Cover zippers for a clean, quality look

March 1st, 2012

When someone inspects a piece of furniture, such as a chest of drawers, they remove a drawer to see how it was constructed. What are they looking for? Dovetail ends, of course. Even though these are not visible from the outside, the craftsmanship instills a sense of quality and adds value to the piece. Upholsterers […]

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Solid foundations start with good wood

January 1st, 2012

We’ve all been there. You start a new upholstery job by removing the old fabric and find a little surprise: rotten wood. And although you were aware that some of the pieces would have to be replaced, there was no way of knowing that the damage was so extensive. Now you have to contact the […]

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Precision is key to upholstery graphics

September 1st, 2011

Designing new graphics into an upholstery job doesn’t have to be the most dreaded portion of the job; it actually can be the most rewarding. You just need to get comfortable doing some custom work, so start with something small. The steps from start to finish are the same on a monster sunpad as they […]

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Self-pleated bench seats from scratch

July 1st, 2011

If you do any upholstery in the marine industry you will use a pleated vinyl at some point. Customers often request that I not use pleated because they want something that is easier to wipe clean and doesn’t have all the grooves in it. But the pleated vinyl provides visual interest as opposed to flat, […]

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Customer satisfaction: deciding to fix, replace or throw

May 1st, 2011

The first rule in selling a product or service is to listen to the customer’s wants and needs. Then try to figure out a way to satisfy those wants and needs. This seemed to be a much easier task before the economic hiccup that we have endured. Years ago, doing a bid for upholstery was […]

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Make inside corners look good

March 1st, 2011

The inside of a corner is one of the most difficult areas to get looking good. Here are a few tips for good-looking corners. To start, you must have a good foam base. Because of all the pulling and stretching required, soft foam will compress too much and not hold its shape. Old skins are […]

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Planning for a complete renovation

January 1st, 2011

Winter is here and many shops have been shoveling snow. How could that be good for the boat repair business? Well, if you have been planning ahead, it means good things. Throughout the year, as customers come into our shop for estimates, we pick certain projects to work on during our “slow time.” We offer […]

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Designing an inside curve

September 1st, 2010

While we modify what we can, sometimes by design, we find that we have to follow the original upholstery design and just get through it as best as we can. From my particular point of view, the most difficult portion of an upholstery job is the inside corner or curve. I always let my customers […]

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Make a wrinkle-free corner on a cushion

July 1st, 2010

I’m often asked about making a good-looking corner on a cushion. The answer depends on the cushion style and the materials you are using. Let’s start with the basic, no-frills cushion: square, no sew foam applied, but with a welt cord. I make all my own cord. I have tried to use a welt foot […]

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Sewing the fabric puzzle together

May 1st, 2010

It’s time to sit down at your sewing machine and begin to put the pieces of the fabric puzzle back together. You may have one or two machines to choose from, or several. Regardless of how many choices you have, you generally have a favorite. And, more than likely, the number-one reason for your choice […]

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