How long does furniture re-upholstery take?
How Long Does Furniture Reupholstery Take?
One of the most common questions we’re asked is:
“How long does reupholstery take?”
The honest answer is that the actual upholstery work itself is often much quicker than people expect — but the overall process depends on several important factors.
At Material Things, the workshop process itself usually takes around two weeks once the furniture is collected. However, because of scheduling, fabric ordering and workshop planning, the full lead time is typically around four to six weeks from initial enquiry to re-delivery.
That said, every piece of furniture is different. A simple sofa can sometimes be completed in just a day during production, while a large, fully reclining corner sofa may require more than two weeks of labour on its own.
After more than 50 years in the upholstery industry, we’ve learned that good reupholstery takes time for a reason.
Why Some Reupholstery Jobs Take Longer Than Others
There are several factors that affect how long a project will take.
Fabric Availability
One of the biggest causes of delay is simply waiting for fabric to arrive.
Some materials are available immediately from stock, while others may need to be specially woven or shipped from overseas. This is why choosing fabric early in the process can make a significant difference to lead times.
At Material Things, we have access to more than 12,000 fabrics, so narrowing down choices can sometimes take longer than the upholstery itself.
Repairs Beneath the Surface
A proper reupholstery job is far more than replacing the visible fabric.
During the process, we often repair:
- Worn springs
- Collapsed seat interiors
- Sagging webbing
- Damaged frames
- Loose joints
- Worn cushioning
In most cases, our experience allows us to identify these issues during the home estimate stage before the furniture even enters the workshop.
Very occasionally, once a piece is fully stripped down, hidden structural weaknesses may appear. For example, old timber frames can sometimes become too weak to properly support new upholstery tension. In these rare situations — which happen in less than 0.1% of projects we undertake — we’ll contact the customer to discuss reinforcing the frame before proceeding.
Recliners and Button-Back Furniture Take Much Longer
Some furniture styles are considerably more labour-intensive than others.
Reclining Sofas and Chairs
Reclining furniture is among the most time-consuming types of upholstery work because the entire reclining mechanism often needs to be removed from the frame before work can begin.
Each moving section then has to be individually upholstered, rebuilt and reassembled correctly.
Hand-Studded and Button-Back Furniture
Traditional button-back furniture and hand-studded pieces also require enormous amounts of skill and patience.
These are specialist techniques that only a select few upholsterers can complete to a high standard. Out of the ten upholsterers we employ, only a small number carry out this level of detailed traditional work regularly.
This is one reason why truly skilled upholstery is becoming increasingly rare in the UK.
Reupholstery Lead Times Have Changed Over the Years
Compared to when we started over 50 years ago, upholstery lead times have generally become longer.
The biggest reason is the shortage of highly skilled upholsterers.
Demand for experienced craftsmen remains very high, but genuinely skilled upholsterers are becoming increasingly difficult to find. Modern furniture has also become more complex, especially with the rise of reclining mechanisms and modular corner sofas.
At the same time, customers today often expect a much wider choice of fabrics and finishes, which can add further time to the process.
A Common Misconception About Reupholstery
One concern many customers have is:
“What will I sit on while my furniture is away?”
Many people assume they’ll be left without seating during the process.
To help avoid this problem, we offer loan furniture while reupholstery work is being completed. This allows customers to remain comfortable at home while their own furniture is being transformed.
It’s a small detail, but one customers really appreciate.
Fast Upholstery vs Proper Upholstery
Over the years, we’ve seen many cheaply completed upholstery jobs where the visible fabric was replaced, but all the worn interior components underneath were simply reused.
While this can reduce the upfront cost, it’s often a false economy.
Old fillings, tired springs and weakened interiors can quickly cause the furniture to lose comfort and shape again, meaning the customer may need further work much sooner than expected.
A proper reupholstery job should restore the furniture completely — not just cosmetically, but structurally and comfortably too.
When done properly, a quality reupholstery project can last as long as buying a brand-new high-quality piece of furniture.
How to Speed Up the Reupholstery Process
If you’re considering reupholstery, the best advice is to arrange a free no-obligation estimate early — even if you’re planning the work later in the year.
This allows you to:
- Understand what work is required
- Receive a realistic timescale
- Discuss fabric choices early
- Secure a place in the workshop schedule
Choosing fabric sooner can also significantly reduce delays, especially if you select materials that are readily available.
Why Many Customers Return to Their Old Furniture
One thing we see regularly is customers storing older furniture in their garage while purchasing new replacements elsewhere.
Quite often, they later return to them as they're disappointed by the quality of some modern mass-produced furniture.
Many are surprised by how well-built their original furniture actually was.
Once reupholstered properly, older furniture can often outperform many new products available today — both in comfort and durability.
That’s why reupholstery continues to remain such a valuable investment.
Thinking About Reupholstery?
At Material Things, we’ve been reupholstering furniture in Hampshire for over 50 years, with one of the largest upholstery workshops in the area.
Whether it’s a simple armchair or a fully reclining corner sofa, our team can advise honestly on the work required, expected lead times and the best approach for your furniture.
Find out more-
Posted by Matthew Gingell
26th May 2026
