Recliner/Chair Reupholstery?

[K5SS]

I figured this might be a helpful thread, for myself and some here, if their favorite listening chair/chairs are beginning to show their age. I am also trying to buy less brand new products, when possible and have grown to appreciate this whole reclaimed mindset so many are starting to embrace.

 

Oh yeah, I am also pretty cheap. So there’s that..

 

A pair of Zero Touch Zero Gravity recliners popped up near me that is almost too inexpensive to pass on but I have no idea how much getting chairs like these reupholstered would run. It just seems like a ton of labor and material, if done right.

 

I am sure leather would make the price go up near the new price, so that likely won’t happen. And I definitely wouldn’t want bonded leather or anything like that. Probably a microfiber or modern pattern is probably where they will end up, I’d the cost isn’t prohibitive.

 

Have any of you had any experience getting theater chairs, recliners or other types of seating reupholstered?

 

I have been doing some research and the pricing is all over the charts when it comes to upholstery work. You are also relying on person’s talents which makes me a little nervous for a project like this. I wouldn’t want crooked seems, strange pattern orientation etc. I would want them to look like they came from Zero Gravity, basically. Is this achievable?

 

I also wouldn’t want to spend MSRP getting a pair of old chairs brought back up to their previous glory, or even half MSRP if I’m honest.

 

To give you an idea, the model this person listed retails in the $3,500 ea. range. I have sat in them and they are amazing. As I get older, I am starting to realize just how comfort is. 

 

I tried to stop by a local upholstery shop today but they went away for a few days. So I thought I would pick your brains.

 

Here are a couple pictures. First are the chairs I might buy, the second is how they could look:

 

 

[windashine]

... o O (only experience here, has been classic cars' interiors' reupholstered..)  which, furthermore, approaches about half of what the old car was worth...

 

The red chair above, seems to present an inherently hard process of just getting out of the thing.... and if you've never had an electric recliner, I'd recommend getting a $200 recliner from Walmart with the electric option, for a trial test, for which you can sell off rather quickly on craigslist afterwards....

 

So, in conclusion, I present the ultimate reupholstered retail option, ... o O (Patio Cushions) - whereas, you just toss it out, and get another one next year....

 

[oldtimer]

Even with leather it shouldn't be as much as new retail.  Look around, see examples of their work, especially with leather if that is what you want.  The last thing we have had redone was a long couch in fabric for around 800, plus an ottoman included.

To avoid the type of wear as shown choose a high quality aniline dyed leather.

[K5SS]

I have owned a couple aniline Eames chair replicas over the years and I was super impressed with the feel and the durability. If I went go leather, I will definitely try to go aniline, if it’s not $1,000 per chair, just in materials. 
 

I am going to try to go to an upholstery shop up north today, to pick their brains. Once I have an idea of pricing, I will be sure to report back.

[Davecv41]

I had 2 chairs, couch, and loveseat reupholstered not long ago. The fabric shops have craftspeople they use, so ask them, as they'd know who does better work than anyone else in town. Especially with leather.

[dtel]

I guess it depends on where you live and how many people are in the reupholster business. 

 

Here only one or two, we just got rid of a Flexsteel sofa, just need to be recovered the rest was in perfect shape. The cost to reupholster was more than a new sofa. If there were more people doing it here it may have been cheaper ?

[tigerwoodKhorns]

I looked into this before when I had some furniture that I liked but was worn.  If the chairs shown are free they are too much.  The upholstery job will be more than replacing the chairs. 

 

Keep checking Craigslist until you find some really nice chairs that you like that are in great shape for a bargain price.  They are out there. 

[OO1]

29 minutes ago, dtel said:

I guess it depends on where you live and how many people are in the reupholster business. 

 

Here only one or two, we just got rid of a Flexsteel sofa, just need to be recovered the rest was in perfect shape. The cost to reupholster was more than a new sofa. If there were more people doing it here it may have been cheaper ?

my neighbor is an excellent Upholsterer  , by excellent , I mean phenomenal , the Best in NYS  ----he has the tools , and the equipment  to sew leather  ,  but he's retired now , and to coax him into a job , is not easy-

[Davecv41]

I've heard for the last 3 decades the "they don't build them like they used to" about couches and chairs. My wife liked our stuff, which varied between 25-65 years old, but thought the colors were outdated. They had good construction, so we kept them. She now wants to have my favorite stuffed chair redone, which is also 65 years old. I've found my preference in cushions has changed as I've gotten older, now the firmer the better. The couches and loveseat got updated with firmer cushions.

[dtel]

23 minutes ago, RandyH000 said:

my neighbor is an excellent Upholsterer  , by excellent , I mean phenomenal , the Best in NYS  ----he has the tools , and the equipment  to sew leather  ,  but he's retired now , and to coax him into a job , is not easy-

The people who do good work make it look easy and do amazing work, but hard to find. It's probably more prevalent in car work these days. 

 

When they are finished it is done way better than original it seems.  That sofa was made very well and the frame was in great shape it was really just the cushions that seemed to be worn out more than anything, but it's gone now.

[OO1]

On 1/25/2020 at 4:22 AM, K5SS said:

 

 

Oh yeah, I am also pretty cheap. So there’s that..

the work to redo these chairs can't be cheap - buy new chairs -----or a  used chair that's been taken care for -

[ssh]

Quality is usually expensive. My sister-in-law does high-dollar upholstery work. I can't afford her.

SSH

[OO1]

21 minutes ago, dtel said:

The people who do good work make it look easy and do amazing work, but hard to find. It's probably more prevalent in car work these days. 

 

When they are finished it is done way better than original it seems.  That sofa was made very well and the frame was in great shape it was really just the cushions that seemed to be worn out more than anything, but it's gone now.

my neighbor sold  American Made Furniture  from the South or Canadian   , the price was about 25% more than the cheap stuff in big stores but it was made to last  , with the best frames and the best fabrics -

[dtel]

After the hurricane we helped my aunt clean out her house, it was underwater 10' deep for 2 weeks. When we took out the sofa and threw it on the pile for pickup and it flipped over, all the metal and wood looked perfect somehow. That's when we decided to buy a Flexsteel sofa. We were thinking even after it needs to be recovered it would still be in good shape, a couple months ago is when we checked recovering prices, the first idea wouldn't work.

[billybob]

Those chair/recliners look like they are good to go as is.

Already broken in some...

[Gilbert]

On 1/25/2020 at 3:22 AM, K5SS said:

Have any of you had any experience getting theater chairs, recliners or other types of seating reupholstered?

 

I have been doing some research and the pricing is all over the charts when it comes to upholstery work. You are also relying on person’s talents which makes me a little nervous for a project like this. I wouldn’t want crooked seems, strange pattern orientation etc. I would want them to look like they came from Zero Gravity, basically. Is this achievable?

 

You're correct, the pricing for re-upholstery work varies significantly. Approx. 25 years ago my mom gave the wife and I a used sofa. The price to reupholster the sofa was quoted at nearly $2000.00 in San Antonio. When I told mom (RIP) the price she said "no stupid", get it done here in Laredo. And with that, she took me to see a little ole man in one of the barrios. He replaced all fabric and cushions for under $300.00.  Still have that sofa today.