How to pull the sofa yourself

No matter how good-quality, comfortable and high-quality the soft furniture was, the upholstery wears out over time and the sofa becomes useless. And not only the appearance is deteriorating, some structural details are becoming unusable, the springs are deformed, the filler is crumpled, restoration and cleaning are required. Often it is necessary to restore not new furniture, but, for example, donated, given or antiquarian. In the presence of finance, you can give furniture to a necktie in a specialized firm, but this simple process can be mastered independently. On how to pull the sofa, it is worth talking in detail.

How to start the restoration and the upholstery of the sofa

If the soft furniture in the house is similar in design but has different upholstery and wear, you can make a constriction of the whole set at the same time, having a kind of furniture set. Although this will draw additional costs, but the renovation of furniture will cost several times cheaper than a full replacement for a new one. If you master the constriction of the sofa, then it will not be difficult for you to change the upholstery of chairs and chairs with soft backs. But it's easier to start with a sofa, since it has fewer different structural details, and the surfaces themselves are larger, and it is much easier to hide the seams and the hem of the fabric.

When starting restoration, it is important to think through all the steps of the work:

• to reveal all the defects that arose when using a sofa;
• determine the type of upholstery;
• calculate the footage of the upholstery;
• make preliminary cost calculations;
• purchase upholstery fabric;
• prepare all the necessary tools;
• make out the sofa;
• perform a general cleaning inside;
• make the necessary restoration;
• step by step to pull the sofa.

Having no idea how the sofa is arranged inside, do not rush to get down to business. The easiest way to do a constriction of a sofa with simple structural details of a geometric shape. In this case, there are no problems with complex patterns and sophisticated details.

People say that their eyes are afraid, and their hands are doing it, so if you have any doubts and questions, it's worth reading the video on how to pull the sofa yourself. Only patience and time are needed.

The main defects of old sofas and signs of wear

The definition of "old sofa" is very relative, that is "new" - it's just bought. The used sofa may have a different degree of deterioration, and this depends on various reasons:

• the degree of daily load;
• frequency of the layout;
• the room in which it was operated;
• additional loads, for example, when the couch often jumped children.

The sofa on the wheels is experiencing the greatest load in the roller part of the legs, and this is important to pay attention. Degree of deterioration of a sofa define:

• on legs and rollers;
• upholstery impurities;
• seat deformation;
• crushing filler;
• stretching of springs;
• integrity of the layout mechanism.

It is these parts of the sofa that must be carefully inspected and restored. This will entail additional costs, but there is hardly any other opportunity to look inside it in the coming years.

It's the easiest way to do the constriction of the book sofa, because it has the least detail and the most simple layout mechanism.

The most necessary tools for the restoration of the sofa:

• drill;
• naildrivers or screwdrivers;
• pliers;
• furniture or building stapler with staples;
• scissors and chalk( marker);
• needle and thread for basting;
• glue gun;
• sewing machine.

The cornering of a corner sofa by one's own hands is much more complicated than the restoration of a simple ottoman, a kitchen corner or a sofa-book. The main stages of the work are the same, but we have to take into account its design features and the complexity of cutting. The most difficult thing is to collect it after restoration and bring it back to its original state. The same is true for certain types of layout, for example, automatic. If there is no replacement skill, do not touch these corners. In such cases, it is important to secure the folding part securely for the duration of operation.

You should not do the constriction of the sofa yourself if:

1. The sofa model has a complicated configuration and upholstery elements that will be difficult to reconstruct in the new material.
2. Furniture has a complex design or a transformation mechanism that prevents access to the inside of the sofa.
3. You have doubts that after dismantling the furniture it can be assembled again to the working condition, including the frame, filler and other structural details.
4. You have expensive Italian or antique furniture, the restoration of which can only be entrusted to specialists.
5. You are afraid of the complexity of working with the upholstery material, for example, thin leather or an old handmade tapestry.

Possible complications for the restoration and constriction of the sofas

When you look at the sofa for structural details, remember that you can not do without this stage. Revise the support frame, the wooden frame and other parts. Most often, a crack is found or the board is broken. When it is not possible to remove it and replace it with a similar one, you can fix it from both sides with a corner and tighten it with screws.

Revise the integrity of the entire hardware: the transformation mechanism, screws, slats, etc. If there are defects and heavy wear and tear, replace with analogs and check the accuracy of the fit.

If the old sofa creaked, you need to reconsider all the joints, they need to be adjusted and pasted again. Avoid toxic glue, as it can emit harmful fumes for a long time, and this will have to be involuntarily inhaled while sitting on the couch.

Carefully review the entire block of springs, and if something is wrong - fix it. Sometimes you need a sprinkling of springs or a replacement of one of them. Usually the springs are strong, but their grip is deformed. Springs protruding in the seat, you need to shorten, compact or replace, for this you can take the same from the extreme corners of the sofa.

Do not tighten the springs too tightly, as this will make their normal operation more difficult. Filler and packing are placed on the springs.

We disassemble the sofa for structural details

1. Before starting work, the floor in the room is covered with a film or an old oilcloth to facilitate cleaning. Old filler type foam rubber is difficult to remove without residue.
2. We begin to disassemble the sofa: we put aside the extracting pouffes and pull-out details, we remove the armrests, if any. Further we separate from a frame a back and we dismantle a sitting. The last operation may seem the most difficult because of the transformation mechanism.
3. The layout mechanism can be removed if it does not cause any difficulties. If in the decomposed form there is a normal access to all surfaces of the seat, there is no sense to touch it - this will facilitate the reverse assembly.
4. In order not to lose fasteners, it is better to sign them, such as "right" or "left armrest", postponing so that they can then be found for assembly.
5. Old brackets for fixing upholstery can be pinched by a screwdriver and pulled out with pliers from the frame - all this is no longer useful. Take care that sharp staples do not stretch the floor of the children or pets, so as not to accidentally step on bare feet.
6. Carefully remove the old upholstery to use as patterns for subsequent cutting.
7. Carefully vacuum the space inside the open sofa, then make the necessary restoration. Examine the filler - it is suitable or requires replacement.
8. We turn to the cutting of a new fabric for upholstery.
   

   Tip: Lay the patterns on the wrong side of the cut. The pieces of the old cloth are placed in the wrong side to themselves so that they fit tightly to each other. Competent layout will reduce the amount of scraps and save upholstery fabric. If the material remains, you can sew a sofa cushion or leave it in reserve. We fasten the patterns with pins at the edges, mark them with chalk. After making sure that all the details are properly laid and marked, you can cut out a fragment - it's convenient to make large sharp scissors.

9. Stapling of parts is a crucial moment, as it is necessary to have the skills of working with a sewing machine. But this operation can be entrusted to an experienced dressmaker or atelier. Previously, in those places where there will be seams, you need to sweep the parts so that they do not wrinkle during the stitching. Stretching the sofa, photo:
   
10. Stretching the stitched details on the pouffes, armrests, backrest and sitting, make sure that there are no wrinkles and distortions. Only after this you can tighten all the details of the upholstery.
11. Now you can pull the sofa with your own hands, fixing the stitched parts with a furniture stapler, starting with the seat and fixing it in approximately the same places as the old staples.
    

    Tip: The stapler can be replaced with furniture or shoe wedge nails. So they do not slip through the fabric, it is better in those places where nails will be driven, to put pieces of leather the size of a penny.

12. Now it is important to assemble the sofa to its original structural state, using the old hardware or replacing it with a similar new one. After that, the sofa looks like new.

How to choose the right fabric?

When choosing upholstery, you need to focus not on the prestige or cheapness of the material, but on its appearance and practicality. If the sofa serves occasionally, for example, in a country house, then the choice depends on whether they often use it. Often, especially elegant or antique sofas are covered with expensive tapestry, silk, leather or fur - to emphasize the status of the owner and decorate the living room.

If the sofa is the main place for family communication, then you need a practical upholstery, which is difficult to spoil something. This can be a special upholstery fabric imported production or sofa velor with a pattern where the pollution is not so visible. Those fabrics that are used for tailoring will not work, but they can be used as removable covers if there is such a need.

Most often, for the constriction of furniture use:

• special synthetic velor;
• furniture tapestry;
• sewed;
• skin;
• furniture jacquard;
• low-art artificial fur on a dense basis;
• quality imitation leather.

Tip: Regarding the coloring, you can not say something unambiguous - it all depends on the style in which the product is executed, and on the interior design. Jacquard and the "flower" will be appropriate in country-style, and an expensive striped satin or tapestry is suitable for furniture in historical styles. Skin is not appropriate in every stylist, and white, brown and black imitation leather is very similar to the natural skin, but much more practical and cheaper. The overturned sofa should be in harmony with the overall interior. Acid and bright shades are better for choosing for a youth interior, but remember that they tire and are not suitable for a zone of comfortable rest. In the choice of fabric, you can also use the hint on the photo:

Features of the drawer of a leather sofa

Pulling a sofa by the skin is the most difficult process, especially if it is an antiques. The most difficult types of work should be entrusted to professionals, for example, instruct the carpentry shop to carve similar legs. Skin for a sofa, as a rule, is saved, and diluted similar in texture and shade with imitation leather for hidden and back upholstery elements. Although you only need to replace one part of the leather sofa, the new leather will contrast with the old sofa, even if the color is the same.

The dismantling of a leather sofa into components is similar to any other, but worn out skin is difficult to remove without damage, especially when removing staples. It is important to remember that the skin is compressed with time, so at the edges of old patterns under the cut we add a little to the allowances - about 1 cm. Symmetrical details are easier to cut out one by one. The most difficult - without the experience to calculate the required amount of skin, so it is better to purchase the material with a stock, the flap can be useful for the next restoration.

When patterning details from the skin it is important to remember that the skin is of different thickness and quality, and the strongest pieces will go to the seat and the upper back part - under the back of the head and shoulder blades, as well as on the armrests. All pieces of leather are carefully inspected for defects, especially when buying in bulk. If the skin is not enough, then unobtrusive and rear parts can be replaced with artificial skin of the same color.

Advice: It is better to check the line on the skin in 2-3 layers in advance, since not every machine is adjusted under the skin. On the sample, select the width of the stitch and check the strength of the threads( only strong silky synthetics).If the machine does not cope with the task, entrust this operation to the atelier. And remember that the skin requires special care by special means. The spots on the skin are removed with alcohol, acetone, gasoline, glycerin or stain remover, which you need to try on a separate piece of skin - if the paint does not peel off.

The most difficult kind of furniture waist-up is the restoration of an antique sofa, especially if all the details are dilapidated. Sometimes it is easier to make an exact copy of the professionals in the furniture shop than to do a thorough restoration. Today, a whole technique has been developed, either to impart dilapidated wood or visually to make new furniture so that it does not differ from the best antiquarian samples. In this case, there will be no problems with its operation, it's not a secret that antiques are not used for practical purposes.