Re-upholstering Pub Booths and Banquettes: When to Re-cover and When to Replace

Short answer: Re-cover fixed seating when the frames are sound, the layout still works and only the covers or foam have worn; replace it when the frames are loose or damaged, the layout no longer suits your trade, or the existing build makes re-covering almost as costly as new. Whichever you choose, the new cover, interliner and foam must meet the fire requirement for your venue, normally BS 7176 medium hazard for a pub or restaurant.

Fixed seating does not wear out evenly. Seat fronts go first, then the ends that face the gangway, then the tops of the backs where chairs and heads rub. Understanding that pattern is the key to deciding what to do, and to buying seating that is easy to refresh next time.

How do you know when fixed seating needs attention?

Walk the room in daylight with the lights up and check each run against this list:

Re-cover or replace?

Re-covering makes sense when:

• The frames are solid and joints are tight.
• The layout, lengths and heights still suit your trade.
• The seating can be removed, or covers can be stripped in place, without damaging walls or panelling.
• You want a new look without disturbing the room.

Replacement makes sense when:

• Frames are loose, split, damp-damaged or infested.
• The seating was built in a way that makes stripping it slow and difficult, for example covers stapled behind fixed panels, or backs built into the wall.
• You want to change the layout, add capacity or improve access.
• The existing composite cannot be shown to meet the current fire requirement and would need full re-foaming anyway.

As a rule of thumb, once a job involves new foam throughout, new covers throughout and significant frame repair, it is worth pricing new seating alongside it. New seating can also be designed to be easier to refresh next time.

What does re-upholstery involve?

1. Survey. The upholsterer inspects frames, foam and fixings and takes measurements.
2. Fabric selection. You choose a cover and the upholsterer confirms its fire performance with the proposed interliner and foam.
3. Removal or in-situ work. Seat cushions and pads can often be taken away; fixed backs may be stripped and re-covered on site.
4. Strip and inspect. Old covers and, usually, old foam are removed, and the frame is checked and repaired.
5. Re-foam and re-cover. New foam, interliner and covers are fitted.
6. Re-fix. The seating is refitted, levelled and fixed.

Expect the venue, or at least the affected area, to be out of use while fixed backs are worked on in place. Removable cushions can be done off site with little disruption.

Fire safety when re-upholstering

Re-upholstery is one of the most common ways non-compliant seating enters a venue. A decorative fabric is chosen, fitted over whatever foam is there, and the original fire performance is lost.

For a pub, restaurant or hotel, the re-covered seating should normally meet BS 7176 at medium hazard, which includes the BS 5852 Crib 5 test. Remember that BS 7176 is about the composite:

• Ask for the cover's fire test results, and check which foam and interliner they were tested with.
• Use combustion-modified high-resilience (CMHR) foam, or the foam specified in the test.
• Use a fire-barrier interliner where the cover requires it.
• Keep the documentation with your fire risk assessment.

Your fire risk assessor confirms the hazard level for your premises. For a detailed explanation see our guide to BS 7176 and Crib 5.

Should the foam be replaced too?

Usually, yes. Foam in a busy seat loses height and resilience long before the cover wears through, especially along the front edge where guests sit and slide. Fitting a new cover over tired foam produces a seat that looks fresh for a few weeks and then sags into the old hollow. Replacing the foam at the same time also lets you confirm exactly what is inside the seat, which matters for fire documentation.

A quick test: press the front edge of the seat firmly with your palm. If it bottoms out against the frame, or stays dented for several seconds, the foam has done its work. Ask for combustion-modified high-resilience (CMHR) foam of a firm seating grade, a softer layer or wrap for comfort, and a firmer front edge.

Choosing a fabric for re-covering

For seats in busy pubs, a Martindale abrasion rating of at least 40,000 cycles is a common contract benchmark, and many specifiers ask for more on seats. Backs can use slightly lighter fabrics. Choose cleaning-friendly fabrics and check they tolerate the products your team actually uses.

Designing seating that is easy to refresh

If you are replacing seating, specify it so the next refresh is quick and cheap. The most useful features are:

1. Removable seat cushions, lifted out or fixed with concealed fasteners rather than stapled to the frame.
2. Separate back pads on press studs or hook-and-loop, so one damaged pad can be swapped. See the Quickfix Pad Booth.
3. Zipped covers, which can be taken off for cleaning or replacement. See the Second Skin Zip-Cover Booth.
4. Replaceable wear parts, such as a seat-front strip and end guards, so the two places that wear first can be renewed without re-covering. See the Long-Service Wear-Edge Booth.
5. Timber or metal ends on runs that face a gangway.
6. Spare covers or pads ordered with the original seating, in the same fabric batch, so colours match.

Step-by-step: planning a seating refresh

1. Audit every run against the table above and photograph the worst areas.
2. Decide re-cover or replace for each run, not for the whole room at once.
3. Agree the fire requirement with your fire risk assessor.
4. Choose fabrics with test data that matches the proposed foam and interliner.
5. Plan the work around trade: off-site cushion work first, in-situ backs on closed days.
6. Order spares in the same batch.
7. File the documentation with your fire risk assessment.

Common mistakes

• Re-covering over old foam. It saves little, feels worse and may not meet the fire requirement.
• Choosing fabric by colour alone. Check abrasion, cleaning and fire data before the swatch goes on the mood board.
• Doing the whole room at once when only the seats on the busiest run need attention.
• No spare covers. A matching replacement from a later batch can look noticeably different.
• Losing the paperwork. Without test documentation, you cannot show what the seating is made of.

FAQ

How often should pub seating be re-upholstered?

It depends on trade, fabric and cleaning. Busy seats in high-traffic areas wear first; many venues re-cover selected runs between full refurbishments. Designs with removable pads let you refresh only what has worn.

Is it cheaper to re-cover or replace booths?

Re-covering is usually cheaper when frames are sound and foam can be replaced easily. When frames need repair and everything must be re-foamed, new seating designed for easy maintenance can be better value over its life.

Does re-upholstered seating need to meet fire regulations?

Yes. In a pub or restaurant the re-covered composite should normally meet BS 7176 medium hazard. Confirm the requirement with your fire risk assessor and keep the documentation.

Can you supply replacement covers for seating you made?

Yes. Covers, pads and wear parts for our serviceable designs can be supplied to the same specification as the originals.

Can you re-cover seating made by someone else?

We manufacture new seating rather than carrying out on-site re-upholstery. For existing seating from another maker, a local contract upholsterer is usually the best route.