How do I reupholster the back of new dining room chairs

1 ANSWERS

1. amomipais82
   

   Hi There,
   In California it is illegal to reupholster furniture without completely removing the existing material.  It is not possible to add padding underneath the existing upholstery material, even if that could be done, what would be the point.  It is possible to add padding over the existing material and then the new fabric, but doing so is illegal in California and I am fairly certain it is so in most states.  It is not possible to make proper repairs to a frame of anything close to the frame without removing the existing upholstery fabric.
   
   So the first thing to do is take lots of pictures, film pictures and not digital, also have two friends look at the sofa so that they can see that the old material is still there.  I would not give the sofa back to the upholsterer, I am a little confused that you have to buy more material and apparently already have the sofa back.
   
   Contact the Bureau of Furniture and Bedding, they are usually located in your state capitol and ask them for guidance.  They are the agency that has jurisdiction.  In California the upholsterer is required by law to give you a complete written estimate of what he is going to do for you,  it has to state that the existing upholstery fabric will be completely removed.  That the frame would be glued, any work to be done, the number of yards required to reupholster the sofa and if they sold you the velvet what the velvet consists of, the fiber content, the price per yard.   If pick up and delivery is included.  
   
   Upholstery thread showing and puckers are signs of poor workmanship.  Should you decide to take your upholsterer to small claims court do not ever say to the judge that the job is not perfect, you will loose if you do that, if the upholsterer is smart he would respond that only nature is perfect and he can not create anything for you that is perfect.  So never state that your job is not perfect,  instead always state that you were promised an excellent job, that you were told the upholsterer is skilled in his trade and honest and that is not what you received.  
   
   The upholsterer is also supposed to attach a law label, in California a green label, similar to the white label that was on the furniture when it was new that states "do not remove under penalty of law"  the person not allowed to remove the label is the upholsterer or a retail store.  That law label is supposed to state what materials were added and that he materials in the sofa when you gave it to the upholsterer are still there,  for example they can not remove down filling and replace it with something cheap.  Except for the existing upholstery material which must be removed, everything else that was there and is your property must still be there when the furniture is returned, they are only allowed to add, and what they add must be 100% new, spelled out in the estimate and stated on the law label.  Any omissions of the above is a violation of furniture and bedding codes and the penalties are very severe.  The law label is to state the license number issued by the bureau of furniture and bedding.  
   
   Advising the upholsterer that you intend to bring in a furniture inspector will ring a lot of alarm bells.  When you contact the bureau of furniture and bedding ask him when the field inspector will next come to your area and if he or she would be willing to come to you to see what was done.  Make absolutely certain that nothing is conducted from here on that is not in writing, put everything in writing including what was already said to you or by you,  a letter, certified mail stating,  "you told me"  "I asked you to"  "to remind you I was promised"  "why did not not provide me with a written estimate"  will create a written record of what may have been said verbally.
   
   I hope this gives you some guidance, the laws are all on your side, it seems to me that you were not treated honestly,  please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions or concerns and if I can be of more assistance.

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