Upholstery Fabric Calculator | How to calculate fabric for upholstery

How to estimate fabric yardage for upholstery

The best way to calculate fabric for upholstery is to talk to a local upholsterer. It will all depend on the type of fabric you want to purchase and the type of furniture you want recovered.

Depending on the type of furniture you have, it may be difficult to calculate the amount of yardage you need to recover a chair, sofa, ottoman, or stool. When it comes time to recover, how many yards of fabric do you need? In this blog I want to help you figure out how many yards of fabric you’ll need for your upholstery project.

Consult an Upholstery Professional

First, you’ll need to probably consult an upholstery professional. This is the best way for you to fully understand your project needs and what it really takes to recover your furniture. Most upholstery pros have a specific line of fabric they gravitate towards. Let them suggest a fabric for your furniture and ask why they would choose that fabric. Explain to them where the furniture is going to be in your home. It’s best to understand your own needs for the furniture and fabric because you don’t want to make a trip back to the upholsterer a year from now and have it recovered again. One prime example could be a velvet in the living room. This is probably where all your guests or kids’ hangout so high-end velvet  is NOT the best choice of fabric. I would go with a performance, high abrasion or double rubs testing, upholstery fabric. Pick a fabric that will complement the space and the longevity of the upholstery project.

Choose an upholstery fabric and yardage amount

After consulting an upholsterer and figuring out your fabric type, you’ll need to order the yardage for the upholstery job. This is the main question in focus and can get tricky. I’ve read that for every foot of the sofa, you’ll need 1.5-2 yards of fabric, but this all depends of the type of furniture you are recovering. Sofas that are completely upholstered in fabric use way more yardage than a chair. Again, it is best to consult an upholstery professional. Cushions on sofas usually take anywhere between 1.5-2 yards of fabric but his is not an exact science. I’ve attached a diagram that can help you approximate the potential yardage you need for your project. You can see the diagram below. Remember this is a best guess situation and to truly understand how many yards you need, please find a local upholsterer near you and have them consult on the project.