Upholstery Labor Time Chart for Furniture (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to reupholster furniture? ›

To give a broad estimate, reupholstering a couch (fabric only) will take 15–24 hours of work. Repairing the frame and springs and replacing the stuffing will take extra time. If you employ a furniture repair specialist to do the job, expect your sofa to be with them for around two weeks.

Professional reupholstery services cost between $40 and $100 per hour of work. Small items like chairs and outdoor cushions can be finished in as little as a week, whereas larger furniture repairs can take up to a month. For the average chair or couch, you'll pay between $500 and $1,000 in labor alone.

The average chair can easily take eight (8) to fourteen (14) hours labor to upholster. Average labor time on the average sofa to remove and replace the fabric is appoximately sixteen (16) to twenty two (22) hours. To remove and replace a coil spring seat will take approximately for(4) to eight (8) hours.

To do this, add the length and width, then divide by 36. The resulting number is the amount of yardage you'll need to upholster one cushion. If your furniture has two cushions, double your measurement; if it has three, triple it, and so on and so forth. If your furniture has no backside, you're done!

"A well-constructed sofa with solid bones typically justifies the investment in reupholstering, preserving both quality and structural integrity," Ella Hall, co-founder of Stitchroom, says. She notes that one can expect to pay between $2,200 to $4,200 when reupholstering a standard eight-foot couch.

The largest indicator of price will likely be labor, explains Faris. “Upholstery is a very labor-driven business, so generally speaking, the more pieces of upholstery, the more details, the bigger the size—all of these will drive the price upward,” he says.

New furniture can be cheaper than reupholstering depending on where you shop. But rest assured, it IS cheaper in quality. It may be less expensive, but it won't last as long or stand up to kids and multiple moves as well as a heritage piece will.

Upholsterers' profit depends on several factors, including their level of expertise and location. One report of a 30-year upholsterer states that they charge $44 per hour of labor. The average upholstery job costs $648. A single dining chair may cost $40, while a big sofa could approximately be $1,200.

The process involves removing and replacing the fabric, decorative trim, and stuffing. It is a great way to add personal style to a room while being less expensive than buying a new chair. The national average cost to reupholster a chair is between $300 and $1,000.

Is reupholstering furniture difficult? ›

Anything that requires “full upholstery” (such as club chairs, ottomans, and sofas, especially those featuring tufting) is too complicated for a beginner to take on if you want the result to look professional. The exception to this: If you're working on something inexpensive with the goal of simply learning how.

Fabric: $500 to $700 depending on the quality and price per yard. New padding and supplies: $100 to $200. Labor: $700 to $800 in labor includes tear down, minor frame repair, adding new support systems and retying springs and finally adding padding and fabric.

One yard of fabric is equivalent to 36 inches. Generally, it takes about 2 yards for each cushion, with a 1-inch allowance for the seams. If your project is a couch has three cushions, for example, you'd need approximately 6 yards for the cushions alone.

ARM CHAIRS

A chair with an exposed wood frame and a single cushion requires about 6 yards and a club chair with a seat cushion, back cushion, and rolled arms will need about 12. And arm chair without any cushions only needs about two yards.

An item is generally worth reupholstering if it's made with quality materials and is in good shape. When deciding whether to reupholster or pass, check the following: Look at the bottom frame and make sure it's hardwood and kiln-dried. Check for strong, intact corner braces and stable construction.

Recovering and reupholstering mean the same thing - generally replacing the fabric, but not only. Recovering furniture is a mild form of reupholstering furniture. Recovering refers to loose items like pillows and reupholstering refers to furniture.

It's not that simple. While it is possible for beginners to handle some small reupholstery projects, you run the risk of seriously messing up a piece of furniture for jobs that are more complicated.