Reupholster It!

[baileyuph]

This was a different type of business project:

Customer drives up in a Cadillac Escalade and carries a full size chair into the shop.  That is right, this woman carried it in effortlessly and said the chair may not be worth much but she just liked it - wanted it reupholstered.

I picked it up and it was light, some kind of strong plastic, there was wood inlay for stapling under the removable cushion.  Also under the cushion there was a coil spring insert setting in a well area.  

The plastic was encapsulated with foam, looked more traditional with its scroll arms and traditional tight back.  Like I implied, the bottom cushion was removable, traditionally corded, boxed, with zipper.

I did sit in the chair and it was quite comfortable.  This customer, actually a repeat, said she could buy new but liked this chair, comfortable and light enough , such that she could move it around easily for cleaning.  Didn't ask for a price, said let me know when it is done.

Given the opportunity to get started, I realized more about how the upholstery was cut, sewn, and installed.  By golly, it was all sewed into one unit and taken to the padded frame and pulled into position like a sock.  Strategic stapling, installed it in a matter of .........probably less than a half hour.  Like I said, everything sewn into on integrated unit, of course excluding the removable bottom cushion.

To achieve the perfect fit, like a sock, each sub-component had to be cut perfect to size and sewn with the same seam allowance as factory exemplified.  Therefore, probably the biggest challenge was cutting the components, arms, inside/outside back to precision which included traditional cording in most seaming.  

The total time to do the job was about 6 hours, most of which was un-seaming and steaming to insure the most effective pattern.  

Like I said, the installation time was around a half hour.  It was a different experience, different type of chair, and the engineering made me wonder is this where we are headed in the future?  Probably so because it looked traditional, was very comfortable, and the customer loved the virtues of light weight and all.

I suppose one bottom line assessment for this project is; given all the virtues, the chair will probably sell if cost is reasonable; like I said, framing was some kind of synthetic (plastic?) that should last a long time.

One thing that was nice about the chair, there wasn't many staples to pull. :)

Anyone encountered this type of work?  I looked for a manufacturer's label, couldn't come up with anything there.

The ending;  lady picked it up, literally, and put it in the back of her brand new Cadillac Escalade .very pleased and said she had one more that was about to be reupholstered.

This job was different from a lot of the newer upholstery in that it had no double tiered cushions in the bottom or back.  It wasn't such a bear to do, except the  precision requirements in patterning, cutting, and sewing.  Not handled well, would undoubtedly ended up with a misfit and a myriad of wrinkles.

Plus, the consequences of not getting the patterning and sewing perfect, would have made the installation more problematic.

Possibly someone else has done one of these with an experience to reveal?

Doyle

[gene]

I have done a few chairs like this. Most of my time is in patterning and sewing.

I've also done a few ottomans that were all one piece - including the legs being totally covered.

Ikea sells wooden framed chairs with foam. They then sell slip covers that come in different colors. You buy the chair and buy a slip cover. The slip cover is held on with Velcro. I made a slip cover for 2 of these chairs. The customer wanted a different fabric than what she could get at IKEA. This is the same concept as your chair, Doyle.

I think some of these types of chairs (not IKEA) use fabric that can shrink with hot air, similar to auto upholstery. This gives it a 'perfect' upholstery look.

It seems that what time I save by not having to cut and piece each individual fabric piece I loose in measuring and sewing.

gene

[Joys Shop]

I did 2 of these foam chairs about 25 years ago

The woman had them recovered for the same reason your customer did.  She liked that she could lift them so easily, and move them around.

The only wood on them was some boards on the bottom to put staples in

[baileyuph]

Joy,

Sure sounds like the same little challenge.  Mine had the wood inlay for intensive stapeling plus part of the frame was a harder plastic for stability.

What an experience, it wouldn't have happened if the customer was focusing on money, she wasn't.  She liked her chair.


Doyle

[Rich]

Doyle, I have to admit I was cringing while I was reading your post b/c of the fact that you took on a 6 hour job w/o quoting a price first. It all turned out well thankfully, but I'm wondering what you would've done if she came back and said "OMG! I can buy a new one for less than that!
Rich

[baileyuph]

LOL Rich,

Anyone but her, maybe, but not this lady. Maybe Gene will know if these chairs are still made and what they would cost?
Doyle