Upholstery vs Furniture RefinishingWhat's the Difference?

Confused about which service you need? You're not alone. Let's clarify the key differences so you can find the right professional for your furniture restoration needs.

Upholstery (What We Do)

Working with FABRIC, FOAM, and PADDING

  • Replacing worn fabric on sofas and chairs
  • Restoring cushions and padding
  • Custom upholstery for new pieces
  • Repairing springs and webbing
  • Leather or vinyl seat restoration

Example: Your grandmother's chair has beautiful wooden legs but the fabric is torn and the cushions are flat.

Furniture Refinishing (We Don't Do This)

Working with WOOD SURFACES

  • Stripping old paint or varnish
  • Sanding wooden surfaces
  • Staining or painting wood
  • Applying new varnish or lacquer
  • Repairing damaged wood

Example: Your dining table has water stains and scratches on the wooden surface that need to be sanded and re-stained.

Which Service Do You Need?

You Need UPHOLSTERY if...

  • ✓ Your sofa fabric is worn, faded, or torn
  • ✓ Chair cushions are flat or uncomfortable
  • ✓ You want to change the color or pattern of your furniture
  • ✓ Leather or vinyl seats are cracked or peeling
  • ✓ Springs are poking through or webbing is sagging
  • ✓ You're recovering dining chair seats

You Need REFINISHING if...

  • ✓ Wooden table or dresser surface is scratched or damaged
  • ✓ Old paint or varnish is peeling or chipped
  • ✓ You want to change the wood stain color
  • ✓ Water rings or heat marks on wooden surfaces
  • ✓ Wooden chair or table legs need refinishing
  • ✓ Antique wooden furniture needs restoration

We focus exclusively on upholstery. For furniture refinishing services in Metro Vancouver, we recommend searching for "furniture refinishing [your city]" or asking at local hardware stores for recommendations.

Can You Need Both Services?

Absolutely! Many antique or vintage furniture pieces need BOTH services:

Example: An antique dining chair set might need:

  • Refinishing: The wooden frame and legs need to be stripped, sanded, and re-stained
  • THEN Upholstery: The seats need new fabric and padding

Tip: Usually refinishing is done FIRST (to avoid getting stain on new fabric), then upholstery. We can coordinate timing with refinishing professionals if you're doing both!

Common Terminology Confusions

"Furniture Restoration"

This term can mean EITHER upholstery OR refinishing (or both!). Always clarify which service you need when calling a business.

"Furniture Repair"

Can include structural repairs (fixing broken legs, tightening joints), upholstery repairs, or refinishing. Ask specifically what types of repair they offer.

"Reupholstery"

Specifically means replacing fabric and padding. This is our specialty! It does NOT include wood refinishing.

"Recovering"

Another term for reupholstery - putting new fabric "covers" on furniture. Still doesn't include wood work.

Our Upholstery Services in Metro Vancouver

Since 1996, we've specialized exclusively in upholstery - and we're very good at it!

Sofa & Couch Reupholstery

Complete fabric replacement, cushion restoration, spring repair

Chair Upholstery

Dining chairs, armchairs, office chairs, antique chairs

Custom Upholstery

Headboards, ottomans, benches, custom pieces

Ready for Professional Upholstery?

Serving all Metro Vancouver with expert upholstery services since 1996.