How to Recover RV Jack Knife Sofa?

Are you still not out enjoying the summer holidays? It’s high time you take out your RV and explore the great outdoors.

But before you go anywhere, why not inspect your motorhome to make necessary repairs and make a few improvements to dilapidated components?

Today, we are talking about the jack knife sofa found in most modern and classic recreational vehicles. It is used as a bed, as a place where you sit and dine, and as comfortable seating to read a book. In other words, the jackknife sofa works as a multipurpose seat. But due to its heavy usage, the couch can deteriorate and lose its brand-new feeling.  

Luckily for you, we are here to talk about reupholstering and improving the old sofa and giving it a revamp.

Go To a Professional

The easiest and the most cost-incurring method to recover a jack knife sofa is to visit a professional. One thing is for sure, a skillful worker would do a solid job of reupholstering the sofa and you won’t have to revamp it again after every few years. However, the costs involved in assigning such a job to a professional would be too high for most.

Therefore, if it is your first time doing this kind of stuff, you should not play around and let the professionals do their job. It doesn’t matter how much money you spend, the end result would be satisfactory. However, you should pay attention and look at how these guys work. So, the next time you can try the recovery job yourself, save some money, and help others with your experience.   

After all, once you rekindle your DIY spirit, no mountain is too high to climb!

Buy a New Sofa

For people who don’t want to reupholster the jackknife sofa and they aren’t willing to do the work themselves, the easiest way out is to buy an entirely new couch for their RV.

Yes, the costs here would be higher, as you are buying the frame, the fabric, and the foam at once. But you are not wasting any time.

Plus, buying a new jackknife sofa is the best option for those of you who are not interested in DIY jobs. It is quick, hassle-free, and time-saving.

Do It Yourself

The third and final option is to recover the jackknife sofa yourself. But before you embark on this journey you would require a few specialized tools.

In general, a reupholstering job would require:

A Mallet
Tack pullers
Staple Pullers
Side Cutters
Flat Nose Pliers
Ripping Hammer
Spring Clip Pliers
Pulling Pliers

You can find these tools at your local hardware store with ease. However, if you don’t have a well-stocked hardware store near you, you might have to improvise with some home tools.

STEP 1
You should start by locating the staple pins or the nails that attach the fabric to the frame. Usually, a combination of both staple pins and small nails is used. Therefore, you will need your staple puller and tack puller to help you out.
STEP 2
Once you find the tacks and pins, remove them gently so as not to tear the old fabric. You might have to spend a lot of time during this procedure as there are too many attached to the frame.
STEP 3
Now that the fabric is removed, it is time to inspect the frame and the foam padding. If the frame looks damaged, you might have to replace it, but it is unlikely. The frame is sturdy enough to withstand years of abuse. So, unless you are recovering the sofa for the first time since you bought the RV, replacing parts of the frame is unnecessary.
STEP 4
If the foam padding is too soft or worn down, you should replace it as well. However, make sure you cut the foam into the right size to fit the sofa.
STEP 5
Measure the sofa, cut the fabric to size, and attach it using staple pins, nails, and tacks. Finally, you are done and it is time to show off your revamped jack knife sofa to your loved ones.

Citations

https://www.rvforum.net/threads/jack-knife-sofa-replace-or-recover.87854/
https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/25242428.cfm
https://www.forestriverforums.com/forums/f30/ideas-for-recovering-jack-knife-sofa-2014-wildwood-dbud-202314.html
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f38/jack-knife-sofa-replace-or-repair-192718.html
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Ever since I was a kid, I've been fascinated by travel. I inherited this passion from my parents. Since my college years and to this day, I have had a passion for traveling in a motorhome. I am here to share my experiences with you.

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