On average, a sofa lasts between 7 – 15 years if properly maintained. That is an excellent lifespan for a couch based on its usage. But even better, you can get more life from an old sofa with reupholstery. Rather than throwing away an old couch that cannot be cleaned and buying a new one, you can swipe the old fabric and give it a new look and feel.
The look and feel you desire to achieve will depend mainly on the upholstery fabric you choose. But do you prefer? In this article, you will learn the key factors to consider when choosing upholstery fabric for your sofa.
Why You Should Consider Reupholstery
Reupholstery, by definition, is the process of replacing old with new fabric on furniture. We have realized that most of our clients have different goals they want to achieve from reupholstery. However, there are common patterns we have seen arise.
Change in fabric design is what most customers want with reupholstery. Others considered reupholstery since it’s cheaper than buying a new custom sofa. Another common reason people choose reupholstery is the need to preserve a durable sofa frame. Sofa frames from hardwood last longer than the cushions.
By and large, changing the old fabric has been the top reason many people opt for reupholstery. Therefore, there needs to be a lot of deliberation on the material to ensure a successful outcome. You should start by understanding the various types of fabrics.
Reupholstering your furniture requires expertise and experience, and it is often better to engage an expert like us for upholstery services.
Types of Upholstery Fabrics
The reupholstery material you choose will impact your home’s interior design, longevity and usability of the sofa. As such, you need to select the best fabric if you want to maximize those aspects. From our experience, the following materials have left our past customers impressed by reupholstery.
Natural sofa reupholstery fabrics
Natural fabrics are acquired from animal skin (leather) or plant extracts. Due to their origin, they can be rare to find and thus expensive. Here are some common natural fabric examples for sofa reupholstery;
- Cotton. Most homeowners choose cotton as an upholstery material since it’s affordable and versatile. Cotton is the best sofa reupholstery fabric if you have many pets or kids running around the house.
- Leather. You can never go wrong with leather. Besides the luxurious look and feel, leather is durable, resistant to scratch, and easy to clean.
- Linen. Although linen is slightly hard to maintain due to easy shrinkage, it makes for a good sofa fabric for modern interior décor.
- Silk. Despite its durability and sturdiness, this fabric can be gentle and hence requires care when in use.
Synthetic sofa reupholstery fabrics
Synthetic fibres are the kind that is manufactured from chemical synthesis in a bid to replicate the behaviour of natural fabrics. Here are some examples of manufactured sofa fabrics;
- Microfiber. This fabric feels a lot like velvet and is the most commonly manufactured reupholstery fabric.
- Nylon. Several fabrics and chemicals are blended in the preparation of Nylon fabric. Nylon is preferred mostly due to its abrasion resistance.
- Acetate. This man-made fabric mimics the characteristics of silk. Thus, it provides a beautiful outlook but requires care to preserve its appeal.
Factors to Consider When Choosing Sofa Reupholstery Fabric
The ultimate decision of a fabric you arrive at will be determined by several factors. When looking at the different types of fabrics, we learned that some are easy to maintain, while others are not so much. Also, you will have to consider other factors such as cost and so on. Let’s look at them in detail.
Durability
For a sofa fabric to be considered durable, it has to last long without wear and tear under normal conditions. Since a sofa is a furniture that gets used frequently, you definitely want to choose a durable fabric. Durable fabrics such as leather should be your top priority in this case.
Existing interior design
Upholstery fabrics come in different colours, patterns, and finishes. These are design elements that you need to consider when choosing our fabric. Essentially, you want a fabric that blends in with interior colour, style, and character. A great rule of thumb here is to choose a fabric that is closely related to the old one if you plan on maintaining the existing style.
If you would like a change of interior design style, Desace offers both residential and commercial interior design for your consideration. Here are some commercial interior design ideas as well as residential design inspirations for you.
Maintenance
Fabric maintenance includes cleaning and stain and lint removal. Therefore, different sofa fabrics have guidelines on cleaning methods. These guidelines stipulate the cleaning equipment, detergents and so on. When choosing a fabric, you should also consider how it should be washed based on the usage of the sofa. Heavily used sofas should be reupholstered with materials that are easy to clean and maintain.
Cost of the fabric
For most customers, the cost is the ultimate determinant of fabric. This is because, in most cases, the price determines a fabric’s quality, durability, design, and ease of maintenance. Therefore, expensive fabrics are largely more durable than their less expensive counterparts. However, you can strike a balance between quality and affordability by choosing a fabric that compromises a minor element and focuses on a major one.
Choose Desace’s Sofa Reupholstery
In conclusion, reupholstery offers several benefits, including the opportunity to change the fabric design, cost-effectiveness compared to buying a new custom sofa, and the preservation of a durable sofa frame. When considering reupholstery, it is essential to make well-informed decisions about the upholstery fabric you choose to ensure a successful outcome, while complementing your existing interior design.
Choose Desace’s sofa reupholstery services to give it a fresh and stylish makeover, transforming it into a cherished piece of furniture in your home. Get in touch with us today to explore the possibilities of reupholstering your sofa with quality upholstery that suits your unique taste and lifestyle or for your restaurant renovation.
If you’re interested to engage us, do drop by our showroom or contact us. Should you be looking for more related services, we also offer custom carpentry, office renovation, and reinstatement services.