Amateur Reupholstery: Couch

By: Adorn Jan 06, 2007

Photo: Subbotina Anna

Earlier this year, I moved across the country, taking with me only what I could fit in my car. I lived a week without an apartment and another week without any furniture.  Then, I bought a bed.  Well, a mattress and box spring.  I wasn't in any rush to buy furniture, especially not furniture that I couldn't fit into my car.  This made me the office charity case.  A coworker gave me a kitchen table and chairs. Then, another coworker found a couch on the side of the road in a nice neighbourhood.  He smelled it and checked for stains, then picked it up and put it in his pickup truck.  That night, he and I carried the couch up the stairs to my apartment.   

Photo: Adorn

 It was a solidly constructed couch.  There were a few cat scratch marks on the sides of the upholstery, but otherwise, it was in decent condition.  I just couldn't shake the idea that bugs or animals had crawled all over the couch while it sat out on the road.  So, I undertook a plan to reupholster it.

I had no experience with reupholstery and very few tools.  I read a few articles online, but they weren't very helpful.  All of the upholstery books at the library were out.  However, I have a bit of a "just do it" attitude when it comes to crafty things, so I jumped right in.