes, then 9 times out of 10, it is worth upholstering.  Older pieces generally have great structural bones that are difficult to find in newer furniture at the same price point. Look for solid hardwood frames, and eight-way hand-tied springs. Not sure if you have these?  Flip your item over to look at the underside of the seat. If there is a layer of black dust cover fabric, remove it to take a look inside. Here’s a top view of what 8-way hand tied springs look like:

2. Is it personally valuable to you? 

If the answer is yes, then the investment is likely a good idea.  You can give new life to an old favorite piece and create an entire room around an item this personal. You can also be assured that no one will have anything like it.

3. What did you spend on your original purchase?

People are often surprised that the cost to reupholster is not often less than buying new.  Upholstery is extremely labor intensive, and the right materials for the job add additional expense. If you answered yes to the previous two questions, then the investment is likely worth it. A good rule of thumb: plan to spend several hundred to a few thousand (depending on the item size and any needed repairs) to have something recovered.  

4. Do you like a green home?

Recovering furniture is green!  In our disposable society, it’s not uncommon to find discarded furniture on the side of the road or in garbage dumps.  Investing in upholstery keeps those items out of the landfills and gives our Earth a breather.

5. Where can you find quality pieces to recover?

Thrift shops, yard sales, and vintage stores are a great place to find older furniture that is likely to have “good bones”.  A heavy piece usually indicates solid hardwood, and the prices can’t be beat! Once reupholstered, that item’s value will increase. In these scenarios, trying to purchase a similar item new in the store would cost much more than your investment in upholstery labor and materials.

Do you have a piece of furniture that might be a good contender for upholstery?  Give us a shout to find out!