What fabric to use to upholster a couch?

Question

We are in desperate need to furnish our house! We dont have any couches! We also arent ready to shell out the cash needed to purchase these items, so we were thinking about going to thrift stores, craigslist, etc, and find couches we like that we could reupholster. BTW, we've never done this before, but are pretty confident we can do it! I do have some questions...We've found some couches we like, for under $50, and we were wondering what kind of fabric we should look for to cover it in. Will any home decor fabric work? Is there a certain material to look for? We dont want to cover it in anything that will be way too expensive....and any tips to the actual reupholstering part? Thanks!

Answer 1

Most stores sell slip covers...its a little more expensive than buying the fabric,but it saves you the hassle  of upholstering.

If you do upholster, I would use suede.  its a comfy and durable fabric

Answer 2

Slip covers are way easier to home sew, and you can use washable fabric.

If you have basic sewing skills they are easy to make.  You won't find patterns for them, just written instructions, as all furniture is constructed differently.  Check your library for books. There will be complete instructions for measuring, cutting and sewing.  Make your decision after you have researched.

If you don't want to take it on, most local seamstresses will do it for a reasonable price.

Answer 3

A Comforter has a front & a back; take it apart & use one side to make the arm covers, & the other side for the seat & the back; Tuck it all in & noone will know that it's actually 3 pieces (both arms & the back/seat);  this is easier on your washing machine, too; for you only have to wash the sections that gets dirty.  You can also use 2 large, Flat sheets, too; to do the same; the comforters usually has the prettiest prints, though; that's why I favor them.   Just be careful, making the arm covers; it's a little tricky, but nothing one can't handle, after getting into it all.

Answer 4

I re-upholstered a wing back chair with a queen size bed sheet!!   It wasn't that hard, and looked good for a couple of years.  Not sure if I would attempt a couch though.  Like others have said you may end up paying as much for the fabric as you would to buy a 2nd hand couch that you actually liked and didn't need to re-cover.  Surely the local paper has  classified ads with "moving" sales and the like.  That might be a better option.

My hubby and I bought a lot of stuff in our "early" days that way..in fact I still have the antique dining room set we bought from a divorcing couple...we paid $800...but its worth $4,000!!  Good Luck, and keep you eyes open at garage sales etc.

Answer 5

Check out some prices for upholstering before you buy a couch. Upholstery can get very pricey. You will pay for fabric by the yard, plus any other material such as foam cushions, batting, welting, etc.

Find out what it would cost to upholster a standard size sofa with a fabric in a mid-price range. You'll find a very wide price range for fabrics.

If you are planning to buy a couch and have it reupholsered, I think you'd be better off to just look for a good used couch. It might actually be cheaper. Check out consignment shops and used furniture stores. Look in the classified ads in your local newspaper, and check bulletin boards in public places such as libraries, laurndromats, etc.

After having read your post again after writing that first paragraph, I don't know what to say about your planning to upholster the couch yourself. You will need a special sewing machine and needles to do it yourself. If you are thinking of slip covers, that's a different story. You would need a lighter weight fabric for slip covers than for upholstering.

I don't mean to sound negative, but this is quite an undertaking. Unless you have had experience in sewing and/or upholstery, it may prove to be more than you can comfortably handle. I still say you'd be better off looking for good used pieces in excellent shape. They're out there; it's just a matter of finding them.

Do lots of reading and research before you tackle a big job like sewing slipcovers or upholsering a big piece of furniture.