Answers · from our Eltham workshop
These are the questions we hear most often in our workshop, answered plainly and without the sales spin. We are a family upholstery and furniture-restoration workshop in Eltham North, with close to a hundred years of combined craft between our upholsterer, machinist and restorer, servicing all of Melbourne. Where the honest answer is that a piece is not worth saving, we will tell you that too.
Last updated: July 2026
Get a free quoteCall 0425 832 619It is usually worth reupholstering a sofa when the frame is solid, especially a hardwood frame, because a good frame outlasts the foam and fabric several times over. It is often not worth it on a cheap flat-pack sofa with a chipboard or stapled softwood frame, where the structure has already failed. In our Eltham North workshop we assess the frame first and tell you honestly whether a piece is worth saving. When it is, recovering over the existing frame gives you a sofa built to last, rather than a new one made to a price.
The cost to reupholster a sofa depends on its size, the amount and type of fabric, and the condition of the frame, springs and foam underneath. A small two-seater in a mid-range fabric sits well below a large modular lounge in a heavy weave or leather, so there is no single figure. Rather than guess, we give you a clear written quote from a few photos, usually within 24 hours, so you know exactly what is involved before you commit.
Reupholstering a dining chair varies with whether it is a simple drop-in seat pad or a fully upholstered chair with a padded back, piping or buttoning. Drop-in seats are one of the most affordable jobs, while a set of carver chairs with detailed backs takes considerably more work and fabric. Because most people recover a full set at once, we quote per chair and by the set, with fresh Dunlop foam and new webbing included where the seats need rebuilding.
A phone quote is guesswork, because the real cost lives in details you cannot describe over the phone: the frame condition, the springs, how much foam has collapsed, and the exact fabric and pattern repeat. Two sofas that look identical can differ a lot once they are stripped back. A photo or two tells us far more than a description, so we ask for images and give you an accurate written quote instead of a number we would have to revise later.
The main cost drivers in reupholstery are labour and fabric, because stripping a piece back to the frame and rebuilding it by hand takes real time and skill, and quality fabric is priced by the metre. Detail cuts, matched patterns, buttoning and new foam or springs all add to both. It is genuinely handmade work, so a fair price reflects the hours and materials, not a markup. We keep it fair to the scope and point out where you can save, for example a plainer fabric with no pattern repeat.
Reupholstering an armchair is very often worth it, particularly a well-made vintage or designer chair, because the frame and joinery are usually the expensive part and they are still sound. It is less worth it on a low-cost modern chair with a failing frame. Armchairs are also where you can be bold with fabric without the cost of a full lounge, so they are a good way to bring a favourite piece back to life or add a feature chair to a room.
Sympathetic reupholstery does not usually reduce an antique's value, and often protects it, provided the frame, original timber and traditional construction are respected rather than replaced. Value can drop when original horsehair, hessian and hand-tied work are torn out and swapped for modern shortcuts. For genuine period pieces we work in the traditional way where it matters and keep original elements wherever we can, so the piece stays honest to its era.
Reupholstering a chair means stripping it back to the bare frame, then rebuilding it layer by layer: webbing, springs or a base, foam or traditional stuffing, calico, wadding and finally the top fabric. Any loose joints or broken frame parts are repaired while the frame is exposed. Doing it properly, rather than covering over the old cover, is what makes a recovered chair sit well and last. It is the same layered method our upholsterer, machinist and restorer have used across decades of work.
Most sofas take from a few days to a couple of weeks of workshop time once started, depending on size, detail and whether the frame or foam needs work. Fabric availability can add lead time if a particular cloth has to be ordered in. We give you a realistic timeframe with your quote and keep you posted, so you are not left wondering. Rushing upholstery shows in the finish, so we would rather set an honest date.
Many upholsterers, including us, offer pick up and delivery, which saves you moving heavy furniture and risking damage in transit. We collect from and return to homes and venues right across Melbourne from our Eltham North workshop, and we handle the piece with care at both ends. Just mention your suburb when you enquire and we will sort the logistics.
Yes, recovering furniture over the existing frame is exactly what upholstery is, and keeping a sound frame is the whole point. The frame is repaired if needed, but a good one is reused rather than thrown away. This is our core approach: rebuild over the frame you already own instead of buying a whole new piece. It is better value and it keeps a well-made frame out of landfill.
Yes, you can often refresh just the seat cushions by replacing the foam inserts and recovering them, which is a cost-effective fix when the frame and outer upholstery are still good. If the rest of the cover is worn or faded, a partial job can look mismatched. We will tell you honestly whether new cushion foam and covers will do the trick, or whether the piece really needs a fuller recover to look right. Genuine Dunlop foam brings tired seats back to a proper sit.
Repair your old couch when the frame is solid and you like its size, shape and comfort, and replace it only when the frame itself has failed beyond sensible repair. Sentimental and quality pieces almost always favour repair. Send us photos and we will give you a straight answer, including when we think replacing is the smarter call. We would rather lose a job than take on a piece that is not worth the spend.
A sofa typically needs a good number of metres of fabric, and the exact amount depends on its size, the pattern repeat and whether it has skirts, piping or buttoning. Patterned fabrics need extra so the design can be matched across panels. We calculate the precise metreage as part of your quote, so you order the right amount with a sensible allowance and no waste. If you are supplying your own fabric, we will give you the figure to buy to.
The best upholstery fabrics for pets and kids are tough, tightly woven and easy to clean, with performance weaves and high-rub-count fabrics leading the way, and leather also holding up well. Avoid loose weaves and delicate linens that snag on claws. We can steer you towards durable, family-friendly fabrics with stain resistance and a high Martindale rating, so the piece looks good and survives real life.
Martindale rub count is a measure of how much abrasion a fabric can take before it shows wear, tested by rubbing it thousands of cycles. Higher numbers mean more durable cloth, with general home use wanting a solid rating and heavy or commercial use wanting a high one. It is a useful guide rather than the whole story, so we weigh it alongside weave, fibre and how the piece will be used before recommending a fabric.
Neither leather nor fabric is simply better, they suit different homes. Leather is hard-wearing, ages well and wipes clean, while fabric offers far more colour, texture and warmth, and often costs less. Leather can feel cold or show scratches, and some fabrics stain more easily. We work in both and will talk you through the trade-offs for your household and how you use the room, so you choose with your eyes open.
For a sunny room, the most fade-resistant choices are solution-dyed fabrics and performance outdoor-grade weaves, because the colour runs through the fibre rather than sitting on the surface. Natural fibres like some linens and silks fade fastest in direct sun. We can recommend fade-resistant cloths that still feel right indoors, and it is worth remembering that no fabric is fully sun-proof, so managing blinds or the piece's position helps any fabric last.
Yes, you can supply your own fabric, known in the trade as COM, or customer's own material, and it is common when someone has found the perfect cloth or a designer has specified it. We just need it to be suitable for upholstery. Tell us the fabric before you buy and we will confirm it will hold up and give you the exact metreage to order, so nothing is wasted or under-ordered.
A sagging sofa is almost always caused by collapsed foam, stretched or broken webbing, or tired springs underneath, and yes, it can nearly always be fixed. The seat sinking or feeling like it has lost its support are the usual signs. We replace the webbing, springs and foam as needed and rebuild the seat to a proper firmness, so the sofa sits like new without you replacing the whole piece.
Yes, a broken or cracked sofa frame can usually be repaired by re-gluing and reinforcing joints or replacing damaged timber, especially on quality hardwood frames. The frame is accessible while the piece is stripped for recovering, which is the ideal time to fix it. Our restorer handles frame and joinery repairs in house, so structural work and reupholstery happen together and you get back a piece that is sound as well as good-looking.
Yes, an antique chair can be properly restored, covering both the timber, with French polishing and joinery repair, and the upholstery, using traditional methods where the piece calls for it. Proper restoration respects the age and original construction rather than modernising it. With an in-house upholsterer, machinist and restorer, we handle timber, polish and upholstery under one roof, so a period chair comes back sympathetically and cohesively.
Peeling leather is usually a sign of bonded or coated leather breaking down, and once the surface is flaking it cannot truly be repaired, only patched temporarily. The lasting fix is to recover the lounge in genuine leather or a quality fabric. We will tell you honestly which you are dealing with, because real full-grain leather can often be cleaned, fed and repaired, while a failing bonded coating is better recovered for good.
Yes, recliners can be reupholstered, though they take more work because the reclining mechanism has to be worked around and the cover cut to allow full movement. It is worth it on a good-quality recliner with a sound mechanism. We recover the piece so it still reclines smoothly and looks tailored rather than baggy, and we will flag it if a worn-out mechanism means the chair is not worth the spend.
Deep buttoning, also called tufting, is the traditional technique where buttons are pulled deep into the padding to create the folded, diamond-pattern look seen on Chesterfield sofas. It is skilled, time-consuming handwork, which is why buttoned pieces cost more to make. We do deep buttoning by hand the traditional way, so the folds are even and the pattern sits true, whether we are restoring a classic Chesterfield or adding buttoning to a new piece.
To care for newly reupholstered furniture, vacuum it gently and regularly, rotate and plump loose cushions to even out wear, keep it out of harsh direct sun, and deal with spills straight away by blotting rather than rubbing. We give you fabric-specific care advice with every finished piece, including the right cleaning code, so your investment keeps looking its best for years.
Removing smells from old upholstery starts with finding the source, because odours from damp, smoke or pets often sit in the foam and stuffing rather than just the cover. Surface cleaning and airing help mild cases, but deep or set-in smells usually need the foam and padding replaced. When we recover a piece we can renew the inner layers entirely, which is the most reliable way to leave an old chair or sofa genuinely fresh, not just re-covered.
Yes, we reupholster restaurant booths and banquette seating, along with bench seats, bar stools and other commercial furniture. This is a core part of what we do, alongside our residential work. We understand venues need durable, compliant materials and minimal downtime, so we work to your schedule and build seating to handle constant use. Send photos of your fit-out and we will quote the recover.
Commercial seating generally requires fabrics and foams that meet fire-safety standards for public spaces, which is stricter than for the home. That usually means a fire-rated commercial-grade fabric and compliant foam, and the exact requirement can depend on the venue and setting. We use genuine Australian fire-grade Dunlop foam and can source fire-rated fabrics suited to hospitality, so your booths and banquettes are built to the right standard as well as to last.
Yes, reupholstering is generally better for the environment than buying new, because it keeps a solid frame in use and out of landfill and avoids the materials, manufacturing and shipping a new piece requires. Reusing the frame you already own is the greenest option, and it is at the heart of how we work. We recover and repair rather than replace, so good furniture gets a second life instead of being thrown out.
The easiest way to know what your piece needs is to show us. Send a few clear photos of your sofa, chairs or venue seating and we will reply with an honest written quote, usually within 24 hours, with no obligation. Call us on 0425 832 619 or start your quote at dylberrydesign.com.
Send a photo or the dimensions of your booths, banquettes or venue seating and we'll come back with a rough price and turnaround.
Send us the drawings or details and we'll come back with a straight quote, no clout needed, just a great job.
Enquire about a job Call 0425 832 619