Tips for do-it-yourself
upholstery kits
It is easy to find ready-made upholstery kits for the
do-it-yourselfer. There's a first time for everything, and even
the best upholsterers had their first job. Yes - we do get
people coming in with projects they started and finally gave up
on. Some of them are in pretty bad shape . . . to the point
where we have to start all over again. The are a few precautions
to be aware of that might help reduce the pain of biting off
more than you can chew.
1. Buy as much as you can from the same source.
It is possible to buy a seat frame from one place, foam from
another, and pre-sewn upholstery from yet another. Trying to buy
everything from the same source should help ensure that the
pieces will fit. Although there may have been one original
design, reproductions can vary quite a bit.
2. Don't procrastinate.
Sometimes people buy an upholstery kit and it sits around for a
year or two before they get around to trying to install it. If
there is something wrong, they have waited to long to be able to
return the item.
3. Don't force it or damage it.
If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit, plain and simple. Don't pull
excessively or use tools to stretch things. And don't try to
stretch, cut or poke materials. Think about it from a
manufacturer's perspective. They have invested time and money in
making it, and if it's not right for your car, they want to sell
it to somebody whose car it does work for. However, nobody wants
to pay for a cover that's been cut, stretched out of shape, or
otherwise damaged.
If you follow these simple rules, you can save yourself a lot of
frustration and money!