How to Reupholster Fabric Panels on an RV Sleeper Sofa

X-HT-300577

It's easy to add new fabric to your backer board project. In this video, we show you how to remove the existing fabric and use it as a template to pattern your new fabric. We also show you how to inspect and check the foam to see if it needs to be replaced or not. You can find upholstery fabric, foam, staple guns and all the supplies you need for this project at Sailrite®. Let's get started.

Video Chapters:

Intro — 0:00 min.
Determining Required Fabric & Removing Old Fabric — 0:29 min.
Cutting Fabric & Replacing Foam — 2:32 min.
Stapling Fabric to Backer Board — 4:37 min.
Removing Old Foam from Backer Board — 10:22 min.
Gluing Foam to Backer Board — 11:11 min.
Stapling & Folding Fabric Over Foam — 13:54 min.
Fastening Side Panels With Screw Covers — 21:32 min.
Materials & Tools List — 22:38 min.

Materials List:

Decor & Upholstery Fabric from Sailrite - We used Crypton^® Home Nomad Indigo (#122984)
Fabric Backed Sew Foam 58" (#124306)
21 Gauge 3/8" (10mm) Staples 5,000/Box (Galvanized) (#58010GZ)
21 Gauge 1/4" (6mm) Staples 5,000/Box (Galvanized) (#58006GZ)
Snap Together Screw Covers Black (Diameter 1/2") (#123382)
3M™ General Trim Spray Adhesive (#73211)
#8 Flathead Wood Screws

Tools List:

Staple Lifter (#120037)
Sailrite^® Long Nose Upholstery Staple Gun (#121411)
Gingher^® 8" Scissors Right Handed (#19104)
Razor Blade, Screwdriver, Putty Knife, Electric Kitchen Knife

How to Reupholster Rv Sofa Side Panels 2 — The before and after of our three-part RV sleeper sofa video series.

This project is part of our three-part series on how to reupholster the sleeper sofa in an RV. Also known as a jackknife sofa, it’s easier than you think to reupholster a pull-out sofa. Even if you don’t have much upholstery experience, our tutorial videos break down each part into step-by-step tasks without leaving out any of the detail or explanation. At Sailrite, we pride ourselves on being your go-to resource for all of your DIY sewing needs. Not only do we have all the supplies you need to sew for your vehicle, home, boat, patio and more, we also have an extensive library of free how-to content so you can make your DIY dreams a reality.

How to Reupholster Rv Sofa Side Panels 3 — Our RV jackknife sofa has backer board panels on both sides and the bottom front.

In this backer board upholstery video, we’ll show you how to remove the existing fabric and pattern your new fabric, how to remove the old foam and glue new foam in its place, and how to cut and staple the new fabric in place. Finally, we’ll install the new backer board on our RV sofa and show the completed project.

If you’re upholstering your entire RV sofa, be sure to check out the accompanying videos in this three-part series. We’ll show you how to reupholster the backrest (#300575XHT) and the seat (#300576XHT) of an RV jackknife sofa.

With fabric, foam, tools, hardware, notions and more, Sailrite is your one-stop shop for all of your DIY sewing needs. Let us know how your sleeper sofa upholstery projects turned out. Post photos in the comments section below, or tag us on social using #Sailrite so we can see your incredible before-and-afters.

If you want to view more projects in our RV Renovation Series, click here!