Don’t Toss That Old Sofa Out Yet

At one time or another, every furniture-owner faces the dilemma of “should we buy new or reupholster the old piece?�

Buying new might seem less costly, but a well-made sofa or chair or a prized antique might be worth reupholstering. But with labor costs so high, the only way to make it pay off is to save money on the fabric. The Foam Mart in Burbank is one source for great deals on quality fabrics.

For 26 years, the Foam Mart has been buying close-outs and discontinued upholstery fabrics from major mills and selling them at liquidation prices. Plan on saving half on the original retail price. These might not be the latest patterns or designs, but creations of recent years can be more appealing than those fresh from the mills.

A splendid and ageless Italian tapestry from Barston Mills that lists for $60 is $29.95. It would make a great footstool, chair or wall-hanging.

Sometimes fabrics are discounted more than 50%. One particular cotton print I loved and had priced at another discounter for $12.50 was tagged $4.89.

A good inventory of Southwest pastels by ChristTone, a local manufacturer, takes up one section of the 8,000-square-foot warehouse. One stunner was $18.50, discounted from $37.50.

An array of vinyls for around $10 a yard could cover every RV in the San Fernando Valley, and 60-inch-wide duck canvas that retails for $16 to $20 has an everyday price of $9.75. The animal activists will like the selection of fake furs from the Mauldon Mills; one diamond design white “mink� was $17.99, again half the regular $35 price.

Some designer fabrics with names such as Schumacher/Waverly and Westgate grace the shelves in this bare-bones warehouse. The only drawback is that the yardage in some patterns is limited to 20 or 30 yards and in most cases cannot be reordered.

If you have the talent for reupholstering, the Foam Mart has a complete selection of equipment and materials--needles, thread, webbing, cambric and Velcro by the yard. The Foam Mart will do custom upholstery, cushions for boats, window seats, etc., at better than competitive prices: $450 for a standard seven-foot sofa, for example, $250 for a standard wing chair.

And, of course, there’s foam in just about every density made. They’ll cut it into any shape you need. Service is paramount, and if you need to fill some pillows, bring them in, buy the foam and experts will stuff them free.

The Foam Mart is at 628 N. Victory Blvd., Burbank, (818) 848-3626. It is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. MasterCard and Visa are accepted.