Is it worth recovering sofas?

Does anyone who lives in that area know a Glasgow fabric remnants shop? I won't name it but it's not a common sort of shop. I tracked it down online because they sell a particular plaid material that I was looking for to recover an armchair, and the retailers charged more than I could afford. The two ladies I spoke to were incredibly helpful, went searching for my material and assured me it would be posted to me by the end of the day, then emailed me to say my card wouldn't be debited until I received the material. I wish we had a shop like that round here. I bought 6 metres of this lovely material and saved 70% on the RRP. Saved a fortune.

You will be overwhelmed with replies.

I think several of them were from dealers, because they said things like "If you still have them I will take them off your hands" Out of the goodness of their hearts, of course, not for what they could sell them for.

I will do that elegran in fact I will do it after lunch and put in my bag as I am working to-morrow thanks a lot
anagramI'm not sure when the regulation came in a few years ago I think,most of the suites have the safety label on,but personally I look at some of it and it would not last as long as the older suites without the label,just goes to show you doesn't it.

We had two big Schreiber padded armchairs surplus to requirements when we bought Stressless chairs. They were old enough to have no labels so we put them on Freecycle, making it very clear that they had no documentation. They were snapped up by a couple of our own age who did not smoke and had never fallen asleep dead drunk in front of an open fire so did not think they were in any more danger of fire than they had been through their earlier years. Ten other Ten other people emailed to ask whether the chairs were still available.

We had a flyer through the door last week from the British Heart Foundation asking for furniture donations - they specifically mentioned 'lounge furniture' but there was no mention of any fire safety label requirement.

I hope it works, Squiggy I hate waste too. When we were first married, our tiny home was furnished mostly with things that our parents had replaced. Some of them are still in daily use.

glammanana Could you print out the regulations and wave them at people donating unsuitable furniture? That would at least show that you are not just being bolshie, and that your heads would roll if there a tragic accident.

elegran thanks for taking the time to look up information, I was being nosey really as a lot of people want to donate furniture but they can't understand that they must have the fire safe stamp,they think that people who use our service should be grateful for what they are getting,but safety must come first at all times.

Thankyou, Elegran. I do so dislike the 'disposable' society we live in so I think it may well be worth investigating. Even the material has stayed the course of 21 years, apart from one little area, a tribute to our cats! No cats now though, just one little granddaughter.

I have found an online copy of " A Guide to the Furniture and Furnishings
(Fire) (Safety) Regulations"

It only mentions upholstery fabric and fillings, so it does not look as though the wooden frame is included.

Also, interestingly, it says "Non-foam fillings which are supplied to furniture manufacturers and reupholsterers need not pass any fire resistance test." so horsehair or similar stuffing does not need a label, though a mixed filling would.

www.bis.gov.uk/files/file24685.pdf

I don't know. I'm not sure how you stop wood from burning? I think, but can't confirm, that it is just the upholstery and padding, because that can release such toxic fumes when it burns, and it can catch fire so easily, from a cigarette end, say. The wood catches when a fire has already got going.

I shall have a Google and come back to you. Or maybe Fieldwake's son could tell us.

elegran does the frame work also have to be treated with fire retardents as well as the upholstery? I know that we cannot accept donated suites into the charity shop I work at unless they have the fire resistent marker on them.

Also, the last bit fixed would have been the canvas across the base. a corner of that could be unpicked to see how the frame was made - what kind of joints, is it glued or nailed together and so on. Fieldwake could probably give you pointers to look for.

squiggy I would think that if they are still going strong after 21 years and were not cheap to start with then they are probably worth it. Back then, you (mostly) got what you paid for. If you turn them over, are they well finished underneath where skimpy work would not show?

I had two chairs recovered and was very pleased with the result .

There is a lot of really useful information here but I am wondering how I tell whether the frames of my sofas are well made. They are 21 years old and look as though there is still plenty life left in them. I have a 3 seater sofa, a 2 seater sofa and an armchair which cost £1300 in 1991. They are well upholstered so I don't know how I can judge whether they are well made or what wood had been used. They have survived my children growing up from being 14 and 12 years old.

jeni

And I'm sure 71 will be as well!

Ahhh, jeni, it was....

I'm 67 too. It's a nice age , innit?

I'm 67 but intend to live to 100+ so I guess I could get new stuff if I wanted. But I don't want anything that I don't actually need. I'm an advertiser's nightmare as I can't be tempted for things.

As for recovering a suite in the same fabric - boring boring boring.

Anyway, my three seater lounge is really comfy when I need a lie down.

Me too. But you can't believe some have them covered every 10 years and to me they look no different afterwards, some chose the same FABRIC! Worn look suits me it blends in with everything else. You get one thing spanking new and everything else suddenly looks shabby. I don't know your age but it is getting to the point where I am not wanting a 20 year guarantee on anything and a cheap fridge will probably see me out. As my ex husband just said I don't bother with mats now (to save the carpet). I really do want to get my moneysworth out of everything. Wear best clothes, use best china well not just yet.

When we moved her to Australia in 1979 we were starting from scratch with not much money. We bought a second hand wooden framed three piece suite with separate cushions for the seat and the back. The arms and legs were plain wood. The covers were rubbish hence it was cheap. I bought a set of chintz curtains from an op shop, and recovered the suite with that curtain material. It cost me a dollar and lasted years, as our two lads grew up.

Now a later three piece suite needs re-upholstering and my husband expects me to do it. BUT, I just can't face doing it this time round. This suite has shaped cushions, not plain rectangular ones like last time. Anyway, the worn look suits me!

Loads in colleges here but they are hobby ones. He had people come in who thought they would spend all day artistically covering a chaise longue or something. He thought perhaps they had been watching these antique programmes on tv. Well there were no apprenticeships in his youth but there were upholstery firms who took him on with day release to college. It was these excellent companies 5 or 6 where he learnt the trade. Perhaps the men in these companies had apprenticeships. He re-covered this week a suite he had made 30 years ago, in one of these, for the 3rd time. They were all such good quality. Well we certainly haven't heard of any apprenticeships here in the west over last 30 years. Well just anyone who had a clue would be something. Certainly never found apprentice or experienced person in 20 years of looking. All the companies he worked for closed down for lack of those and the owners and workers were too old to carry on. He is the youngest in the network here. All the upholsterers know each other in 50 mile plus radius. We were all born and bred here and not likely to move to wherever you are.

That is good teaching upholstery in your area. There are loads of re-upholsters in this area but none that we know of who make furniture or teach furniture making.

fieldwake as far as I know there are still apprenticships available but sounds like your son needs an apprentice and another experienced person.

Local charity near hear teaches upholstery to former mental health patients. Have had a few things done ..straightforward stuff.. but good quality work.

Update. My son has advertised for years for an upholsterer and got no replies. Yesterday he put an ad in for Trainee upholsterer. Well the 'phone hasn't stopped, taking one call, 21 built up on ansaphone. I called in, a queue of people for interviews. One interview, 21 missed calls. In the end he put a message on the ansaphone as he was swamped with calls, let alone get a minutes work done. Most didn't have a clue about upholstery, many were young needing to fulfil job seekers criteria, there were book-keepers, engineers you name it. It has really made him think. he is quite happy working along on his own. The business could obviously expand massively with skilled workers, it is crying out for that... but he wears 10 hats covering all the areas. It seems he will probably continue to do that and be one of a dying breed. How can he pay someone and teach them and cover his overheads? impossible. He only just makes a living now.