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How Much Does It Cost to Reupholster a Recliner?

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Your recliner is the closest thing most of us have to thrones in our modern castles. For most people, the recliner is the most used chair in the house. It’s probably also one of your priciest pieces of furniture.

For those reasons, it’s understandable that people wouldn’t want to just walk away from their recliner if the upholstery gets torn. They’d rather look into replacing it than finding a new recliner.

We took a look at what it takes to replace the upholstery on different kinds of recliners. That way, you can approach the job better informed. You might even save a few bucks.

How much does it cost to reupholster a recliner?

If someone quotes you a standard price to reupholster a recliner, walk away from that person. There is no one price that it costs to reupholster recliners.

The cost of reupholstering a recliner is influenced by a lot of things, from age of the recliner to materials used to cover it to even design. A fabric recliner is much cheaper than a recliner made from top-grain leather. The range of basic estimates is pretty big.

In many cases, it’ll be cheaper to buy a new recliner than reupholster one.

A recliner with a unique design might require extra attention to detail, which might increase labor costs. Labor costs are where most of the cost of almost any job lies.

How much does it cost to reupholster a recliner on average?

A rule-of-thumb is that reupholstering a recliner might range in price from $400 to $1,500.

That range reflects that the actual cost will differ depending on a lot factors. A top-grain leather recliner will cost a lot more money to reupholster than a basic fabric recliner. A recliner with a lot of extras will cost more than a basic recliner.

In fact, in a lot of cases, it’s cheaper to just go out and buy a new chair than it is to get it reupholstered. You might still do it because you have sentimental attachment to what you have, but in terms of pure cost, it’s often more economical to replace.

How much does it cost to reupholster a La-Z-Boy recliner?

To figure out how much it’ll cost to reupholster a La-Z-Boy recliner, you have to separate the project into two basic costs.

First, figure out the cost of materials. That’s not just the fabric, but also the tools and incidental supplies like glue. On average, this cost will run you from between $200-$500.

If you’re inexperienced in reupholstering furniture, be aware that it is a time consuming process. You might spend a few hours a day for a week or two on one job.

Make sure when you cost out the project that you value your own time, even if you enjoy the work. Once you start a reupholstering job, you’re in it until the end.

If you decide not to do it yourself, labor from a professional will probably run you another $200-$500. That’s a combined average cost of between $400-$1,000.

Note that new La-Z-Boys cost around $399 at the basement price.

How much does it cost to reupholster a leather recliner?

A leather recliner will cost between $800-$2000 to reupholster.

Depending on the quality of the leather, the raw material to reupholster a recliner will cost between $40-$200 a yard. High-quality leather will also require special kinds of fasteners to keep it in place.

If you do the work yourself, you will save on labor costs. Just be sure to count the hours you spend doing the work as a project cost. You might not pay someone money, but you are definitely spending time.

If you take your recliner to a professional, you can expect to pay out another $200-$500 in labor costs.

How much does it cost to reupholster a fabric recliner?

Every repair job comes with two basic costs: parts and labor. If you have the skills, you can do the labor yourself. Just be sure to consider your time as a substitute for money.

The necessary materials to reupholster a fabric recliner might cost you approximately $100. Fabric is among the cheapest materials to purchase, and some of the tools you might already own. But you’ll want to assume it’ll cost $100.

If you take the recliner to a professional to reupholster, you can expect to pay that person another $200-$500 for labor costs, depending on the complexity of the job.

$300 might sound cheap, but it might also be more expensive than buying a new recliner.

Should you reupholster your recliner or just buy a new one?

It’s often smarter to just buy a new recliner than to reupholster one you have. That might not sound right, but it isn’t just the cost of the upholstery. It’s also the cost of labor.

Even if you do it yourself, your time still costs money. If you spend 10 hours reupholstering a recliner, that’s more than one workday. If you enjoy the work, you might be okay with it. But, if you’re looking for the most economical choice, replace is often better.

One thing that might make the decision is whether the recliner has sentimental value to you. If thats the case, it might be worth spending extra money to keep it operational. If it’s just that chair you got for your first apartment, probably best to cut the cord and move on.

Which materials are best to use when reupholstering a recliner?

For the most part, reupholster a recliner with the same materials used to cover it in the first place. You can find out precisely what was used by contacting the chair’s manufacturer. They might even be able to sell you the right fabric.

On the other hand, you might want to give your recliner a complete makeover. It might not fit in with the rest of the room’s decor. Or, you might not want the upkeep required for a leather couch and would just prefer a fabric one.

If that’s the case, woven upholstery fabric is the most popular. Fabric upholstery is also some of the most versatile material. It can come in a wide range of colors and patterns. So it won’t be hard to find something that will fit in with how your room looks.

Conclusion

If the upholstery on your recliner is worn out, there’s a good chance it’ll be cheaper to just replace that than the entire chair. You might even be able to do it yourself.

There might be a point where you would be better off just replacing the entire chair rather than a component. The more things that are wrong with it, the stronger to the argument to just get a new one.

We hope you found this little guide handy and that it left you more confident in your choice of whether to replace your recliner’s upholstery. If you did, we’d love to hear from you in a comment down below. Feel free to share this on your social media networks.

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