Is Reupholstering Frugal?

[khorrell]

I've always thought it sensible to reupholster furniture when it is old/stained/damaged. However, after spending a small fortune to have two items reupholstered about 7 years ago, and them needing to be done again, I wonder if it is truly a smart move financially. Admittedly, four small girls and two cats manage to wreck furniture faster than most people. (It is really the cats, but the girls don't help.)

Any thoughts on this?

[Julie Rains]

I have had a few items reupholstered and it is expensive, esp. when I see ads for new items that are priced near the upholstery cost (materials and labor). But comparing the quality of my pieces (a sofa and some wicker furniture, acquired 10+ years ago) with the quality of what I could buy, it makes sense to me to make the repair/reupholstery. It's also nice not to have to get rid of one item and haul in something new.

[purplefdu]

I think it depends on the piece's initial quality. I mean we have a sectional we got from my mother-in-law. It cost something between $1-2k new, she paid $600 used. We saw someone sell the exact same sectional last year for $800. Its not in that nice of condition as mother-in-law, cat, dog, and sister-in-law and her two kids did a number on it but it still might be worth reupholstering compared to buying new.

[hermione]

I think it can be frugal, as already mentioned, depending on the initial quality. We purchased a used sofa at Goodwill in Jan. 2006 when we first bought our house for $70 with the intention of re-upholstering it (because I didn't like the idea of sitting/lying on a sofa with who knows what has been on it). It was/is a really nice sofa in good condition with solid wood and actually clean looking - one of those Victorian style ones with the wood frame and front and those outward sloping arms.

Only problem is it's been sitting in our garage since Jan. 2006 waiting for us to get around to it. We've actually bought the fabric for it - a nice baby blue twill we got on clearance at $1.00/yard. The foam seems to be in good enough condition that we can take it out, wash, dry and re-use it.

We just need to buy a staple gun. We have our eye on this one which must be really good because it has received a lot of great reviews and is sold out everywhere.

We're planning to do it this fall. Good luck to us.

[khorrell]

That is so cool, Hermione. I'm sure you'll do a great job!

My two chairs and sofa are family pieces. They are very solid. I've always wanted to learn to upholster, but these are fairly elaborate pieces and I don't want to mess them up. I'm beginning to become more concerned about this financial mess the country is in and I think that they will hang out in my garage until I feel like things are more stable. I've already sunk a lot of money into having the wood refinished, and the uphostering is going to be quite a lot. So, it will have to wait.

[The Zoo]

I agree with everyone who says it depends on the quality of (and your fondness for)the furniture - I have heirloom pieces that I will always reupholster because it would be impossible or extremely expensive to replace them. I also agree that not getting them done right now is probably a good idea - if you're not sitting on the floor you can probably hold off. I redo dining room chairs myself (it's easy) but wouldn't do something complicated.

[misscas]

Do yourself a favor and just accept that ratty furniture if your lot in life until the kids are grown. After they move out, go out and buy new furniture. You can even start saving now if you want to.

Our local extension office offers a furniture upholstry class for $35 plus the cost of materials and a project peice. You might check with your county extension office for a similiar class.

[lucille]

It is certainly worth it if the piece of furniture is good quality. Much of the new furniture is glued, stapled and made out of particle board. Your wasting money upholstering that kind of item. Something older with a solid hardwood frame and decent construction is going to be well worth it. Finding comparable furniture today is going to put you as buying in the very high end luxury bracket.

I have a 70's oak wingback chair I still need to recover, I am just trying to find the right fabric. Something to keep in mind is that you can buy fabric remenants to recover chairs and will pay less than off the roll. Most stores also have charts that tell you about how much fabric you need for certain furniture items. Look for fabric warehouses in your area too, they are generally way cheaper than the regular fabric stores.

[finance blog]

Reupholstering is really only money efficient if you can find someone who does it out of their house for a fair price. I would check craigslist on this to find someone to do it on the cheap.

I would opt to just buy another used piece of furniture from a place that would sell it for lower than it is worth.

One thing I have been thinking about is making my own furniture. My mom has done this with her own large ottoman and it has turned out very well. I think that furniture would not be the hardest thing to make as long as you had access to tools and the materials.

Check google for local furniture building classes in your area.


-Matt

[lucille]

Originally Posted by finance blog

Reupholstering is really only money efficient if you can find someone who does it out of their house for a fair price. I would check craigslist on this to find someone to do it on the cheap.

I would opt to just buy another used piece of furniture from a place that would sell it for lower than it is worth.

One thing I have been thinking about is making my own furniture. My mom has done this with her own large ottoman and it has turned out very well. I think that furniture would not be the hardest thing to make as long as you had access to tools and the materials.

Check google for local furniture building classes in your area.


-Matt

Or save even more by doing it yourself.
Most pieces are within the skill level of someone who can sew a semi-complicated garment and can swing a hammer.

You mentioned making furniture. We are planning on making bookcases next summer. We can't find what we want and the quality of many is poor. I have also been toying with the idea of making an upholstered chaise.