When furniture becomes faded, tired or worn and needs replacing you can choose from a couple of options. Obviously, you can get rid of your old sofa or chairs and buy new or you could opt to have them reupholstered.
There are strong cases for both dependent on the furniture in question and sometimes re-upholstery, whilst more cost effective may not be the best choice. Here are a few points which you should consider before making the decision to replace or reupholster.
How old is my piece of furniture?
The first step when considering re-upholstery is to consider the age of your furniture. Is it an antique or is it a newer piece? Very often, it pays to have an antique piece of furniture reupholstered as they are very difficult to replace and sometimes they are a family heirloom. If a piece has sentimental value or has been handed down through the family then re-upholstery is less a question of money and more of a ‘must do’.
What is the quality of my furniture?
Next you should consider the quality of your furniture. Re-upholstery can be expensive and if your furniture is not of a good quality then the expense of reupholstering is unlikely to be worth it.
To determine the quality of your piece you should consider how much you paid for it in the first place. If this was only a few hundred pounds then it is probably not worth going to the expense of reupholstering it. For example, if you bought your sofa for £500 brand new then it is unlikely to be of a high quality and buying new would be the cheaper option here.
If you are unsure of the initial cost of your piece of furniture there are a few checks you can easily make which should help you decide. Firstly, check if the furniture has springs or not. The best quality furniture has tied springs beneath the seating cushions. Next you should lift the piece (if it is safe to do so) to determine its weight. As a general rule the heavier a piece of furniture the better its build quality. This is because the frame will be constructed from hardwood and be of a solid and heavy build.
Has my furniture been reupholstered before?
Take a close look at your furniture. Has it been reupholstered before? If so, then this suggests that it is a quality piece which has already lasted many years and is worth having it reupholstered again.
Remember… It’s not all about cost!
Whilst re-upholstery may seem expensive it can cost a lot less than replacing high quality furniture with like for like. However, sometimes it is not about cost alone. Sometimes a piece of furniture may be something that you have grown to love almost like part of the family. It might fit your room absolutely perfectly or it may have stood the test of time and been there while the kids were growing up. Whatever your reason, furniture which holds sentimental value is well worth keeping and re-upholstery allows you to do just that!
