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These can be divided crudely into two categories: upholstery tools that you’ll have to buy, and general tools that you probably have already. The golden rule for any tool is that good ones will perform well and last a lifetime, so buy the best you can afford. Whenever you’re out searching second-hand shops and auctions for reupholstery bargains, search for tools as well: fine-quality tools can be bought for a fraction of their brand-new cost.

A basic upholstery tool kit comprises: wooden mallet, magnetic tack hammer, webbing stretcher, tack lifter, 13 cm (5 in) spring needle, 30 cm (12 in) double-ended needle and 25 cm (10 in) stuffing regulator.

Wooden mallet: this is used mainly when stripping, to hammer the tack lifter when removing old tacks and staples. There is no need to spend too much money – a normal carpenter’s beech mallet will do. Soak it in linseed oil for 24 hours before you use it for the first time and you’ll never need to buy another one.

Magnetic tack hammer: an essential upholstery tool. One end of the head is magnetic and acts like a third hand. If you sprinkle some tacks in a small container, you can pick them up, one at a time, with the magnetic end, then tack and hammer home while holding the material in place with your free hand. You can buy expensive bronze-headed versions, but in this case the cheaper ones work just as well.

Webbing stretcher: this is used to tension the webbing in a seat base tighter than you can using your hands alone (see here). They come in various styles, but all use some method or other to grip the webbing and lever against the seat frame to achieve the required tension.

The peg-and-slot version is the least expensive but it is a little slow to use because the webbing needs to be passed through the slot and held by the peg (see photo above). Soak it in linseed oil for 24 hours before you use it for the first time and you’ll never need to replace it.

Tack lifter: used for removing old tacks and staples during stripping, tack lifters come in various shapes, but are all designed to lever out tacks. Loose tacks can be levered out manually, but generally the tack lifter is designed to be hammered with a wooden mallet. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on a tack lifter but, as with all tools, you get what you pay for. Our advice is to buy a good one because you’ll be using it over and over again.

Needles: the spring needle and double-ended needle are used for stitching with various upholstery twines. The former is for sewing springs to webbing and hessian, and for sewing stuffing ties. The latter is for stitching edge rolls, sewing through stuffing ties and for buttoning.

Upholstery skewers: small, bright metal skewers with a loop end and point. Usually 10 cm (4 in) and 7.5 cm (3 in) long, they are used in upholstery applications instead of pins to hold hessian, calico and fabric in place, usually while they are being positioned ready to hand stitch.

Stuffing regulator: this is a strong, thick needle, rather like a knitting needle, with either a flat end or plastic handle. When you cover fibre or horsehair stuffing with hessian or calico, you’ll usually find that the stuffing needs to be distributed more evenly, moved up to make a firmer edge or pushed into corners. This is done by using a stuffing regulator to lever the fibre inside the pad to wherever you want it.

Other tools: in addition to these specialist upholstery tools, you will need a pair of scissors, a tape measure, pincers, a knife and needles for hand stitching.

Sewing machines: most of the projects in this book can be completed without a sewing machine. However, there are some jobs – making cushions and piping, for example – that are impractical without one. For a handful of projects a year, a domestic sewing machine should be perfectly adequate. If you are likely to sew heavy upholstery fabrics on a more regular basis however, you really ought to consider investing in an industrial machine – one that will cope easily with leather and other heavy fabrics.