Q. How do we know if our old sofa is worth
re-upholstering?
A. By choosing a high quality fabric (or leather) you
can transform an average sofa into an exclusive piece that no retailer would
have on their floor! However, not all sofas are worth re-upholstering.
We could classify the quality of sofas into three categories:
-
High Quality Sofas. They are just irresistible!
They combine comfort and elegance. They feature hardwood frames, well padded
arms and backs, sprung (and sprung edged) seats, excellent cushioning, attention to detail,
high quality fabrics. Generally speaking, high
quality sofas are so well built that they last for many years. They are
worth re-upholstering again and again. High Quality Sofas are either custom
built or purchased from top-end-of-the-market furniture retailers.
-
Medium Quality Sofas. Medium Quality Sofas
are also worth re-upholstering. In fact, as a favourite upholsterer's slogan
puts it, they can be made "better than new". This can be done
because their frames can generally be reinforced, their padding and
cushioning improved or replaced, their webbing/springing reinforced or replaced, and
fabric/or leather replaced with a better quality one.
-
Low quality, cheap sofas are not
worth re-upholstering. Cheap sofas are in most cases imported and are made
out of low quality material (chipboard and pinewood frames, low grade
elastic webbing, low density foams, cheap fabrics, etc). Also, the
workmanship is of a very low standard. In these cases, it is better to
buy a new sofa or to have one
custom
made.
Q. Which type of fabric will give us the best service?
A. See:
Fabric
Types
Q. Will you do the work if I use my own fabric?
A. Yes. However, we may be
unable to ascertain the quality of fabric not supplied by us. New
Image Upholstery uses fabrics that have been tested using Australian and
International standards. For more information see:
Grading
of Upholstery Fabrics. If you are purchasing your fabric elsewhere, we
recommend that you ask how it has tested in Abrasion Resistance, Seam Slippage,
Colour Fastness to Light & Pilling Resistance.
Q. Why did two upholsterers quote different meterage for
my chair?
A. Not all upholsterers measure and cut the same way. Also,
some sales representatives are not upholsterers and often underestimate or
overestimate the required meterage. There are other issues related to the type
of fabric to be used. Most tapestries and larger patterned fabrics need to match
vertically and be centred, and they must be cut to fit properly. These cuts
require more fabric due to the match and selvage loss. Describing a chair, you
create a picture that is different to each listener. Take a photo of the piece
to be upholstered, note it's general measurements, and you'll find the estimates
of meterage and labour will be much closer.
Q. Do you tighten or reglue the furniture when you
reupholster?
A. Yes, whenever necessary we
reglue open joints, we reinforce and re-block parts of the frame that require
attention. However, it is not always possible to open all the joints for full regluing or re-blocking, because of different seat and back spring/webbing
constructions. Smaller problems like loose arm joints or loose corner blocks are
easier repaired.
Repairing the frame of Antique furniture is a more
complicated matter. The frames tend to be fragile In order to repair them we may
need to fully strip all padding and springs. Our french polisher and our on-call
antique restorer are experienced and well skilled in all aspects of antique
restorations.
Q. Can you refinish, re-polish, clean or
"touch up" wooden frames?
A. The team of New Image
Upholstery includes a french polisher. We are capable of doing light refinishing
& touching up of the wood on most furniture.
