What is the difference between slipcovered and upholstered furniture?
The most basic answer is that slipcovering and upholstering are two different methods by which furniture is covered. Right?
Underlying this somewhat obvious difference are important questions of cost, convenience, and aesthetics that are worth understanding and considering.
There is also the adjacent concern of prolonging your furniture’s life … which is no small thing because furniture is expensive.
Most people pay somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 for a new couch. YIKES!
Moreover, prolonging your furniture’s life contributes to sustainability. In other words, by not throwing your furniture away, you can help the environment.
Having furniture that meets your needs, makes you happy, and lasts is definitely important.
A key part of this is choosing the right covering for that furniture.
So let’s dive into the principle differences between upholstery and slipcovers so that you can better evaluate this important choice: slipcovers versus upholstery.
What's covered: Slipcovers Versus Upholstery: The Definition and Purpose of Each The Life Expectancy of Upholstered Furniture Reviving Old Furniture: Reupholster, Slipcover, or Replace? Replace? Recover? • Convenience • Cost • Damage • Other considerations
Slipcovers Versus Upholstery: The Definition and Purpose of Each
Let’s take this in reverse order. First let’s consider upholstery.
Upholstery
Upholstery is a textile covering that is fixed to furniture such as armchairs and sofas.
Upholstery typically encompasses not only the textile covering itself, but also its underlayment including padding, springs, or webbing.
Upholstering can be done by hand or by machine, but in either case it is a skilled craft that requires experience, creativity, and attention to detail.
The craft of upholstering The craft of upholstering dates back to early civilizations (with the first known upholsterers appearing in ancient Egypt) and has evolved over the centuries with different styles, techniques, and materials. While, according to Britannica Online, the earliest upholstery consisted simply of animal skins or dressed leather nailed to a rigid framework, the craft slowly developed “to include cushions, padding, and pillows—stuffed with such materials as goose down and horsehair.” In the 18th century, upholsterers began to use springs, which allowed for softer and bulkier shapes. By the 20th century, upholstery techniques encompassed the use of molded sponge rubber, synthetic fibers, and dirt and liquid retardants, which enabled the development of new springing, cushioning, and covering materials.
Slipcovers
Slipcovers, on the other hand, are removable furniture covers that can be slipped on or off a piece of furniture, typically upholstered furniture.
Slipcovers and upholstery are made from comparable textiles, but unlike upholstery slipcovers do not include any form of underlayment beyond, in some cases, a little padding or a water-resistant barrier.
Many slipcovers have a looser fit than upholstery, giving furniture a more casual feel, though it is also possible to purchase custom-made slipcovers, which resemble upholstery’s tailored look.
While slipcovers – both custom- and ready-made – are often purchased as a means of protecting or recovering upholstered furniture, brand new furniture that is slipcovered by design is also available.
Encompassing elements of both design and protection, slipcovers are intended not only as an easy way to rejuvenate worn upholstery, but also as a means of protecting newer furnishings from spills, stains, fading, and other wear and tear.
With its polished look and tight fit, upholstery is a good option for people who want a more permanent solution or who want to customize their furniture to their specific needs and tastes.
While they typically provide a more relaxed look than upholstery (as they are designed to be easily removed and changed) slipcovers are also a great option for people who want to update the look of their furniture but generally entail much less expense and effort.
The Life Expectancy of Upholstered Furniture
While better quality upholstered furniture pieces can last for more than 15 years, the lifespan of a piece of furniture depends not only on the quality of its construction and of the materials from which it is made, but also the environmental conditions to which it is subjected, the frequency of its use, and how well it is maintained.
Certain things can and should be done to extend the life of your upholstered furniture.
TIPS for EXTENDING the LIFE of YOUR UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE Vacuum your upholstered furniture regularly. Regular vacuuming helps to remove dust, dirt, and debris that can accumulate on your furniture over time. Use a clean, dry upholstery attachment, or any stiff-bristle brush, to loosen dried dirt and debris. Use the crevice tool for hard-to-reach nooks and crannies. Identify the right upholstery cleaner. Each textile type requires specific care, which means one upholstery cleaner might not work for every piece in your home. To identify the best formulas and methods for the job, first look to your upholstery’s labels, which are often marked with a code that indicates which cleaning solution is safe to use, as follows: "W" = Use a water-based cleaning agent. "S" = Clean with a solvent. "W/S" = Use either a water-based cleaning agent or a solvent. "X" = Don't clean it yourself. Hire a professional. Invest in stain protection products. Consider investing in stain protection products for your upholstery. These products can help to prevent spills and stains from penetrating the fabric, making them easier to clean. Avoid exposing your furniture to direct sunlight, heat, moisture, or extreme temperatures. Direct sunlight, in particular, can cause the fabric to fade and deteriorate over time. Rotate and flip your cushions and pillows periodically to distribute the wear and tear evenly. Fluffing your cushions regularly to help maintain their shape and prevent sagging. Hire a professional upholstery cleaner. Consider hiring a professional upholstery cleaner for deep cleaning once or twice each year to “wipe away germs, dust, dander, and dirt.” Remove cushion covers for cleaning, if possible. If the manufacturer of your couch or sofa recommends it, you can remove cushion covers for cleaning. But bear in mind that just because a cushion cover is zippered and removable, that does not mean its meant to be machine washed or otherwise cleaned separately. Zippers may simply have been used as an upholstering technique to enable covers to achieve a tight fit and cleaning covers separately can lead to irreparable discoloring, shrinking, and even tearing.
These tips for maintaining your upholstered furniture will help you keep it in top condition.
But ultimately, over time, all furniture gets worn and dirty.
At some point you will be facing the decision of whether to replace, repair, or cover your furniture.
Reviving Old Furniture: Reupholster, Slipcover, or Replace?
Let’s take this in reverse order also.
Replace?
As I have already noted, replacing furniture is expensive.
While the cost of new furniture depends on factors such as the piece’s size and style, the material from which it is made, its quality, and its brand, you can expect to spend in the $1,500 to $3,000 range for a high-quality and durable couch and over $5,000 for a custom sofa.
"While sofas can range anywhere from $500 to $10,000 or more, most people pay somewhere between $1,500 and $3,000 for a new sofa," writes furniture and homeware brand curator, Living Cozy in a recent blog post.
If you are looking for a budget-friendly option, you can consider purchasing a couch in the $300 to $1,500 range. However, keep in mind that such “fast furniture” sofas may have lackluster craftsmanship and may not last more than five to ten years.
For the record, I do think the unsustainable stigma associated with "fast furniture" bears a more nuanced assessment, particularly when it comes to upholstered furniture. I have taken a shot at this in, "What is “Fast” Furniture? Cheap Furniture? Or Furniture Cheap?" if you'd like to check it out.
Furniture longevity is not just an important cost consideration, it is an important consideration for the environment. In order to maintain low price points, manufacturers of affordable furniture often use cheaper, less robust materials, such as veneer-covered particle board. These materials are both more susceptible to damage and harder to recycle.
When furniture is not designed for longevity or recyclability, it’s much more likely to end up in landfill.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans threw out over 12 million tons of furniture and furnishings in 2018 and over 80% of it ended up in landfill.
An easy way to save money and the environment is to prolong the life of your furniture by protecting it, caring for it, and reupholstering or recovering it rather than throwing it away.
Recover (Slipcover versus Reupholster)?
So you have decided to refurbish your existing upholstered furniture rather than replace it. You now face a decision: Are you going to reupholster your furniture or slipcover it?
There are three basic considerations when it comes to deciding whether to reupholster or slipcover: convenience, cost, and damage.
Convenience
The main difference between slipcovers and upholstery is that slipcovers are removable and can be easily changed while upholstery is permanently attached.
That being the case, slipcovering wins in convenience over reupholstering, hands down.
Reupholstering either involves a pretty high-level of personal craftiness (and a fair amount of time) or it involves shipping your sofas and armchairs off to the upholsterer. A modest sized armchair or ottoman may easily fit in the back of an SUV, but a larger piece will involve a rental truck (or a favor from the one friend we all have who actually owns a truck) and some heavy lifting. Yes, some upholsterers offer pick up and return delivery, but there is a charge for that.
Once in possession of your furniture, the upholsterer will then:
- Remove the old upholstery. This step involves removing the old fabric, padding, and any other materials that were used to upholster the furniture.
- Prepare the furniture for new upholstery. Once the old upholstery has been removed, the furniture needs to be prepared for new upholstery. This may involve repairing or replacing any damaged parts of the furniture, adding new padding, and applying any necessary finishing touches.
- Attach the new upholstery. The final step is to attach the new upholstery to the furniture. This is typically done using a staple gun or other fasteners, and requires careful attention to detail to ensure that the new upholstery is properly aligned and secured.
The time it takes to reupholster furniture depends on various factors, such as the size, complexity, and condition of the piece, the availability of materials, and the expertise and schedule of the upholsterer.
Home services website, Angi, and online marketplace, HomeAdvisor, both estimate a minimum of weeks and up to months for an upholsterer to complete the job.
While the actual time frame varies, bottom line, you are without your furniture for a while.
And, yes, you can DIY a reupholstery project and, as with most DIY projects, there are plenty of helpful online tutorials and videos to show you how.
Better Homes & Gardens (BHG) has a nice “Step-by-Step Guide to Reupholstering a Chair,” for example.
But take note of the 8 different tools and 10 different kinds of materials needed for the project. (And wait until you get to “making welting.”)
If you have a love for these sorts of projects, go for it! DIY reupholstering will certainly be less expensive than professional reupholstering.
Cost of professional versus DIY reupholstering According to the BHG guide, “[Y]ou can expect to pay approximately $150-$600 to reupholster a dining room chair and $300-$1,200 to reupholster an armchair or wingback chair." Conversely, the cost of a DIY reupholstery project starts as low as $20 per yard of fabric (not including tools and other materials).
The upside of reupholstering your furniture is that you will have a wide array of upholstery textiles to choose from allowing you to customize your furniture to your tastes and needs.
Slipcovering, on the other hand, is virtually instantaneous. Buy slipcover. Put on sofa. Done.
Cost
The cost of slipcovers versus reupholstering depends on several factors, including the size of the furniture, the shape of the furniture, the quality of the materials used, and the level of customization required. Generally, however, slipcovers are less expensive than reupholstering and ready-made slipcovers are much, much less expensive.
Let’s compare the estimated cost of reupholstering a couch to the cost of purchasing a read-made slipcover.
According to Angi, the cost of reupholstering a couch ranges from $600 up to $4,000, while HomeAdvisor puts the average price to reupholster a couch at $1,750. That’s just one couch.
Maryland-based upholsterer, Schoenbauer Furniture Service, Inc., estimates the cost of reupholstering a sofa at $2700-$3700 not including tufting, re-springing, foam replacement, new webbing, or cording.
The price of reupholstering According to Schoenbauer Furniture Service's, “Reupholstery Pricing Guide,” you can expect to pay: • $2000-$2500 to reupholster a recliner • $2400-$3200 to reupholster a loveseat and • $450-$600 to reupholster a medium-sized ottoman (If you would like to get a sense of reupholstery costs associated with other pieces of furniture, check out the rest of Schoenbauer's pricing here.)
Custom-made slipcovers can be nearly as expensive as reupholstery, costing as much as $2000.
But ready-made slipcovers offer a significantly more budget-friendly alternative, costing at most hundreds of dollars or even less.
Take, for example, SureFit, the American company that virtually created the ready-made slipcover industry.
The most expensive sofa slipcover on the SureFit site at the time this article was written is their “Ultimate Stretch Leather Four Piece Sofa Slipcover.” This form-fitting slipcover, which even offers individual cushion covers, retails for $229.99. (AND, owing to one of SureFit’s frequent sales, this cover is currently available at $183.99.)
Or, as another example, go slipcover shopping on the popular Boston-based online purveyor of furniture and home goods, Wayfair. Today, the most expensive ready-made sofa slipcover on Wayfair is the Stretch Corner Sofa Slipcover by PAULATO by GA.I.CO. retailing at $329.99. (More than SureFit’s stretch leather slipcover, but still a whole lot less than reupholstering.)
Cost, then, is one of the best arguments for using ready-made slipcovers.
And unlike furniture the price difference between a high-quality ready-made slipcover and a poorly constructed ready-made slipcover is tens of dollars and not thousands.
Damage
While ready-made slipcovers are convenient and affordable for minor damage, stains, or changing the appearance of the furniture, reupholstering is recommended for furniture with large tears or rips (that a slipcover could not successfully hide) and for structurally damaged furniture.
Slipcovering is more of a cosmetic procedure, after all, involving just replacing fabric. Slipcovering works best when the structure of the sofa and the foam that makes up the seats and frame are still in good shape.
Slipcovering will not repair or replace any damaged parts of the furniture. Adding new padding or repairing tufting, springs, foam, webbing, or cording requires reupholstering – DIY or professional.
Other considerations
Beyond convenience, cost, and the degree to which your furniture is damaged, durability and aesthetics are two more things you may wish to consider when deciding whether to reupholster or slipcover your furniture.
Durability. In terms of sturdiness and longevity, upholstery is arguably more durable than slipcovers. This is because upholstery is a permanent solution that is tightly fitted and secured to the frame of furniture. On the other hand, since the fabric is fixed, spills and stains may require professional cleaning or spot treatment. Upholstered sofas also tend to trap allergens, pet hair, and dust more easily than slipcovers.
Slipcovers, alternatively, are designed to be easily removed and changed and can be readily cleaned or replaced.
Bottom line, when it comes to durability upholstery and slipcovers have different strengths, but with proper care and maintenance, both upholstery and slipcovers can last for many years.
Aesthetics. When it comes to aesthetics, because upholstery can be customized to seamlessly fit specific pieces of the furniture, it almost always provides a more polished and refined look than slipcovers. This is particularly true when comparing upholstery to ready-made slipcovers.
Conversely, ready-made slipcovers provide a more casual and relaxed look.
Also, while slipcovers are available in a wide variety of fabrics, colors, and patterns, your design choices will always be greater with custom fabrication, be it upholstery or a custom-made slipcover.
I love slipcovers, but even I know that, if you have an irreplaceable family heirloom, antique, or furniture you absolutely love or that has great sentimental value, reupholstering is the only way to go.
Overall, the choice between slipcovers and upholstery depends, to some degree, on personal preference and, to a larger degree, on your budget and the specific needs of your furniture. Both options have their own unique benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to consider these factors when making a decision.
Is your upholstered furniture looking a little worn? If you are trying to decide between reupholstering and slipcovering, we’d love to help. If you have any questions please let us know in the comments below.
Have you had your furniture professionally reupholstered or tackled a DIY reupholstering project? How did it go? We’re interested and we’re sure others are too! Please share your personal experience in the comments below!
