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Hello

Has anybody had any experience with renewing their caravan upholstery ours is looking very worn and tired. What is the best way to do it?. Ive seen websites that offer such a service, or would we be better off buying some fabric and having ago ourselves?  Any experiences you can share would be gratefully received.

Thanks very much

if you are any good at sewing with a machine i suggest trying it yourself as it would save loads af cash

you also get a good feeling when the covers are on and the van looks great you'll want to try it out

you can have it done but ive heard its extremely expensive.

why dont you get a small remnant (or old sheet) and make just one to see how you get on .if its ok go ahead and spend the dough on the material.i would put zips in so you can wash them

cheb

I would cover over the existing covers rather than trying to take them off as the old foam may disintegrate. You could use velcro rather than zips - easier to sew on & you don't get a knobbly bit at one end.

Replacing completely is a very expensive job - we were quoted £1,000 about 6 years ago to replace the cushions which had been nicked from the 5 berth van we had at the time.

Like everyone else has said, if you are a dab hand with a sewing machine have a go yourself.

 Are the current seat cushions etc buttoned ? if they are & you want a similar look remove the buttons carefully, & save them, they come apart & the existing fabric is just wrapped around them & then clipped inside the button, you will need to buy a button needle, but you can pick these up at most fabric or upholstery shops for a couple of quid. If they aren't buttoned, then they will be a doddle to recover.

I make all my own soft furnishings at home, & have done re-upholstery, making curtains, slip covers etc for years, & believe me it is easier than you think, just take your time don't rush, & don't worry if you make a mistake.

If you need to ask any questions don't hestitate.

Thanks

i think to have a go ourselves is going to be the answer, just had a look on ebay and found some proper upholstery fabric going at a reasonable price. Any more advice would tips would be great by anybody who has done this job

sarah

Hi Sarah

Do you have a Dunnelm Mills Store near to you. ? They have a sale on at the moment, & they do hundreds of upholstery fabrics, I bought some gorgeous fabric the other day reduced form £13.99 per mtr, down to £4.99 per mtr. It was that nice I would have paid full price for it.

Hi Sarah

I bought my first caravan in September last year and wanted to add my own touch so to speak so have bought some material to recover the seating etc.  Let me know how you get on and any top tips - my ex mother-in-law has said she will do them for me as I've no experience of sewing with a machine! but it has been delayed as she hasn't been very well.  Keep me informed.

Nicola 

Fidget

Nicola

yes will let you know how things go, nice to hear from you, funny we bought our first caravan in September as well, really itching now to get out and use it now  its in storage at the moment must pay her a visit soon!

sarah

If you can get to a bankrupt stock shop they sell fabric from £3.99 square metre.

Hi Skatty

I'm sure that ANY Upholstery fabric that you buy in the shops nowadays IS flame retardent, I think it's illegal to sell any that isn't. Thought I would just show you a before & after of mine:

 Before.

 After.

If you can't see the piccy's just go to my Profile - Homepage - then onto Our 1st tent to our caravan. they are in there.

Just bought our first caravan, and the upholstery is very warn and faded, i was considering covering the existing cushions with fresh material, and after seeing your pictures believe that that is definately the right thing to do.

Beautiful fabric by the way Julier & Ant

Hi Sarah

We've just had our van re-upholstered by a local firm (5 berth, 13 cushions in total) and it cost us £840. That was new foam and they made up new removable covers too. We did think about doing it ourselves but after phoning round numerous suppliers of foam (they were quoting about £500 for the foam alone) we decided to save up and have the lot done by a professional. If we hadn't have needed the new foam we probably would have had a bash at the covers ourselves.

I made new curtains from a pair that I bought at a car boot for £4 so managed to save a bit along the line somewhere !

Hi Susie & Chris

Thanks. I loved the fabric when I found it, & I think it was only about £4.99 per metre as well. which isn't bad for upholstery fabric, & it's in Chenile so it wears well.

Hi Tigerlilly,

I think if I had a newer caravan & wasn't keen on the upholstery I would pay to have it done professionaly as well, but ours is only a 1991, & I didn't think it was worth spending all that money on an old caravan.