The Upholstery Forum

Is anyone here recovering restaurant booth seats? I would like to start passing out business cards to Restaurants but would like an idea of how long it takes to break one down (bottom and back). Also any pitfalls I may not know about. Any information is greatly appreciated!

I’ve done a few of them, usually they are just covered plywood that either pulls out or has a couple screws securing the cushions to the bench.

I would defiantly try it! I have done quite a bit of this. It can be really profitable if you get the right customers. A lot of restaurants want want to pay you pennies for your work though. They are just like anything else in upholstery. One style of booth can go really fast and another can take days. You just have be be smart about it when your giving prices.

The backs take longer than the bottoms. But if you use one of those electric multi cutting tools. You can cut the staples super fast and that will save you a lot of time.

You raised my eyebrow when I read "electric multi cutting tool". What are you talking about there? We are still just plucking staples like nose hairs. lol

@mrcanvas Check out this old thread.
viewtopic.php?f=6&t=188&hilit=cut+staples

Omg! Why didn’t I think of this?! I bought 2 and we’re training on them now! Just proves the value of surrounding yourself with others in the industry and this forum

Haha happy to have helped! Yes I agree we can all learn a lot from each other!

I have a local bar asking me about booths. They vary in size so I know it’s a rough number. But what do people usually charge to do them? I’m actually busy right now and not sure I want to take them on. Like @John said. Sometimes they don’t want to pay and I feel like is the case. But like to see what others charge.

wow! have been off for sometime now but this cutting staples is a great one. Thank you @John and all for the update.

I saw the angle grinder in use for the first time in John's video. An added reason to continue to learn.

@Cody I'm interested in knowing what others are charging too. When I google restaurant booths there are some pretty inexpensive booths. I couldn't touch recovering them for the price you could buy a new one. Any help here would be greatly appreciated!

@cody, i dont know man but every single professional company I have talked to all want booths. From what I can see Cut multi layers of the same fabric and sew and sew FAST! All overnight work too from what I see. If your ready and need an overnight give me a shout and you can pull me out of the cornfields of Ohio to help.

@mrcanvas, this is the forum to be on buddy.

@mrcanvas, your pitfalls are going to in foam upgades. Who doesnt want the best foam there is and who REALLY know about foam. You may return a bench and they want different foam more cushion at the same price. Then you have the on the price of the memory foam seating then you will be when you cant get paid. Really consider that a business may be doing last minute upgrades in an effort to stimulate the flow of traffic then next month the business is in receivorship and so is your paycheck! Just real life scenarios!

I’ve done some bar and grill work on stools and pads that they put in the booths and I make sure we have a clear understanding of what they’re getting for their $. Any changes will increase the $. I just notice in a post to Cody you’re in Ohio. Where at?

Do you know Mansfield?

Sure do. I’m in Fremont. A little over an hour from Mansfield.

Im hesitant to give any #s on this because its been so long sense I done restaurant furniture and I cant remember the prices. I suggest calling some local shops and asking for a quote. Usually with restaurant furniture its quoted by the foot for labor plus materials.

I hate to seem like the doomsayer but have a can a heavy duty bug spray handy especially if you are knocking them down at your shop. I know several folks who got surprises when opening the vinyl.

@kl4bidn, you brought up a serious health concern people should be aware of. Bed bugs especially travel from seat to seat and country to country on peoples clothes.

That's a great point! i never thought of that.