Upholstery projects have the ability to transform tired, worn-looking spaces, especially when care is given to the selection of colors, fabric patterns, and the style you’re trying to achieve. However, the most important part of any upholstered item is what you don’t see. Hidden beneath the fabric exterior are the “guts” of your furniture, including: The type of stuffing material will depend on how the upholstered furniture is to be used and the comfort level you are seeking. In cushions and other upholstery, batting is applied over the foam to prevent slippage and provide a smooth appearance. The thickness (loft) of batting can range from very thin up to 1/4″ thick. Batting is available in cotton, wool, polyester or a blend. Cotton batting is made from 100% cotton that has been layered. There are two weights available: The weight is determined by the type of project you are working on, but both weights are suitable for upholstery. Cotton is a natural fiber that can poke through the fabric covering, making the furniture uncomfortable to sit on.
If you are upholstering a headboard, this may not be a concern; but it may cause problems on seating for sofas and chairs. If so, a combination poly/cotton batting may be the answer. It’s durable and will give your furniture a smooth look and feel. Wool batting is made from wool waste that has been woven together and is available as: The use of animal hair is one of the oldest types of upholstery stuffing. The hair used is most often from the manes and tails of horses and is often found in antique furniture. When re-upholstering antiques, the existing horse hair can be combined with wool or cotton to add additional loft to the piece. While not actually “hair”, feather and down is often used in upscale furniture to provide the ultimate in comfort. Upholstery foam is the most common stuffing material used today. It’s available in several densities which determine the grade and quality of the foam. The higher the number, the better the quality. A quality, high density foam will not break apart or cause clumps.
Choosing the highest density foam you can afford will improve the comfort level, appearance, and life of upholstered furniture. The resiliency or durability of your upholstery foam is important as it will determine how much wear and tear your furniture can withstand. Using foam labeled high resilient, or HR, will make cushions more comfortable and reduce sagging over time. All upholstery foam sold in the United States must be fire resistant. If the furniture you are purchasing does not indicate that the foam used is fire resistant you may want to reconsider. A label with the letters FR on it will confirm that the proper foam has been used. The level of firmness of upholstered furniture is determined by the Indentation Force Deflection (ILD) number of the upholstery foam. This scale ranges between 6 and 45 with the lowest number representing the softest foam and the highest the firmest foam. How soft or firm you would like your upholstered piece to be is a personal decision, and knowing the ILD number of the foam you purchase allows you to determining it.
While not durable enough for padding the frames of furniture, pillow forms are used to stuff or restuff pillows that comprise part of many upholstery projects. Pillow forms are available in polyester, down, and feather/down fillings, with natural fillings generally considered best for serious upholstery projects. The particular upholstery project you are working on will often determine the type of stuffing material used. A lesser quality cushion foam or batting may be perfect for stuffing small accent pillows, headboards, footstools and furniture pieces that do not receive heavy use. Conversely, mattresses, seating, and furniture that are used frequently will benefit more from high quality stuffing to provide the ultimate in comfort and prolong the life of the furniture. While quality stuffing materials cost more initially, they can save in the long run by making furniture last longer. Indra Desigri thinks that even the most challenging home improvement projects can be made easy with the right materials, good information and a well-planned approach.
For more from Indra, visit OnlineFabricStore.netYou May Also Like Start your outdoor season right with the perfect patio pieces! Create a beautiful backyard oasis with all the essentials for outdoor living. Enjoy a cozy conversation area with weather-resistant patio furniture, or polish your patio with rugs and accents. Attract afternoon visitors with comfy cushioned patio chairs. Enhance your garden space with adorable decor and solar lights. Add a modern touch to your outdoor living with elegant dining sets, perfect for a nice evening meal. Liven up your table setting with patterned dinnerware. Enjoy your outdoor living in the shade with gorgeous gazebos and umbrellas. Whether you are hosting a small, intimate gathering, or a large backyard barbecue, you’ll find the outdoor essentials you need to transform your outdoor living experience. Swing by Big Lots for all your outdoor needs, and stay in budget!If you own wicker furniture at some time or another you might want to know how to paint wicker furniture to help prolong its life.
Thank you for supporting my site! Sometimes, if you are sure you are dealing with a rattan reed wicker piece, (rather than the paper wicker) the flaking paint can also be removed at a high-pressure car wash where you spray the piece yourself. Click the Wicker Furniture Materials article to read about the differences between paper fibre wicker and rattan reed wicker. Keep in mind that it’s easy to damage the rattan reed with the extremely high pressure and the water may weaken the glue joints. Make sure the piece is completely dry before proceeding further. Once the wicker piece is thoroughly dry, and you’ve removed all the paint that you can, lightly sand the rough edges to blend and also rough up the surface for better paint adhesion. Question: Do I have to use primer before painting wicker furniture? Answer: Yes, be sure to apply at least two coats of oil-base wood primer (using a natural bristle brush or compressor sprayer) to the bare spots, or the final paint coat will absorb like crazy.
The use of a primer is especially important if you are changing the color of the piece from light to dark or vice-versa. Then after the primer dries, apply two light coats of oil-based paint, using either a compressor sprayer or brush to apply. My preference is to use an indoor/outdoor oil-base semi-gloss house paint, applied by compressor sprayer. Question: What type of paint is used on wicker? Answer: I recommend using an oil-base indoor/outdoor house paint. It remains flexible, adheres to the wicker readily, and is extremely durable.In years past, I have seen far too many wicker pieces painted with Latex, that begin to flake off only after a few years of application. However, there are many wicker experts, that swear by the good results they are experiencing with the new Latex paint products. Consult a paint expert at a reputable paint store before purchasing your supplies. FYI: The spray can paints around now are of good quality and you might find them more to your liking, but it will take several cans of spray paint to finish the job well.
Question: How do you paint wicker furniture? Always wear protective face mask and safety glasses and use good ventilating methods if painting indoors. Protect surrounding areas with drop cloths and if painting outdoors using a spray method, only spray the paint on a windless day. The best way to paint wicker in my opinion, is to use a compressor paint sprayer, using oil-base house paint. Please do your own research before making your purchase of a compresser, get what you need for your particular project. If this is not possible, and you only have one piece to do, I recommend using a natural bristle paint brush to apply the oil-base paint, or if you wish, use the spray can method. Buy the best quality paint available and make sure it’s compatible with the existing paint already on the piece, and use a wood primer, touching up any bare areas before painting. When you use spray paint cans, quite a bit of paint is lost in over-spray and can end up being quite expensive in the long run.
So, you can either buy a paint spray booth or shelter or set up a home-made spray booth, fashioned out of an appliance cardboard box. A spray booth helps reduce overspray either way, whether you use the spray cans or a compressor sprayer. Be sure to turn the chair upside down and paint all visible areas first, then tip upright and apply paint to all visible areas, getting into all the crevices and corners. Give at least two light coats of paint and be sure to clean up any spills and drips immediately and don’t “glob” on the paint with thick coats. Let all coats of paint dry before applying the next, and make sure you don’t sit in the chair until the paint has thoroughly cured for about a week. Enjoy your newly painted wicker furniture! Disclaimer: This article was written by Cathryn Peters based on her own personal experiences and knowledge about the antique wicker furniture industry acquired over the last 40+ years of providing wicker restoration services.