How to Calculate Upholstery Fabric Needed for a Couch

Reupholstering an old couch can be a great way to freshen up an old look. Whether you collect antiques or just want to give a new look to your home furniture, new upholstery could be just what you need. Like any project, however, upholstering can get to be expensive, and you want to do it right the first time. Careful calculation of the amount of upholstery needed for redesign your couch can be a key to this project. Knowing the proper amount of material needed can save you time and money.

Measuring tape
Pen or pencil
Paper

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the width of each section of your couch at the widest area. For instance, if the arm of your couch is tapered toward the back, measure the wider area at the front. Write down all measurements for each section of the couch.
- 2
  Accommodate for any seams in the couch design. The Commercial Interiors Outlet, which provides supplies and information for fabrics and wallpapers, advises that each seam should have an allowance of an extra 2 ½ inches.
- 3
  Add yardage for a repeating pattern. Denver Fabrics estimates 2 to 3 yards should be added to your calculations to allow for a repeating pattern on a sofa or couch.
- 4
  Add all of the width measurements and allotments for seams together. Divide that number by 36 to obtain approximate yardage for the project.

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