Important Tips for Upholstery
These are tips for measuring furniture that is to be upholstered. Following these tips should ensure you a more correct measurement of yardage. These tips are only guidelines. We do not take responsibility for incorrect measuring or incorrect usage of these tips.ORGANIZE:
Make a list of the different sections of your piece of furniture. Figure A is an example of the different sections a chair may have. The sections on your list should be the ones where fabric is going to be applied. Remember to measure both the length and the width of each section.
Give yourself 2-1/2 inches allowance for most seams. Also always give yourself some extra yardage for mistakes and in case you made a mis-measurement. You can always use the left over material for pillows accessories, etc.
MEASURE:
Always measure the widest parts of each section. For example if your chair has a T-shaped lip to its cushion/seat. Measure the top of the T, for it is the widest part of the section. Figure B shows a sample for a chair. If possible, also measure a piece of furniture before you take off the old fabric. This will give you a more accurate measurement.
CALCULATE:
Add all your measurements together and divide by 36 to get the approximate yardage needed for your project.
OVER ESTIMATE:
Give yourself 2 1/2 inches allowance for most seams. Also always give yourself some extra yardage for mistakes and in case you made a mis-measurement. You can always use the left over material for pillows accessories, etc.
MOTIFS:
Patterns with large motifs and patterns that need to be lined up will require more fabric. It may be helpful to plan out you pattern pieces first.
SKIRTS:
Patterns with large motifs and patterns that need to be lined up will require more fabric. It may be helpful to plan out you pattern pieces first. If you are adding a skirt to your piece of furniture, two or three extra yards will be needed.
WEFTING AND PIPING:
Adding any piping of wefting to the edges of furniture will require an extra yard or two
ORDERING:
Order designer fabric from a designer or a design firm that has been in business for at least 10 years. Be cautious of deals that are too good to be true. There are a lot of sites up that offer really cheap designer fabric. These are typically fabric pieces that have been discarded by the factory as seconds that they can't sell. If you need help with a total house redo, see an interior designer. If you know what you would like to order, or need minimal help, use an internet fabric ordering site to get a good deal on designer fabric. Ensure it is a reputable company that has been in business for at least 10 years and is tied to an interior design firm. Two sites that I've found that meet these criteria are:
Commercial Interiors Outlet
Great site for small interior design firms, upholstery shops, painters, wallpaper installers, hotels, etc to open an account to expand their designer fabric, designer wall paper, and designer trim options to their customers. Great way to outsource, save money, and expand selection by only opening one line of credit.
Designer Fabrics Outlet
Great site for homeowners who know what designer fabric they want or see a designer fabric, designer wall paper, and/or designer trim in a magazine and don't need a designer. Removes the middleman fee that a designer would charge to order the fabric for you. Company can also provide design services as requested or needed.
The following site is a calculator for estimating fabric.
Patterned Fabric Additional Yardage Estimation Chart
| Fabric Width | Plain Fabric | 3" - 14" Repeat | 15"-19" Repeat | 20"-27" Repeat | 28"-36" Repeat | 37"-45" Repeat | 46"-54" Repeat |
| 54" | 0% | 10% | 15% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% |
| 50"-52" | 10% | 20% | 25% | 30% | 35% | 40% | 45% |
First add the fabric's vertical and horizontal repeats together (for example, a 7" vertical repeat plus its 10" horizontal repeat gives a 17" total). Then find the appropriate column on the chart, and increase the yardage estimate by the percentage indicated.
For example: The yardage estimate is 5 yards of 54" wide fabric to cover a chair and the pattern on the fabric repeats horizontally every 10" and vertically every 7". Add up the repeats (10" + 7" = 17") and find the appropriate column (15% for this example). 15 percent more fabric is needed to cover the chair while matching the pattern at the seams. 5 yards plus an extra 15 % is 5.75 yards.
I never knew that making upholsteries was this complicated! There are so many measurements to consider, fabrics to choose from, and even numbers to compute. Here in Portland, we feel the same for carpets, especially when it comes to cleaning. Upholstery and carpet cleaning in Portland is just as complex, so as much as possible we want professionals to do it for us.
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