Written by the Kehls team · Last updated: 21 July 2026
At 140cm fabric width, a dining chair seat takes 0.5 to 0.75 metres, a wingback chair 5 to 6.5 metres, a two-seater couch 9 to 11 metres and a three-seater 11 to 14 metres. Add 15 to 20% for patterned fabric, and confirm your measurements at the counter before you buy.
If you are working out how much fabric to reupholster a couch, or how much fabric to reupholster a chair that deserves a second life, start with the numbers above. Fabric is sold by the metre, so buying the right amount first time is the difference between an affordable and quality re-cover and a costly second trip. This guide gives you the full metric table, the measuring method and the four adjustments that change the answer.
Contents
- The quick answer: fabric quantities by furniture type
- How to measure your chair or couch before you buy
- The four things that change how much fabric you need
- Yards to metres: converting American charts
- Buying the right amount without overpaying
- Resources
- FAQ
The quick answer: fabric quantities by furniture type
Most reupholstery projects go wrong at the till, not at the sewing machine. Buy one metre short and the replacement roll may come from a different dye lot; buy three metres long and your budget sits on a shelf. So if your real question is “how much upholstery fabric do I need?”, here is the answer at the standard 140cm South African roll width, drawn from decades of trade guidance. Treat it as typical guidance and confirm at the counter.
| Furniture type | Metres @ 140cm (plain fabric) | Pattern repeat allowance (add 15-20%) | Typical Kehls range to browse |
| Dining chair (seat only) | 0.5 – 0.75 m | + 0.1 – 0.15 m | Printed Polycottons, 100% Cotton |
| Dining chair (seat + back) | 1 – 1.5 m | + 0.15 – 0.3 m | Jacquard, Damask |
| Bar stool | 0.5 – 1 m | + 0.1 – 0.2 m | Canvas, Corduroy |
| Ottoman | 2 – 3 m | + 0.3 – 0.6 m | Boucle, Velvet |
| Armchair / club chair | 4.5 – 5.5 m | + 0.7 – 1.1 m | Chenille, Velvet |
| Wingback chair | 5 – 6.5 m | + 0.75 – 1.3 m | Jacquard, Tapestry |
| Recliner | 6 – 7.5 m | + 0.9 – 1.5 m | Chenille, Corduroy |
| Loveseat / two-seater | 9 – 11 m | + 1.35 – 2.2 m | 100% Cotton (bull denim), Chenille |
| Three-seater couch | 11 – 14 m | + 1.65 – 2.8 m | Bull denim, Woven |
| Sectional | 4 – 6 m per section | + 0.6 – 1.2 m per section | Woven, Boucle |
Think of this table as an upholstery fabric calculator you can hold. Large jacquard and damask repeats need more than the 20% allowance, and you can browse all of these fabrics in our upholstery and decor fabric ranges.
Key takeaway: measure your piece, find its row, add the pattern allowance, then round up to the next half metre.
How much fabric to reupholster a dining chair
A drop-in dining chair seat needs 0.5 to 0.75 metres; a chair with an upholstered back needs 1 to 1.5 metres. The 140cm roll width often fits two seat panels side by side, so as a rule of thumb four seats can come out of 1.2 to 1.5 metres. That efficiency makes dining chairs the ideal first project.
How much fabric to reupholster a wingback chair
Plan on 5 to 6.5 metres of plain fabric at 140cm width. Wingbacks carry more panels than their size suggests: wings, wing facings, arms, arm facings, inside and outside backs, seat and cushion. One Pinetown customer stripped an inherited wingback last winter and counted 14 separate panels before walking in with the old cover as her pattern; she left with 6 metres of Tapestry and offcuts to spare.
How much fabric for a three-seater sofa or sectional
If you searched for how much fabric to reupholster a 3 seater sofa, budget 11 to 14 metres plain, and more with a repeat. For a sectional, work per section: 4 to 6 metres each, so a five-piece corner unit can reach 20 to 30 metres. Count your sections before you count your money.
“The couch always takes more fabric than people expect. The outside back alone can swallow two metres, and nobody remembers the cushion boxing until we do the sums together.”
- Retail Sales Consultant, Kehls Cape Town
How to measure your chair or couch before you buy
Asking “how much fabric do I need to reupholster a couch?” is really asking “what is the total area of every panel on this couch?”. The same goes for how much material to reupholster a chair: panel by panel beats eyeballing every time. Here is how to measure fabric for reupholstering in five short steps.
- Map the piece. Photograph it from all sides, then list every panel: backs, arms, seat deck, cushions, facings and skirt. A quick pencil sketch keeps the list honest.
- Measure each panel. Record the widest and longest point of every panel in centimetres, following the fabric over curves and into tuck-aways, not across them in a straight line.
- Add allowances. As a rule of thumb, add 5cm to every edge for seams and stapling, and note which panels must run in the same direction.
- Plan the cut. Sketch your panels onto a strip 140cm wide. Slot smaller panels beside larger ones, then measure the total length of the strip you have filled.
- Round up. Add 10% for safety on plain fabric, plus your pattern-repeat allowance, then round to the next half metre.
What to measure
- Outside back: One large panel, top of frame to floor, plus seam allowance.
- Inside back and seat deck: Follow the fabric deep into the tuck between back and seat.
- Cushions: Each one has a top, a bottom and boxing strips, and often a zip panel.
- Arms: Inside panels, outside panels and front arm facings, measured over the full curve.
- Extras: Skirts, piping and matching scatter cushions all draw from the same roll.
Measuring stripped vs over the old cover
Stripping first is the accurate route: the old panels become your cutting patterns, and you can inspect webbing and foam while the frame is bare. This is the difference between a simple recover and a full reupholster. If you are measuring over an intact cover, add roughly 10% extra, because hidden tuck-aways always run deeper than they look.
Myth: a couch’s front width tells you how much fabric it needs. Reality: fabric wraps, tucks and doubles back, which is why a 2-metre-wide three-seater consumes 11 to 14 metres, not 3.
The four things that change how much fabric you need
Two identical-looking armchairs can differ by metres. These four factors explain why, and checking them before you buy protects both your budget and your finish.
Fabric width: 140cm is the SA standard
Our decor fabrics are sold by the metre from rolls typically 140cm wide, the South African standard. A chart built for narrower cloth will understate what a wide roll can do, and vice versa, so always confirm the width printed on the roll ticket before converting any chart.
Pattern repeat: add 15 to 20%, more for large repeats
Every motif must line up across cushions, backs and arms, and the matching waste comes out of your meterage. As a rule of thumb, add 15 to 20% for patterned fabric, and more for the large repeats found in woven Jacquard, Damask and Tapestry designs. The repeat size is measured in centimetres on the label; the bigger the number, the bigger your allowance.
Piping, skirts and extra cushions
Self-piping is cut from the same fabric in bias strips, so allow an extra 0.5 to 1 metre on a couch, plus the cord itself from our piping cord range. A gathered skirt or a pair of scatter cushions each add roughly half a metre. If the seat has gone soft, this is also the moment to replace the inner: we stock 10 foam densities, cut to size with a same-day service.
Fabric direction: railroaded vs up-the-roll
Railroaded fabric runs its pattern along the roll, letting long panels like sofa backs cut in one seamless piece and often saving fabric. Up-the-roll designs, and pile fabrics like Velvet and Corduroy that must all brush the same way, force one-way cutting and push meterage up.
“Bring us your panel measurements and a photo of the piece. Ten minutes at the counter beats a metre short at home every single time.”
- Trade Counter Assistant, Kehls Pinetown
Yards to metres: converting American charts
Found the perfect chart on an American site, but it speaks in yards? One yard is exactly 0.9144 metres, a figure fixed by the 1959 International Yard and Pound Agreement and published in NIST’s conversion tables [2]. So when a US guide answers “how many yards of fabric to reupholster a chair” with 5 to 7 yards for an armchair, that is 4.6 to 6.4 metres, right in line with our table. Use this fabric yardage chart in metres for the common values:
| US chart (yards) | Metres (rounded) |
| 1 | 0.91 m |
| 3 | 2.74 m |
| 5 | 4.57 m |
| 7 | 6.40 m |
| 10 | 9.14 m |
| 12 | 10.97 m |
| 14 | 12.80 m |
| 16 | 14.63 m |
American charts usually assume 54-inch fabric, about 137cm. That is close enough to our 140cm standard for the converted figures to hold.
Buying the right amount without overpaying
Once you know how much fabric to reupholster a chair or couch, the buying part is simple. Fabric is priced per metre, and the upholstery fabric price per metre varies by range, so your meterage figure is what really sets the budget. Getting that figure right is the single best saving you can make.
Download the Kehls Meterage Chart [1] and keep it with your measurements, then order free fabric samples to test colour and texture in your own light. When you are ready, pop in-store at your nearest Kehls branch in Cape Town, Pinetown or George, where staff will check your measurements before a single metre is cut. We offer free delivery in and around Cape Town, Monday to Friday, and WhatsApp help at every branch.
Whether you’re an upholsterer, a motor trimmer or recovering your first dining chair, Kehls has supplied the trade and public since 1970. Bring your numbers; we will help with the rest.
Resources
- Kehls Fabrics, Meterage Chart (A3 technical chart, PDF): https://www.kehls.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2798-Kehls-tech-chart-update-A3-FINAL-website.pdf
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Special Publication 811: Guide for the Use of the International System of Units, Appendix B conversion factors (1 yard = 0.9144 m exactly): https://www.nist.gov/pml/special-publication-811
FAQ
How much fabric do I need for a loveseat, ottoman, club chair, bar stool or recliner?
At 140cm width in plain fabric: a loveseat or two-seater takes 9 to 11 metres, an ottoman 2 to 3 metres, a club chair 4.5 to 5.5 metres, a bar stool 0.5 to 1 metre and a recliner 6 to 7.5 metres. Add 15 to 20% for patterned fabric. Recliners deserve extra care because the mechanism splits the piece into more panels than a fixed chair, so confirm your figures at the counter before cutting.
Can I reupholster over the old fabric?
Sometimes. If the existing cover is smooth, dry and firmly fixed, one layer over the top works for simple pieces like dining chair seats. Stripping is the better route for anything larger: the old panels become accurate cutting patterns, you can inspect the frame and webbing, and you can replace tired foam while everything is open. We stock 10 foam densities with a same-day cut foam service, so a fresh inner can be ready before your fabric is even measured.
How much does it cost to reupholster a couch in South Africa?
Fabric is priced per metre and varies by range, so meterage drives the fabric cost: a three-seater needs 11 to 14 metres plain, more with a pattern repeat. Multiply your meterage by the per-metre price of your chosen range for the fabric portion; labour is quoted separately by your upholsterer and depends on the piece’s condition. Request free fabric samples and a fabric quote through our contact page, or WhatsApp your nearest branch with your measurements.
Where can I buy upholstery fabric in South Africa?
You can buy upholstery fabric in South Africa at any of our three branches: Cape Town (Maitland), Pinetown in KZN and George on the Garden Route. Trading since 1970, Kehls is one of the largest fabric, fillings and upholstery supply houses in the country, supplying the Upholsterer, Motor Trimmer and Public. Every branch offers WhatsApp help and free fabric samples, and we deliver free in and around Cape Town, Monday to Friday.
Should I buy extra fabric, and how much?
Yes. As a rule of thumb, add 10% to plain fabric and 15 to 20% to patterned fabric, with a larger allowance for big jacquard or damask repeats. The extra covers cutting mistakes, pattern matching and small bonuses like arm caps or a scatter cushion. Buying the full amount in one purchase also keeps every panel in the same dye lot, which matters far more than the cost of half a metre spare.