Expert: Mark H. Miller - 8/6/2006

Question
Hi Mark,

I'm reupholstering my couch in a velvety fabric. Is there a standard convention as to direction for the nap to run? My first thought was to use the fabric so that the smooth nap went down, top to bottom on the back, continuing back to front on the seat cushions.  Or reversed (smooth front to back) on the seat to make it smooth to slide/sit on and to appear to be the same color as the back? Hope I described it adequately.  

Thanks so much!
Debbie Johnson
Santa Cruz, CA  

Answer
Hi Debbie,

You are correct,  the nap - smooth should go down on the back,  both the inside back and outside back.  So when you run you hand from the top of the sofa down to the bottom it should be smooth.  Also, as you said on the cushion the nap should continue and be smooth from the back to the front.  Likewise on the arms,  the nap should be smooth from the top of the arm to the bottom and not from the back to the front.

The reason for this is so that as you sit on the couch the tendency is for you to slide forward, and down on the back.  If you reverse the nap then you will crush or destroy the nap as you sit in the sofa.  

I hope this answers your question, have fun upholstering, so far you are doing real good.

Mark Miller.