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What is the difference between slipcovers and upholstery?
A
slipcover fits over an existing, fully upholstered piece. When
reupholstering a piece, all of the fabric and padding is removed and (by
law) new padding is added.
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What makes a good slipcover or upholstery fabric?
Slipcover fabric: durable, cleanable/washable, sturdy, but not too heavy or
stiff. A good rule of thumb: You wouldn’t slipcover in a fabric you could
make a dress out of.
Upholstery fabric: Durable, heavy, has a solid backing (i.e. knit or
rubber), able to be nailed and/or stapled to a frame without tearing.
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Why is upholstery more expensive than a slipcover?
Reupholstering is like getting a new piece of furniture – everything is
taken off the wooden frame and replaced. Structural repairs are also done.
Slipcovers are in addition to an already upholstered piece.
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Should I upholster my piece? Or slipcover?
This
depends on the style of furniture and its condition. Slipcovers work best on
furniture with straight lines and no exposed wood, excluding legs.
Slipcovers can also be removed and cleaned. Upholstery needs to be cleaned
on the actual piece.
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Will you work with fabric I provide?
Sorry,
we cannot work with outside fabrics. We stand behind our products and labor,
and therefore cannot guarantee outside products.
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Are slipcovers washable?
In most
fabrics we recommend, our slipcovers are machine washable, on a very
delicate cycle. For example, 100% cotton, cotton/polyester blends, linen,
microfiber, & Sunbrella can be washed. We provide exact cleaning
instructions for each fabric, as well as specific stain removal
instructions.
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What is piping/welting?
Trim or
cording sewn into the seams of furniture.
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Can I take my cushion covers off?
Yes – we
install an industrial zipper in the back of our cushions, allowing the
covers to come off for easy cleaning.
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Can I replace my foam or down cushions?
Yes, we
carry many grades of foam and several down and feather blends. New forms can
be inserted into your existing cushion covers, or new covers.
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Can you change the design of my furniture?
In a lot
of cases, yes! We will discuss redesign options available for your piece.
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The seat of my piece sags or feels loose. Can you fix that?
Yes we
can. Usually, a sagging seat means your webbing has let go and/or your
springs need to be retied. In this case, complete reupholstery would be
needed, as the seat is the first section of the piece to go on. If it’s just
an old cushion, that’s the easiest fix – new foam or down.
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I have kids and/or pets and need durable fabric. What do
you recommend?
We would
recommend an industrial fabric, Sunbrella, microfiber or a stain-treated
fabric. We also would suggest a high durability rating of 15,000 double rubs
or more.
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Is my furniture worth the cost of reupholstering or
slipcovering?
Only you
can decide this. We will discuss the pros and cons of each process on an
individual basis. Things to consider when making the decision: antique
and/or sentimental value of the piece, its structural steadfastness,
furniture quality, size of piece in relation to your room, style, etc.
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How do I get on your job list?
Once you
purchase your fabric from us, you are added to our job list. This is
considered your deposit.
We are generally booked 2-3
months in advance. We will let you know what our schedule is like at that
time.
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When will
my furniture be done?
We are generally booked 2-3 months in advance. We will let
you know what our schedule is like at that time.
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How long will I be without my furniture?
For
Upholstery: We don’t have room to store very much, so we take your “to be
upholstered” piece when your job becomes next on the list. Generally, once
we have your furniture, we return it in 2 to 3 weeks, unless specific
circumstances require more time.
For
Slipcovers: Your slipcover template is cut in your home, right to your
piece. Unless Betsy feels she needs the piece in the shop to ensure a proper
fit, you won’t be without your furniture.
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Why is RI sales tax charged on labor?
RI considers
slipcovers and upholstery as new products and charges sales tax accordingly.
For the list of RI sales tax laws, visit
http://www.tax.state.ri.us/
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