You can learn how to tuft a sofa in three steps. We will explain each process in easy-to-digest details to help you understand tufting as a beginner. What makes this tutorial even better is you can also apply it to cushions and headboards and not just couches.
But what is so special about tufted upholstery for you to take your time to learn and do it? The resulting pattern from the buttons or stitches makes the upholstered furniture or item look plusher and more eye-catching. If you don’t believe us, check this guide on how to tuft a pillow, and you might be surprised.
How Do You Tuft A Sofa Upholstery?
Step 1. Align the holes of the foam to the batting, then cover with fabric
- Cut holes in the furniture batting and align it with the holes you made on the foam you’ll use to reupholster a sofa
- Cover each button with a piece of fabric and secure it between the cover and back parts of the button
- Place the upholstery fabric on top of the sofa foam and allocate 6 inches of allowance for folding it over to cover the foam
- Attach the fabric with a staple gun on the side and back of the couch
- Mark the fabric-covered foam with the placements of the buttons using its existing holes
- Secure the twine on the button using an upholstery needle and thread it through the markings you made on the upholstery fabric-covered foam
- Push through the foam and batting of the couch and press the button according to your desired depth
- Staple the twine to the sofa frame once you achieved the tufted finish you want
- Place all the other buttons on the sofa using a similar depth
- Ensure that the fabric doesn’t form pleats before you work each button for a neat finish
Step 3. Finish the tufted upholstery
- Staple the fabric edges onto the couch frame so that it’s not too loose nor tight
- You can also push the pleated portions onto the side to hide them until you can fold them at the backside with the staple gun
- Finish the bottom of the sofa by covering it with a piece of fabric and upholstery tacks
Can You Tuft A Couch?
Tufting a couch is possible, and it’s a worthwhile project to improve the overall look and feel of the furniture. Tufted sofas are comfortable because the cushioning will stay in place without the need to readjust them to maintain plushness. You can also take advantage of the different tufting finishes to find the most fitting for your interior decor.
Different tufting styles for your sofa
Diamond tufting
One of the most common tufted couches uses diamond button tufting. From the name itself, the buttons are placed in intervals that create a diamond shape. Therefore, this style works well for leather sofas to create a classic look.
Biscuit tufting
Another tufting style that you will typically see in sofas is biscuit button tufting. It also uses buttons to tuft the cushion, but you will arrange them in squares so the couch will look similar to a biscuit. Biscuit button tufting requires consistency in placement compared to other styles.
Single line tufting
A more simple way to tuft a sofa is by doing the single line button tufting. You will create a line of buttons in the middle of the cushion. It doesn’t require as many buttons and consistency as diamond and biscuit button tufting, but you still want even spaces above and below the line you’ll make.
Buttonless tufting
It’s possible to tuft a couch without buttons. Instead, you will sew the fabric to pinch it to create a diamond or biscuit pattern, as seen in button tufting. Buttonless tufting is also called blind tufting.
What Is Blind Tufting?
Blind tufting is essentially taunting the fabric with thread or string to arrange the tufts on the upholstery. You can use the same color as the couch for the thread to achieve a classic look. Go from under, over, and back to create a stitch that will pinch the fabric.
Pull the thread as tight as needed and secure the tufting in place with a staple gun. You can even secure your work with a second piece of thread and make a cross-stitch in the opposite direction. Both biscuit and diamond tufting should be achievable with blind or buttonless tufting.
What Is Channel Tufting?
A trend that you will see nowadays with tufted upholstery is channel tufting. It is a relatively new style ideal for headboards, but you can also apply it to the back of the sofa. Channel tufting looks like a stack of rectangles horizontally or vertically.
How to channel tuft upholstery? The process will vary depending on the furniture you’ll tuft. You will sew a seam straight down each channel that you’ll make on the foam for a couch.
Conclusion
Do you want to upgrade your couch? It will be helpful if you know how to tuft a sofa because it can improve the feel and look of your upholstery. It’s also another way to ensure that your sofa cushions won’t move around and sag.
There are different methods for tufting a couch. You can use buttons or not, and you can select what pattern to achieve. But if you are dealing with damaged cushions, read this guide for fixing sofa cushions.