I am in the process of re-upholstering some furniture in the house.

Some of the sites I am following is this
http://www.todayshomeowner.com/home...fing-upholstery-foam-batting-and-animal-hair/

and

http://www.instructables.com/id/How-To-Reupholster-A-Chair-1/step15/Dont-Give-Up-Finish-That-Chair/

What I am wondering is this re Upholstering process just replaces the outer layer fabric.

I have an item that not only the old outer fabric smells but the cotton or foam based material smells bad or is old to. Is there anyway to get not only the fabric but also replace the internal material as well?

I know this is almost getting to the point where you can buy new furniture (probably for less haven't research that yet) or make furniture from scratch but I still am curious if anybody out there has done this at this level. (I am sure there are not sure about on this site though)

Question 2
I am wonder also how much of the furniture we buy at the stores are made from scratch/by hand. And the non-made by hand ones how much human intervention does it take to create furniture ? Is there a youtube clip or something out there that shows you the whole process of mass producing furniture items like beds , couches , footons , recliner chairs , tables ,...etc.

I am assuming there is not one machine makes all and there is some human intervention between moving things from machine to machine.

 

Fabric stores sell foam padding that can be used to restore old funature. They also sell polyester padding that is sometimes used over foam.

 

call an upholster for materials. The wife uses several upholsters and often gets materials from them for her creations.

 

I know how to sew like a button but if one doesn't have a sewing machine (and must do it by hand ) then how many loops/stitches/how long will it take more then a sewing machine?

I.E how much more time will it take usually to sew by hand then a machine if one has some sew skills say on average.

I am trying to get a ball park on how fast I can do what furniture in my place in a reasonable amount of time with just needle/thread no machine intervention.

Lets say for
A pillow
A chair
A couch
how much type do you think on average would it take for you sewer's out there

 

I've only machined sewn. I can't imagine sewing by hand. Upholstery on the other hand can often be done with little sewing. The wife used to sew curtains, and I'd often help out. You can throw down a thousand stitches in a couple of seconds. Tell us how long it takes by hand.

 

I've only machined sewn. I can't imagine sewing by hand. Upholstery on the other hand can often be done with little sewing. The wife used to sew curtains, and I'd often help out. You can throw down a thousand stitches in a couple of seconds. Tell us how long it takes by hand.

Are you saying you can do the curtains in a reasonable amount of time by hand? How about your wife does she sew anything by hand and if so how long does it take for her with out the machine ?

Question 2
For the upholstery experts do you have any specific tool other then maybe a sewing machine that re upholsteries for you. I am just trying to understand what the tools involved are for the professionals , where you can buy these ( maybe at a craft / hardware store ) , and how to uses these tools?

Thanks for any help with this one

 

Upholstery is easier than it looks, but it takes a lot of time...so much that I can't estimate time for you. I did luck into a local upholstery parts store. That made things a lot easier than hunting all over the planet for supplies. I think you aren't going to find any upholstery experts on this forum, but it doesn't hurt to ask, so you did.

 

ok what about the tools in doing upholstering can you buy these at a local store or online store.

(Probably anything can be bought online anyway except the classified / government regulated stuff but I am also assume scenes upholstering is a common trade/work the tools wood more then likely be available at a local hardware / cleaner supply store ) (obviously anybody can start a private company so in theory they should beable to get what ever they want for the equipment unless government restrictions (probably for safety) or prices being to high for them)

More importantly does anybody know what tools / cleaners...etc the professionals usually uses to do house furniture , boats , and car interior cleaning. I would imagine its more then a febreze.

For example home depot , lowes ,...etc contain pressure washers that are equivalent to what a windows on wheels company uses to clean the outside of a house. Maybe though the chemicals might have to be order from an online chemical supply store.... though the point is if one wanted to they could get all the equipment and materials to do it all by themselves for fairly cheap .

Not saying the actual business of doing it long term is easy though

 

I'm completely lost here. I rebuilt a Lazy Boy recliner. I needed a piece of wood so I walked out to the shed, picked up a two by four and cut it down to the size I needed. I needed to re-cover the seat so I bought the fabric and sewed it. I needed some of that strange flat spring so I bought a 100 foot roll and cut the lengths I needed. I needed some sheet metal spring holders so I cut a piece of sheet metal to the right size and put notches and holes in the right places. I wanted 5 springs under the seat instead of three so I went to the hardware store and bought some threaded eyes. I never suspected that I needed any chemicals. I didn't use any tools that are supposed to be especially for upholstery.

What are you talking about?

 

Ok,

But upholstery places usually just offer a cleaning service so I was wondering where / what chemicals they typically uses ?

Obviously in making it from scratch you don't need any chemicals (because your not clean it).

Also want to know what the tools are that the professionals uses.
Obviously in your case the tools where pretty easy but curious on what a typical re upholstery van or service/company has to uses from and where they get them (maybe they uses only basic tools don't know and the upholstery dispatch people don't know either apparently so I figured It would not hurt to ask)

 

I needed to re-cover the seat so I bought the fabric and sewed it.
What are you talking about?

You sew? I occasionally need fabric work done for me boat, bimini covers and such, and it's not easy to get an upholstery shop to do what I want. Sometimes, I think it would be easier if I could just do it myself, but I just don't need it often enough to justify the investment in machinery and time to learn. I've trained myself to set up a sewing machine, but that doesn't mean I can actually make something.

@Mathematics: I am not an 'expert' but I have a few small projects I've taken to the upholstery shop. Their tools are, first and foremost, commercial sewing machines, which I imagine are very expensive. Also, scissors, measuring tapes, staple guns, hammers (for furniture tacks) and various hand tools.

 

@Mathematics: I am not an 'expert' but I have a few small projects I've taken to the upholstery shop. Their tools are, first and foremost, commercial sewing machines, which I imagine are very expensive. Also, scissors, measuring tapes, staple guns, hammers (for furniture tacks) and various hand tools.

The wife still has 2 of 8 industrial sewing machines. They weigh a couple of hundred pounds with stands. They are expensive if you want to buy them, but cheap if you want to sell them. How does that work?

 

You sew?

The fabric in a Lazy Boy lounger isn't even as strong as denim jeans, and I was sewing them when I was in high school. Boat canvas? That sounds like a challenge. Like, "You thought you needed a thimble for blue jeans? Wait 'till you meet boat canvas."

 

My wife's company does all that, though we do the cleaning end while we farm out the re-upholstery. I've been to his shop and while some is sewn they try to fold over and staple all they can as it is much faster.

For cleaning we have extractors that spray water and vacuum it back up similar to the tools you can rent most anywhere. We tend to use a special clean you can't buy. Oxyclean is good; don't use soap as you will never get it all out and it will trap dirt.

There are various grades of foam used. Most tends to crush out quickly (year or so). The ones she sells come with a 25 year warranty so I'm used to the very best foam. You get exactly what you pay for in foam.

 

My wife's company does all that, though we do the cleaning end while we farm out the re-upholstery

If you have the time and don't mind can you please ask what tools maybe even some pictures of there tools they are using to re-upholstery stuff with. (maybe even a supply store name you can get those machines at if possible )

As for cleaners what supply store do you get those at for your cleaning business. And would a wet dry vac that you can pick up locally be the equivalent of what you uses for cleaning. Or do you have other machines like a steam cleaner machine or something.

 

Our cleaning units are basically just industrial versions of those meant of at home use. Industrial just means I can (and have) simply take them apart and repair/replace anything that's breaks, and the frame is very tough plastic that so far hasn't broken.

It's just a tank to hold water, a pump, a heater, and a wet/dry vac. Small 3-4 inch wide vacuum head, sprays water about the same width.

The chemical they use is not available unless you have "connections," you have to be a business, buy in bulk, blah blah. Oxyclean is nearly as good and can be bought most anywhere (in the USA anyway).

You would laugh is you saw the reupholster shop. The owner's father in law owns a huge formerly trans-shipping building where rail cars were once unloaded one side, huge 2-3 levels in the center for storage, and truck bays on the other side. The rail head is gone but trucks still use it. He has an area on the 2nd floor (46 steps, I counted while carrying chairs up them) and the place is completely functional. He's a Hasidic Jew and the guys working for him look like Jamaican ex-pats.

No walls either: chain link fencing separates different companies.

Basic tool set is a hammer, heavy grade stapler, and a strong sewing machine. Maybe some hot wire cutters for foam, but I did see the guys working damn sharp machete knives too.

 

When I was at the surplus shop on Saturday, I noticed they had the pnumatic staple guns used in upholstery shops. OH, speaking of machete knives, I've seen professional upholstery workers using electric turkey carving knives to trim and shape foam used in furniture. You know, the kind with two counter moving blades.

 

It's just a tank to hold water, a pump, a heater, and a wet/dry vac. Small 3-4 inch wide vacuum head, sprays water about the same width.

The chemical they use is not available unless you have "connections," you have to be a business, buy in bulk, blah blah. Oxyclean is nearly as good and can be bought most anywhere (in the USA anyway).

So by this could one get nearly close to the really deal by using a clothing iron , vacuum cleaner ,oxy-clean , and spray bottle?


Funny about the reupholster shop can't picture it but I have to say if one wanted to he could buy all the tools he needs for reupholstering with limited money spent in doing so... going by what your saying. (now to make it into a professionally looking business place / interior decorating the biz could be another store though)

PS. if you have a camera and don't mind snapping a few pic's some time of the shop I would love to see it posted here.