Re-upholstering an old sofa is one of the best ways to personalise and breathe a new lease of life into it. If your leather sofa has seen better days or maybe you fancy a change then you can always consider re-upholstering it. If you are trying to keep your leather sofa in the best condition possible then you should consider Leather Honey to help minimize pet scratches damaging it!
Some people find that leather is too cold or maybe you just want to modernise the look, either way, here is how you can reupholster your old leather sofa with fabric.
Couches and sofas are not complex designs of machinery but you will still need to take your time if you are going to do the job correctly. So first of all take some photographs of the sofa before you begin including any area which you think might prove tricky or difficult.
Now it is time to take the sofa apart. As you take away the old covering be careful not to damage any parts which may be needed later for stuffing.
Take the old covering apart in this order:
- With the sofa upside down or on its back take off the bottom fabric and dust clothes.
- With the sofa back upright take off the outside back, outside arms followed by the inside back, inside arms and the deck.
NB: You can use the old leather fabric as a pattern to cut your new fabric so hang on to it for future reference.
Take a close look at the cushions for any flattening or damaged filling material. Purchase new if necessary. Always buy high quality or the best you can afford as cheap foam easily breaks down.
Be sure to visit websites like my fabric connection in order to find the perfect fabric for your “new” sofa! Now cut your fabric using the old pieces of leather as a template being careful not to undercut. Use a large flat area such as the floor so that you can easily roll out the fabric. Lay the old pieces of leather on top of your fabric and then cut as required.
On seamed edges cut half an inch from the old seam and on stapled edges allow 2 to 3 inches more as this is used to pull the fabric onto the sofa.
Sew your fabric. When it comes to sewing upholstery, older more heavy duty sewing machines work best, so reading reviews of singer sewing machines will give you some ideas of the kind of kit you’ll need. Use the zipper foot to sew along the edges using a heavy duty needle and thread. Use a half inch seam allowance.
Attach your fabric. Using a heavy duty staple gun you can now start to attach your fabric to the framework. Start by attaching the new fabric from the inside out. Starting with the sofa deck then inside arms and inside back attach your fabric. No matter which way you are attaching the fabric make sure that you pull the fabric tight and snug as you attach it or it will stretch and sag over time.
Once the inside is firmly attached, sew and fit the cushions. If the cushions are too big or small then adjust the cushion areas by loosening or tightening the inside arms and back.
RESULT! Your leather sofa is now transformed into a beautiful fabric covered new piece and you can sit back and enjoy your achievements on a brand new sofa!
About the Author:
Nat Slater writes on all things interior design, and has been getting to grips with upholstery for a few weeks now.
Thanks for this tutorial. MY sister in law does this kind of job.
This is a very useful information especially to those owners of leather sofa.
I always thought of reupholstering our couch myself but I don’t have the right tools.:(
We just had our old leather sofa re-upholstered pero leather pa rin. We don’t kn wo how to do it ourselves so pinagawa na lang namin.
such a nice diy tip. I love DIY products too, i have tried upholstering our small chair and side table, they look nice.
I love leather sofa. A leather sofa adds luxury and elegance to any room in your home. Leather is also durable and gives a lasting finish to your furniture at a very low cost of maintenance.