Fabric Selection
Fabric selection is always an important part of any upholstery project. Selection will affect every aspect of the upholstery job. Below is a list of the aspects that should be considered when planning your upholstery project.
Cost. Upholstery fabric costs, on average makes up 30-40% of the total cost of any upholstery job. Upholstery fabric start at $40-$50 per m. Good fabrics can be had in this price range however increasing to $70-$120 per me will raise the quality of the fabric significantly. Plain and printed linens, Hand printed designer fabrics and high end imported fabrics can all run from $250 - to the high hundreds per m. These fabrics are used when cost is secondary to the finish of the job.
Durability. This factor is directly affected by the environment the furniture is in. Pets, small children, kitchens, dining rooms and outdoor areas all have different requirements from the fabric used. Stain resistance is often an issue. On of the simplest stain reduction approaches is color selection. Dark colors can hide stains better then light colors. Many fabric companies will have ranges that have treatments developed for high wear environments and wear resistance. Always look for these when searching online.
Outdoor Fabric. Most fabric companies will have fabrics that are specially developed for outdoor furniture and outdoor seating. While they are outdoor there are some variations that should be considered. Basic advice is if the furniture is outdoor, under cover or fully outdoor all weather then an outdoor fabric should always be used. Heavy duty commercial will not cut it. There is a blog post on this site dedicated to outdoor furniture and seating. If you have an outdoor seating project, please read it.
Leather and Vinyl. When durability is a main requirement of an upholstery project then leather and vinyl are defiantly worth considering. There is no doubt leather and vinyl are far superior to fabrics when it comes to durability. Vinyl is supremely stain resistant and can be easily cleaned with general household cleaners although soapy water is recommended. Leather, although durable, does not have the same stain resistance of vinyl. Leather can stain and therefore should only be treated with proven leather cleaners and conditioners.
Experience goes a long way in determining if a fabric is suitable for your upholstery project. The Upholstery Studio has years of experience with all types of upholstery fabrics and covers. Please call us if you need advice in this area. We only to happy to help.