Features of the production of upholstered furniture

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The product market offers a huge amount of upholstered furniture of different models and configurations in any price category. But often in the interior of a room you want to have an original product in an unusual design. Making upholstered furniture with your own hands is an entertaining process that will not only save money, but also implement individual ideas for the configuration, as well as the appearance of the product. So what is important to know when creating an exclusive piece of upholstered furniture?

Nuances of choosing models

No apartment is complete without upholstered furniture. The stores offer a large selection of sofas and armchairs, but homemade options allow you to create a special atmosphere and comfort. A novice master will be able to make a number of interior items with his own hands, including:

1. Frameless upholstered furniture - sewn from various materials, stuffed with holofiber, polystyrene foam or polyurethane foam. There are various models of such furniture: small sofas, bean bags, loungers.
2. With a rigid structure - these are sofas, armchairs, beds with a frame made of metal or wood.

Upholstered furniture in loft, hi-tech, and minimalist styles has simple rectangular designs without excessive decor. It is with these forms that it is better for a master working at home to start.

Frameless

On a frame basis

Selection of materials

A kitchen sofa, as well as a model for a bedroom or living room, can be made from different materials. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Solid wood is considered the most expensive, chipboard is the cheapest. Furniture panels are very popular; they are often used to make the sidewalls of upholstered furniture.

Frame

Making a sofa starts with the base. For the frame you can use plywood, metal or chipboard. But it’s best not to spare money on purchasing natural wood. Solid wood structures not only look impressive, but also retain their presentable appearance for a very long time. This material is also environmentally friendly, reliable and safe. Popular and affordable types of wood:

• pine;
• birch;
• beech;
• alder.

Framing a regular or corner sofa with wooden slats is widespread. For rigidity, plywood or chipboard is usually used. Slats can be used, especially for orthopedic structures - such a sofa frame will certainly last a long time.

Plywood

Metal

laminated chipboard

Tree

Transformation mechanism

In master classes on assembling a sofa with your own hands, home craftsmen always emphasize the need to choose reliable mechanisms made of high-quality metal that can withstand heavy loads. The most wear-resistant options are the classic “book” and its Euro modification. If you don’t want to scratch the linoleum when using furniture, you should choose a retractable option - a pantograph. With this design, the folding part slides out without contacting the floor.

Pantograph

Book

Eurobook

Upholstery and filling

For upholstery, you should choose textiles with a dense texture, reminiscent of a tapestry. Natural or artificial leather is also suitable, but it is more difficult to work with at home. The cheapest filling option is foam rubber, but it quickly begins to collapse and does not tolerate moisture well. More durable and practical options are padding polyester, holofiber; it is better to make your own sofa with just such fillings. In general, the choice of fabrics for upholstery and materials for the inside of the sofa is huge - the choice is limited solely by a person’s financial capabilities.

Tapestry

Flock

Sintepon

Holofiber

What tools will you need?

First of all, for work you will need diagrams for assembling the sofa and the tools necessary to take measurements. This is a tape measure, a simple pencil, a square and a compass for constructing a drawing by hand. For most models, you will need to purchase furniture legs, but sometimes wheels (casters) are installed instead.

How to assemble a sofa with an accordion mechanism step by step with your own hands

If you decide to use foam rubber to upholster your sofa yourself, you will need a separate paste for it. To work with upholstery fabric you will need a sewing machine. It is better to replace nails with self-tapping screws; they last longer, and the finished structure is much stronger.

To secure the upholstery, the craftsman will need a furniture stapler. If this device is not at hand, you can use wallpaper nails with small decorative heads.

Review of materials

Everything is simple with materials for frameless furniture. Any thick fabric is suitable for its manufacture. Making frame upholstered furniture requires a more careful approach. It consists of parts, each of which requires different materials for manufacturing:

• frame - the material must be durable and environmentally friendly;
• base - it is required to be reliable and able to withstand heavy loads;
• filler - necessary for softness of furniture;
• upholstery – gives a complete aesthetic look.

Before choosing a material, you should carefully read the characteristics of each. Advantages and disadvantages, as well as cost, are the main indicators for making the right choice.

Fillers, sheet and upholstery materials are used to make upholstered furniture. The types of sheet materials for frames, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, are presented in the table.

When considering what modern upholstered furniture is made from, it is worth paying attention to the filler:

1. Foam rubber is polyurethane foam. It is used more often than other materials as a soft filler. Good furniture foam rubber is highly durable and elastic. The best brands are ST 2536 and HR 3535.
2. Sintepon is a canvas that contains synthetic fiber. The fibers are bonded using emulsion or thermal methods. In furniture production, the densest padding polyester is used - 150 g/m2. The material is resistant to moisture. He is not afraid of temperature changes. Restores shape well. The synthetic winterizer is laid on top of the foam rubber. This allows for increased slip and prevents the formation of wrinkles.
3. Batting is a knitted fabric with a rare weave, filled with technical wool. Used as a flooring material that increases the softness of furniture.
4. Felt is an expensive natural material made from sheep wool by felting. In the manufacture of furniture, felt is used to impart rigidity, strength, and durability.

One type of filler for upholstered furniture is not enough. Foam rubber will require additions. What to choose depends on the purpose of the specific product and the requirements for it.

When making upholstered furniture with your own hands, special attention should be paid to upholstery materials. The table shows the most used fabrics.

Nuances of making furniture drawings, review of useful programs

When choosing upholstery material for making upholstered furniture with your own hands, you should focus on the purpose of the items. Leatherette is more suitable for upholstering country furniture. It is better to put suede, matting or tapestry on upholstered furniture for a nursery. In the living room, where the owners invite guests, the interior will be decorated with a beautiful sofa upholstered in flock, chenille or furniture velor.

What to pay attention to

When designing ordinary cabinet furniture, everything is simple, just select the desired shape, design, fasteners and the drawing template is ready. With upholstered furniture, things are a little different. It is important to understand what details must be present in upholstered furniture, so as not to miss something important.

Frame

Various materials and fasteners can be used to design the frame.

Also, for the basis of upholstered furniture, it is important that the design contains reliable movable parts, thanks to which the mechanism will unfold and fold.

Therefore, when creating a frame project for upholstered furniture, it is necessary to pay attention to the following nuances:

• what material is specified in the project;
• Is there enough fastening elements on the sketch, which are the basis for the durability and stability of the structure;

  Drawing with dimensions of a soft corner for the kitchen

• what mechanism for dismantling the structure is specified in the project.

Padding

It is very important that in the process of creating an upholstered furniture project, such an important point as the internal content is not forgotten. This happens:

• foam;
• felt;
• batting;
• padding polyester;
• latex.

Each of these materials has its own useful functions, so it is necessary to take this fact into account during the project development process.

Upholstery coating

This question is also important in the process of drawing up the design of a future sofa or chair. It is important not to lose sight of this point, because the absence of this seemingly trifle can lead to rapid damage to the product. As a rule, the padding is covered with nylon, which protects the fabric from rapid wear and contamination from the inside.

Upholstery

The above factors are important for the comfort and durability of the products. The appearance of the product plays a greater role than the quality parameters.

Design of upholstery material in a special program

Therefore, design is the nuance that, perhaps, is paid most attention to when creating a furniture project for an apartment or house. In the upholstery you need to pay attention:

• on the color scheme;
• material;
• combination of raw materials with each other.

Often people choose upholstered furniture made from natural raw materials. This is justified by the fact that this furniture option not only fits harmoniously into the space and layout of any apartment interior, but is also beneficial for the health of the residents of the house. Therefore, when drawing up a project, it is worth paying tribute to the selection of furniture made from natural raw materials.

Required Tools

The technology for manufacturing upholstered furniture requires the presence of certain tools:

• drill - this basic tool needed to create holes;
• a screwdriver is necessary for installing furniture fittings, screwing in and unscrewing screws;
• jigsaw – you can’t do without it when cutting and creating various cutouts;
• a grinding machine is needed to clean the surface and level the cut line;
• a tape measure is necessary to take measurements;
• a metal meter ruler is needed to mark the surface;
• caliper - a universal tool for determining thickness and depth;
• a steel square will help align the corners;
• the level will clarify the accuracy of the position of the planes in the vertical and horizontal position;
• a simple pencil - marking lines are drawn with it.

Master class on making frameless furniture with your own hands at home

Almost all of these tools are in the arsenal of a home craftsman. Furniture production at home does not need more, this will be enough.

Design and calculations

To understand how to make a sofa yourself, you should first design it on paper. This will help you examine the model in detail and work out the details. Then you need to try it on for the room. To do this, you will need the basic parameters: length and width.

Having decided on the dimensions, proceed to the drawing. It is best to use graph paper. For these purposes, the sheets will have to be glued together. You can make a sketch to scale, but if the master is making furniture for the first time, then it is better to make full-size drawings. All the details are applied to them, their exact location is determined, and fastenings are thought out. Only after completely marking everything on a sheet of drawing paper do they begin cutting.

To create a drawing, special programs are used, for example, AutoCAD. But if a person has never encountered such applications, then it will take him time to familiarize himself. In this case, it is better to use a pencil and paper. An accurate drawing will help determine the material consumption. To do this, the main parts are measured, their areas are calculated and summed up.

The drawing will help determine the required number of screws and furniture fittings, as well as the consumption of upholstery material. This quantity is calculated similarly to frame slabs. When calculating the size of the upholstery, do not forget about allowances.

We create furniture upholstery

Palette for choosing materials for upholstery

Before you start upholstering furniture, you need to decide on the material - leather or fabric. Financial capabilities also influence the choice. You should not choose leatherette - it will not last long. Remember the rules: furniture elements must be covered with fabric before you begin to assemble the structure; when cutting, you need to take into account hem allowances (about two centimeters); Before you start cutting the material, make blanks.

Drawing of a frameless sofa chair for self-production

Having made the necessary measurements, we calculate the required length and width of the material. To make the upholstery last a long time, choose dense fabrics - chenille, tapestry, jacquard. They are better suited for work. We lay out the blanks on the selected material, outline them with chalk, not forgetting about the allowances, and cut them out. In this way we make patterns for the back, armrests, and back wall. We sew it on a sewing machine and put it on furniture elements, then we assemble the entire structure. Cushions on the sofa are sewn in the same way.

Elements of cut parts for upholstery of furniture

Algorithm for making simple models

The simplest models for a novice craftsman are sofas and folding sofas made of plywood (timber). You can also assemble original country furniture from garden pallets. This material is resistant to moisture, so the product can be used outdoors.

Sofa

The model is low, so it is great for older people, because it is easy to get up from such a surface. How to make a sofa step by step:

1. Put together a frame from boards or timber in accordance with the selected dimensions.
2. Secure the seat with glue and nails.
3. Connect it to the back.
4. Cut and secure the legs. Even at the preparatory stage, you should consider their height and thickness.

Recommendations for sewing a bedspread for a sofa with your own hands, types of decor

A fabric of variegated colors with a dense texture is well suited for upholstery. It needs to be folded under the bottom of the sofa so that the ends do not stick out. You can additionally sew an inconspicuous zipper into the back so that you can carefully pull out the old filling and fill it with a new one instead. A self-made children's sofa can also have the shape of a sofa, but its dimensions will be slightly smaller.

Simple folding

This is the easiest model to make; for example, making a roll-out sofa is much more difficult. For work, you can use chipboard, timber, furniture board; a high-quality product is made from wood. How to make a folding sofa with your own hands step by step:

1. Cut out the armrests, covering them with foam rubber for softness.
2. Assemble the right and left side panels in turn.
3. Cut out the parts for covering the frame from foam rubber and attach them in place.
4. Pull a pre-sewn textile cover over the frame.

The folding version of the sofa does not take up much space. It is very convenient and functional. The extra bed can be pulled out easily and silently.

Cut out the armrests

Cover them with foam rubber for softness

Assemble the sides

Install the base and backrest

Cut out elements for the seat and back from foam rubber, attach them to the frame

Cover the frame with a pre-sewn textile cover

Garden made from pallets

Pallets, or garden pallets, are an excellent material for creativity. They make original outdoor furniture for the dacha. Pallets can be of three types. Those that fall into the first category have a beautiful light shade. They also have screw fastenings. Visually, such material can be distinguished by the absence of mechanical damage on the surface. Pallets that belong to the second and third grades can have any color, from dirty gray to brown. Before you begin assembling furniture, you need to conduct a thorough visual inspection of all structural elements. Loose connections are secured, otherwise during the installation of the sofa, nails may fall out of them and cause injury.

It is best to choose a European modification of pallets. They look impressive, and the image of the manufacturer’s mark enhances the overall original impression of the non-standard sofa. High-quality garden pallets are made in Scandinavian countries, for example, in Finland. They are durable and resistant to various types of deformation.

The step-by-step instructions are quite simple; to make country sofas you need:

1. Treat pallets with an antiseptic compound to prevent them from rotting. Application is carried out in layers, a maximum of 4–5 times, because the product is subject to long-term use in the open air. After the final layer of disinfectant, you should wait several days until it dries completely. If you do not maintain the recommended time and start installing the structure earlier, the protective coating will begin to quickly deteriorate and lose its properties.
2. Saw a fully prepared wooden pallet, forming a seat and back from its parts. A sofa made from garden pallets can be without a back, in which case you get an interesting ottoman in an oriental style. Such products are compact, they do not take up much space and can be placed in any corner of the garden plot.
3. Make armrests from bars and fix them on the sides. Secure the legs with corners - it is better so that the pallet does not come into contact with the ground.

The fastest and most effective ways to clean a sofa at home

An original garden modular sofa will decorate any garden plot. You can put a bright mattress and pillows in colorful covers on it. This design loosens the back quite quickly, so it is better to install it close to the wall.

You can place original LED lighting in the lattice bottom; ordinary New Year's garlands are also suitable for this purpose. The mysterious twinkling will create a feeling of an imminent holiday and make the atmosphere romantic.

Treat pallets with an antiseptic solution

Make the necessary measurements

Cutting wooden pallets

Assemble the seat and backrest

Make armrests and fix them on the sides

Garden sofa made from pallets

Features of manufacturing furniture with a transformation mechanism

The transformation mechanism allows you to fold out the sofa, increasing the sleeping area. Currently, there are several varieties of it:

• book - the back of the sofa leans back;
• tango - a modified book with a back that is fixed in an intermediate position;
• Eurobook - the sofa seat rolls forward on casters, the backrest lowers into the freed space;
• pantograph - the seat simply moves forward using special handles;
• French folding bed - the sleeping place consists of three sections that stack on top of each other; it is enough to pull one part forward to unfold the entire sofa;
• Italian folding bed - unfolds in two stages: first, the back of the sofa tilts forward and rests on the seat of the sofa, then the entire structure turns around its axis and unfolds.

The easiest ones to make yourself are a Eurobook, a pantograph and a French folding bed. In the first option, it is enough to equip the sofa seat with rollers. In the second, make a seat from three parts, attaching metal legs to the back.

It is better for a novice master to try his hand at simple models; with experience, you can move on to products with a transformation mechanism. For the first job, it is better to choose cheaper materials. Not everything may work out right away; a rework or complete replacement of the damaged part will be required.