14 Reupholstery Tips From a Pro – Singapore

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How long have you been in this business?

My first job, at 15, was at an upholstery studio in SIngapore, where I grew up. So I’ve been at this for 25 years. I’ve had my own workshop at http://www.centrepiece.com.sg.

How can someone tell if a piece is worth reupholstering or not?

There’s a lot of furniture today that’s not built for a second life—it’s not structurally sound enough to invest in. If you have a piece with a well-made frame, it’s probably worth it. Older furniture tends to be higher quality—something that was your grandmother’s in the 30s or 40s is more likely to have dowel joints than be glued together. That’s worth investing in.

Why is reupholstering so expensive?

It’s a time- and labor-intensive process that involves specialized skills. A well-done job can include stripping a piece to the frame, reinforcing the frame and the joints, replacing coil springs and zigzag springs—and that’s all before the cost and complexity of fill, padding, and fabric. The most common misconception is that reupholstering is just about fabric.

Is there a cheaper way?

If the springs, padding, and frame are in great shape and all you’re looking for is new fabric, it’s a lot less expensive. But in my experience, by the time people are ready to have something reupholstered, it’s beat up on the inside.

Any tips on cushions and filling?

There’s a huge difference when it comes to price. A down-and-feather sofa cushion costs about $850; foam could be $120. Down is very comfortable, but it compresses fast and doesn’t hold its shape for long. It needs constant refluffing to look good. That’s why a combination is so popular: A foam core with a down-and-feather wrap is soft and keeps its shape.

Is there some magic ratio of feathers to down in good sofa cushions?

This is important. For both seat and back cushions, the ratio should be about 60 percent down to 40 percent feathers. A too-high percentage of feathers is bad—they’ll poke through the fabric. If you’re not sure what percentage your existing cushions have, unzip the covers and read the tags. Cushions could be labeled “down and feather” and actually have a ratio of 5 to 95. If you replace your cushions, ask the upholsterer for 60 percent down and 40 percent feathers.

What’s a common mistake people make when shopping for fabrics?

Picking stripes or patterns for rounded pieces. The stretching of the fabric required for proper application will pull the stripe or pattern out of whack and you’ll end up with crooked stripes or a warped pattern. A good upholsterer should be able to tell you what will work—and should be willing to say no if your choice isn’t right.

Is any fabric resistant to kids or pets?

Unfortunately, dogs love every kind of fabric. In my experience, though, cats don’t like mohair, and they stay off it. As for kids, I have two—and, yes, upholstery is going to get damaged with little kids around. There’s no way to avoid it.

How do you know you’re paying the right amount for reupholstering?

Get a bunch of bids. If you’re hearing $3,000 from five places and then someone says $1,200, run the other way. That’s what I call a chop shop. They’re not going to do a good job.

What constitutes a bad job?

When upholsterers put the new fabric right on top of the existing fabric with a layer of cotton in between, instead of stripping away the old stuff. Most people can’t tell right away, but in a couple of months they’ll feel the cotton bunching up on the back of the piece.

Thoughts on slipcovers?

No matter what your upholsterer tells you, wash the fabric before you have slipcovers made. I promise you: It will shrink massively. Otherwise, the minute you take the covers to be dry-cleaned—which involves liquid—they won’t fit anymore. And if the upholsterer says you need 10 yards of fabric, buy 15.

Is there a way to know if re-covering a flea-market find will be affordable?

The main thing to pay attention to is the spring action. If you hear an eee-eee-eee noise when you sit down, that’s not good. And it will cost you.

How do you care for upholstered pieces?

Don’t sit on them. Seriously, though, I don’t do anything special—I’ve never vacuumed my sofa.

What’s one request that doesn’t sit well with you?

Two-tone upholstery. Like a sofa where the front and the back are different colors. You might be sad that you did that in a few months. If you want to take a big design risk, do it with throw pillows. Keep the sofa basic.

Any last words?

Sometimes people come to our workshop wanting to preserve things for purely sentimental reasons. And that can be perfectly valid. In a time when so many of us live far from our families, and when so much is disposable, it’s nice to have a really personal piece of furniture in our homes.

Call us or email: info(at)centrepiece.com.sg to discuss your order. By calling Vince, whatapps (+65 90305057 ) you can speak direct to us, we don’t have call centres or customer service departments, you speak directly to the people making your sofa.

Looking for rattan furnitre or reuohlostery to change the look of your home? We will be able to assist you.

Shop @: Centrepiece Lazada 

Find sales/clear stock @ : Carousell

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Contact www.centrepiece.com.sg or email: info(at)centrepiece.com.sg

Note: If you are a new customer, and you need the upholster to do home visit, a SGD $40 will apply. This is to prevent people who are not serious in getting upholstery services from driving the business cost up. This helps to cut wasted time and expenses in order to benefit our existing customers. However, this SGD $40 can be reimbursed if the job is confirmed upon deposit. For existing customers, fees can be waived. Cheers 🙂

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How much will it cost to reupholster a sofa or chair?

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With reupholstery, you can expect your money to travel that bit further. If you buy new, you can almost always expect to buy again a few short years later, so it’s actually more expensive in the long term.

The price of reupholstery is generally influenced by size, style, fabric, and whether or not your furniture is antique. You can expect reupholstery to cost from around £800, and that price will cover you for years to come. With reupholstery you’re making an investment so we want to ensure that it’s something you’ll feel proud of, and that’s why we’ll go that extra mile to replace any damaged springs or padding, completely free of charge. Unlike other companies who may just replace the fabric on your furniture we virtually rebuild your treasured piece from the inside out.

We’re passionate about providing the best possible reupholstery service – we want to give your furniture that “wow!” factor back – and our prices reflect that. The price will vary dependent on the suite, but we’ll be able to provide a more specific price once we’ve seen your sofa or chair when you sent us images of your sofa via whatapps at 90305057 Singapore.

Reupholstery is a traditional craft, so if you’re investing in the service, you’ll be supporting traditional Singapore workmanship by local craftsmen and women, too.

Looking for some custom made water resistant cushions? We will be able to assist you.

Contact www.centrepiece.com.sg or email: info(at)centrepiece.com.sg

Shop: Centrepiece Lazada

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Cost of reupholstery

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Reupholstery can cost just as much as buying new furniture, depending on the work required and fabric used, says Vince Chiang, partner of highly rated Centrepiece Furnishing in Singapore.

For example, if you need a single cushion re-stuffed and reupholstered because your puppy chewed it up, the job could cost about $270. But if your couch needs a full overhaul that involves re-stuffing, reupholstery and repairs backboards, the job could cost between $900 and $1,200, or more.

Fabric drives the cost, with a typical sofa using at least 16 yards of fabric and a typical chair using about 7 yards. Cost for upholstery fabric typically costs starts around $45 per yard. Designer fabric typically starts around $85; while high-quality velvet fabric can cost as much as $200, says Vince.

The amount of fabric affects labor costs — more fabric means more labor. Intensive or special reupholstery work, such as the following, can increase labor costs:

• Attaching, replacing or fixing welt cords, or fabric cords that outline the seams of cushions and pillows

• Making sure that shapes and patterns align

• Tufting, forming patterns by threading through fabric and tying the ends with buttons or knots

Whether the cost of reupholstery is worth it depends on the quality and sentimental value of the furniture, says Vince. If you have acquire your sofa from the likes of Ikea, Courts or Vhive, the structure of the furniture may not be worth the reupholstery as it will defintely cost more than buying a new one from them.

Consult us if you are a discerning buyer who values quality over quantity.

What you can do is: email or whatapps 90305057 an image and provide us with the size of your Sofa/ Armchair / Headboard and check with us.

Looking for some custom made water resistant cushions? We will be able to assist you.

Contact www.centrepiece.com.sg or email: info(at)centrepiece.com.sg

Shop: Centrepiece Lazada

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