The Dangerous Side of Traditional Upholstery Techniques
- Kerri Rogers
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
For centuries, traditional upholstery was done entirely by hand only using the materials and techniques available at the time - long before modern safety standards or ergonomic tools existed. While these methods were incredibly skilled and innovative in their era, some of them also came with serious drawbacks for upholsterers and homeowners alike.
Historic upholstery practices were often messy, hazardous, and physically demanding. Today, many of these techniques have (thankfully) been replaced with safer, cleaner, and more reliable alternatives, but they remain an important part of upholstery history and craftsmanship.
Traditional Upholstery Materials and Methods We (Typically) No Longer Use:
Stuffing Materials in Early Upholstery:
Before modern, standardized materials such as foam and synthetic batting, upholsterers relied on whatever was readily available to them to build comfort and shape into furniture.
This included a variety of materials, such as:
Spanish moss
Straw or hay
Seaweed (dried)
Wood shavings or coir (coconut husk fibres)
Animal hair (especially horsehair) and wool
In some Victorian pieces, stuffing was layered in a “progressive density” system, with coarse materials on the bottom, and softer, more pliable materials near the top.
Why These Upholstery Stuffings Fell Out of Favour:
These organic materials were effective at the time, but absorbed moisture, held odours, and could harbour insects or pests. Many antique pieces opened during restoration still contain decades (or centuries) of accumulated debris and odours hidden beneath the surface...almost like a mini ecosystem!
Discovering fillers such as these can be helpful in determining the relative age of a piece, and are always a unique find.
Early Upholstery Adhesives: Hot Hide Glue
What Is Hide Glue?
Before synthetic adhesives, upholsterers used hot hide glue. Hot hide glue is an organic adhesive derived from animal collagen, which becomes very strong and rigid as it cools. It was used for wood-to-wood frame repairs, attaching decorative wood pieces, or securing leather in high-end pieces.
Hot hide glue had to be:
Prepared - by mixing dry hide glue crystals with water and allowed to soak
Heated - using a hot glue pot or double boiler, to approximately 135F - 145F and reheated constantly
Applied - using a brush as quickly as possible, as it begins to set in 1-2 minutes
Clamped - as it needs to be left to cure for a full 24 hours to set completely
The Hazards of Traditional Hide Glue:
Working with hot hide glue could be difficult and dangerous. Upholsterers often worked with open heating pots and high heat temperatures for extended periods of time. Burns and scalding injuries were common risks, especially in busy workshops where the glue had to be handled quickly before it began to set. The glue also produced strong odours during preparation, and because it spoiled easily, batches had to be made fresh on a regular basis.
While rarely used today, there are still traditional upholsterers, woodworkers, and luthiers (skilled craftspeople who build, repair, or restore stringed instruments), who choose to use this more traditional medium.
Fun fact: hot hide glue is actually reversible with heat and moisture (for better or worse…), which is why some wooden antique furniture frames can be more easily repaired or wooden pieces reattached!
Spit Tacking and Magnetic Upholstery Hammers:
Before upholstery staples, everything was secured using tacks. Depending on the size and complexity of the piece, hundreds, or even thousands of tacks were used! These upholstery tacks were primarily used between the 1600s to late 1800s before widespread industrial nail manufacturing, and due to being hand-forged, often had slight irregularities and a square or rectangular shank (as opposed to modern round ones).
Before modern staple guns and nails, upholsterers developed a method called spit tacking to work more efficiently.
What is Spit Tacking?
Spitting tacks is a (dangerous) traditional upholstery technique in which an upholsterer holds tacks in their mouth, using their tongue to position the tack between their teeth. They would then spit the tacks one by one onto a magnetic tipped hammer. This method was not only favoured for its speed, but also because it allowed the upholsterer to tack with only one hand, leaving the other hand free to position and secure fabric.
Here is a video demonstrating the traditional tack spitting method:
This method could be very dangerous, and often lead to chipped teeth, punctured gums, and even swallowed tacks (yikes!).
Now, we use pneumatic staple guns in upholstery to secure material. Modern tacks are still used, but can be more elaborate or serve as decorative elements as well.
Coal Tar, Early Fireproofing & Deadly Dyes:
Why Upholstery Needed Fireproofing:
In the 18th and 19th centuries, homes were heated and lit by coal fireplaces, oil lamps, gas lighting, and candles. Furniture was highly flammable, mostly due to the materials used for stuffing, such as horsehair, dry straw, cotton batting, and linen webbing.
After a series of devastating theatre fires in the late 19th century, public pressure grew for safer interior materials. Upholstered seating, especially that in theatres, trains, and public halls became a major focus.
What is Coal Tar?
Coal tar is a thick byproduct of coal processing. Although widely available, it contains a complex mixture of chemicals, many of which we now know are hazardous with long-term exposure.
Coal Tar as an Early Upholstery Treatment:
Coal tar was used adjacently in upholstery as an early flame-retardant textile treatment. It was applied to textiles as a means of waterproofing and rot resistance, creating a barrier between the dry (and flammable) stuffing material.
Coal tar was also used to create synthetic aniline dyes, being used as a base and mixed with other materials (such as arsenic) to create vibrant mauves, reds, and greens, allowing bright and colourful textiles available to those beyond just the wealthy elite. Simply touching textiles dyed with arsenic could cause arsenic poisoning, leading to skin lesions and due to textile shedding, life threatening respiratory issues.
Fabrics were often treated with coal tar before arriving at upholstery workshops, however, workers who handled these materials often did so in poorly ventilated spaces, and prolonged exposure could be hazardous to both workers and homeowners alike.
While considered innovative at the time, these treatments would certainly not meet modern health or environmental safety standards today.
How Modern Upholstery Has Changed:
Safer Materials and Better Practices:
Modern upholstery still borrows from traditional craftsmanship, but today’s materials and tools prioritize safety, durability, and ergonomics. Modern upholsterers now commonly use:
High-density foam and synthetic batting
Low-VOC adhesives
Pneumatic staple tools
Safer, fire-resistant materials
Ergonomic equipment and ventilation systems
While antique upholstery methods remain fascinating to study, and are sometimes preserved during authentic restorations, many historical techniques have (thankfully) been retired in favour of cleaner and safer alternatives.
Traditional upholstery techniques reveal just how much craftsmanship, ingenuity, and physical labour went (and still goes) into furniture making centuries ago. While many of these methods helped shape the foundations of modern upholstery, they also came with significant risks. Preserving and restoring antique furniture still requires an understanding of these traditional methods, but thankfully, modern materials and safety standards allow us to achieve comfort, durability, and craftsmanship without many of the hazards of the past.
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