Can The Upholstery On Restaurant Booths Be Replaced?

All upholstery experiences wear and tear. If you are a restaurant or bar owner, you might be noticing the leather upholstery on your booths, stools, and chairs experiencing some wear and tear. But what are you to do if you have upholstery that has been torn over the years? Can your restaurant’s furniture upholstery be repaired or replaced without having to purchase a whole new set of furniture? Here’s all you need to know about commercial upholstery.

Why is the upholstery on my furniture tearing?

Whether your commercial furniture is made out of vinyl, cloth, or leather, all upholstery suffers wear and tear over time, especially when used in a commercial setting. As a business owner, having to replace furniture is inevitable. This can be quite costly and very irritating, especially if you have a tight budget or it’s become an unexpected expense. Lucky for you, you don’t always have to replace the whole piece of furniture! If your seating booth or other furniture is upholstered, you can replace the upholstery, and it’ll make your piece of furniture look brand new! The reasons why your commercial furniture upholstery is wrinkling, fading, or even tearing can be caused by a multitude of things. Here are a few:

1. Frequent use
2. Use of chemicals
3. Exposure to sunlight

How to prevent furniture upholstery from tearing?

Upholstery tearing, fading, cracking, and staining are inevitable, especially in a commercial establishment such as a restaurant. Although it is tough to prevent wear and tear from occurring on commercial furniture, there are some ways you can prolong the process. Here are a few ways:

1. Wipe regularly with chemicals that are safe for that specific fabric/material
2.  Get the fabrics/material professionally cleaned at least a few times a year
3. Apply appropriate fabric protectant for your specific material
4. Move furniture away from direct sunlight

As a business owner, it is best to set aside a budget for items that might need replacing. You can’t always control what happens, and unfortunately, furniture wear and tear are among those things.

Signs it is time to replace your restaurant’s furniture upholstery:

The furniture and the overall appearance can say a lot about your restaurant or establishment. Having torn, cracked, or damaged furniture can send the wrong message to your customers and lead to business loss. Being a small business owner is especially challenging in today’s world. Your establishment’s aesthetic and overall look will speak on the kind of food and service customers can expect from you; that’s why it is crucial to maintain an appealing aesthetic, including replacing the upholstery on your furniture. Replacing the upholstery on your furniture is much cheaper than having to replace the whole item. So what are some signs that it might be time to replace your furniture upholstery?

1. Staining that won’t come out
2. Tearing in the fabric
3. Prominently visible wrinkles (usually in leather)
4. Visible fading

If you are experiencing any of the following, it might be time to get your upholstery replaced. The good news is that there are so many types of fabrics and materials to choose from. No matter your budget, style, or durability, there are options to choose from!

Can I replace furniture upholstery myself?

Yes, you can replace furniture upholstery yourself! Although, it’s a task best left to professionals if you lack experience, as you can risk causing further damage that might cost you more money in the long run. Some fabrics or materials are easier to perform DIY upholstery than others. If you do decide to try DIY reupholstery, here are some tools you will need:

1. Fabric: Choosing the most suitable material for upholstery is key, so do your research! There are numerous types of fabrics to choose from that range in style, color, texture, and durability.
2. Batting: Sheets of cotton that are used as cushioning under the fabric for comfort.
3. Staple Gun: Usually, any staple gun should work, but with certain fabrics, an upholstery staple gun will give you the best and most long-lasting results. A staple gun will be needed to pin the fabric into place.
4. Hammer and Nails: Some areas may need to be nailed, and this is where a hammer and nails will be needed.
5. Upholstery Tack Strip: This is almost like double-sided tape. It is used underneath the fabric to create crisp-looking edges and secure the material without any visible staples or nails.

Now that you’ve gathered all the necessary materials for the task, here are some steps you can follow to complete your DIY upholstery project:

1. Carefully remove old upholstery from your piece of furniture by removing nails and staples holding the fabric in place.
2. Once you have removed the fabric, remove the old batting and anything else that is extra.
3. Once you have removed all the old material, measure and cut your fabric to the size of your piece of furniture (make sure to leave a few extra inches just in case).
4. Place the new batting and begin to carefully wrap your new fabric or material.
5. Begin securing all edges with staples for all the areas that need extra support, like underneath your piece of furniture.
6. Use the upholstery tack strip in areas where staples would be visible.

Trying to upholster furniture is a daunting and challenging task if you lack experience. For big and heavy commercial furniture, it’s a task that should be left to the professionals. They have the expertise, resources, tools, and materials needed to complete this task efficiently. Call your local upholstery professional!

Professional commercial upholstery for every project!

When it comes to commercial upholstery, Portland business owners need a company that can bring their ideas to life. Whether you’re looking for custom branded upholstery that sells your business with style and precision or gorgeous custom commercial upholstery for the perfect aesthetic, the professionals at Bright Auto Upholstery can create it. When you use a commercial upholstery company as experienced as ours, you remove limitations faced by younger upholstery companies. We’ve been providing commercial upholstery Portland businesses have trusted since 1976. That’s given us the necessary experience to handle any project. Our upholstery experts can design and execute any project you may have. We aren’t just limited to standard items like furniture and automotive interiors. If you can envision it, we can make it.