Buying a Slipcover For a Recliner? Recline Away...

You can get a slipcover to go on top of any recliner in your home. But to make such a cover work, you have to be cautious. You need to see how you can install it properly so it will look its best. This includes knowing how to work it around some of the tough spaces that might make it a challenge for you to get your cover installed properly. What Pieces Are There? The individual series of pieces in your slipcover set should be checked carefully. You should have individual pieces for features like a cushion, the backing and even the arms on the sides. A separate slipcover may be used for the middle part of the recliner that comes in and out. How Is the Seat Treated? The seating area that moves in and out of the recliner must be treated carefully. You might have a separate cover for this part of the recliner. In this case, you would have to pull the seat out all the way so more parts of the seat can be fully exposed. As it is open, the seat will reveal all of its backing features. You will have to fit your cover around the body of the seat so it will work its best. A cover for the seat often focuses on the top part of the seat that is visible. You would have to stretch a cover over that top area. It should be large enough to cover the seat while having enough space to support the edges of the bottom, thus keeping it all together in one simple setup. Look For Openings The openings around your slipcover set must be prepared carefully. This is especially the case for the seat. There should be enough openings to support the backing features that keep the seat together. You probably won’t have to move your cover over every single opening but it helps to at least watch for how it is designed. In most cases such a cover can include a hole on one side. This is to fit the cover around a handle you might use for moving the seat in and out. This can be helpful but it is even better if you have a handle that can be removed and put back together. That would keep the handle from being stuck and out in the open as you’re trying to get a good fit up and running. The same goes for any remote controls. A control may be linked directly to your recliner to help you move the seat out and back in. This should be flexible enough to where you can fit a slipcover around its opening but you should still try and remove it all the way first. This is just to simplify the overall process of getting it installed correctly. Be certain when looking for recliner slipcovers that you know how it is designed and that it can fit well. You must know how to get it installed properly so it will not be all that hard to use.

Spandex Works For Many Slipcovers

Spandex is often used in the construction of slipcovers. About 4 to 6 percent of the build on a slipcover may be made with spandex. But what makes this material so popular on slipcovers? It’s normally something that is found on athletic apparel but it can be worthwhile if used right on your furniture. Spandex, or elastane or Lycra as it is also known, is a synthetic material. It was introduced in the early 1960s by the DuPont company. It was designed as a material used to be stronger than traditional rubber while also being less likely to break or wear out. This consists of polyester and polyurethane materials mixed together. The two are blended into the same polymers and mixed through a careful manufacturing process. Magnesium is often used to finish the surface to create a smooth texture. The fibers that are produced can be strung together like with any other fabric and then applied onto a surface. As the spandex is arranged, it will create a strong body that flexes well. Where Does Spandex Go On a Slipcover? Spandex typically goes around the ends of a slipcover. These include ends where the cover goes around the edges of the furniture. This assists in securing a tight fit while flexing itself along with the natural shape of the furniture in question. This is arranged around the ends so it will not stick out from the rest of the surface. It is still painted in the same color as that of the rest of the fabric. Sometimes the spandex can be blended in with the rest of the fabric in general. This is to give it a flexible body all the way through. The total amount of spandex used is minimal in comparison with the rest of the cotton or polyester or other material but it can make a real difference. Why Use Spandex? The benefits of using spandex on cushion slipcovers are especially great to notice:

  • It is light in weight and is not too hard to use.
  • It is very flexible and easy to apply onto any end of your furniture. It does not produce lots of wrinkles. The fabric simply secures itself along the ends of your furniture with ease.
  • The stretching that comes with the spandex isn’t going to cause indentations in the fabric or lots of other stress marks. It is flexible enough to where the fabric will not weaken or wear out quickly.
  • You can get spandex dyed in a variety of colors to match up with the rest of the fabric being used on your slipcover.
  • The risk of needle damage will be minimal. As a slipcover is prepared, the spandex will not lose its ability to stretch and flex as a series of stitching tools moves through it. This allows you to have a surface that is smooth and comfortable without being overly hard to use.

You will be pleased at how well spandex can be used when getting a slipcover ready. Check on how well your cover is being prepared with a strong spandex body so you will have something easy to apply and use on any surface in your home.