Upholstery - how to remove covers that have a zip and buttons?

[Nickm72]

Hi all,

I have just removed all of the soft furnishings from my boat as it's winter here.

A lot of them have covers with a zip (removeable) and buttons, which prevent the covers coming off when you unzip them.

Is there tried and tested method of removing the buttons so that the cover can be removed please? They could do with washing,

The only way I can see to do it at the moment is to remove all of the buttons and then replace them all afterwards, which is going to be a pain.

Hoping someone here has a better idea.

Cheers, Nick.

 

[Yorkshire Exile]

Sorry I don't have a better idea but having done this, replacing the buttons is not that difficult. There are some good videos on line.

 

[Alicatt]

Many years ago at school as part of an art class project I made a swivel chair, I (my dad) donated some leatherette to the cause and so got the fibreglass gratis, I put buttons in the chair either sewen on through the fibreglass base to a small button that was under the rear covering, or buttons that screwed together and were on the surface on the back of the chair.
My daughter is still using the chair which I built in 1971

The chair was made by making a mould in the long jump pit on the school playing fields, squirmed in the sand until we got a good shape that fitted the body then lined it with polythene and built the mould on that.

 

[Alicatt]

We removed all the upholstery from the boat a week last Wednesday, the plan is to recover all the cushions, lucky none are buttoned, we got a sample of fabric in Maastricht on Friday now we need another 12 meters of the stuff. we have got a couple of closed cell memory foam matrasses which we are going to have to trim down to fit in the shape of the bow berth and then re sew the covers for it.

The cushions and back rests at the table, plus the in-fill cushions for the table top then make the new matrass for up in the bow.

 

[LittleSister]

As Yorkshire Exile says, there are vids (some better than others) on YouTube showing how to refit the buttons.

If I remember correctly, you can buy an inexpensive simple tool to assist in passing the cord back through the cushion, and suitable cord, from upholstery suppliers, but you could improvise with something else.

My advice to you is do not lose any of the buttons! It would be most irksome to find on reassembly you are mysteriously one short of the original cushion-matching cloth covered buttons which are no longer available, nor is the patterned cushion material, and even if you resign yourself to replacing all the buttons on the boat to get a matching set, there are seemingly no buttons on sale of a colour/texture which would blend with cushion coverings and are the same diameter as the visible witness marks on the otherwise serviceable and attractive cushion coverings, so you are faced with either non-matching buttons or a complete re-upholster. (How do I know that? )

 

[doug748]

If any buttons are damaged or you need new ones, I found these people good:

Button Covering Service. 6 Buttons using your own bespoke fabric | eBay

You send them fabric and they make them up, mostly plastic backed which is good for boat work.

.

 

[Concerto]

The buttons will be held by a cord, so just cut the cord. Use a long upholstery needle pass the new cord through the foam to refit the buttons. It only takes about 3 to 4 minutes to refit a button, so you should allow half a day to do a complete set. This is far less in time and money than replacing your cushions. When I had new cushions made (foam and fabric), I saved a little by fitting all the buttons myself. It was certainly not very difficult to do.

 

[Nickm72]

Thanks everyone! I’ll have a go at it myself then.

 

[thinwater]

Or you can just clean them with a vacuum upholstery cleaner. Works very well.

 

[AngusMcDoon]

an inexpensive simple tool to assist in passing the cord back through the cushion, and suitable cord, from upholstery suppliers, but you could improvise with something else.

A wooden kebab stick with a hole drilled through at the pointy end and thick whipping twine does it for me. It's easier for two people to do - 1 to squish down the foam and the other to tie the knot on the rear button.

It doesn't take me minutes to do each button - minutes to do each cushion of 6-8 buttons,

Mine are fabric, not vinyl. The difference after a wash was well worthwhile. The colour was restored and the mingingness banished.

 

[dansaskip]

Buttons on cushion covers are a pain in the a*****. Reckon they are used by upholsterers who have never slept on their creations. I found that they made sleeping on the cushion uncomfortable too. So I just cut mine off when I wanted to wash the covers and never replaced them. The cushions are more comfortable and it is easy now to take off the covers and wash them each year.

 

[blush2]

When I recovered the cushions on Blush Hawke House covered buttons in my fabric. I specified plastic buttons so they didn't corrode. They had hooks on the back. HH provided twine loops in a couple of lengths for different thickness cushions which went from the top buttons to the under buttons.

I used a long buttoning needle to pull the loops through, connecting them to the needle with a length of thread. The cushion had to be squashed to get the back button on but it wasn't difficult. For washing the buttons could be removed without having to cut the loop.

 

[pandos]

After seeing what a professional carpet and furniture cleaner can do to a rented house after "animals" had left, I think I'd try to get my cushions cleaned by one of those guys...

Forget removing the covers and risking shrinkage etc..

Most fabric suppliers will make up buttons, if you are not buying the fabric some will do it for a few quid.

Some of mine are buttons that are tied through to one on the back and others are nails which are fixed into the seat backs..

 

[William_H]

I would try cleaning the covers in place. You need a wet and dry vacuum cleaner to dry the covers. Use a steam cleaner or just water and detergent. You may be able to rent a carper cleaner machine. (wet and dry vac) plus pump[ed detergent. Give it a try first. ol'will

 

[AngusMcDoon]

Forget removing the covers and risking shrinkage etc..

Use a cool wash and the covers won't shrink. Removing and replacing covers and buttons isn't difficult.

If you are the kind of boatowner who generally pays professionals to do maintenance then ok, pay for it. For the DIYer or tightwad - it's a simple task to do yourself and only takes minutes.

 

[jlavery]

The buttons will be held by a cord, so just cut the cord. Use a long upholstery needle pass the new cord through the foam to refit the buttons. It only takes about 3 to 4 minutes to refit a button, so you should allow half a day to do a complete set. This is far less in time and money than replacing your cushions. When I had new cushions made (foam and fabric), I saved a little by fitting all the buttons myself. It was certainly not very difficult to do.

Yes, did this with all 19 cushions on Arpeggio. Two people, some whipping twine and a carefully shaped wire coat hanger wire.

 

[AntarcticPilot]

Sorry I don't have a better idea but having done this, replacing the buttons is not that difficult. There are some good videos on line.

Been there, done that and removing the buttons is the only way to do it. It's easy enough - there should be enough give in the foam to allow you to cut the cord beneath the button. Putting them back isn't a big deal; as the existing button cores had gone a bit rusty, we even replaced the buttons with new ones, covering them with material that was a close match to the original. You need a long, stout needle to replace the buttons.

 

[[193211]]

I’ve got one these and found it useful:

Wooden Handle Button Needle | J A Milton

 

[PCUK]

As you remove the buttons, make a small mark on both sides of the cushion fabric so that you can find the correct position when refitting. Not necessary on vinyl fabric!

 

[doug748]

If any buttons are damaged or you need new ones, I found these people good:

Button Covering Service. 6 Buttons using your own bespoke fabric | eBay

You send them fabric and they make them up, mostly plastic backed which is good for boat work.

.

Just took the cushions out of storage for the coming season.........half of the buttons have broken without even being used. Plastic attachments are not strong enough for upholstery.

.