Need advice on covering back of sofa

[crammage]

Here's the quick story on this, I'm now the third person to have this Duncan Phyfe style loveseat to reupholster.  The first man died unexpectedly, the second after attempting it decided it was too much for him and then it came to me.

I've gotten the wood frame pieces fixed and the frame reassembled.  Honestly the piece has been used and abused more than any piece I've worked on before.  It has a mix of old and new wood trim pieces replaced and redesigned frame work and legs.  Fun and challenging project.   :D

Here's the assembled piece.
http://s1115.beta.photobucket.com/user/crammage/media/upholstery008_zpsd22f3424.jpg.html#/user/crammage/media/upholstery008_zpsd22f3424.jpg.html?&_suid=1361812921381023804983273199165

Now here's my question, how would you cover this back?

http://s1115.beta.photobucket.com/user/crammage/media/upholstery008_zpsd22f3424.jpg.html#/user/crammage/media/upholstery016-1_zpsd6a2f042.jpg.html?&_suid=1361812921381023804983273199165

I was thinking of filling in between the support slats with foam and then covering with dacron.  The finished product would bulge out and I'm not sure I would like how it looks. 
The customer just wants it done at this point in the most cost effective manner since they already have a lot of money and even more time waiting for this piece. 

I'm open to any ideas.

Thanks
Clay

[sofadoc]

If you're talking about the OUTSIDE BACK ( I think you linked the wrong pic), then I think your foam/Dacron idea is fine. Since the back is basically held together by those slats, not much you can do about the bulge.

You could replace the slats with a giant piece of plywood that is cut out in the shape of the entire OB. There would be a little less bulge that way. But it might not be as sturdy.

At the very least, I think I would shave off some of the left and right slats so they don't come so close to the top edge. 

[Darren Henry]

The finished product would bulge out and I'm not sure I would like how it looks.

Unless the customer was a stickler for authenticity; I'd swap out those vertical support 2X4's with flat steel. Maybe 3 or 4" X1/4. If there is any flex the old 2X4's or new steel could be added inside. If you countersink your bolt holes (I'd be leery of screws in that old of wood) a layer of dacron will hide all.

The only other way that jumps to what's left of my mind would be to fir out the entire perimeter to the depth of the uprights. Not difficult [ just trace the back and arms onto 3/4"plywood and cut some 3/4" spacers, then glue and screw everything together], but pretty labour (yes that's how it's spelled;ask the Limeys  :D) intensive.

Hold off until Hammer and hand has a read. This is more Keith's Bailey wick.

[MinUph]

Just cover the OB as normal. It looks like it was run down away from the top edge before but I would run a welt cord around the perimeter and upholster the OB normally. Foam is not really needed just an underpayment and a layer of Dacron will do. The style of this back is made this way and meant to be bulgy. Anything you do will be ok. Steel wont be stiffer than the wood slats.

[gene]

No dacron and no foam.

Staple black fabric/decking material, what ever you have, all around the back out. Just ignore the 3 slats and staple all around the edge, pulling the fabric taught.

Cover all around the edge with gimp.

Trim the fabric that is pulled through so it doesn't bulge.

Quick and easy, and like Paul said, I don't think this back was meant to be 'formally' upholstered.

Just a thought.

Good luck and don't forget to post finished pics.

Gene

PS: Or, using one of Darren's ideas from a previous post, I could send you my beaver pelts, you can sew them together to make one giant beaver pelt, then cover the back with this. Just make sure you tell folks it's a Canadian beaver.

[kodydog]

No mater how you do it this back is going to look more like a hump back than a camel back. I like your original idea. Fill the voids with foam and let her rip. Will this piece sit against a wall? When it was made (around the turn of the 20th century?) most homes didn't have rooms big enough to float sofas like this so i guess they didn't care what the OB looked like.

As you know "cost effective" doesn't fit into the equation. On these old Duncan Phyfe sofas there is always a lot more work than meets the eye. Pictures of the finished project would be very cool.

[west coast]

I would do exactly as Gene said, get some scrap fabric pull the living heck out of it and put the new back on. Done gone  asta la vista baby

[scott_san_diego]

Like the others have said, scrap material, burlap or decking.  Layer of dacron and cover, should do the trick.

[crammage]

Thanks for all the advice.  I think I'll just cover it and call it good.  It is very stable the way it is now. 

I think originally the back was not covered because the wood has a darkened aged appearence like it was exposed to the air for many years not fresh looking like it was covered up. 

I also discovered this was one of those drop arm sofas that made into a bed.  The drop arm mechanisms were removed a long time ago so no more stretching out.  That also explained the springs and depth of the arms which are quite bulky for this size of piece.  When you'd lay the arms down they would then be the same height as the seat and add more comfort.

Thanks again for all the good advice!  It's great to have a group of people to bounce ideas off of.  I'll post pictures when done.

Clay

[sofadoc]

I also discovered this was one of those drop arm sofas that made into a bed.  The drop arm mechanisms were removed a long time ago so no more stretching out.

I did a few of those back in the day. But in more recent years, the only ones that I've seen always have had the "drop-down" mech either removed, or somehow disabled. I think that somewhere along the way, an antique dealer got a hold of the piece, and didn't want to pay for the mechanical restoration.

If I remember correctly, they had a wooden "prop" that you would collapse by pressing against the outside arm fabric.

[crammage]

Yep, the outside arm was adjustable too, some of them only one arm was adjustable and the other stationery, I think those are more common in England than here. 

When I was a kid a lady I mowed grass for had one of them in her sitting room.  I thought it was a neat idea, haven't seen one til this one came on Saturday.

It still has a partial label on it indicating it was made in Michigan.  I love the dective work involved in some of this stuff.  Always wanted to be an Archeologist, I guess we are in a way, finding people's stuff they've lost years ago!   :P

[Joys Shop]

I did a couch with 2 drop down arms back in 83   (it had the original fabric on it)
The back was covered in cambric---was never meant to be seen
and
like yours, the back was only attached with slats, like a mirror is attached to a dresser
The piece was meant to be pushed against a wall.  Otherwise, when you sat on it, the back would break off

The couple that own the piece, want me to recover it again

[kodydog]

When we lived in Charleston we upholstered a backless settee with drop arms. They were on a ratchet type hinge that could be adjusted to any height you wanted. The inside was tufted. The arms were large and rolled. That was mid 90's and two years later we did another. We haven't seen one since.