How To Recover Outdoor Cushions With Piping
This is not a hard job to do, Mostly, it will just take time if you are an experienced sewer. Also, you have to be prepared for any unsightly mess the fabric has managed to accumulate over time.
Here are the steps needed to do thistask:
- First, you need to remove all the old exterior fabric from all the cushions you intend to recover.
- Second, this is where you use those old cushions and make a pattern to follow. Any paper will do the trick for you and do not forget about including the edging.
- Third, cut the fabric for your sides, piping, edging, ties, and buttons. Next, lay out your pattern and cut the main body of fabric for the cushion covers. Dont forget any seam allowance or raw edge fold up.
- Fourth, this is the time to make your piping and it is a bit time-consuming. Be patient and do the job correctly.
- Fifth, Pin the front to the sides with piping. Make sure the piping matches the fabric front and do this with the fabric right side up. Next, layer the side panel with piping and pin together.
Use your fingers to hold everything tight as you stitch. Get as close to the piping as possible. A zipper foot may come in handy as will a slow sewing machine speed.
- Sixth, The back is made into 2 separate pieces so you can slide the cushion in when the fabric cover is ready. Then sew the center seam by hand and add ties at this time.
- Seventh, cover the buttons and add them in this step. Then hand sew the back seam and add the buttons and you are done.
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How To Measure The Replacement Slings Correctly
Next you need to get the right measurements. Here’s how:
Measure The Width
First, we’ll start measuring horizontally from rail to rail. Start about two inches from the top and take the measurement. Then take the same measurement in the middle of the sling and the bottom.
We do this to compare these measurements and see if the fabric size varies or not.
Sometimes you will find that there’s a little more variation between the 3 measurements but as long as it’s not more than a 0.5″ between them you can just stick to the average. If you do see a bigger variation that is more than 0.5″, order it! That’s the safest option!
Measure The Length
Now measure the length of the sling which is going to be taken from up at the top edge of the fabric right on the rail and all the way down.
To be safe you can add an eighth of an inch longer than shorter because it’s easy to tuck that into the rail.
Measure The Rods
With our new slings, we provide new dowels , you also measure these as well, to see what size they are you can compare them to drill bits.
Most of the time they’re either going to be the 7/32″ or 1/4″ which is the two sizes we offer with our replacement slings.
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Buy New Furniture Materials
If all else fails, buy new. You can order an outdoor seat-and-back cushion at websites such as Lowes.com or CSNStores.com, with prices sometimes starting at as low as $20.
Strap, sling and wicker are the most popular types of casual patio furniture. Wicker is made of hard-woven plant fiber. Strap types have vinyl straps attached to each side of a metal frame. Sling refers to metal-framed furniture with fabric strung within the frame.
According to OConnell, strap and sling furniture lasts eight to 10 years, offering excellent opportunities for a DIY project.
Excluding wicker, wrought iron and teak, most patio furniture framing worth refurbishing is painted or powder coated . Dull finishes on painted framing can be renewed and protected as any painted metal surface using automotive paste wax.
A lot of time, aluminum tubing can be brought back with a little wax compound, Mattingly says.
When the enamel or powder-coat finish on strap or sling furniture is worn, spot-paint the trouble spots with the appropriate color. Both finish types are available in 16-ounce aerosol cans, with prices ranging from $15 to $25.
When touching up any painted surface, be sure the problem area is clean. Lightly sand any loose paint. Mask all parts of the furniture not to be painted and use a drop cloth. But be warned: Once spray paint is airborne, it can land anywhere.
Reupholstering Outdoor Furniture Can Be Complex Our Instructions Are Not
Maybe youve had the same patio set for almost a decade, and its faded, torn or stained. You might have found an amazing deal on some deck chairs, but the cushions are an awful shade of ugh. You cringe when you think about having people over for a barbeque and wonder what it takes to reupholster outdoor furniture. Do you need to call in a professional? Would you be better off replacing what you have with a different set? Or is it possible to DIY this job? Are you going to have to give up a months worth of weekends to get this done? One question leads to another.
Happily, Phifer has all the answers — and the fabric — you need to get started. Even if youre new to sewing, it is absolutely possible to reupholster outdoor furniture on your own. Well walk you through everything you need to know, step by step — from the materials and tools youll need before you begin, to tips for getting a beautiful finish. With the right help, reupholstering patio furniture can be surprisingly simple, fun and satisfying. By the time you wrap up your first project, chances are youll already be looking around for your next.
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How To Reupholster Vinyl Chairs
Also answered in this section:
- How To Reupholster Faux Leather Dining Chairs
- How To Reupholster 50’s Vinyl Chairs
- How To Reupholster Kitchen Chairs With Vinyl
- How To Reupholster Vinyl Kitchen Chairs
Working with vinyl is not markedly different from working with other materials, but there are a few wrinkles that it introduces. With that in mind, here are a couple of video tutorials to help you with that project:
In addition to that, vinyl is notorious for starting to show its age early on by peeling and cracking which is a serious limitation the material has. Here’s a quick tutorial on how to repair such damage to extend the life of your upholstery
How To Repair Patio Chairs
The first thing you need to do to repair patio chairs is to lay your chair on the ground to find the bolt holding the seat in place.
There should be one towards the front and one towards the rear of the chair. Using a socket wrench, remove both of the bolts.
Place the bolts aside, do not misplace them! You will see that there is a cord inside each side of the mesh seat. This cord sits inside the track keeping the mesh patio chair seat in place. Or at least it should.
Now that both bolts are removed you can easily remove the seat portion from the base frame.
Remove the old cord.
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Restrapping Patio Furniture Let The Professionals Help
Now that the weather has finally warmed up and summer is fast approaching, it is time to think about sitting on the patio, catching some rays, and grilling with family and friends. However, the comfortable vinyl strap patio furniture that you purchased many years back may be starting to show its age. The professionals at The Southern Company are experts at Restrapping Patio Furniture. After much use and years of sitting in the sun, the vinyl straps may be loose and the color may have faded, while the metal frame structurally remains in very good shape. The question is whether to replace the furniture or repair it. Repair or Replace Your Patio Furniture? Vinyl patio furniture has been popular forRead more
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You did a beautiful job on my furniture. BETTER THAN NEW! Thanks so much for such a pleasant business experience. I have told and will continue to tell others about fabulous service.
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Pin Your Pattern To The New Fabric
On a wide flat surface, like a dining table or floor, spread your new outdoor fabric, wrong side up. You can begin to pin the pattern pieces one at a time, laying them out to maximize your use of fabric. If youre using a directional pattern like a stripe, plaid or check, make sure youre happy with the pattern placement. You might not be able to be as efficient in your layout as you would with a solid or small print. As you pin each piece, measure a seam allowance around the pattern piece and mark it with your tailors chalk or pencil. For regular seams on cushions, add an extra ½ inch. For chair pads, add 3 inches.
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Is It Worth It To Reupholster
This is a very good question and it may depend on how attached you are to your outdoor furniture. There are some things to consider when thinking about which way to go on this issue.
First, how long have you owned the sofa or chair on your patio? The average lifespan is about 20 years give or take a few years. Will the framework last after you recover the cushions?
Second, how environmentally friendly are you? Buying new furniture may or may not contribute to the destruction of the planet. That is an extreme point but you get the idea.
Third, recovering a good outdoor chair or sofa will depend on the quality of the construction of the frame. If it is made of hardwood and other top quality materials it may be worth recovering. Those pieces of furniture can be very expensive to buy new.
Fourth, is a personal preference factor. Do you want to keep the same look or change it and make the room look different? The cost in this may help determine which way you go.
Fifth, ask yourself how much of a difference is there between the cost of recovering and buying new. If it is as little as a $100 gap then buying new may be the better way to go.
In the end, it will be your decision based upon your budget and savings. Recovering furniture is not cheap but it can be cheaper than buying new ones.
Outdoor Furniture Repair And Refinishing
Furniture is a staple for making an outdoor space look beautiful, but what happens when good quality furniture begins to run down because of heavy use, rain, and UV rays? Over time furniture can chip, paint can peel and crack, and straps and slings can run down, fade, or tear. We saw a need for a better solution to this problem than just throwing away an entire set of quality furniture just because of surface level wear and tear. Good quality furniture can last a long time and has a strong structure, so here is the solution. We take existing furniture to its metal base by cutting off old strap and sling material and by sandblasting off old paint. Then, we powder coat on fresh new paint and install new straps and slings. Furniture comes out looking brand new since it went through the same process as it did when it was first made. The best part is that customers are left with furniture that looks new without having the expense of buying a complete new set of outdoor furniture.
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Recover Your Patio Cushions In 4 Steps
Patio cushions will help to provide comfort to your patio furniture. Because they are outdoors these cushions tend to become worn very easily and rip from sun damage and adverse weather conditions in addition to the usual wear and tear that cushions will go through. To ensure that you will not have to replace your patio cushions on a regular basis there are some basic steps to take in recovering them. Below are some steps and tips on how to keep your patio cushions looking like new again.
Step 1 Survey the Damage
When your patio furniture cushions become damaged there are only a few things that you can do to get them back how they were. Depending on the damage you have a few different options. If the damage that is done is not too bad then you can usually repair it without having to sew anything at all. Take an iron and some no sew tape to your patio furniture cushions. This is a quick and effective way to get the job done.
Step 2 Measure
If you do not wish to use no sew tape and an iron and wish to sew new patio furniture cushions then measuring will need to take place. This will require you to get out a measuring tape and find out the exact measurements of your cushion.
Step 3 Material
- Some recommend using jeans as a cover for your patio chairs. These can be easily removed and washed and are very durable as well.
- Some people will also use tablecloths as well. There are several different kinds of materials especially designed for patio furniture cushions too.
How To Reupholster Old Chairs
If you’re working with an antique and you’re interested in preserving its value, materials selection is key. You’ll want to select a material and a pattern that was in use at the time the chair was made so that your reupholstering effort preserves the authentic period look of the piece of furniture in question.
Otherwise, the process is not markedly different from reupholstering newer chairs, although you’ll undoubtedly want to take extra care when prepping the piece for reupholstering.
Here’s a tutorial to help get you started:
Note: If you don’t care about preserving an authentic look, by all means, do whatever you like with the chair. This is one case where we’d strongly recommend coordinating with an antique dealer who is familiar with the period and soliciting professional help if you’re interested in preserving the authenticity of the piece.
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Learn How To Recover Outdoor Patio Cushions The Easy Way
Are your chair and patio cushions looking a little sad after the long winter? Do you want to recover patio cushions for the summer? Just the thing to sit in to enjoy your garden and DIY birdhouse! I can show you how to do it quickly and easily.
First, my story: Ive wanted rocking chairs on my big porch for years now. A couple of weeks ago, Greg bought us two beautiful wicker chairs. They were a brown that didnt go with our house, so he painted them white for me. But the cushions were still the boring beige the chairs originally came with. I am NOT a beige kinda girl. So we went to the fabric store and picked out a bright and cheerful outdoor canvas. But the fabric sat around for a while without me working on it at all. Sound familiar?
But yesterday afternoon was a glorious day and I knew it was time to recover those ugly cushions. It took only about an hour to recover both patio cushions, from start to finish. This is a super easy sewing project and if you dont want to sew, there are options for that, too. And my patio cushions were not even perfectly square. Let me show you how you can recover patio cushions quickly and easily, too!
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How To Recover Outdoor Cushions Without Sewing
The first thing you need to do is gather the supplies you need and make sure you have all of them and enough of them. That way you do not have to stop your work to run off and find more supplies.
What you need
- Fabric – large enough to do the job
- Ruler or you can use a measuring tape
- Chalk
- Sticky back hook and loop fastener
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Round Up Your Materials
When you shop, buy ‘upholstery grade’ fabric for its strength and stain resistance. Fabric prices vary wildly you might find something for $5 in the bargain bin or spend 10 times as much. We bought our fabric, foam and batting at a fabric store. For the dust cover, we used landscape fabric from a home center.
Measure New Straps And Slings Accurately
Replacing straps or slings requires accurate measuring. When attaching new straps, the pieces must be precisely cut and then softened in near-boiling water for 15 minutes so they can be stretched over the frame.
The worst mistake people make is not doing a test strap or two before cutting all the replacement straps. Do one or two test straps and attach them to make sure your measuring is accurate, Mattingly says.
Wicker, engineered for open-air applications, is treated with a plastic resin, protecting it from nearly everything but wear and tear. It will eventually break down and generally cant be repaired.
Melissa Hammer, a senior category manager at CSNStores.com, says resin wicker is much less prone to damage than indoor wicker, but it does get dirty. It can be cleaned with a mixture of mild detergent and water.
Cleaning is important to prolong the life of all types of patio furniture, and not just wicker. Patio pieces should be cleaned once a week, Mattingly says. Furniture would last much longer if people would just clean it more than they do, he says. Just clean it.
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