How to Recover an Antique Sofa
- 1). Purchase upholstery fabric from a fabric supply store. You will need to purchase batting or piping as well to line the sofa around the edges and arms. Take a tape measure, and measure the sofa's height, width, length. Write down measurements. Remove a patch of the old upholstery with an upholstery scissor, being careful not to puncture the stuffing material under the fabric. Bring the fabric and measurements to a fabric supply store and inquire about a match for the pattern in the appropriate size from measurements taken.
- 2). Remove all cushions from the sofa, if any. Remove the rest of the sofa upholstery and sit it to the side. Take a pair of needle-nose pliers and remove all old staples you find, going around the sofa. Use a carpenter's hammer to remove old nails as well. Be careful when it comes to removing both nails and staples. Old wood may be delicate, and it can splinter easy.
- 3). Take the new fabric and place over the sofa. Start at the back of the sofa, and pull up tightly on the fabric. Secure the fabric to the frame of the wood on the sofa with a staple gun.
- 4). Pull the fabric tight as you work, so it is not bunched in sections. Do the arms last. Cut off excess fabric and staple in place. Last, attach decorative replacement piping or batting with a glue gun. Let dry for four to six hours before sitting on furniture.
- 5). Examine old cushions for damage. Using the same pattern you chose for the rest of the sofa, have the upholstery pre-cut. Sew the pieces together on a sewing machine, making sure to reinforce the edges. Leave one end open to insert the cushion. Use a new foam cushion in the same size if the antique cushion is damaged from mold, mildew or insects. After inserting the new cushion, sew up the remaining end by hand. Repeat steps if there is more than one cushion.
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