FURNITURE UPHOLSTERY
If you have several older pieces of furniture in your home or office, you may notice that the upholstery is wearing thin. The next decision you need to make is whether to reupholster the piece or to buy a new piece of furniture. If the piece is an heirloom or a unique piece that you love, then reupholstering is most likely the best choice.
Upholstery fabrics should hold their colors well, or in other words, they should have good “colorfastness.” Fabrics with good colorfastness don’t fade, even under exposure to UV rays and fluorescent lights. Additionally, upholstery fabrics should be easy to clean, since many pieces of furniture will experience the occasional spill.
When choosing a new upholstery fabric, a unique element that needs to be taken into account is how resistant the fabric is to abrasion. A fabric with a high abrasion resistance rating – 30,000 double rubs or more – is very durable and would be appropriate for use in hotels, restaurants, waiting areas, or other high traffic places. All upholstery fabrics, even those used in private homes, should have an abrasion rating of at least 15,000 double rubs.
A variety of fabric types can be used in upholstery. Cotton and cotton blends are durable, but may soil or wrinkle easily. Leather is both tough and easy to clean, but can be expensive. Silk is soft and beautiful, but only appropriate for formal rooms, since it cannot easily be cleaned if stained.
All of these fabrics can be used appropriately in upholstery, but the ultimate choice of which one is best depends on how your newly upholstered piece(s) of furniture will be used. In our initial consultation, we can help decide what type of fabric will work best for you and then provide a variety of options for you to choose from.
Upholstery fabrics should hold their colors well, or in other words, they should have good “colorfastness.” Fabrics with good colorfastness don’t fade, even under exposure to UV rays and fluorescent lights. Additionally, upholstery fabrics should be easy to clean, since many pieces of furniture will experience the occasional spill.
When choosing a new upholstery fabric, a unique element that needs to be taken into account is how resistant the fabric is to abrasion. A fabric with a high abrasion resistance rating – 30,000 double rubs or more – is very durable and would be appropriate for use in hotels, restaurants, waiting areas, or other high traffic places. All upholstery fabrics, even those used in private homes, should have an abrasion rating of at least 15,000 double rubs.
A variety of fabric types can be used in upholstery. Cotton and cotton blends are durable, but may soil or wrinkle easily. Leather is both tough and easy to clean, but can be expensive. Silk is soft and beautiful, but only appropriate for formal rooms, since it cannot easily be cleaned if stained.
All of these fabrics can be used appropriately in upholstery, but the ultimate choice of which one is best depends on how your newly upholstered piece(s) of furniture will be used. In our initial consultation, we can help decide what type of fabric will work best for you and then provide a variety of options for you to choose from.
