About Upholstery
The earliest known form of upholstery was little more than a cushion or pad. Animal hair or plant fibers were gathered tightly together and wrapped in linen or cotton. The Egyptians were employing this form of upholstery as early as 2000 B.C. The ancient Romans used a similar form of cushioning. In the late 16th century, during the Renaissance, craftsmen began attaching these rudimentary cushions to chair seats and stools. Does this Spark an idea?
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Features
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Upholstery is common to most pieces of furniture used for seating or resting the body. The exception to this is the bed; mattresses are not considered upholstery. Upholstery for furniture is made of webbing, burlap, twine or cord, springs, filling or stuffing, and a cover. The most common types of cover for upholstery are fabric and leather.
The filling or stuffing for upholstery consists of vegetable fibers, foam padding or synthetic fibers. High-end furniture usually has vegetable fiber filling, which affords more comfort. Foam, however, is easy to work with and common to most furniture.
Batting can also be used in the filling. Batting is attached to foam and adds shape to the upholstery.
Function
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Upholstery functions as padding. It is attached to the frame of a chair, couch, ottoman or stool. The webbing acts as support and is nailed to the frame.
Springs are then sewn to the webbing. The rows of springs are then tied together with twine. The system for tying is front to back, then side to side to form a cross. The springs are then tied together perpendicularly; this is called hand-tied eight ways.
The filling and lining are then placed atop the springs, with the burlap acting as liner. This bundle is secured to the frame by nails. The cover is then attached to the frame over the filling. -
Considerations
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The use of vegetable fiber as filling requires a high level of skill. The fibers must be sorted and placed so as to avoid shifting and air pockets. In mass manufacturing, foam and batting have become more commonplace in use as filler. When purchasing an upholstered piece, the buyer should inquire as to the material used for filling. Sensitivities to either organic or synthetic materials can affect the buyer as the furniture releases vapors.
Types
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Furniture can be fully upholstered or partially upholstered. Examples of partially upholstered furniture would be occasional chairs or dining chairs in which only the seat is upholstered.
Fully upholstered furniture is any piece in which the frame is completely hidden by material.
Upholstery is not restricted to furniture. Car seats are upholstered, as are infant car seats. Upholstered walls are a novelty in interior design and usually used when sound reduction is necessary. Another example of non-furniture upholstery application is the headboard. Upholstered headboards provide an added level of comfort to a bed.
Benefits
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Making furniture more comfortable to use is the purpose of upholstery. Upholstery allows for color and texture to be introduced into an interior. The diversity of fabrics and other materials can turn a common piece of furniture into a dynamic and attractive element in a room.
Upholstery also allows for changing furniture without disposing of the frame. If a couch or chair is looking worn, it can be reupholstered, sometimes reusing some of the same inner materials. The new cover gives the piece new life. Upholstery can be a form of recycling.
Potential
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The Occupational Outlook Handbook predicts a decline in available jobs for upholsterers. This is due to more durable materials being used, the availability of inexpensive furniture and more automation being employed in the textile industry in general.
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