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Fabric | Upholstery Choices | Fabric Stain Protector
Fabric
People tend to equate fabric cost with durability. That is not necessarily so. I find there are two general classifications of upholstery fabric. Most common in upholstery shops are the supplier fabrics. They promote lower cost and have some decorative as well as durable designs. The less common decorator fabrics are usually higher in cost per yard, but do not necessarily wear better. These fabrics are more costly because they have designs that are unusual Produced in limited quantities, there are less rolls to carry the cost of development.
The label on fabrics will sometimes have a “wear test” number. Most common wear testing is the Wyzenbeek test. A piece of fabric is rubbed against itself then examined for wear. 15,000 double rubs is considered contract duty with 30,000 double rubs and up considered heavy contract duty. The majority of residential fabrics rate in the 12,000 to 15,000 range.
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Upholstery Choices
When discussing choices about upholstery, zippers on the back of cushions frequently come up. People like zippers because they want to be able to remove the cover for cleaning. That’s not the purpose of zippers. They are used to close a cushion after filling because it is much less time consuming to install a zipper than to hand sew a cushion.
A properly filled cushion is extremely difficult for a non-professional to fill. The filling should be oversize to the cushion in order to have a snug fit, thus the struggle with a cover. Some manufacturers have disabled zippers after closing the cushion to discourage removing the cover.
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Fabric Stain Protector
An after market add-on type of warranty that has proven worth
while for the consumer is a fabric stain protector. This is a product
that the retailer and some upholstery shops apply to the completed upholstered
piece. The company selling the product issues a written warranty
through the retailer. The warranty states for how long the warranty
is in effect, what type of stains are covered and what remedies the consumer
has.
The system we use for our customers is supplied by a firm in Grand Rapids,
Michigan and warranted for 10 years. Their written guarantee lists
what is and is not covered In our case, if a stain
does not come out after recommended cleaning, that stained part of the
upholstery will be replaced under warranty. If the fabric is unavailable,
the company will work with the consumer to find a solution to the problem
up to the amount paid for the item stained.
It’s best to become familiar with the policies of the sources you
work with. I am aware that this type of service can be performed
in the home after delivery of the furniture, but not all providers allow
this. Some restrictions only allow for pre-delivered goods,
others have restrictions on fabric, still others state residential use
only.
How well does the system work? A good number of my customers told
me that they had purchased this program with new furniture. They
were very pleased upon learning that their reupholstered pieces could
have the same protection.
A few years ago after our youngest left the nest, I reupholstered our
family room sofa and applied the stain protector. A year ago one
of the grand children spilled some strawberry pop on the sofa. It
blotted up without any staining. It works!
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