Sooner or later, both the sofa and the comfortable chair, beloved by the household, lose their original appearance. In such cases, if the mechanisms have not yet leaked, furniture upholstery with leather will help. After restoration, such furniture looks like it was just brought from the salon.
Upholstering of upholstered furniture with leather
The process of hauling with any material is quite laborious, but at the same time creative and interesting. In addition to the upholstery, it is also necessary to replace the filler. But even with all the energy costs, the result is impressive. It's much cheaper than buying new furniture. On average, the benefit from the upholstery is estimated at about 50-70% of the original cost of the sofa. That is, updating the material is at least half as profitable.
Natural materials are more pleasant to the touch and have a long service life, but they are more capricious. Leather is often used for upholstery of upholstered furniture because of its undeniable advantages over other materials. First of all, we are talking about durability. Secondly, the skin looks beautiful, expensive and creates an appropriate atmosphere in the room.
Furniture upholsteryfaux leather
The plating process is absolutely identical. Here the main question is about the quality of the material, because artificial leather, it would seem, should quickly lose its original properties.
However, this is not entirely true. If earlier the artificial material supplied to the market left much to be desired, quickly cracked, rubbed and dirty, today there are a large number of high-quality leather substitutes with a rich color palette at an affordable price. As they say, for every color and taste. Such upholstery can serve no less than genuine leather, looks no worse, is easy to clean, resistant to mechanical damage and ultraviolet radiation, and its price is 2.5-3 times lower. This is a weighty argument in favor of choosing this material and a worthy alternative.
Combination upholstery
If the decisive factor for the choice of material is the price, which often happens, then the average upholstery option is to combine natural and artificial leather for furniture upholstery.
Don't worry about the variety of materials. After all, manufacturers now fake leather so subtly that at first glance it can not be distinguished from natural. In the workshop where you will be doing the constriction, they will select high-quality material that is similar in texture and color. Be careful with his choice, make a choice only in favor of well-known and proven brands. In Italy, leather for furniture upholstery, both real and artificial, is made of high quality, so it is reliable for long-term use.
Types of fillers
Ifthe upholstery of the sofa has already grown old and needs to be replaced, it goes without saying that the filler has worn out along with it.
There are two types of fillers: with and without springs. In the first case, it is also necessary to change the springs, but we will consider the second option.
The material that was originally used should be preferred. If a synthetic winterizer, then choose the one that has a white color, as this indicates its high quality. If there was foam rubber inside, it is recommended to lay it in two layers, after laying felt between them. However, when contacting a furniture restoration workshop, it is best to listen to the recommendations of the master, as he has extensive experience.
Self-replacement furniture cover
A self-confident owner can independently reupholster furniture with leather right at home. It should be borne in mind that this process is not fast, and besides, it requires a lot of space to carry out the necessary work.
To start the restoration, you first need to remove the old material. This stage is the most "dirty". Pre-cover the rest of the furniture and appliances so that particles, old staples and other debris do not get stuck in them. It is better that family members leave the room for a while until the furniture is prepared. Then inspect the "innards" of the furniture for hidden damage (locks and frame beams).
If there is a spring block, you should also inspect it, as somesprings may burst or twist. In this case, the best option would be to completely replace it. If there are ties with belts, check them too, but it’s better to change them just in case, especially since this is not difficult. Soft filler in the form of foam rubber or synthetic winterizer, as mentioned above, we throw it away without even thinking.
Now comes the moment of the most interesting work - tailoring the cover. Here, whatever one may say, the skills of a cutter are needed. As a template, you can use a removed cover or turn on your imagination and transform the furniture beyond recognition by adding new elements, such as soft armrests, inserts in the back or knees. The edges of the seams must be processed so that the material does not bloom. This advice is appropriate for artificial leather.
When the cover is ready, put it on the sofa and straighten it evenly so that all the corner seams are in place. Next, carefully fasten the cover with a construction stapler, stretching it with your other hand. It will be good if relatives help you here. To prevent distortion, start from the middle. Upon completion of the leather upholstery, the furniture must be assembled.
Tools used in the work
When working, you will encounter several stages: disassembling furniture, replacing worn parts, sewing a cover and assembling.
For disassembly-assembly and replacement of parts you will need:
- screwdriver;
- pliers;
- roulette;
- construction stapler and staples;
- set of wrenches.
For sewing the cover:
- sewing machine and strong needles designed for thick fabrics or leather;
- material in the required quantity (better to take with a margin);
- tailor's scissors, crayons, ruler;
- paper to make patterns for upholstering furniture with natural or artificial leather.
