Service
Armchair and wing chair reupholstery
Armchairs, wing chairs, recliners and antique or traditional chairs stripped back, rebuilt and recovered in our Stalybridge workshop. Armchairs and wing chairs are a major share of the work we do.
Advice first
We tell you what is worth doing before you spend on fabric or repair work.
Quoted clearly
Photos, sizes and fabric choices become a written price, not a vague estimate.
Built properly
Frames, foam, stitching and finish are checked so the work lasts in daily use.
Working with us
How it works.
Strip to the frame 
Check the springs 
New webbing 
Chalk and cut 
Hand-finish 
Finished
- 01
Free quote
Call, email or pop into the shop. Send a photo of the chair from the front and side. We give honest, transparent estimates with a comprehensive breakdown of costs, no surprises.
- 02
Choose your fabric
Pick from our Stalybridge showroom (Cristina Marrone, Ross, Sunbury, Warwick, Wemyss, Agua and more) or supply your own. We'll tell you exactly how many metres you need including pattern repeat.
- 03
Collection
We collect across Greater Manchester for a small charge. We'll plan tight stairs and doorways with you before we arrive.
- 04
Strip and rebuild
Frame inspection, webbing, springs and foam. Hand-stitched where it counts. Every panel chalked and matched before cutting.
- 05
Delivery
Returned and placed in position. Two-year craftsmanship guarantee on production and contract pieces.
In scope
What we cover.
- Armchairs, wing chairs, club chairs and tub chairs recovered or rebuilt
- Recliner and riser-recliner chairs recovered (repairs to mechanisms are on our repairs page)
- Antique and traditional chairs rebuilt with hand-tied springs and traditional methods where they warrant it
- Strip back to the frame, replace webbing, springs and foam where needed
- Hundreds of fabrics in our Stalybridge showroom, from the mills we buy from
- Free, no-obligation quotations: in shop, on site or by photo
- Two-year craftsmanship guarantee on production and contract work
The detail
Questions people ask about armchair and wing chair reupholstery.
Armchairs and wing chairs are a major share of the work that comes through the Stalybridge workshop, and this is the page for them. We also do general reupholstery in Greater Manchester: pieces are stripped back, rebuilt and recovered from the frame up. Sofas and suites have their own page, sofa and suite recovering.
Armchairs
Most armchairs we see have a tired seat, worn arms and a back that has lost its shape. We inspect the timber and webbing, replace foam and springs where they need it, and rebuild from the inside out before the new cover goes on. Club chairs and tub chairs get the same treatment. Pick something cheaper for the fabric and the quote drops accordingly.
Wing chairs
Wingbacks have more panels, more shaping and more hand-stitching than a plain armchair. Every panel is chalked and matched before cutting, so the wings, arms and back line up when the chair is finished. A wingback armchair typically runs from £450 to £650 plus fabric.
Recliners
We recover recliner and riser-recliner chairs, and can match a recover to the shape you already have. If the mechanism is the problem rather than the cover, see our repairs and restoration page.
Repairs to a riser recliner (the kind that lifts you to standing) can be zero-rated for VAT if the chair is for someone who is chronically sick or disabled. You sign HMRC’s eligibility declaration and we confirm on the quote whether the job qualifies. The details are in our FAQ.
Antique and traditional chairs
Pieces with character (wingbacks, chesterfields, mid-century arms, anything genuinely worth keeping) get the traditional work: hand-tied springs and hand-stitched edges where the construction calls for it. Pieces that don’t get modern construction, fire-retardant fabrics and a careful finish. Either way, you get a piece that’s been judged and rebuilt rather than processed. Frame and spring repair work is on our repairs and restoration page.
Quotations, free of charge
Transparency is the cornerstone of our service. We provide complimentary, no-obligation quotations for every piece we look at, by phone, email, in shop, or on site for larger commissions. Our quotes are itemised in writing so you know exactly what’s covered: fabric metreage, foam, springs, webbing, frame work, collection and delivery. No surprises after the work starts.
Fabric is the biggest variable in any quote, so we use around £30/metre as a guide price when we estimate. Our UK reupholstery cost guide shows the wider ranges.
A wealth of fabric selections
Step into our Stalybridge showroom for the full range: pattern books from the mills we buy from, hundreds of fabrics, real and faux leathers. Cristina Marrone (Cambio, Galleria, Destino, Venezia, Extravaganza), Ross Fabrics, Sunbury Design, Warwick Fabrics, Wemyss, Agua, J Brown, Art of The Loom, Crest Leathers, Futura Leathers, Nene Valley Leather, Chieftain Fabrics. From £15-per-metre everyday weaves through to £120-per-metre Italian jacquards.
Effortless online requests
Can’t make it in? Use our home upholstery quote form: fill in details about your chair, fabric ideas if you have them, rough measurements, and our specialists will reply with a personalised quote, usually the same day. Photos help us quote accurately first time.
How long does it take?
Most domestic projects take two to four weeks from collection to delivery. We’ll agree the timeline up front and stick to it. Bigger jobs (including contract pieces) can run longer; we’ll always tell you before we start.
Nearby towns we cover. Our workshop is in Stalybridge, and we quote armchair and wing chair reupholstery from photos for customers in Wigan, Stockport, Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham and Manchester.
What customers say
From customers who have used this service.
“We recently had two leather armchairs re-covered. The workmanship was second to none, absolutely fantastic. We went for a large check pattern and didn't realise what a difficult job it was going to be for them matching all the lines up, well they did an awesome job, we are so impressed and very happy with the end result. I highly recommend Valley Upholstery if anyone is thinking of updating their furniture, well done and thank you.”
“Knowledgeable help throughout, excellent communication and beautiful craftsmanship on the reupholstery of my 1950s armchair. Hugely recommend!”
“In summer of 24, I had my dining chair seats recovered. Valley Upholstery did a fantastic job. A few months later, I decided I wanted a new suite, but couldn't find one I liked, so I went back to Valley and we discussed recovering my existing leather reclining sofas. There was such a lot of choice. John was very helpful and advised me of different materials I could choose from. I chose a very hard wearing product called Toro. Alan and Karl took one sofa at a time being very careful not to bang other furniture and wallpaper on the way out, and it was returned a few days later looking stunning. Amazing job! I can't fault them. 5* service. Thank you.”
Frequently asked
Common questions about this service.
- How long does reupholstery take?
- Most domestic projects take two to four weeks from collection to delivery. Caravans usually run two to three weeks. Single dining chairs are often back within a week. We agree the timeline up front and stick to it.
- Can I choose any fabric or leather?
- You can choose from hundreds of fabrics and leathers in our Stalybridge showroom: Cristina Marrone, Rosemount Fabrics, Ross Fabrics, Sunbury Designs, Warwick, Wemyss, Agua, Futura Leathers, Crest Leather, Nene Valley Leathers and more. Prices run from about £15 per metre to around £120 per metre.
- Do I pay VAT on repairs to a riser recliner?
- Not if the chair qualifies and so do you. A riser recliner (one whose seat lifts you to standing and lowers you back down) is equipment HMRC treats as designed for disabled people. Repairing or maintaining one for someone who is chronically sick or disabled can be zero-rated, and so can the foam and fabric that go into the repair. Adapting an ordinary chair to suit someone's condition, for example raising the seat height, can be zero-rated too. A recliner without the lift does not qualify, age on its own does not count, and chairs a care home buys for general use pay VAT as normal. Before we start, you (or a family member, carer or guardian signing for you) fill in HMRC's eligibility declaration. Tell us when you ask for a quote and we will say on the quote whether the job is zero-rated. HMRC's rules are in VAT Notice 701/7.
- Do you take a deposit?
- For most jobs we ask for a deposit on confirmation, with the balance due on delivery. Larger commercial and contract jobs are invoiced on agreed milestones.
- What guarantee do you offer?
- Workmanship is guaranteed, with a two-year craftsmanship guarantee on production and contract work. Fabric durability is governed by the supplier's own rub-test rating; we'll explain that when you choose.
- Do you remove the old upholstery first?
- Always. We strip every piece back to the frame, inspect the timber and webbing, replace foam where needed, and rebuild from the inside out.
- Can you do antique restoration?
- Yes. We can use traditional methods (hand-tied springs, horsehair, hessian) if a customer wants it and where the piece warrants it.
Ready to price the upholstery?
Send photos, rough sizes and what you want changed. We’ll tell you the sensible route and quote it clearly.