We have talked about how to measure fabric size for your chair reupholstery project last time. In our second “Measuring Upholstery” series, we’re going to tackle how to get the right sizes for your sofa. A threadbare, old long couch looks tacky in the middle of your living room, but you can turn it into lovely piece once you refurbish its usable parts. By replacing the fabric which has aged and has gotten dirty over use, your sofa can blend into your interiors looking brand new.
Any upholstery project requires good measurements for the fabric to fit right into the sofa. If this is your first time to DIY, we’ll be guiding you with a step-by-step process on how to record your couch’s dimensions. What you’ll need now is a pen, a paper, a calculator and of course, a measuring tape.
Remember, in taking these measurements, you only have one goal: have enough fabric to cover your reupholstery project. You might want to go a little over the exact number; this is safer than underestimating the dimensions. Luckily, there are some classic measurements that may guide you in determining your sofa’s size. Most are based on a 54″ wide fabric, which is a common width for sofas. For example, a 7 ft long sofa with back cushions and non-padded arms will need 11 yards of fabric. A 6 ft curved-back sofa with upholstered arms will need 10 yards.
You can do a graphical representation of the pattern by scaling down the size on a graph paper. This helps you see how you can put your gathered measurements together of if they will fit appropriately. If you will handle this project yourself, make sure you have the necessary tools to aid you in taking off the original fabric and putting the new one with ease. Among the tools you need are pliers, seam rippers and slender scissors.
Image Source: Uratex, High Design Upholstery
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