Published by Upholstery World Auckland · Reading time: 6 minutes
Commercial upholstery in Auckland does not have to mean closing your doors: we reupholster booths, banquettes, café chairs, bar stools and office seating in stages, after hours or over a weekend, using contract-grade materials built for daily heavy use. Café and dining chairs cost $80–$300 each and bar stools $80–$300 each (excl GST); booths, banquettes and office fit-outs are quoted free from photos. We are open seven days, and we pick up and return.
For a business owner, the bill for reupholstery is rarely the biggest cost. The real costs are the covers you lose while seats are away, and a cheap job that looks tired again in a year. This page is about avoiding both.
What commercial seating do you reupholster?
- Restaurant booths and banquettes: seats, backs, foam and, where needed, frame repairs.
- Café and dining chairs: drop-in seat pads through to fully upholstered chairs.
- Bar stools: seat pads, padded backs and wrapped rims. Prices are broken down in what it costs to reupholster a bar stool.
- Office and reception seating: task chairs, boardroom chairs, reception sofas and waiting-room seating.
- Hotel, gym and other venues: see the full list on our commercial upholstery page.
How do you reupholster restaurant booths without closing?
By planning the job around your trading, not ours. The options we use most:
- Staged work. We take a section of booths or a batch of chairs, return them finished, then take the next batch. You decide how many seats you can spare at a time, and the floor never runs short on a busy night.
- Closed days and after-hours. If you close on a Monday, or have a quiet morning, that is when we remove or refit. Booth seats and backs that unbolt can often come out at the end of one service and go back before the next.
- Weekends. We are open seven days: Monday to Friday 8am–7pm and weekends 9am–6pm. For offices that means work happens while the desks are empty.
- Pickup and return. We collect from your premises and bring everything back, so your staff are not loading a van.
- On-site where it makes sense. Fixed banquettes that do not come out can sometimes be recovered in place. Send photos and we will tell you which approach suits.
The single most useful thing you can tell us when asking for a quote is your trading pattern: which days are quiet, when you are closed, and how many seats you can lose at once.
Why does commercial fabric need to be different?
A domestic dining chair might be sat on a few times a day. A café chair can be sat on dozens of times a day, every day, with bags, belt buckles and denim rubbing the same spot. That is why commercial seating uses contract-grade materials.
The standard measure of how well a fabric resists that wear is the Martindale rub test. A sample of fabric is rubbed against an abrasive in a repeating figure-of-eight motion, and the machine counts the rubs until threads break or the fabric’s appearance has noticeably changed. The higher the count, the more wear the fabric can take.
| Use | Common Martindale guidance |
|---|---|
| Light domestic (occasional chairs) | around 15,000 rubs |
| General domestic (everyday home seating) | around 20,000 rubs |
| Heavy domestic | around 30,000 rubs |
| Contract / commercial | 40,000 rubs and up |
For busy hospitality seating we typically specify fabrics rated around 100,000 rubs or more, alongside commercial-grade vinyl and high-density foam rated for commercial seating. Rub count is not the whole story, though. Seam strength, how the material handles cleaning products, and the foam underneath all decide how long a seat really lasts.
Vinyl or fabric for cafés and restaurants?
- Commercial vinyl wipes clean, shrugs off spills and is the usual choice for booths, bar stools and anything near food and drink. Anti-microbial options are available.
- Contract fabric feels warmer and quieter, and suits lounges, hotel lobbies, offices and reception areas. Many contract fabrics now come with stain-resistant finishes.
- Cleanability matters more than most people expect. Ask what your cleaners actually use; some harsh cleaners shorten the life of vinyl and fabric, and we can suggest materials that suit your routine.
Our guide to leather versus fabric upholstery covers the trade-offs in more depth.
Do commercial seats need fire-retardant materials?
It depends on the premises. Some venues, landlords, fit-out specifications and insurers require fire-retardant or flame-resistant upholstery materials and foam. If you have a specification, send it with your photos. If you are not sure, check with your building manager, fit-out designer or insurer before choosing fabric. We can source fire-retardant fabric, vinyl and foam options for commercial jobs.
What does commercial reupholstery cost?
| Item | Typical cost (2026) |
|---|---|
| Café or dining chair | $80 – $300 each |
| Bar stool | $80 – $300 each |
| Booths and banquettes | Quoted free from photos |
| Office, boardroom and reception seating | Quoted free from photos |
All prices exclude GST.
Larger jobs with many chairs, booths or rooms are quoted as a whole, and a set costs less per seat than a single piece because fabric is cut in one batch. See what reupholstering a dining chair costs for what drives the per-chair price.
Is reupholstering cheaper than buying new commercial furniture?
Usually, when the frames are sound. Commercial frames are often built heavier than domestic furniture, and new commercial seating can carry long lead times. Recovering keeps the frames you already have, matches the rest of your fit-out, and avoids waiting weeks with no seating. If a frame is not worth saving, we will say so.
Frequently asked questions
Can you do the work while we stay open?
Yes. We work in batches so you always have enough seating on the floor. Tell us how many seats you can release at a time and which days are quietest.
Can you match our existing colours or branding?
Yes. Send photos in daylight, and if possible an offcut. If only part of the venue is being done, we will help match the new material to what stays. We also offer custom embroidery for logos on seating.
What information do you need for a quote?
Photos of each seating type, a count of each, rough measurements of booths, your trading hours, and any material specification you have to meet.
Do you cover the whole of Auckland?
Yes: Central, East, West, South and the North Shore, with pickup and return.
Get a quote for your venue or office
Send photos of each type of seat, how many there are, and when you can spare them. We will come back with a fixed quote and a schedule that keeps you trading.
WhatsApp +64 22 634 3792 or call 022 634 3792. Quotes from photos are free, or use our contact page.
Read more about commercial upholstery in Auckland, bar stool reupholstery costs, upholstery repairs across Auckland, or how to choose upholstery fabric.
About the author. Viraj is the founder and lead upholsterer at Upholstery World Auckland, working across furniture, automotive, marine and commercial upholstery Auckland-wide. Send photos for a free quote on WhatsApp: +64 22 634 3792.
