If speed, durability, and cost-efficiency are your main concerns, staples are best. However, tacks shine when aesthetics and ease of adjustment are your goals. Balancing these factors can help you decide which fastener will best suit your next upholstery project.
Almost any fine wire and medium wire staples can be used for upholstery, depending on your fabric. 20 and 22 gauge staples are the most common staples for upholstery. #7 series staples 22 Gauge, #8 (80) series staples 20 Gauge, and T-50 series staples 20 Gauge are commonly used for these applications.
The Upholstery Tack Strip is used in upholstering to eliminate hand sewing by creating a straight, smooth edge, generally on the outside arms and backs of furniture. During the upholstering process, there will be seams along the edges where it is not ideal to show nails, tacks, or staples.
The BeA 71/16-421 or 401 is basically the gold standard for upholstery staple guns. I own an upholstery business and we have a dozen of them. My gun is 20+ years old. You cab usually pick up a used one on ebay for around $100ish.
Attach the Fabric To attach the fabric, you can either use a regular, manual staple gun or an electric staple gun. I used an electric staple gun because the fabric I was using was thick. I was afraid a manual staple gun might not have the power needed. I started with the back seat cushion of the chair.
Tack strips are the secret to clean, professional-looking upholstery projects. They are used underneath the fabric to create crisp edges and to secure the fabric in place without visible staples.
3/8-inch Staples:
Slightly larger than 1/4-inch staples, these are a popular choice for general upholstery projects. They provide a good balance of holding power and discretion, making them suitable for attaching fabric to frames, securing padding, and attaching trim.
There are pneumatic staple guns, electric staple guns, and hand-held staple guns. Any of those could work, but the ones that I feel work best for upholstery are the pneumatic staple guns. The difference is the pneumatic staple guns have more power.
Fine wire staples range from 20-22 gauge. These staples are ideal for upholstery projects, cabinets, fine wood trim, batten strips, picture frame fitting, wood baskets, plastic parts, molding and furniture assembly.
Staple guns are typically used in woodworking, upholstery, and furniture building. For the most part, either nails or glue can replace a staple gun.
The choice between staples and tacks ultimately depends on your priorities. If speed, durability, and cost-efficiency are your main concerns, staples are best. However, tacks shine when aesthetics and ease of adjustment are your goals.
Use 1/2" (13mm) tacks for general tacking, thick or multiple fabric layers. Use 3/8" (10mm) for fabrics and linings.
These fine wire galvanized staples are used throughout the upholstery industry, 9mm wide and leg length between 6mm and 12mm, 10mm being the most popular. The 10mm leg length are also available in Stainless Steel - 7/10days delivery.
Cut steel, blued tacks are the traditional choice for upholstery fixing.
Electric staplers are excellent for lighter projects, home use, and DIY upholstery, thanks to their portability, ease of use, and quieter operation.
Finewire staple - for fabric, textile and leather
The best option for fastening thin materials, such as reupholstering furniture or tensioning canvas in a frame.
If you're planning to reupholster a chair, sofa or any large piece of furniture, having a high-quality upholstery staple gun is essential. A reliable staple gun ensures you can easily and securely attach fabric and other materials during the upholstery process.
You can reupholster many pieces of old furniture yourself with new fabric. This is both easier and more efficient to do using a staple gun. You always have one hand free so you can do the job quickly and achieve lasting results.
Electric staple guns
Deliver more power and precision than manual, allowing you to work faster. They are effective when stapling in ceilings, corners and tight spaces where hand power is not always enough.
Standard rule
An excellent rule for choosing the right staple length for your application is to take the thickness of the material your fastening and multiply it by three.
Staple Sizes Recommended
¼ Inch (6mm) to ⅜ Inch (10mm) Length: Versatile sizes for light to medium-duty projects, offering a balance of hold and subtlety. Larger Sizes (½ Inch and Above): Only for heavy-duty applications; unsuitable for fine fabrics or delicate upholstery.
Narrow Crown
It's the smallest staple crown size and is useful for trim or other jobs where you don't want the staple to be too noticeable. You may have seen narrow crown staples holding fruit crates, gift boxes or upholstery together, or attaching molding or paneling to walls.