What Weight of Upholstery Fabric to Recover a Couch?

Style

• The style of your sofa is the most important feature in selecting a fabric for it. Keep in mind that in many cases it is possible to modify the style of the sofa before re-covering it. You can curve or straighten the arms, lower or raise the back, add or remove a skirt. However, don't modify a sofa with exposed wood and carved detailing. A sofa design with lots of curves will require a lightweight fabric to ensure a neat fit. Lightweight fabrics also work better for slipcovers. More-formal sofa designs look best in formal fabrics like silks, damasks and velvets. Sofa designs with simple lines look stylish in heavier woven textures and a variety of medium-weight to heavyweight fabrics.

Use

• Wherever you place the sofa, it will become a dominant piece of furniture in the space, so it is essential that it relates comfortably with the other furnishings. The fabric weight, style and color will suggest a tone for the room. For example, a sofa can express sleek urbanity, casual comfort, formal elegance or country coziness. Analyzing how the sofa will be used, and by whom, is helpful in determining the fabric selection. A sofa that lounging teenagers will flop on will require a different kind of fabric than a sofa used only occasionally by dinner guests.

Maintenance

• Analyzing the maintenance requirements for a particular fabric is a practical consideration when making a selection. Possible cleaning techniques include washing, surface cleaning or professional cleaning services. Fabric finishes are available that allow water-based stains to be blotted up easily. Combining the planned use for the sofa with an understanding of the requisite maintenance leads to an informed choice of fabric for the project.

Life Expectancy

• The durability of fabric in America is measured by the Wyzenbeek Abrasion Test, which grades a fabric’s ability to withstand wear and rubbing. A score of 15,000 rubs is adequate for residential serviceability, and a fabric with any score over 30,000 rubs will provide many years of use without showing signs of wear. When investing a significant sum of money in fabric for a sofa, it is wise to establish reasonable expectations for its longevity.

Fabric Characteristics

• Hold a sample of the fabric up to the light to determine if it is closely woven. Check to see if it unravels easily at the edges. Stretch the fabric diagonally and see if it returns to its original shape. Balanced weaves with all fibers approximately the same size and strength wear better than those in which heavy fibers cross thin fibers. Latex backing helps stabilize loosely woven fabrics. Quilting is another technique for adding strength and beauty to thinner fabrics. Screen-printed fabrics may show wear more quickly than solution-dyed fibers. Not all fabrics are colorfast, some change color over time because of sunlight, abrasion and cleaning. Try to keep fine fabrics out of direct sunlight if possible; if not, consider tinting the windows to protect the fabric strength and color.