Upholstery is the work of providing
furnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
, especially
seatA chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. A chair without a back or arm rests is a stool, or when raised up, a bar stool or high chair . A chair with arms is an armchair and with...
s, with
paddingIn fashion, padding is material sometimes added to clothes. It is often done in an attempt to enhance appearance by 'improving' a physical feature, often a sexually significant one...
,
springA spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of hardened steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
s,
webbingWebbing is a strong fabric woven as a flat strip or tube of varying width and fibers often used in place of rope. The name webbing comes from the meshed material frequently used in its construction, which resembles a web...
, and
fabricA textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce long strands...
or
leatherLeather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable and versatile material....
covers. The word
upholstery comes from the
Middle EnglishMiddle English is the name given by historical linguists to the diverse forms of the English language in use between the late 11th century and about 1470, when the Chancery Standard, a form of London-based English, began to become widespread, a process aided by the introduction of the printing...
words
up and
holden, meaning
to hold up. The term is applied to domestic furniture and also to in
automobileAn automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s and
boatA boat is a watercraft of modest size designed to float or plane, to provide passage across water. Usually this water will be inland or in protected coastal areas. However, boats such as the whaleboat were designed to be operated from a ship in an offshore environment. In naval terms, a boat is...
s. A person who works with upholstery is called an upholsterer; an apprentice upholsterer is sometimes called an outsider or trimmer.
Upholstery of domestic furniture
The materials which are important to the quality of an upholstered product, such as a
bedA bed is a piece of furniture used as a place to sleep.Beds usually consist of a mattress placed on top of a box spring inner-sprung base...
,
sofaSofa may refer to:In general:* A piece of furniture also called a couch* Sofa slave-soldiers in the Mali Empire and its successor states.In music:* Any of four bands of overlapping eras:...
,
chairA chair is a raised surface used to sit on, commonly for use by one person. Chairs often have the seat raised above floor level, supported by four legs. A chair without a back or arm rests is a stool, or when raised up, a bar stool or high chair . A chair with arms is an armchair and with...
or
ottomanAn ottoman is a piece of furniture consisting of a padded, upholstered seat or bench having neither back nor arms, often used as a stool or footstool, or in some cases as an improvised coffee table. Ottomans are often sold as coordinating furniture with armchairs or gliders.An ottoman can also be...
, may be considered in four categories: the
frame (usually wooden) on which the upholstery is to be constructed; the
spring system; the
cushioning or
padding; and the final
fabric or leather covering.
Frames
The life of a piece of upholstered furniture begins with its frame: although the underlying wooden framework cannot all be seen in the finished product, the type of wood used to create it will have a bearing on the quality of the final product. Where parts of the frame, such as chair legs, may be seen outside the upholstery these are termed
"show-wood".
Some furniture employs
softwoodThe term softwood is used to describe wood from conifers. It may also be used to describe these trees, which tend to be evergreen, notable exceptions being bald cypress and the larches....
s, but may suffer from its difficulty in supporting the
joineryJoinery may refer to:* Woodworking joints or other types of mechanical joints * The work of the joiner, the fabrication and installation of fittings in buildings with materials such as wood and aluminium * In Australia and New Zealand, a joinery is also the generic term for a business which...
that is required for the best quality furniture. The tight
grainingIn speaking of wood the term grain is used, in several ways. Perhaps most important is that in woodworking techniques...
of
hardwoodThe term 'hardwood' is used to describe wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood which...
s allows for pegs,
screwA screw, or bolt, is a type of fastener characterized by a helical ridge, known as an external thread or just thread, wrapped around a cylinder. Some screw threads are designed to mate with a complementary thread, known as an internal thread, often in the form of a nut or a object that has the...
s and tacks to be set securely, reducing the likelihood of their becoming loose over time. Hardwoods used in upholstered furniture include
oakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 400 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
,
alderAlder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas also along the Andes southwards to...
and other woods with tight graining. Hardwood laminates are often used for blocks and braces because laminates are actually stronger than solid wood in these applications.
The wood for a piece of upholstered furniture must be assembled into a sturdy frame. Generally, the more rigid the frame the better, because a loose frame can crack or fail, and several craftsman processes can be used to create a good, strong frame. A variety of woods and laminates are used for
joiningJoinery is a part of woodworking that involves joining together pieces of wood, to create furniture, structures, toys, and other items. Some wood joints employ fasteners, bindings, or adhesives, while others use only wood elements. The characteristics of wooden joints - strength, flexibility,...
, blocking and
dowelA dowel is a solid cylindrical rod, usually made of wood, plastic or metal. In its original manufactured form, dowel is called dowel rod....
ling and sometimes several techniques are used.
Joints are the places where one piece of frame wood intersects to another part of the frame at an angle. Joints must be reinforced with blocks or dowels for extra support or the frame will be susceptible to loosening over time.
Blocking refers to the process of placing additional blocks of wood behind or diagonal to joints and corners for support in areas where the furniture craftsman believes there may be greater stress. Blocks provide lateral support and a larger area for screws and fasteners to set wood elements securely. This extra bracing at stress points contributes to the lasting integrity of the frame. An alternative to blocking is dowelling.
Dowelling refers to the process whereby one or two dowels are drilled, hammered and glued into the wood at stress-points to provide extra strength and support to the frame. Nails, screws, fasteners and
glueThis is a list of various types of glue. Historically, the term "glue" only referred to protein colloids prepared from animal flesh. The meaning has been extended to refer to any fluid adhesive....
may also support many parts of a frame.
Spring systems
Once the frame is constructed, a
springA spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of hardened steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...
system is installed to support the seating area. Furniture manufacturers employ two main types of spring support systems:
standard springs and
eight-way hand tied springs. When the spring system is finished with a top layer of padding, it is commonly called the "seat deck".
Standard Springs provide good support at a lower price than the alternative. Most manufacturers offer either
sinuous springs or
drop-in-springs as their standard, depending on how they make their furniture. Both types affix to the frame to support the seat deck. Standard springs have a formal, very firm "sit" and only move in the up/down direction. In contrast, eight-way hand-tied springs can move in many more directions.
Sinuous springs are heavy-gauge
steelSteel is an alloy consisting mostly of iron, with a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most cost-effective alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
springs that have been heat formed into continuous "S" shapes. They are cut into lengths and affixed to the frame. Drop-in Springs are mass-manufactured welded units that are more cheaply manufactured and considered to be of lower quality than sinuous springs.
Eight-way hand-tied springs have a wide range of movement providing a very even and individual "sit", because they move up and down and side to side. In the construction of these systems, the craftsman individually ties heavy gauge coils from front to back, side to side and diagonally (eight ways) to provide the highest level of quality, comfort and durability. This process costs more because it is time consuming and can only be done by hand.
Cushions, pillows, padding and fills
Once a piece of upholstered furniture has its frame and springs, the next components are the cushions and padding. Seat cushions sit on top of the spring system and seat deck. Back pillows, if present, rest against the back and arms of the piece.
Most cushions are made of a high-density foam core that is then wrapped with either soft
polyesterPolyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
,
featherFeathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates. They are among the outstanding characteristics that distinguish the extant Aves from other living groups....
and
downThe down of birds is a layer of fine feathers found under the tougher exterior feathers. Very young birds are clad only in down. Powder down is a specialized type of down found only in a few groups of birds. Down is a fine thermal insulator and padding, used in goods such as jackets, bedding,...
, or a
hypoallergenicHypoallergenic is a term coined by advertisers and first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...
down substitute. Dacron adds resilience so that pillows and seats keep their shape, while the wraps form a soft envelope. Cushions and pillows are usually sewn into
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
cases to ensure smooth upholstering.
Feather and down offers the maximum comfort and softness in cushions and pillows that most people desire and designers prefer. Feather and down back pillows and wrapped seat cushions can always be "fluffed-up" to maintain an attractive look. Feather and down fills and wraps require a little more maintenance than polyester and high density-
foamThe most general definition of foam is a substance that is formed by trapping many gas bubbles in a liquid or solid. It can also refer to anything that is analogous to such a phenomenon, such as quantum foam. Often the term is used in reference to polyurethane foam , XPS foam, Polystyrene, or many...
but they have greater comfort, durability and resilience.
BuckwheatBuckwheat refers to plants in two genera of the dicot family Polygonaceae: the Eurasian genus Fagopyrum, and the North American genus Eriogonum. The crop plant, common buckwheat, is Fagopyrum esculentum. Tartary buckwheat or "bitter buckwheat" is also used as a crop, but it is much less common...
hulls are also used as filling for a variety of upholstered goods, including pillows and
zafuA zafu is a round cushion, about 35 cm in diameter, and often about 20 cm high, when fluffed. Although in U.S. English, zafu is often translated as "sewn seat", that is not the meaning of the Japanese kanji. "Za" means "seat", and "fu" means cattail. As a word, "zafu" means a seat made out of...
. The hulls are durable and do not conduct or reflect heat as much as synthetic fills. They are sometimes marketed as an alternative natural fill to feathers for those with allergies.
HorsehairHorsehair refers to hair taken from the mane or tail of horses. It has various uses including brushes and the bows of musical instruments. The word is also used to refer to haircloth, a hard-wearing fabric made from horsehair...
and
hayHay is a generic term for grass or legumes that have been cut, dried, and stored for use as animal feed, particularly for grazing animals like cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. Hay is also fed to pets such as rabbits and guinea pigs...
have also been used in upholstery as cushioning/padding, however this practice is not as common today as using foam.
Fabrics and leathers
TextileA textile is a flexible material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw wool fibres, linen, cotton, or other material on a spinning wheel to produce long strands...
s, a term used in the furniture industry, encompass both fabrics and
leatherLeather is a material created through the tanning of hides and skins of animals, primarily cattlehide. The tanning process converts the putrescible skin into a durable and versatile material....
s and the choice of textiles can account for up to 80% of furniture price.
Tightly woven fabrics and blends tend to wear longer than light or loose-weave natural fibers.
Leather is a durable and easy-care natural material that softens and improves with time. To create quality leather, top-grain
hidesHides are skins obtained from animals for human use. Examples of animal hide sources are deer and cattle typically used for producing leather, alligator skins, snake skins for shoes and fashion accessories and wild cats, minks and bears, whose skins are primarily sought for their fur...
are
tannedTanning is the process of making leather, which does not easily decompose, from the skins of animals, which do. Often this uses tannin, an acidic chemical compound. Coloring may occur during tanning....
, processed and
dyeA dye can generally be described as a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and may require a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
d to give a certain color or look. Tanning refers to the process in which salts are used to cure the hide and to stabilize its shape. Dyeing refers to infusing the hide with different color dyes.
AnilineAniline, phenylamine or aminobenzene is an organic compound with the formula C
6H
7N. It is the simplest and one of the most important aromatic amines, being used as a precursor to more complex chemicals. Its main application is in the manufacture of polyurethane...
dyeing is a high quality process that imparts color but does not disguise the natural character of the hide. Some leathers are further treated with a pattern, texture, or polish.
Automobile upholstery
An Automotive upholsterer is also known as a Trimmer, Coachtrimmer or Motor Trimmer. The trade shares many of the skills required in upholstery, in addition to being able to work with carpet.
The term Coachtrimmer derives from the days when car bodies were produced by manufactures and delivered to
CoachbuilderA coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others included Hooper, H. J...
s to add a car body and interior trimmings. Trimmers would produce soft furnishings, carpets, soft tops and roof linings often to order to customer specifications. Later Trim shops were often an in-house part of the production line as the production process was broken down into smaller parts manageable by semi-skilled labor.
Many automotive trimmers now work either in automotive design or with aftermarket trim shops carrying out repairs, restorations or conversions for customers directly. A few high quality motor car manufacturers still employ trimmers, for example
Aston MartinAston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury sports cars, based in Gaydon, Warwickshire. The company name is derived from the name of one of the company's founders, Lionel Martin, and from the Aston Hill speed hillclimb near Aston Clinton in BuckinghamshireFrom 1994 until 2007...
. The way the market is changing and manufacturers are cutting corners, it is a better idea to use a trim shop to use aftermarket materials. Adding your own touch can be a way to show originality while retaining the retail value of the vehicle. In some cases actually raising the retail value. Trim shops are now equipped with a higher quality, longer lasting and better color fastness, than many manufacturers.
Commercial Upholstery
This is the type of upholstery work offered to businesses. Examples would be restaurant seating consisting of booth seats, dining room chairs, bar stools, etc. Also churches, including but not limited to pews and chairs for the congregation, hospitals and clinics consisting of medical tables, chiropractic tables, dental chairs, etc. Also common to this type of upholstery would be lobby and waiting area seating.
Marine upholstery
Marine Upholstery differs in that one has to consider dampness, sunlight and hard usage.
A vinyl or material that is UV and cold cracking resistant is the choice.
Stainless steel hardware such as staples, screws must be used for a quality job that will last.
Also wood when used for a job must be of marine quality.
Usually a high resiliency, high density (closed cell foam mainly used on smaller cushions to double as floatation devices) with a thin film of plastic over it is used to keep out water that might get by the seams and as well as aid in placing the vinyl back on the piece.
Also a
DacronPolyethylene terephthalate , commonly abbreviated PET, PETE, or the obsolete PETP or PET-P), is a thermoplastic polymer resin of the polyester family and is used in synthetic fibers; beverage, food and other liquid containers; thermoforming applications; and engineering resins often in combination...
thread must be used in any sewing work. Nylon zippers are the choice as well.
History
Upholder is an archaic term used for upholsterer in the past, although it appears to have a connotation of
repairing furniture rather than creating new upholstered pieces from scratch (c.f.
cobblerCobbler may refer to:* A shoemaker who repairs shoes, rather than manufacturing them .** Cobbler apron, a type of apron that covers both the front and back of the body...
vs.
cordwainerA cordwainer is somebody who makes shoes and other articles from fine soft leather. The word is derived from "cordwain", or "cordovan", the leather produced in Córdoba, Spain. Historically, there was a distinction between a cordwainer, who made shoes, and a cobbler, who repaired them...
).
In 18th-century London upholders frequently served as interior decorators responsible for all aspects of a room's decor. These individuals were members of the London Upholders' Company, whose traditional role, prior to the 18th century, was to provide upholstery and textiles and the fittings for funerals. In the great London furniture-making partnerships of the 18th century, a cabinet-maker usually paired with an upholder: Vile and Cobb,
Ince and MayhewInce and Mayhew were a partnership of furniture designers, upholsterers and cabinetmakers, founded and run by William Ince and John Mayhew in London, England, from 1759 to 1803; Mayhew continued alone in business until 1809. Their premises were listed in London directories in Broad Street, Soho,...
,
ChippendaleChippendale may refer to:*Thomas Chippendale, or his furniture*Thomas Chippendale, the younger, son of Thomas Chippendale*Chairface Chippendale, a supervillain*Chippendales, a chain of clubs and troupe of performers*Chippendale, New South Wales...
and Rannie or
HaigHaig may refer to:People with the surname Haig:*Haig Other:*Clan Haig * The Earl Haig, a Peerage of the UK* The Haig Fund, a charity* Haig Homes, a housing charity* Haig & Haig, a distiller of scotch whisky...
.
Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River and is approximately 30 miles from Lake Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 197,800, making it the 114th largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Kent County,...
is known as the furniture city and many of the best upholsterers can still be found there. These craftsmen continue to create or recreate many antique and modern pieces of furniture.
Upholstery-related tools
- Chalk
Chalk is a soft, white, porous sedimentary rock, a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite. It forms under relatively deep marine conditions from the gradual accumulation of minute calcite plates shed from micro-organisms called coccolithophores. It is common to find flint and chert...
(upholsterer's chalk or tailor's chalk)
- Goggles
Goggles or safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes. They are used in chemistry laboratories and in woodworking. They are often used in snow sports as...
- Needle guards
- Rubber mallet
- Scissors
Scissors are hand-operated cutting instruments. They consist of a pair of metal blades connected in such a way that the sharpened edges slide against each other. Scissors are used for cutting various thin materials, such as paper, cardboard, metal foil, thin plastic, cloth, rope and wire...
- Sewing machine
A sewing machine is a textile machine used to stitch fabric or other material together with thread. Sewing machines were invented during the first Industrial Revolution to decrease the amount of manual sewing work performed in clothing companies...
- Staple gun
A staple gun or powered stapler is a hand-held machine used to drive heavy metal staples into wood or masonry. Staple guns are used for many different applications and to affix a variety of materials, including insulation, house wrap, roofing, wiring, carpeting, upholstery, and hobby and craft...
- Staple knocker
A staple knocker is a tool resembling a screwdriver, used for removing staples and shredded material. It is called a knocker because a hammer can be used to hit the end of it and remove long lines of shorter staples....
(staple puller)
- Upholstery regulator
An upholstery regulator is an upholstery tool which smooths irregularities in the stuffing beneath the coverings.Whilst it looks similar to a needle it is heavier; like needles the regulator comes in various gauges and lengths...
- Upholstery hammer
An upholstery hammer is a lightweight hammer used for securing upholstery fabric to furniture frames using tacks or small nails....
- Upholstery needle
An upholstery needle is a needle used for upholstery. There are a variety of sizes, but they are usually thick and curved. The curved needle allows for repairs on finished items where only one side of the fabric is accessible....
s (round point curved needles and button needles)
- Webbing stretcher
A webbing stretcher is an upholstery tool used to stretch upholstery fabrics for a snug fit. It is used primarily for the stretching of webbing used in 8-way hand tying. It consists of metal spikes that grab the webbing and is used to pull the webbing tight...
Upholstery materials
- Button
In clothing and fashion design, a button is a small disc, typically round, object usually attached to an article of clothing in order to secure an opening, or for ornamentation...
s
- Staple
A staple is a type of two-pronged fastener, usually metal, used for joining or binding materials together. Large staples might be used with a hammer or staple gun for fencing, masonry, roofing and corrugated boxes...
s
- Tacks (upholstery tacks, various sizes)
- Zipper
A zipper is a popular device for temporarily joining two edges of fabric. It is used in clothing A zipper (British English: zip or (rarely) zip fastener) is a popular device for temporarily joining two edges of fabric. It is used in clothing A zipper (British English: zip or (rarely) zip fastener)...
s
Other related articles
- Canvaswork
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Slipcover
A slipcover is a fitted protective cover that may be slipped off and on a piece of upholstered furniture. Slipcovers are usually made of cloth...
- Throw pillow
A throw pillow, or toss pillow, is a small, decorative type of pillow. Throw pillows are usually placed on sofas or armchairs but are also frequently used on beds and day beds. Throw pillows serve both an aesthetic and a functional purpose. Decorative pillows are commonly used to tie in color...