Instructions on Recovering My Sofa

Measure your sofa's dimensions with a measuring tape. Write down its height, depth, and width. Don't worry about measuring too long. Concentrate on the gross dimensions in order to not measure too short. You can always cut-off excess, but you can't add to shortened fabric.

Look over your sofa to see how the old fabric is stapled to the frame. Take notes to follow as you recover it with new fabric.

Remove the old fabric by prying the staples up and then pulling them out with a pair of pliers. As you remove the old fabric, pay close attention to how it was situated and stapled.

Use the old fabric as a template to cut the new fabric. Remember that the dimensions you measured are going to differ because the old fabric was stretched tightly over the frame. Leave at least six inches of excess around the entire cut to compensate.

Throw the new fabric over the wood frame. Position it to fit over the sofa. Then, begin to tuck it into the wood joints the same way the old fabric was tucked. Begin to pull the new fabric snug and staple it to the wood frame in the same pattern the old fabric was fastened. Stretch as necessary, maintaining a tautness that covers but does not tear the new fabric. Cut any excess away with a pair of scissors or roll it up and staple it to the underside of the frame.