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What is reupholstery?

Revive your furniture

When your settee or chair is of a good quality but has seen better days, sofa reupholstery or dining chair reupholstery is the ideal solution. It’s the perfect way to revive a much loved piece without compromising on the comfort and style of the original design.

Sofa reupholstery doesn’t just mean recovering your furniture in the latest fabrics. Using the expertise of traditional craftspeople, Plumbs will painstakingly strip back your furniture down to its original frame and bring out the unique features you first fell in love with.

We have skilled craftspeople who specialise in dining chair reupholstery and armchair reupholstery too. Using the same techniques and meticulousness, they will reupholster your dining chair or armchair in a fabric of your choice and make you fall for it all over again. 

The Plumbs Reupholstery Process

  • Carefully remove all existing upholstery down to the bare wood
  • Inspect the frame and tighten all joints where necessary
  • Replace webs and springs as required
  • Replace all old padding and stuffing where required
  • Finally, reupholster your chair, sofa or footstool in the fabric of your choice

At every step when we reupholster your furniture, you can expect our Plumbs' five star service. What's more all our reupholstery products come with a 3 Year Quality Guarantee.

Plumbs prides itself on its people and they have an extensive network of over a hundred master upholsterers throughout the country, so we are often using the local expertise that's right on your doorstep to complete the work on your furniture.

Reup Webbing
Reup Craft Mfftea
Reup Craft Mfftea 2
Reup Mfftea

Reupholstery Techniques

There are many processes involved in the traditional art of chair and sofa reupholstery. We have given an overview of each of the most common chair and sofa reupholstery techniques that we use. As different styles of furniture require different techniques we cannot always guarantee what will be used on your furniture.

It is not always clear at first glance what processes will be carried out which is why this extensive inspection is done. However we can guarantee that whatever needs repairing, will be expertly carried out.

Here gives you an idea of what goes into reupholstering your furniture:

Stripping down and frame inspection

‘Stripping down’ is a process of removing layers of upholstery right down to the frame. Stripping down in this way allows for each layer to be inspected and upholstery techniques noted so reupholstering can be performed in the same manner in which it was made.

Webbing and base hessian

Webbing & base hessian are commonly used as a foundation on most traditionally upholstered chairs and sofas. Webbing in particular helps the frame to become a strong weight bearing structure.

Springing

Springs take a very important role when used in the upholstery of furniture. They can be used to give added resilience, depth and comfort to the seat. Springs in certain styles of furniture also help create shape.

Stuffing and padding

The Stuffing and padding of upholstered furniture not only provides comfort and longer life but also shapes the furniture into its own unique style. Modern techniques are equally as good as traditional when attaining a high standard of durability.

Deep buttoning

Deep buttoning requires the greatest amount of patience and accuracy of all the reupholstering techniques. The effect of deep buttoning can easily define a piece of furniture and make it into a visual and sensual drama.

Top cover and finishing

With all upholstery foundations in place, applying the top cover and finishing is the most exciting process. The top cover and finishing is the icing on the cake and where the furniture really starts to come alive.

    What our customers say

    UK-wide service
    UK-wide service
    Family business
    Family business
    Made-to-measure
    Made-to-measure
    Free in-home consultation
    Free in-home consultation
    Over 800 fabrics
    Over 800 fabrics
    Quality guarantee
    Quality guarantee

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