BookmarkHow to Install a Sofa Slipcover
Determine your sofa style
1. First determine whether your sofa has a box cushion or a t-cushion design. If your cushions are shaped like a square or a box, you'll need to purchase a box cushion slipcover. If your cushions are shaped like a T, you'll need a t-cushion ship cover.
Plump it up
2. For furniture with straight arms or with wooden arms, wrap the arms with a layer or two of polyester batting before installing the slipcover. You should also use poly-batting or foam to plump up sagging cushions or to hide imperfections on the surface of your sofa.
Covering leather
3. If your furniture is made of leather or a shiny smooth material, use a non-skid rug pad instead of poly-batting. This will ensure that the slipcover stays neatly in place.
Where to start
4. Begin by draping the slip cover over the furniture. Once the slipcover is positioned properly, take a little time to line up the base of the cover, so it's even with the floor on all four sides. The fabric should hang evenly just above the floor surface for a good fit.
Keep in place
5. Next, tuck the fabric of the slipcover under the seat cushions. Wrap it tightly around the cushions. Use rolled up magazines wrapped in large rubber bands or foam pool noodles to help keep your slipcover firmly in place. Simply push the magazine or foam noodle into the seat crevices to keep the seat of your slipcover in place.
Tuck it in
6. Now tuck the excess fabric into the arm and side crevices to create smooth lines. Fold under any excess fabric on the arms and at the top corners to properly adjust for the size and shape of your sofa style.
Loose back cushions
7. If you have loose back cushions that make the sofa difficult to cover, you may want to remove the loose cushions altogether, install your slipcover, and then replace the missing back pillows with coordinating decorative pillows.
Separate seat cushions
8. Using a large plastic bag to cover a seat cushion before putting it into the zippered cover will make it slide in easily. Simply pull the plastic bag off before closing the zipper. Use poly-batting to help smooth the finished appearance and to hide the gap between cushions when placing two or more seat cushions into one separate seat cover.
Smoothing wrinkles
9. It is easy to remove wrinkles from your slip cover without ironing. Place your slipcover in the dryer with a small damp towel on a low heat setting. Remove it after several minutes and install it on your furniture immediately for a smooth look.
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