The Upholsterer Tools

It is essential that the upholsterer uses the correct upholstery tools for each individual job, including hand tools, hammers, chisels, tack lifters, webbing stretchers and staple removers.

Below a quick snapshot of some basic (and less) basic tools.

RIPPING DOWN TOOLS

Staple Remover

The Berry staple remover is firmly placed under the staple, and then the handle is pushed down to ease the staple out.

Pincer

With polished flush cut jaws for getting close to a flat surface, use for heavy cutting including nails.

Wooden Mallet

The square head gives enough force for striking drive punches through fabric or leather. Kinder on your hands and tool handles.

REBUILDING TOOLS

Web Strainer

Used to stretch upholstery webbing across the seat of a chair to provide an firm but springy base ready for the cushion material to be set in place.

Hammer

The lightweight magnetic hammer is used for driving home tacks and decorative nails. It usually has a magnetic end useful for picking up and positioning tacks.

Needles

Are included: curved needles, rounded buttoning needles, sharp bayonet needles, regulators, skewers, pins to name but a few.

MEASURING AND CUTTING TOOLS

Tape Measure & Ruler

Used for measuring anything from fabric to frame sizes to upholstery nail spacing.

Tailor’s chalk

A thin flat piece of hard chalk or soapstone used for making temporary marks on cloth, and also for marking web or stitch spacing on frames.

Cutter

Used for all kinds of jobs and essential for any toolkit.

Scissors or Fabric Shears

Shears are large heavy scissors, ideal for cutting fabric. Need to be kept sharp.

Thread Snips

Particularly useful to snip thread quickly when machine or hand sewing.

Tweezers

Used for picking up objects too small to be easily handled with the human fingers. 

Carpenter Pencil

Refillable carpenter pencil ideal for marking wood.

Long needle

Used for buttoning on cushions and mattresses.

Nails

Used on the top fabric of your upholstery. Also a professional finish is obtained when used to fix bottoming on your upholstery.

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