How to Measure a Couch for Upholstery Fabric

Measuring a couch for upholstery can be daunting. After all, a couch is much more complicated than a chair, isn’t it? 

Learning how to measure a couch is not nearly as complicated as you may imagine. But if you still can’t figure it out, you can always contact the experts at Kovi Fabrics for help. Here are the best steps for measuring a couch for upholstery fabric. 

How to Measure a Couch: What You Will Need 

To measure your couch, you must create an estimate, which you can use to get an accurate yardage calculation from an online resource, such as the Kovi Fabrics Yardage Calculator

It is best to draw the sofa to know where you are measuring. This also helps explain your measurements to the upholstering company you use. So you will need the following:

  • Pen 
  • Paper
  • Metal snap-back tape measure
  • A yardstick

Detailed Method to Measure a Sofa for Upholstery Fabric 

Determining the Length of the Sofa

To determine the length of the sofa, you can use the tape measure to calculate the distance across the back of the sofa from one side to the other. Include the armrests of the sofa. 

Determining the Height of the Sofa

The height is the top of the sofa down to the floor. 

To measure this distance accurately, place your tape measure’s start on the floor, then draw the tape up to the top of the sofa’s back. If the sofa’s back is curved, you would measure from the floor to the center of the sofa’s back, then again from the center to the top of the sofa’s back. 

The two measurements combined will give you the total yards of fabric needed to cover the curved back or the sofa’s actual height. 

Measuring the Backrest Length of the Sofa

You will now measure the distance between the two armrests on the front of the sofa. Remove the back cushions if they are removable. Measure straight across the distance, starting at the inside curve of one armrest and measuring to the inside curve of the other armrest. 

Don’t worry about the measurement of the individual cushions of the sofa, as the yardage calculator already includes fabric allowance for this (based on the style of sofa you choose). 

Measuring the Seat Dimensions of a Sofa

Like with the sofa’s backrest, remove the seat cushions if they are removable. Next, measure the distance across your sofa from left to right from the inside edge of each armrest. 

Also, measure from the front to the back of the seat to determine the sofa depth. Remember that the sofa cushions are already factored into the yardage calculator, so there is no need to measure them too. 

Measuring the Seat Height of the Sofa

This is a simple measurement, but it is two parts, so mark it accurately on your drawing. Firstly, measure with your tape measure on the floor up to the seat edge of the sofa where the cushions will rest (without the seat cushions in place). Next, measure from the floor to the bottom of the seat, where the sofa frame ends. 

Measuring the Armrest Height of the Sofa

Finally, measure from the floor to the top of the armrest, which helps you determine the dimensions of the sofa sides. 

You are ready to use the Kovi Fabrics Yardage Calculator to help you determine how many yards of upholstery fabric you need to order for your sofa upholstery project. 

Using the Kovi Fabrics Yardage Calculator to Determine Your Sofa Fabric Requirements

The Kovi Fabrics Yardage Calculator has images of different furniture pieces. Simply click on the image of the furniture item you want to upholster. With chairs and ottomans, the image will show you the item’s style, and it’s a simple matter of choosing the image that most closely matches your chair or ottoman. Each image has a yardage recommendation below it. 

The sofa section is somewhat more complicated. This is where you will require your measurements, so pull out the paper with your sofa drawing and all those numbers you just measured. 

There are four distinct sofa styles on the yardage calculator, each with the sofa length indicated on it. Most of these sofas are either six or seven feet long. Depending on the style of sofa you choose, it will give you the correct yardage required to upholster your sofa. 

If you are still unsure because your sofa perhaps has an odd measurement—and yeah, an eight-foot-long sofa isn’t unheard of—you can contact a Kovi Fabrics consultant who will help you based on the measurements of your own sofa. 

Knowing how to measure a couch can help you provide the information the consultants need to determine how many yards of upholstery fabric you need. You wouldn’t want to order too little fabric, but you also don’t want to have several yards extra when you’ve paid a substantial amount for high-quality upholstery fabric. 

How Many Yards of Upholstery Fabric Does a Sofa Need?

Depending on the length of your sofa and its structure, you may need around 22 yards of fabric for a three-seater sofa and about 14 yards for a two-seater couch or loveseat. This varies based on the dimensions of your unique couch, but other factors also influence the amount of fabric you should order. 

Factors Influencing Your Fabric Requirement

Numerous things can influence your final fabric requirement:

  • Pattern Repeat

If you have a large-scale pattern, you may need to order several yards of extra fabric to match your pattern or design better. After all, you don’t want to sit on the sunflower on the first seat cushion but sit on nothing on the second one. Therefore, you should order at least 15% extra fabric. Still, with large format patterns, you may need to order as much as 50% extra fabric to achieve a professional pattern match across the different sections of your couch. 

  • Fabric Width 

The width of the bolt can also influence how much fabric to order. You may need to order extra fabric if your chosen upholstery fabric is only available in 44-inch-wide bolts. 

  • Couch Design 

Suppose your couch is one of those stuffed marshmallow couches that are uber comfortable but large. In that case, you may need to order a custom amount of upholstery fabric, as the Kovi Fabric Yardage Calculator doesn’t cover oversized sofas. 

Fortunately, the consultants at Kovi are highly trained and working off your measurements, they will be best able to help you determine your yardage requirements. 

The Final Cover

Now that you know how to measure a couch, you won’t be so daunted by learning how to measure your sofa. With a few accurate measurements, you can determine how many yards of that great Damask fabric you’ve been eyeing to get without having to “order a few yards extra—just in case.” 

Measure your sofa, chat with the Kovi Fabrics consultants, and order the exact yardage of upholstery fabric from Kovi’s stunning upholstery range today.  

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