How Much Fabric To Reupholster A Loveseat

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
9 min read

A fun DIY activity is learning the skills necessary to upholster furniture. But before you can reupholster a loveseat, you’ll need to know how much fabric you’ll need. Naturally, we should have accurate measurements before beginning the project.

The total yardage required may vary depending on a number of factors. How much fabric you’ll need depends on a number of variables, such as the cushion’s shape, size, and number.

But for standard loveseats measuring 52 inches in width, you’ll likely need around 11 yards. To approximate, just change the inches to yards. Fabric requirements are calculated by adding one yard per cushion to the total amount.

For the sake of accuracy, let’s examine the proper methods for measuring fabric for upholstery work. A daunting task, upholstery is actually quite simple to complete once the math is out of the way.

Why Reupholster a Chair?

No matter if you’re refinishing a chair you’ve had for years or a new purchase, reupholstering it can add years to the piece’s useful life. DIY reupholstery is an easy way to refresh the look of your furniture and home as a whole by replacing worn out upholstery.

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Recovering a chair allows you to reuse an existing piece of furniture, which can save you money and keep it out of a landfill, among other benefits. Your next upholstering project could be made easier if you stopped by a thrift store and picked up a mid-century wingback chair or a complete set of dining room chairs.

You can always reupholster another chair, give it away, or sell it when you decide to change your mind about the current look of your home. A reupholstered chair could bring in a tidy sum, but that depends on the model year, maker, and quality of the wood frame (not to mention your skill as a upholsterer).

Benefits of Reupholstering Chairs, Couches and Other Furniture

Freshen Up Your Space

To finish off the new look you’ve created in your space, you may want to replace the upholstery on some of your key pieces of furniture. These worn or worn-out pieces can be reupholstered to give the room a brand new look without breaking the bank on brand-new pieces.

Up-cycling

Reupholstering is a viable option to the wasteful practice of furniture disposal. Reupholstering a chair you picked up at a garage sale for next to nothing is another option.

Save a Favourite or Heirloom

It’s not necessary to toss out that comfortable couch your grandma passed down to you just because it’s a little worn or out of style. You can give your furniture a whole new look by having it reupholstered. Maple Drapery can help you find a fabric that is nearly identical to the one you already have thanks to its extensive collection of upholstery and general-use fabrics.

Make the Most of Your Quality Furniture

Quality furniture can be hard to come by in today’s market. Reupholstery is a great option because older, traditional furniture often outlasts newer, less durable pieces. By reupholstering a sturdy wood-framed sofa that is still in good condition, you can extend its life and avoid buying a new one, potentially saving money.

Customization

There are times when shopping in-store simply doesn’t yield results because no item is available in the desired fabric, color, or pattern. You can choose whatever look you like with reupholstering. This is helpful if you need a sofa or ottoman of a specific size or shape to fit a particular room. Even if you manage to track down the ideal chair, its seat fabric might not match the rest of the room’s aesthetic.

2023 Reupholster Couch Costs | Sofa & Loveseat Reupholstery Cost

How Much Fabric To Reupholster A Loveseat

Step 1: Measure the fabric

Taking the necessary measurements seems as simple as pulling out a measuring tape. However, if you want to get the most out of your project planning, you need to have your measurements in order.

This means thinking about the fabric on the outside of the couch or the sofa’s shell in addition to the space inside where you plan to sit. Then, think about the cording and batting, which are the final touches.

In order to avoid confusion, label your measuring tools. Don’t just focus on what you can see; take measurements of everything. You can’t just measure it from top to bottom because of the way the fabric is tucked in between the cushion, for instance.

Step 2: Add allowances

Extra fabric needs to be added in secret spots inside the sofa, as we’ve already mentioned. Not only that, but you’ll need to adjust for any overlap or concealed seams in the fabric. Always remember to sew a seam allowance onto your fabric.

Give generously where it counts, like the inside of the arms and the back of the loveseat. Keep in mind that the total amount required for each cut is the cut size. This means that it must factor in the allowances.

Step 3: Plan the cuts

You definitely don’t want to cut the fabric incorrectly. Your poorly measured and cut pieces will not fit over your furniture. Therefore, it is recommended to sketch a small scale of how you intend to cut the panel pieces directly onto the fabric.

Think about how you can most profitably employ all of the fabric on hand. For optimal efficiency, it is essential that you ascertain the width of the roll. Make a pattern of the fabric with the cuts marked out.

Why should you reupholster?

If you compare the cost to the cost of a brand new sofa set, you’ll quickly see the savings. Nonetheless, reupholstering a loveseat or a favorite sofa is a great way to add a special touch to your home by using your own style and creativity.

You can use that money to buy less expensive furniture. Learn how to reupholster a used loveseat and you’ll have a brand new piece of furniture for a fraction of the price. It’ll help you save a lot of cash, which you can then put to better use.

If you’re a fan of frugality, you should make it a priority to learn to reupholster. After all, why buy new, impractical loveseats when the old ones can be repurposed into something just as nice but much cheaper?

Tips

Approximately 12 yards of fabric would be required to cover a standard six-foot-long sofa. For smaller loveseats, that should serve as a ballpark figure to work with when estimating costs. Obviously, given their diminutive stature, a yardage of 12 would be excessive.

You’ll need two more yards of fabric than you originally estimated if you want to make a pattern matching for a large-scale print. Layouts for nap time reduction will benefit from this. Pattern matching is necessary for floral, geometric, and striped fabrics with a large scale.

How Much Fabric to Reupholster a Loveseat - Krostrade

However, napping must be followed when cutting white velvet, corduroy, and chenille. The finished product should look like it was sewn together without any gaps or wrinkles.

Finally, you might want to stay away from shorts material. Since you are paying for them by the yard, it makes more sense to purchase a longer piece. If not, you’ll need to either get a replacement part or resort to laborious sewing techniques to join the pieces.

Summary

If you want your finished upholstery project to look like it was made by a professional, you’ll need to be very precise with your measurements. The good news is that you don’t need to be an expert seamstress to make your own loveseat cover.

How much fabric you need to reupholster a loveseat is generally the same for other types of couches. Simply apply the same procedures and instructions to sofas of a different length. Don’t rush the process and make sure to get accurate measurements.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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