Reupholstery Tools

If you are interested in picking up a new hobby, or simply want to give your old furniture a new look, then reupholstery is a great option for you. However, in order to get the best possible results, you need to make sure that you have the correct tools. Surprisingly, many of these reupholstery tools you will already have around the house. For those that you do not currently have, then you can often pick up at any local home improvement store, or hobby store.

• Furniture. The most basic of all reupholstery tools is the furniture itself. The reason for this is that you can use old furniture to help modify the furniture you are working on, canablize for new parts, or even use the basic frame.
• Latex gloves. These kinds of gloves are a great way to help protect your hands from any glue, paint, stains, varnishes, or other items that can make your hands icky. These do not need to be medical quality, but can be the kinds that you pick up from your local home improvement store.
• Work gloves. You basic leather work gloves are useful for protecting your hands from splinters, nails, tacks, staples, and other items that could potentially hurt you.
• Foam. Used to make the furniture more comfortable. While you can use just about any kind of foam that you wish, the best (though most expensive) is memory foam.
• Stuffing. Also used to help make your furniture more comfortable. Often this is made from some type of cotton, or similar material, and is "stuffed" into the fabric of the furniture to help give you a more pleasing shape as well as a comfortable experience.
• Fabric. Any material that you can use to help decorate your furniture, and utilized to give your furniture its own unique look.
• Utility knife and spare blades. Utility knives can often be used to help cut the foam, or fabric that you will be using for your furniture.
• Carpet knife and spare blades. Carpet knives are little more sturdy than your average utility knives, and are perfect for cutting through some of the thicker materials that you may use for your furniture.
• Carpentry square. Whether you are cutting some fabric, foam, or even some wood for your furniture project, a carpentry square can be an invaluable help.
• Tacks. Used as both an accent element, as well as a method for holding your various materials down. Most tacks will work, but avoid using any thumbtacks. Typically you want to use the ones that require a hammer to get into the wood.
• Staples. Another method used to make sure that your covering fabrics are tight against the frames and materials of your furniture. The best kind of staples to use are going to be the ones that have a wide crown, and have legs that are about 5/16 inch long. This will help ensure that they do not work themselves loose on accident.
• Staple gun. Perfect tool for you to attach the staples to the wooden frames of the furniture.
• Finishing hammer. Great hammer to use to attach tacks, or nail down any staples that you may not have been able to remove. The best thing about using this kind of hammer is that it is less likely to damage your furniture on accident.
• Needle-nose pliers. Perfect tool for removing old tacks or staples. In addition, you can use this tool to help tighten the new fabric that you will be using on your furniture.
• Crosscut saw. Periodically, you may need to make slight adjustments to any plywood, or other types of wood that you use in your reupholstery project. When you find yourself faced with a situation like that, simply use a small crosscut saw to make the minor adjustments.
• Magic marker. Perfect for marking up the foam or inside of fabrics that you will need to cut.