How to Reupholster A Reclining Loveseat? A Step-by Step Learning Guide

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
8 min read

If you have a living room, a recliner is a must-have. This is an excellent option for people who want to sleep with their feet up because of their incredible level of comfort. However, over time, even the covers and upholstery of recliners become worn out. Is reupholstering the reclining couch an option?

In some cases, you may be able to repair the chair instead of purchasing a whole new one. As an alternative, you might reupholster your loveseat to keep it comfortable for many years to come.

do it yourself divas: DIY Strip Fabric From a Couch and Reupholster It

The information provided here will walk you through the process of reupholstering a reclining loveseat. When it comes to the goods and procedures you’ll need, we’ll be there to help you every step of the way.

Materials and Equipment Needed:

To begin the process of reupholstering a reclining loveseat, you will need the following materials and equipment. This will make the task more doable and easy to carry out:

  • scissors with a strong blade
  • a tool for removing seams
  • staple gun
  • An iron with a stapler
  • a hot glue gun and glue sticks are required for this project.
  • a set of buttons with covers
  • needles and thread used in the upholstery industry
  • pins with straight ends
  • with a tape measure
  • screwdriver
  • wrench
  • thread with a wax coating

Things to Know Before Upholstering:

Before you begin reupholstering a reclining loveseat, there are a few easy and vital things to keep in mind:

  • To build a comfortable recliner, you’ll need anything from 8 to 12 yards of fabric, so plan ahead. Having too much fabric is preferable to having too little.
  • Remember to leave a few of inches on both sides when cutting out designs. Sewing and tucking will be easier with this extra fabric.
  • Take a lot of pictures before and throughout your trip. At the end, these photographs will help you reassemble the chair.
  • When it comes to recliners, larger patterns with fewer straight lines, like plaid or stripes, are often a better choice because stripes and lines might distort when the chair moves and reclines.
  • If you want your upholstery fabric to be more stable, you can add batting on top of the replacement foam. This will help keep the fabric in place.

Steps on How to Reupholster a Reclining Loveseat:

Your reclining loveseat’s reupholstery materials and tools are all in place, and you’ve read the tips for the project. As a result, you’ll be ready to take on the bulk of the project.

Step #1: Remove the chair’s key components. Using a screwdriver, separate the seat cushion from the back piece while it is upright. Remove the foot and arm rests and flip it over.

Removing the old material is the second step. Your new cloth’s patterns will be better when you use them as a guide.

Step#3: Make fresh cloth pieces by cutting them out. Include enough cloth for tucking and sewing as well! If you have too much, you can always take more off.

Step#4: Iron the material before you place it on the chair. Straight pins can be used to keep the material in place as you sew.

To begin stapling your fabric, start at one end of the frame and work your way toward the middle. There should be no wrinkles in the corners of your paper. Because you can’t staple some parts of a chair, you’ll have to turn to your hot glue gun.

To put your covered button set to good use, now is the time Select and adhere to the directions for wrapping your buttons. Using a wax-coated upholstery needle and thread, sew the buttons back on to the chair’s sections. It’s time to get a new chair. And that’s it!

A Beginner's Guide to Reupholstering a Couch, Step by Step - Dengarden

How Much Does it Cost to Reupholster a Recliner?

Costs range from $200 to $500 for the supplies and equipment. You should only use this if you intend to carry out the project yourself.

Depending on your level of comfort, you may be able to save money by hiring a professional.

How Much Does it Cost to Reupholster a Small Recliner?

The amount of fabric you’ll need to reupholster a smaller chair is going to be less. The less material you need for a smaller recliner, the better. Reupholstering a modest recliner might cost anything from $100 to $400.

How Much Fabric do you use When Reupholstering a Recliner?

Depending on the type of chair, the amount of cloth you will need may be varied. Measure your chair to get an idea of how much fabric you’ll need.

The amount of cloth needed for each component can be determined by measuring its length and width. The total amount of fabric will be determined by adding the quantities required for each item.

If something goes wrong and you need to repeat a part, it’s usually a good idea to have a little extra on hand.

Can You Reupholster a La-Z-Boy Recliner and How Much Does it Cost?

One of the most renowned names in the field of recliners is La-Z-Boy. La-Z-Boy recliners are built to last, and can be used in the home for many years before needing to be replaced. When they’ve been used for a long, they may begin to show some signs of wear.

A La-Z-Boy recliner is much like any other recliner when it comes to reupholstering it. Reupholster your La-Z-Boy by following the instructions outlined above. If you want to do it yourself, it will cost you between $200 and $500 to complete the project.

Instead of doing it yourself, though, you might engage an upholstery company to do it for you. The HomeAdvisor estimate is between $400 and $1500.

FAQs

Could I do this on a leather sofa?

Yes… However, because leather is smooth and does not provide much friction to keep the cloth in place, it might come untucked a little more frequently than mine does.

How does it look when in the “reclined” position? Still good?

Everything still looks fantastic! You’ll have to re-tuck the fabric after a few “reclines” and “closes” because it will eventually slip out of the folds. Only around 30 seconds of my time is required each month.

I did this project, and have some extra drop cloths. Any ideas what I could use it for?

My answer is, yes! With the use of leftover drop cloths, this Fabric Scrap Storage Bin was created!

A Beginner's Guide to Reupholstering a Couch, Step by Step - Dengarden

If you want your chair seats to match your couch, little pieces are ideal for recovering them.

Final Thoughts

It took me a lot less time than I expected; I finished it in under 5 hours total.

Regardless of whether or not I decide to rip it off, I thought I’d share this method. Easy methods for recovering recliners are critically needed around the world! Especially in ways that don’t necessitate the removal of the previous cloth!

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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