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How can I tell if a fabric is suitable for upholstery?

818 days ago • 2 likes • 3 comments • 5 votes • 0 follows
Asked by Christine Winters | Question date:  Aug 9, 2022 | Member since:  Aug 9, 2022

Question Asked:

I am quite new to reupholstering furniture and would like to know how I can tell if a fabric is suitable for upholstery, please? I already paint furniture, but I would really love to get into upholstery.

I would mainly like to upholster chairs, headboards, pouffes and foot stools to start with until I get more confident and more skilled. Then eventually I would love to try and upholster something more complicated like a sofa. I do know that thicker fabrics are usually more suited to upholstery, but wondered if there is anything else to be considered?

As I would love more choice when working on my upholstering projects. I have bought loads of fabrics from my local fabric store that is closing down and I was hoping to able to use on some projects.
2
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Upholstery fabric upholstering
How can I tell if a fabric is suitable for upholstery? image one
How can I tell if a fabric is suitable for upholstery? image two
How can I tell if a fabric is suitable for upholstery? image three
Asked by Christine Winters
Question date:  Aug 9, 2022
Member since:  Aug 9, 2022
3 Comments
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Kate Hall(818 days ago)
If you are able to get the fabric name and information, you need to look for the rub count. The higher the number of rubs, the better the quality and durability for upholstery. Also in addition, it is good to look for fabrics which have been treated for improved performance, such as, FR treated, stain resistance, water repellent, or UV resistance.
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Sophie Ellis(818 days ago)
Usually, heavy weight fabric is suitable for upholstery. If you are planning to sell on the upholstered items you make, you will need to ensure the fabric is FR treated. Upholstery fabrics will also usually have a rub count for example 100,000 rubs indicating the durability of the fabric.
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Joe Irwin(818 days ago)
Hi, I'm guessing FR stands for Fire Resistance.
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