Author: Courtney Harris

3 Reasons to reupholster your furniture.

Post author By Courtney Harris
Post date January 27, 2022

Make Your Furniture Distinctly Yours

Most of us can agree our furniture is an important part of the spaces where we live and work. If you’re anything like us, you want your space and furniture to be just right. You might call this the Goldilocks approach. One way to get furniture that’s just right for you, is to reupholster it for a custom look that suits your unique needs and taste.

3 reasons to reupholster

You can create a custom look. It’s your space, make it look however you want. With thousands of fabrics to choose from, there’s a fabric that will fit your style and budget perfectly.
You get the fit and feel you want. Beyond new fabric, many upholstery jobs require new foam, springs or repairs to the frame. The benefit is that you can choose the internal materials to fit your specific needs. If you want your sofa to feel a little more firm, or you’d like to upgrade to down and feather in your cushions, you can do that. You can specify highly durable and cleanable materials and enjoy the final product for years to come.
You can trust the craftsmanship. Even as little as ten years ago, the build quality of upholstered pieces was higher than it is today. The cost to manufacture furniture goes up year over year. Businesses that build furniture want to keep the retail cost at roughly the same level as it was the previous year. Which means the quality of the furniture must suffer. Upholstering an older sofa or chair means you can maintain the high quality of older manufacturing techniques with a new look and today’s higher quality fabric choices. Seems like a win-win to us.

Bonus!

Reupholstery is a sustainable option.

Choosing to reupholster your existing furniture means you’ll get the look and quality you want with less of an impact on the environment. New furniture needs to be manufactured and shipped, which can take a toll on the environment and contribute to global concerns including deforestation and pollution. Plus, even furniture that goes on to a second life elsewhere will most likely end up in a landfill at some point due to a lack of long-term durability. According to the EPA, Americans put approximately 9 million tons of furniture into area landfills in 2018 alone.

Interested in other ways to create a more sustainable space? Check out this article for additional insights.

Curious if you have a piece of furniture that’s worth refinishing or reupholstering? We’re happy to take a look and give you our expert opinion.

Visit our website to learn more about your options.

Repairs

Moving damage happens, here’s what to know.

Post author By Courtney Harris
Post date August 4, 2021

Moving can be stressful – especially on your furniture.

Moving can be an exciting time. When your move includes working with a moving company, there are a few things to know to help keep stress levels low.

Moving companies do their best to transport your furniture and belongings safely from one location to the next. Things don’t always go exactly as planned.

If your furniture is damaged as part of a professional move, there are things to know to help impact your outcome.

4 tips to know when your belongings are damaged in a move.

The first step is to file a moving claim with the moving company. Many homeowners think the first step is to gather repair. This is understandable but a little misguided. Claims can take several weeks to months to be resolved. We recommend filing a claim as your first step.
Do not throw anything away or repair anything yourself. For anything that’s dangerous, such as broken glass, do your best to contain the damaged piece and loose remnants safely. Keep all materials on hand until a claim is filed and all necessary information has been gathered by the moving company and their partners.
When asked about the value of an item, simply state what you paid for it originally. If the piece was handed down to you or of unknown origin, leave the value field blank. Do not guess at a value or inflate the original cost.
When asked about the claimed amount, simply state, “repair to my satisfaction”. Placing a dollar amount in the claim field assigns a dollar amount that will be used to adjust your claim. Adjusting is the insurance or moving company’s attempt to spend as little money as possible repairing or replacing your valued items.

If you can, choose a professional repair company.

You can suggest that Ackerman’s do the claim inspection for you. We have been handling moving and insurance claims for 40 years. We are on all of the main moving companies databases for this type of work. When you file your claim with the moving company, they assign a third party company to inspect your claim. This process is carried out by a company like ours who verifies that the damage was incurred during transit and that the items were not previously damaged or repaired.

There are many companies that do this work. Most of them do not specialize in furniture. This is not what you want when you have valued pieces that you want repaired properly. In fact, many times these inspection companies simply hire us to repair the items either way.

40 years in moving claims inspections & furniture repairs

Next steps and what you need to know.

After you file your report, the moving company makes a decisions on your claim. Decisions may include the following actions:

Settle with you for cash for all repairs and allowances. Once you deposit their settlement check, your claim is closed and there is no recourse.
Assign a repair and restoration company like Ackerman’s to take care of all repairs and damage. All associated charges are billed directly to the moving company.
A combination of the above – cash settle with you for missing or destroyed items and assign a repair/restoration company to further repair items.

This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months – patience is key.

When you have additional questions, call us at 303-798-3220 or visit ackermans.com.

Upholstery

4 Tips for Selecting Upholstery

Post author By Courtney Harris
Post date January 14, 2021

Custom upholstery isn’t just for interior designers.

Deciding to reupholster your furniture can be exciting. New upholstery is a great way to update the look of your space. And, if you have beloved piece of furniture, selecting new upholstery can breath new life into an old piece.

When you decide to reupholster your furniture, it’s important to work with an experienced and reputable company. Experienced craftsmen can help you achieve the finished look you want. They can also make sure the materials hidden beneath the new fabric are in proper working order. Whether you’re reupholstering multiple pieces of furniture or a single chair, there are four key considerations to keep in mind.

4 tips for selecting upholstery that’s right for your furniture.

achieve the look you want

Chances are you’re considering reupholstery because your current fabric is damaged or isn’t quite the look you want. If you’re a design enthusiast, you may know the exact style, pattern, or color you want in a new upholstery. If however, you’re not quite sure, a good upholstery shop will be able to help you with selecting upholstery that’s right for your project. In our showroom, we carry thousands of fabrics in an array of colors, patterns, and styles.

Upholstery fabric often coexists with other finishes including paint, flooring, window coverings, lighting, and other furniture. Before you order a fabric, consider seeing how fabrics you like look in your actual space. Some upholstery shops will allow you to check out fabric books. This allows you to see if your fabric choice will give you the finished look you want in your space before you place an order.

When it comes to a finished look, pattern is often the most challenging part of selecting upholstery. From size, color or colors and complexity, pattern presents endless options. Keep in mind too that, the size, scale, and shape of your furniture will impact how a pattern looks. From a small stripe to a large floral, or an animal print, aim to have your upholstery patterns compliment one another to create a cohesive and professional look.

We carry thousands of fabrics in an array of colors, patterns, and styles.

DURABILITY & QUALITY

When it comes to selecting upholstery there are countless options available. Whether you’re reupholstering kitchen stools or a rarely used decorative piece, there’s likely a fabric to meet your needs.

Today’s fabric mills are producing state of the art materials. Options include new fibers designed for durability, as well as natural fibers like cotton and silks, and a host of fabric blends. The quality of a fabric is determined by how tightly the fibers of the fabric are woven as well as design details such as embroidery. Price does not necessarily equate to quality or durability. Some of the least expensive nylon or acrylic blends can have the best wearability. These same fabrics, however can often have a very commercial look and feel.

Double rubs are how fabric manufacturers rate the wearability of a fabric. These fabrics are tested using a machine at the mill or at an independent testing facility. The fabric is pulled taught in the machine and rubbed across both directions with cotton duck or canvas. Each pass is counted as a double rub and the testing is halted when the fabric shows abrasion or the testing tops 100,000 double rubs.

We recommend choosing a fabric with at least 30,000 double rubs to guarantee long life and enjoyment of your furniture.

CARE & CLEANING

Caring for and cleaning upholstery fabrics is different from many of the fabrics in our daily lives. For instance, if a spill happens during dinner, you can’t spray on a little stain remover, throw the chair in the wash and call it good.

All the upholstery fabrics we carry, come with a cleaning code from the mill where the fabric was manufactured. Thankfully the same code is used across manufacturers. This code is meant to help consumers understand how to properly care for their upholstery on a routine basis, as well as what to do in the case of an accident. The code is as follows:

W – Use only a water based upholstery cleaner.

S – Use only a solvent based upholstery cleaner.

SW – Use a water based or solvent based cleaner.

X – Do not clean with either water base or solvent based cleaners; use only vacuuming or light brushing.

If your upholstery does require spot cleaning, keep these 3 things in mind:

Avoid over-wetting the stain area. Applying too much moisture to the outside fabric can have adverse effects on the internal filling including the foam, feathers or webbing.
Always dab, never rub a stain. Rubbing the stain can actually push the stain further into the fabric fibers and degrade the integrity of the fibers.
Don’t remove zippered covers, unless the manufacturer’s label suggests doing so. Most zippered covers should not be removed for cleaning as excessive shrinkage may occur; zippers are used to facilitate the filling and closing of cushions, not necessarily the cleaning of fabric.

When in doubt, we recommend calling a professional upholstery cleaner. They have commercial-grade cleaning supplies, tools and manufacturer training.polyester

COST RANGE

Last but certainly not least, and often the most important consideration, the cost of upholstery fabric can range from $35/yd – $300/yd. The average price range for a good quality fabric is about $65/yd – $110/yd.

There are countless upholstery fabric options available but not all fabrics are the same. Many discount fabrics include flaws that even a master upholsterer can’t work around. We recommend if you purchase discount fabric that you examine every square inch before deciding to proceed with your upholstery project.

Selecting custom upholstery can be fun and exciting.

Before choosing a fabric, it’s important to know your desired finished look and how and where your furniture will be used. We have thousands of upholstery-grade fabrics available in a range of prices. We carry fabrics from manufacturers including Kravet, JF Fabrics, Stinson, Duralee, Greenhouse and more. Our team can assist you with fabric selections and even coordinate with other design elements in your space. When you’re ready to begin your upholstery project, schedule an appointment to visit our showroom or you can request an estimate.

Refinishing Restoration

Caring for Wood Furniture

Post author By Courtney Harris
Post date January 8, 2021

5 Tips to keep your wood furniture looking its best.

Whether your piece was crafted in 1820, 1920, or 2020 – there are general guidelines for caring for your wood furniture to ensure it maintains its original beauty, luster, and functionality – not to mention value.

1. In general, we recommend cleaning your wood furniture weekly with a clean, slightly damp cloth. After dusting or cleaning, immediately wipe any excess liquid from your wood surfaces. Today’s finishes are resistant but not waterproof.

2. Furniture polish should be used sparingly. Many commercial items claim to clean and protect wood furniture but often end up coating the finish with a waxy residue that can actually build up and damage a finish. If you are going to use a furniture polish be sure to select one that is silicone free and will not build up on top of your finish.

3. On occasion you may find excess dirt or grease on surfaces such as dining chairs, butcher blocks, kitchen tables, etc. Be careful cleaning these areas, especially if the finish is older as it may have softened. It’s best to use only a small amount of furniture cleaner, mild soap or, our favorite, mineral spirits and clean very lightly so you don’t disturb or remove the finish.

4. If joinery, legs, dowels, braces, etc. become loose, have them professionally repaired to ensure the correct technique is used based on the issue and age of the furniture.

5. A table pad set can also be used to protect a table pad from damage while entertaining.

Colorado’s extreme climate can be hard on your wood furniture.

climate, location, and your wood furniture.

Humidity matters

Wood is porous so changes in humidity levels can impact the strength and functionality. If you are moving an antique piece from a climate that has a high humidity level to an area with a low humidity level, there are some precautions you may want to take. If the interior drawers, back panels and inside case of a piece lacks a finish, shellac or varnish those areas. Be careful not to get anything on the original finish. This will prevent the item from losing its moisture rapidly in only certain areas, and help keep it from cracking or splitting as it climatizes. As soon as it reaches its destination, humidify the room the piece is in, and gradually decrease the humidity level.

In Colorado, we recommend trying to keep the humidity level in your home above 30% if possible. Large plants in pots placed on 3 to 4 inch deep trays filled with rocks and water act as natural humidifiers. If you use portable humidifiers, be very careful that the water does not condense on nearby wood surfaces.

With proper maintenance, lacquer finishes can last a very long time.

A quality finish starts with the right foundation.

At Ackerman & Sons we use a catalyzed lacquer that is a very hard and durable finish, with molecules that bond to each other in such a way as to prevent penetration by water and chemicals for up to 2.5X longer than a standard lacquer. The particular product we use is one of the few lacquers that meets or exceeds the Kitchen and Bath Association standards for moisture resistance.

Even the densest finish requires proper maintenance and care to deliver years of beauty and functionality.