leather for dining room chair

[gene]

Hello,

I have 6 dining room chairs. Fully upholstered seats. These are not slip seats. The fabric is pulled down and under the wood frame and stapled onto the bottom.

The customer is thinking of using leather.

Here's a pic off the internet to show you what I mean by fully upholstered chair seat, and not a slip seat.

http://media.bellacor.com.edgesuite.net/images/500/19764789-802.jpg

How many hides would I need?

If the seat measures 24" across and 19" deep, and the average hide is 5 sq. ft., can I get two covers out of one hide?

Thank you,

gene

[NDAV8R]

If the seat measures 24" across and 19" deep, and the average hide is 5 sq. ft., can I get two covers out of one hide?

Thank you,

gene

Hey there Gene: the average hide has 50 Sq. Ft.

[sofadoc]

Depending on how pristine the hides are, you might get 4 seats out of one hide. But I would think 2 for sure.

If you could specify hides closer to 55 sq. ft., I think that 2 hides would do 6 of them.

[Darren Henry]

Another way to get a bit more mileage out of your hides is to do the tops of the seats in a "patchwork" of some kind. eg...four squares. Four 6X5 " pieces are easier to find than one 24X20 on some hides.

Some people like that look----some don't mind it if it's going to save them having to buy an additional hide---some don't like it.

[JDUpholstery]

I like Darrens suggestion, at the cross, throw in a tufting button to polish it off!

[gene]

Thank you for the comments.

Yes, I meant 50, not 5. I'm now wondering if I have left any zeros off of some of my estimates? Maybe this is why I am staying busy?!?  :o

The panel size needed for fully upholstered dining room chair seats, especially the captains chairs, are often too big to be able to cut 2 panels out, side by side, going up the bolt. I appreciate your experience sofad with leather. I did not want to come up with a hide short. And I did not want to have an extra hide that might push the price of the job over the cliff, so to speak.

And that's a great idea about the top of the seat covering. I've done 4 triangles with vinyl and fabric before, one for an ottoman and several for pillow covers, but have never done it with leather. A few of those pillows got a tufted button in the center. I shared this idea with my customer and it turns out she will be going with a faux leather.

Thanks again.

gene

[sofadoc]

I shared this idea with my customer and it turns out she will be going with a faux leather.

That's why I hate even giving leather estimates.

You want to be careful because of the expense. So you agonize over the estimate, only to have the customer say "Oh, never mind. I'll just go with the cheap stuff".

I always try to pre-warn customers when they come bee-boppin' in through the door throwing the "L" word around loosely. Usually, all it takes is a quick "ballpark figure" to discourage them. I do this in hopes to avoid wasting a lot of time working up a leather estimate. 

[byhammerandhand]

Every once in a while, I get a request to replace a leather insert panel in a desk or end table.

I warn them initially that these leathers are "priced by the square inch."   A normal top runs well into three figures just for material.   That usually discourages them.

I shared this idea with my customer and it turns out she will be going with a faux leather.

That's why I hate even giving leather estimates.

You want to be careful because of the expense. So you agonize over the estimate, only to have the customer say "Oh, never mind. I'll just go with the cheap stuff".

I always try to pre-warn customers when they come bee-boppin' in through the door throwing the "L" word around loosely. Usually, all it takes is a quick "ballpark figure" to discourage them. I do this in hopes to avoid wasting a lot of time working up a leather estimate.