Upholstery Terminology
Upholsterty Fabric Types
Acetate - cellulose fiber that features wood pulp as its major
raw ingredient (window treatment commonly) Features good draping qualities (low
durability)
Acrylics - made from fossil fuel (same family as polyester and
nylon), durability and soft feel, mothproof, but heat-sensitive (popular in velvets)
Chintz - printed cotton fabric that usually has been glazed (English
country style), the fabric is a plain weave woven on a plain loom, subject to fading
and not very durable compared to woven patterns
Cotton - a vegetable fiber from the cotton plant, strong and durable,
can be used to make various others fabrics, dye easily and are typically colorfast
Cupro - cellulose fiber similar to viscose rayon, it is very strong
and can be fashioned into finer yarns.
Linen - comes from the vegetable fiber of the flax plant, unless
treated it is extremely prone to wrinkling and creasing (not used for damp areas)
Modacrylics - blends with natural or other manmade fibers
Modal - a modified rayon, this fiber looks like cotton, made from
cotton waste or wood and used in fabric blends to upgrade or offset some of the
weaker characteristic of the natural or synthetic fibers present in the blend.
Nylon - derived from petroleum, nylon is typically used in a blended
fabric, inherent strength and wrinkle resistant, highly absorbent, heat-sensitive
Polyester - used in fabric blends with natural fibers, its processed
nature as a material that is chemically produced from petroleum derivatives is not
glaringly obvious, fast drying, low absorbency, good for heavy use in the home as
an upholstery fabric
Rayon - among the first manmade cellulose fibers
Silk - hand-dyed in rich, abstract colorations, or left in a natural-looking
neutral to work with a monochromatic room palette. Unbend silk fabric is 100% percent
natural animal fiber extracted from the cocoons of the silkworm larvae. Heat-sensitive,
strong fabric and not easily prone to wrinkle
Wool - all-natural animal fiber made from the coasts of sheep or
goats, wool is valued for its insulating warmth. Wool can retain body heat but absorbs
spills. Make sure that a stain-resistant treatment has been applied to any wool
fabrics. (It is subject to shrinkage and can be attacked by moths).
Springs
Double-Cone Coil Springs - Introduced in 1828 the coil spring has
lead the way to major changes in furniture during the nineteenth century. The double-cone
coil spring is the best quality of springs for sofas and large chairs for which
a deep, comfortable, resilient seat is a desired-and it is also the most expensive.
Made from heavy coiled metal, these seat springs are shaped like an hour-glass.
They are available in various degrees of compression, including soft, medium, and
hard, determined by the size of the center coil.
No-Sag Springs - made from continuous wire shaped in a zigzag,
they are much more affordable then the Double-Cone Coil Spring
Stuffing
Down - A favorite material for bed pillows and comforters, down
also is considered a luxury stuffing for upholstery furnishings. Is consists of
the feathers from birds, or the light, fluffy undercoating, on which there is no
quill shaft, from older ducks, geese, and other water fowl. Tends to leave body
imprint on the seat, which requires fluffing and reshaping-a maintenance feature
some consumer choose to avoid, even at the loss of the more comfortable seat.
Foam Rubber - One of the most expensive and best stuffing for new
upholstered furniture, foam rubber is rubber that contains air bubbles. It is available
in slab form for use as a stuffing material. Classic foam rubber tens to break down
and granulate over time, and is no longer widely available, having been replaced
by the newer high-resiliency (HR) polyurethane foam, which does not deteriorate.
Tow - a flax plant fiber, tow is firm and easy to work with. Its
chief use in upholstery is as a firm foundation (first stuffing) for more resilient
stuffing materials.
Webbing and Foundation Materials
Bottoming - as the word indicates, this is the muslin cover tacked to the underside
of an upholstered area. Usually CAMBRIC is the choice of most upholsters. It is
a black cotton fabric and is used as a dustcover.
Burlap - A sturdy fabric woven from yarns made from the coarse fibers of jute or
hemp, burlap is used to cover springs and to serve as a protective layer between
them and the stuffing material. Burlap is tacked to the furniture frame after the
springs are tied, with its edge folded back to give double thickness beneath the
tack heads. Available in different weights from 7.5-16 ounces. A 12-ounce weight
is recommended for custom pieces when one can afford to pay for superior strength.
Cotton Felt - Cotton spun into sheets, cotton felts is used as a pad over coarse
stuffing and in between temporary and final covers.
Wadding - A thin layer of cotton contained between two sheets of soft paper, this
material is used like cotton felt, as a topping for coarse stuffing and as a bridge
between temporary and final covers.
Webbing - This material used as a base or platform for the upholstery springs and
stuffing material. Because it is the foundation material, it must be extremely strong
to ensure maximum load-bearing for a comfortable seat over time.