Handyman Guide > Upholstered Furniture

Renovating the upholstery of chairs, sofas, and settees, is a task which can be undertaken very satisfactorily by the home mechanic. It should be noted, however, that this section does not deal with the extensive repairs to the frame and upholstery, which are best left to a skilled craftsman.

Equipment. A hammer, screwdriver or old chisel, pincers, an upholsterer's needle, and an appliance for stretching the new webbing tightly, are all the tools required. The necessary materials are burlap and springs, if replacement is necessary, webbing, a ball of good twine, and a package of 1/2 inch tacks.

If a regular upholsterer's needle cannot be procured, a packing needle, as shown in Fig. 1, will do. Buy the very best quality webbing you can get, as the success of the work will

largely depend upon its strength and durability. The twine should be real upholsterer's twine, and its life is lengthened if drawn across a lump of beeswax before use. The beeswax not only protects the twine from deterioration but discourages rust where the knots secure the springs.

For purposes of instruction, it is assumed that the article to be repaired is an ordinary settee, but the method of repair is applicable as well to easy chairs and other upholstered furniture.

Repairs. The first operation is the removal of the canvas or burlap cover on the underside. Turn the settee upside down, supporting the center of the seat on a chair (see Fig. 2). Pull out the tacks holding the burlap in place, and remove it completely. If it is still strong and undamaged, lay it aside to be used again; but if it is faulty, measure it carefully for replacement.

To remove tacks from burlap and webbing, hold an old screwdriver or old chisel against the head of the tack and give it one or two sharp blows with the hammer. Be careful to sweep up all the tacks later, as they are dangerous to the worker when kneeling at the settee during later stages of the work.

The webbing, with the springs attached, is now exposed. Unless only one or two springs are to be repaired or replaced, it is advisable to replace the whole of the webbing. Release the tacks holding the webbing to the frame of the settee and cut loose the twine securing the springs. Take careful note of the method used by the upholsterer to tie the springs in place. A typical method is illustrated in Fig. 3.

Next, turn the settee back to its normal position, release the top cover along the front of the settee and turn it back, complete with the stuffing. It will be necessary, of course, to first remove the covered studs, brass head nails, or other ornamental fixing, together with any binding employed. Lay aside specimens of all these for use when selecting replacement patterns.

The released springs should now be examined for wear and distortion. Take an old spring to the upholsterer's supply house when ordering new ones. It may be necessary to buy a size of spring different from the original to allow for the results of long compression of the remaining springs.

At this stage, it is best to examine the joints of the frame for any looseness or weakness. Ordinarily, the joints may be repaired with glue and screws. A point to remember here is that when regluing any joint, the old glue must first be completely removed or failure will result.


Continue to Sewing the Upholstery






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Furniture
Upholstered Furniture - Furniture Upkeep - Removing Stains - Removing Dents - Leather Upholstery - Cane Seats - Furniture Repairs - How to Repair Breaks - Levelling furniture - Remodeling Furniture - Polishes and Polishing - French Polishing - Painting Furniture - Sticking Drawers - Metal Furniture.

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Definition of Terms - Ohm's Law - Alternating and Direct Current - Sources of Electrical Power - The Electrical System - Overloading the Circuit - Rewiring - Reading a Meter - Precautions - Fuses - Types of Cord - Splicing Wires - Replacing Plugs and Switches - Home Lighting - Electric Motors - Signaling System - Transformers - Burglar Alarms - Repairing the System - How to Install a Bell System.

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