Comfortable and cozy, the couch is among the favorite pieces of furniture in a home – it is where people sit to relax and enjoy a good movie, a refreshing drink, or an interesting game; where kids and pets like to play, and cuddle, and sleep; where friends and family gather to have fun, share their experiences and thoughts, and hang out with each other.
With so much use, the couch quickly starts showing signs of wear and tear and looks more and more tired with every passing year. At some point the once wonderful sofa becomes completely worn out – the cushions get lumpy, the colors fade, the fabric wrinkles, and ugly stains appear on the surface. And then you have no choice but to replace or reupholster the old furniture piece.
But how do you decide whether to reupholster a couch or buy a new one? The answer depends on the quality and sentimental value of the furniture and comes down to personal preference.
If it is a high-quality piece, an antique, a family heirloom, or your favorite furniture, then your old sofa is worth reupholstering. If the couch is low-quality, badly damaged, or has no sentimental value, reupholstering it would be a waste of money.
So, when should you reupholster a couch? To make the right decision for your worn sofa, you need to consider the following factors:
The Condition of the Sofa
Good furniture is usually quite expensive, so the financial worth of your couch should also be taken into account when considering reupholstery.
Reupholstering keeps your old couch out of the landfill, so it is the eco-conscious thing to do. And especially if the frame is still sturdy and in good shape, it would really be a waste to throw the sofa away – a professional reupholsterer can cover it in a brand-new fabric and add padding or foam, if needed, to make it look and feel like new again. If the couch is not structurally sound, though, there will be no point in spending money on reupholstery.
To determine if your old sofa has “good bones”, you’re advised to:
- Shake the sofa by each arm and the back. If the furniture wobbles, rocks, squeaks, or feels unsteady, it is not in good enough condition to be worth reupholstering;
- Examine the frame for scratches, chips, dents, and other kinds of damage. If the couch is badly damaged or falling apart, reupholstering it will be a poor use of money;
- Press on the cushions and squeeze the padded arms and back of the sofa. If they feel squishy or compress easily, the padding or foam will likely have to be changed, which will add to the couch reupholstery cost.
The Quality of the Sofa
Quality old furniture lasts longer and feels better than a cheap modern piece, so it makes sense to reupholster your couch if it is high quality.
To correctly assess the quality of your worn sofa, you need to:
- Determine whether the furniture is more than 15 years old. Old furniture is always better built and made of higher quality materials than contemporary pieces (many furniture manufacturers lowered their standards in recent years by using lower-grade wood, assembling frames with staples and fast-drying epoxy, etc.);
- Look at the bottom of the frame to find out if it is made of hardwood. If you’re not sure, remove the cushions and try to lift the sofa – if it feels heavy, it’s probably hardwood; if it feels light, the wood is likely not sturdy enough to be worth keeping;
- Make sure the joints are secured with dowels and glue rather than staples and epoxy;
- Check the springs in the frame. High-quality sofas have coiled springs tied with twine. If your couch has rubber panels instead of springs or springs in an “s” shape instead of coiled, the piece probably isn’t worth reupholstering.
The Practical Value of the Sofa
To be functional and useful, a couch must suit the needs of the family and fit well into the available space. Needless to say, it also has to be comfortable and cozy.
So, if your old sofa blocks traffic, sticks into the doorway, is too small for your needs, isn’t comfortable to sit on, or doesn’t feel nice, it is not worth reupholstering.
How Much You Like the Sofa
If you like the style and shape of your sofa and it complements the rest of your home décor, you’ll certainly want to keep it. Covering your worn out but stylish piece with a new fabric will bring it back to life, so you can enjoy it for many years to come.
Good to know: Some changes to the shape of the sofa can be made during reupholstering – arms can be over-padded; a single seat cushion can be split into two (or two cushions can be replaced by one); legs can be replaced; etc. These changes will add to the price of restoration, but they may make the sofa better suit the style of your room and your aesthetic taste.
The Sentimental Value of the Sofa
The sentimental value of your old couch may be the primary factor in your decision whether to reupholster or replace it. You will probably want to hold on to your sofa, if it is:
- a family heirloom, passed down from one generation to the next for several decades or, maybe, even several centuries;
- a prized possession that triggers happy memories from the past or reminds you of something or someone special;
- a favorite of yours (or of another member of your family).
If you get rid of a furniture piece that you love (whether because of memories, comfort, or style) or that you have inherited from a parent or grandparent, you might regret it. There’s no price to sentimental value, so if your old couch means something special to you, then replacing it won’t be a good idea. In such a case, a fresh fabric and some new padding or springs can give your worn sofa a new life.
The Monetary Value of the Sofa
Good furniture is usually quite expensive, so the financial worth of your couch should also be taken into account when considering reupholstery.
If your sofa is an antique that dates back over a century, reupholstering it is a good investment (just make sure you choose a fabric that reflects the corresponding era and leave the job to skilled and experienced furniture reupholstering professionals).
If your sofa is an exquisite piece of art, very high quality, or made by a famous manufacturer (such as Henredon, Vanguard, or Michael Thomas, for example), it will be expensive and worth reupholstering.
The Cost of Reupholstery
So, is it worth reupholstering a sofa? Reupholstering your old piece instead of replacing it can potentially save you money, but that’s not always the case. Sometimes, a new couch might cost the same as (or even less than) reupholstery. Most likely though, it won’t last as long as an older, quality piece (a well-built sofa reupholstered in a good-quality fabric can last up to 15 years and more).
So, if you have a quality sofa and the cost of reupholstering it comes out similar or even slightly higher than the cost of buying a new one of lower quality, you’re advised to go for reupholstery.
If your old couch is in good shape but needs new fabric and the reupholstery cost is lower than the cost of getting a new sofa of comparable value, then reupholstery is once again your better option.
Good to know: Typical upholstery fabric of medium quality costs about $60 per yard (a sofa usually needs from 12 to 14 yards of fabric). When estimating the cost to upholster a couch, you need to plan on twice the fabric cost and add the costs of new springs, padding, or cushion foam (if necessary), as well as the costs of any required repairs and/or desired remakes.
Whether you decide to reupholster your couch or buy a new one, make sure you take proper care of your upholstered piece. There are many things you can do to prolong the life of your cherished furniture and keep it in great condition at all times (keep it away from direct sunlight and sources of heat, rotate and turn the cushions on a regular basis, cover the couch when your kids and/or pets are playing on it, etc.), but what matters the most, is to keep the upholstery clean and fresh.
Regular vacuuming helps prevent the accumulation of dust and dirt on your furniture, but professional upholstery cleaning is essential for the long life and beautiful appearance of your couch. The experts use advanced cleaning equipment and specialized cleaning methods (such as the hot water extraction method) to not only effectively remove debris and stains from the upholstery fabric, but also restore its original color and texture. It is, therefore, recommended to have your upholstery professionally cleaned at least once a year. Then, your couch will look and feel like new for decades to come.
