Furniture Upholstery Issue: Filler over springs

[baileyuph]

I am getting some older chairs to redo for older people.  Grin.

My question is what to use over the springs?  In old days, when I had a lot of request for this type of work, I use rubberized hair, about 1/2 inch or so.  It was perfect for a filler over springs, then of course cotton was added.  

Then, as the years went by, foam seemed to be the filler of choice, perhaps Dacron or maybe cotton over that.  Then, of recent years it has been something thin, actually like a auto carpet pad, but thinner. then foam perhaps over that.

What my question now is, I have this old, old chair, which used a lot of excelsior.  I don't want to use that again.  What are you other furniture guys ( Dennis and others) using over the springs in cases like this.  My supply catalogs don't even show rubberized hair at all.  I guess the market just isn't there.

So what do you think, find some soft auto carpet pad and use that?  Not sure what the thickness of it is?

In the backrest, I could use foam, but I could use ideas.

Oh, I should mention that I don't want to build a foundation out of moss or hair, people don't usually want to pay for all that hand work.  I like the idea of a sheet of something that would go faster and be durable.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

It's a case-by-case basis for me. Sometimes I try to re-use some of the original hair in the crevices, and top it off with dacron and/or felted cotton.
Neo Fabrics still has rubberized curled hair 1" X 24" at around 8 bucks a yard.

[Cheryl]

What  kind of springs?  Burlap, flexpad,  foam, dacron, use cotton to fill in the  gutters.  I have  also just layered up cotton too instead of foam. But I like flexpad for a modern spring cover.

[MinUph]

I just had a pair of antique chairs. One had no filling one did. I used cotton to fill in the spots between the coil springs then cotton around the perimeter to give me a good base. Then a layer of old cotton (matted) was added on top of all this. Then a sheet of very firm 1" foam in the center out to the edges of the springs beveled the edges all around this., then a layer of med soft foam over all and continued it to the frame edge. Cotton over all this and it was nice. Couldn't feel the springs and made for a comfortable seat. I would have rather used loose hair but the customer would not had been happy with the cost and we didn't have any at the shop.

[baileyuph]

What  kind of springs?

Oh very old chair, bar springs.  This chair is pushing a 100, if not more.

Flexpad, I need to look that one up.  Is this the steel wire grid regulator (some call) or is it a bonded material?  Bonded materials work well over these type buildups.

Paul - you built that baby, that has to be a fantastic seat!



This chair, which I took the original filler and fabric off (stuff was rotted for sure) was burlap, excelsior, and it looked like cotton, then the final covering.

Everything is so rotten, original like I stated, which would be expected for a 100 year old chair.  The excelsior is almost dust, can't think of reusing that. 

Framing is excellent, which indicates no exposure to moisture over the years.  It is a rocker and rebuilt will be a piece of interest and quality.  Valuable?  I don't know but the customer will not pay to hand build the base in hair or moss.  I need to check out a couple things suggested here; available rubberized hair, and a flex pad. 

In this region, the suppliers for an older piece of furniture like this are out of business. 

I might give Burch a call and see what they say?

Thanks,

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Doyle brings up a common conundrum with old pieces. Do you go back with original methods and fillers, or for price concerns, use cheaper modern ones?

Truth be told, 99% of customers wouldn't have a clue if you went the modern route. As I said before, my method is usually a hybrid mix of the old and new (case-by-case basis).

There are some upholsterer "purists" who wouldn't hear of de-valuing a piece by taking modern shortcuts. If they can get enough customers to pay their price, I'm happy for them.

[baileyuph]

Oh! Whatever the customer wants, they pay for it.  

I like your options, it covers all cases.  

Whatever I do, I just tell them.  Some say use what's in it, or whatever is nice and soft.  I seldom get the money bag who would sigh at substitutions.  
While there are a few out there, I hear.

This piece isn't, in my opinion a valuable piece.  It is made better than most new, but not in the appreciating high dollar class.  I am not sure what kind of wood it is, it is a dark black ugly something on it now.  I plan to steel wool it and give a satin coat.  That will be nice with this tapestry going on it (in the dull red family, maybe orange describes best.  It is strong, I give them that.  The owner is 92 and I believe her mother used the chair.  If given a chance, I will get the history of the chair.  I can't imagine that it still has the original everything on it.  But, it is in pitiful shape, I could take an air hose and blow the old fabric, burlap, and webbing off.  

It will be nice when I get done with it.

Paul built a seat in two foam densities that a lot of young people appreciate.  They could'nt give a hoot about authenticity, they hate anything with excelsior or rotted twigs in it.

If it was Abe Lincoln's personal chair, then that owner would have a much different plan, I am sure.  Then, I would be ordering moss/hair and building a foundation as closely as possible to original, fox edgeing (edge roll) included.  It most likely would carry considerable value, wouldn't it?

Many times if something is old, consumers see it as less value, not all old is necessarily valuable, agree?

Doyle

[baileyuph]

All is well that ends well (or something like that).  The padding issue was run by the customer and not surprisingly said, I don't want any of those old sticks, grass, and stuff in there.  Can't you put some quality formed foam in the seat?

That is the way it ended, and you know I believe outside of deviating from a puritanical view, it ended up very nice.  The customer was thrilled with the way the seating felt.

Another way of thinking...........

Doyle

[mroy559]

Types of springs? Burlap, flexpad, space-age foam, dacron, use silk cotton to fill out the gutters. We've also merely layered way up cotton too rather than foam. But I like flexpad for the modern early spring cover.