Tips on Reupholstering Recliner Chairs

Reupholstering a recliner is not a difficult task, and this article looks at some handy tips for making the reupholstering process easy to complete, and with minimal wasted time and materials. Use these tips to give your chair a new look that can update your entire room.

Fabric needs

Measurements of the recliner are needed to determine the amount of fabric to purchase to cover the chair at the end of the reupholstering process. To reupholster a recliner, a minimum of seven yards of solid-colored fabric is required, and possibly as many as 12 yards. For chairs with patterned fabric, it is recommended to measure the recliner beforehand and buy three extra yards of fabric in addition to the amount determined by the measurements of the chair. This extra fabric allows for proper matching of patterned pieces.

Care of moving parts

Recliners have many moving parts and properly stacking these parts in order, at a place that is easily accessible, is required for quick completion of the reupholstering process. To prevent confusion of where the parts belong it is best to document and label each piece, and taking a digital photograph provides visual documentation of where each piece belongs on the recliner.

Use the old fabrics and cushions as patterns

When the old fabrics and cushions are removed from the recliner, these pieces become very handy as templates for cutting new cushions and coverings. Due to this, it is recommended to refrain from disposing of old and unneeded materials until the recliner is fully reupholstered.

Reupholstering a recliner is a process that is simplified through the use of these helpful hints. Remember to always document where moving parts belong, and to save material that is eventually thrown away until the end of the project to help cut and place new cushions and fabric.