The Upholstery Glossary: English and French Terms

French upholstery has its own vocabulary, built over centuries in Parisian and provincial workshops. Many of these words have no exact English equivalent, and some common translations are simply wrong. Here are 225 terms in English and French, with what they actually mean in the workshop, so you can follow French techniques, read old French manuals, or talk with a French upholsterer without getting lost.

New to upholstery? Start with Guide 1 for beginners, learn hands-on during an upholstery class in Annecy, or find more answers in the upholstery FAQ.

Jump to a section: Frame and Chair Parts · Tools · Webbing and Springs · Stuffing and Padding · Fabrics and Covering · Fixings · Techniques · Sewing · Trimmings and Finishes · Chair and Furniture Types · French Furniture Styles · Walls and Soft Furnishings

01 · 21 terms

Frame and Chair Parts

Every part of a seat, from the rails to the wings.

English	French	What it means
Arm	Accotoir, accoudoir	The armrest of an armchair.
Arm pad	Manchette	The small padded section on top of the arm.
Arm support	Console d’accotoir	The upright piece of wood that holds the arm.
Back	Dossier	The backrest of a chair or armchair.
Back post, upright	Montant	The vertical pieces of the back frame.
Cabriole leg	Pied cambré	The S-shaped leg typical of Louis XV furniture.
Chamfer	Chanfrein	The bevelled edge of a rail, where the fabric turns and is fixed.
Corner block	Tasseau d’angle	A block of wood reinforcing the inside corners of the seat frame.
Curve, shaping	Galbe	The curved profile of a seat, back or frame.
Frame	Bâti, carcasse	The wooden structure of the seat, before any upholstery. See how to prepare a chair frame.
Leg	Pied	The legs of the seat.
Mortise and tenon	Tenon et mortaise	The traditional wood joint used on antique frames, often held by pegs.
Peg	Cheville	The wooden pin that locks a mortise and tenon joint.
Rail	Traverse	Any horizontal piece of the frame, on the seat or the back.
Rebate	Feuillure	The recess cut into the frame to receive the upholstery or a drop-in seat.
Seat	Assise	The part you sit on.
Seat rails	Ceinture	The pieces of wood forming the seat frame, where webbing and fabric are fixed. See Guide 2.
Show wood	Bois apparent	The visible wooden parts of an upholstered piece.
Stretcher	Entretoise	A bar connecting the legs to strengthen the frame.
Top rail	Traverse haute	The top horizontal rail of the back.
Wing	Oreille	The side panels of a wing chair back.

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02 · 21 terms

Tools

The essential tools of a French upholstery workshop.

English	French	What it means
Air compressor	Compresseur	Powers pneumatic staple guns. See the air compressor guide.
Curved needle	Aiguille courbe	For stitching on surfaces you cannot reach from both sides.
Double-pointed needle	Aiguille droite à deux pointes	A long straight needle used to stitch edges and pass through the stuffing.
Foam cutter	Couteau électrique à mousse	An electric knife used to cut foam cleanly.
Glue gun	Pistolet à colle	Used to fix braid and trimmings.
Mallet	Maillet	A wooden or rubber hammer used with the ripping chisel.
Pincers	Tenailles	Used to pull out stubborn tacks and nails.
Pneumatic staple gun	Agrafeuse pneumatique	The professional standard, powered by a compressor.
Regulator	Régulateur	A long metal spike to move and even out the stuffing. How to use a regulator.
Ripping chisel	Ciseau à dégarnir	Used with a mallet to remove old tacks and staples when stripping.
Shears	Ciseaux de tapissier	Large, heavy scissors for cutting fabric and hessian. See the complete tools guide.
Skewers	Houzeaux	The big upholsterer’s pins, long and strong, used to hold fabric and padding in place before fixing.
Spring needle	Carrelet	A strong needle with a triangular point, used to sew springs to the webbing.
Staple gun	Agrafeuse	Manual, electric or pneumatic. See the staple gun guide.
Staple remover	Tire-agrafes	Used to lift staples without damaging the wood.
Tack lifter	Arrache-clous, pied-de-biche	A forked tool to pull out tacks and nails. See stripping a chair.
Tailor’s chalk	Craie de tailleur	Used to mark fabric before cutting.
Trestles	Tréteaux	Supports that raise the piece to a comfortable working height.
Upholsterer’s hammer	Ramponneau, marteau de tapissier	The French upholsterer’s hammer: a light hammer with a long, slender head, magnetic on one end to pick up and drive tacks. See basic manual tools.
Upholstery pins	Épingles de tapissier	Smaller pins used to position fabric and trimmings.
Webbing stretcher	Tire-sangle	Used to tension webbing before fixing it. See basic manual tools.

More details in the basic manual tools guide.

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03 · 10 terms

Webbing and Springs

The foundation of a seat: what everything else sits on.

English	French	What it means
Coil spring	Ressort biconique	A double-cone spring, hand-tied in traditional upholstery. See springs tutorials.
Elastic webbing	Sangle élastique	Rubber webbing used in modern upholstery, often without springs. See webbing tutorials.
Hessian, burlap	Toile de jute, toile forte	The strong, coarse jute cloth laid over the springs or webbing to hold the stuffing. Hessian is the British term, burlap the American one. See where to buy supplies.
Jute webbing	Sangle de jute	The traditional foundation of a seat, woven and tensioned across the frame. See webbing tutorials.
Laid cord, spring twine	Ficelle à guinder	The strong twine used to lash springs.
Pocket spring	Ressort ensaché	Springs sewn into individual fabric pockets.
Sinuous spring, zig-zag spring	Ressort zig-zag, ressort serpentin	A flat, wavy spring used in modern furniture.
Spring unit	Bloc de ressorts	A pre-assembled set of springs, such as a Bonnell unit.
Stitching twine	Ficelle à piquer	Fine, strong twine used for stitching edges and ties.
Tension spring	Ressort à boudin	A long spring stretched across modern chair backs.

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04 · 16 terms

Stuffing and Padding

Natural fibres and modern foams, the comfort layers.

English	French	What it means
Calico	Toile blanche, calicot	The undercover laid over the padding before the final fabric.
Coir	Fibre de coco	Coconut fibre, used as a firm stuffing.
Cotton felt	Feutre de coton	A layer of compressed cotton placed over the stuffing.
Down, feathers	Duvet, plumes	Used to fill soft seat and back cushions.
Foam	Mousse	Used in modern upholstery. Density matters more than thickness. See padding tutorials.
Foam density	Densité	The weight of foam per cubic metre (kg/m³), the key to how long a seat lasts. See which density for a dining chair.
High resilience foam	Mousse haute résilience	A premium foam that recovers its shape quickly.
Horsehair	Crin animal	Premium natural stuffing, springy and long-lasting. See padding tutorials.
Latex	Latex	A natural, elastic padding material.
Memory foam	Mousse à mémoire de forme	A slow-recovery foam that moulds to the body.
Polyester wadding, Dacron	Ouate polyester	A soft synthetic layer wrapped around foam.
Scrim	Toile d’embourrure	The loosely woven cloth over the first stuffing, used to build stitched edges.
Tow	Étoupe	A coarse fibre used as a cheap filling in older pieces.
Vegetable fibre	Crin végétal	Plant-based stuffing, often used for the first layer.
Wadding, batting	Ouate	A soft layer placed under the top fabric.
Wool	Laine	A natural padding layer, soft and breathable.

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05 · 57 terms

Fabrics and Covering

Weaves, widths, repeats and all the words of the fabric trade.

English	French	What it means
Bias	Biais	The diagonal direction of the fabric, which stretches the most.
Bolt, roll	Pièce, rouleau	The full roll of fabric as it comes from the fabric house.
Bottom cloth, dust cover	Toile de fond	The cloth fixed under the seat to finish it.
Bouclé	Bouclette	A fabric with small loops, very trendy on modern chairs.
Brocade	Brocart	A rich woven fabric with a raised pattern.
Coated fabric	Tissu enduit	A fabric with a protective coating, easy to clean.
Colourway	Coloris	One of the colour versions of the same fabric design.
Corduroy	Velours côtelé	A ribbed cotton velvet.
Cotton velvet	Velours de coton	A velvet of medium difficulty to work with.
Damask	Damas	A reversible woven fabric with a tone-on-tone pattern.
Designer fabric	Tissu d’éditeur	A fabric created by a fabric house, such as Pierre Frey.
Directional fabric	Tissu à sens	A fabric with a pattern or pile that must all run the same way.
Dye lot	Bain	Fabric dyed in the same batch. Always order the whole quantity from one dye lot.
Embossed velvet	Velours frappé	A velvet with a pattern pressed into the pile.
Fabric house	Éditeur de tissus	A company that designs and publishes fabric collections. See my favourite fabric brands.
Fabric weight	Grammage	The weight of the fabric in grams per square metre, a good indicator of strength.
Fabric width	Laize	The width of the fabric roll, usually around 140 cm for upholstery.
Faux leather	Simili cuir	Imitation leather.
Fire retardant	Ignifugé	Treated to resist fire, required for public spaces.
Grain	Droit fil	The straight direction of the weave. Keep it straight to avoid pulling.
Half-drop match	Raccord sauté	A pattern that repeats diagonally, shifted by half a repeat.
Horsehair fabric	Tissu de crin	A woven fabric made of horsehair, traditional on French seats.
Jacquard	Jacquard	A fabric with a woven pattern, beginner friendly.
Lampas	Lampas	A rich, complex woven silk fabric, typical of French period furniture.
Leather	Cuir	Hide used as a covering.
Linen	Lin	A natural fibre fabric, beautiful but less forgiving.
Mohair velvet	Velours de mohair	A luxurious wool velvet, easy to work with.
Moiré	Moire	A fabric with a watered, rippled effect.
Offcut	Chute	The leftover pieces after cutting.
Panel, width	Lé	One full width of fabric cut to length. Several lés are sewn together for sofas, walls or curtains.
Pattern placement	Centrage du motif	Positioning the main motif at the centre of the seat and back.
Pattern repeat	Raccord	The distance after which a pattern repeats, key to calculating fabric quantity.
Pile direction, nap	Sens du poil	The direction of the velvet pile. All pieces must follow it.
Plain fabric	Tissu uni	A fabric without pattern.
Plain weave	Armure toile	The simplest weave, one thread over, one under.
Railroaded fabric	Tissu posé en travers	A fabric used sideways, so its width runs along the length of a sofa and avoids seams.
Remnant	Coupon	A short length of fabric left at the end of a roll.
Right side	Endroit	The side of the fabric that shows.
Rub count	Résistance à l’abrasion (Martindale)	The durability of a fabric, measured in Martindale cycles. See upholstery FAQ.
Sample book	Liasse	A book of fabric samples from a collection.
Sateen	Satin	A smooth, shiny fabric, for experienced upholsterers.
Selvedge	Lisière	The finished edges of the fabric.
Silk	Soie	A delicate fabric, for experienced upholsterers.
Silk velvet	Velours de soie	The most demanding velvet to work with.
Stain-resistant	Traitement anti-tache	A treatment that helps the fabric repel stains.
Straight match	Raccord droit	A pattern that repeats at the same height across widths.
Swatch	Échantillon	A small sample of fabric to check colour and texture.
Taffeta	Taffetas	A crisp, smooth silk or synthetic fabric.
Toile de Jouy	Toile de Jouy	A classic French printed cotton with pastoral scenes.
Twill	Sergé	A weave with diagonal lines, strong and durable.
Upholstery fabric	Tissu d’ameublement	Fabric woven to withstand tension and daily use. See the upholstery fabric guide.
Velvet	Velours	A fabric with a short, dense pile. See my favourite fabric brands.
Warp	Chaîne	The lengthwise threads of the fabric.
Weave	Armure	The way warp and weft threads are interlaced.
Weft	Trame	The crosswise threads of the fabric.
Wrong side	Envers	The back of the fabric.
Yardage	Métrage	The quantity of fabric needed for a project.

Choosing fabric for a seat? Read the upholstery fabric guide, discover my favourite fabric brands, and the Pierre Frey collections.

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06 · 6 terms

Fixings

Tacks, staples and nails: how everything holds.

English	French	What it means
Blued tack	Semence bleuie	A traditional tack with a blue anti-rust finish.
Button	Bouton	Used for buttoned upholstery.
Decorative nail	Clou décoratif, clou tapissier	A nail with a visible head, used to finish edges. See choosing finishes during a class.
Staple	Agrafe	The modern alternative to tacks. See staple gun guide.
Tacks	Semences	The small, sharp nails used in traditional upholstery, sold by length (10, 12, 14, 16 mm). See the tacks guide.
Upholstery glue	Colle	Used for foam and trimmings.

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07 · 26 terms

Techniques

The steps of the craft, from stripping to covering.

English	French	What it means
Back tacking	Pose au carton	Fixing fabric with a cardboard strip so the fixing line stays invisible. See covering tutorials.
Blind stitching	Points perdus	Stitches that pull the stuffing toward the edge without showing on top.
Bridle ties	Brides	Loops of twine that hold the stuffing in place.
Calico covering, undercover	Mise en blanc	Covering the padding with calico before the final fabric. See covering tutorials.
Covering	Couverture	Fixing the final fabric. See covering tutorials.
Cutting plan	Plan de coupe	Laying out all the pieces on the fabric before cutting.
Deep buttoning, tufting	Capitonnage	Buttoned upholstery forming diamonds or squares.
Drop-in seat	Siège à châssis	A removable seat upholstered separately from the frame. See beginner projects in Guide 1.
Edge roll	Bourrelet	A stitched or stuffed edge that defines the shape of the seat.
First stuffing	Première garniture, embourrure	The firm first layer that gives the seat its shape. See padding tutorials.
Foam upholstery	Garniture mousse	Upholstery built with foam instead of natural fibres.
Fully upholstered seat	Siège garni en plein	A seat upholstered directly on the frame.
Mitred corner	Angle en onglet	A corner folded at 45 degrees. See the mitred corner tutorial.
Padding, stuffing	Garniture	Building the comfort layers of a seat.
Pleated corner	Pli d’angle	A corner finished with one or two folds.
Relief cuts	Crans	Small cuts in the fabric so it can turn around a post or a curve.
Reupholstery	Réfection	Redoing the upholstery of an existing piece.
Second stuffing	Seconde garniture, mise en crin	The softer layer placed over the first stuffing.
Spring lashing	Guindage	Tying the springs together with twine so they stay in place at the right height. See the springs tutorials.
Stitched edge	Piqûre	Rows of blind and top stitching that build a firm edge.
Stripping	Dégarnissage	Removing the old upholstery, layer by layer. See Strip & Prepare.
Template	Gabarit	A pattern taken from the piece to cut fabric accurately.
Traditional upholstery	Garniture traditionnelle	Upholstery with springs and natural fibres, built by hand. See Guide 2.
Upholsterer	Tapissier	The craftsperson. See how to become an upholsterer.
Upholstery	Tapisserie d’ameublement	The craft of upholstering furniture. See about The Girl with a Hammer.
Webbing (the step)	Sanglage	Fixing and tensioning the webbing on the frame. See webbing tutorials.

All these steps are explained in Guide 2: Core Upholstery Techniques.

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08 · 9 terms

Sewing

Cushions, seams and stitches used in upholstery.

English	French	What it means
Box cushion	Coussin à plate-bande	A cushion with straight sides. See simple sewing in Guide 1.
Boxing, gusset	Plate-bande	The side strip of a box cushion.
Hand sewing	Couture main	Stitching by hand where a machine cannot reach.
Invisible stitch, slip stitch	Point invisible	A hand stitch used to close covers without visible seams.
Loose cushion	Coussin libre	A removable seat or back cushion.
Overlocker	Surjeteuse	A machine that finishes raw fabric edges.
Piping cord	Cordon à passepoil	The cord placed inside piping.
Seam allowance	Valeur de couture	The extra fabric left beyond the seam line.
Zip	Fermeture éclair	Used to close cushion covers.

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09 · 17 terms

Trimmings (Passementerie) and Finishes

Braids, cords, fringes and nails: the final touch.

English	French	What it means
Ball fringe	Frange à pompons	A fringe with small pompoms.
Braid, gimp	Galon	A flat decorative trim glued or pinned over the staples. See finishing tutorials.
Bullion fringe	Frange torsadée	A heavy fringe of twisted cords.
Close nailing	Clous jointifs	Decorative nails placed head to head in a continuous line.
Cord	Cordon, cordelière	A twisted decorative cord.
Covered button	Bouton recouvert	A button covered with the same fabric as the seat.
Cut fringe	Frange coupée	A fringe with straight, cut threads.
Double welting	Double passepoil	Two parallel piped cords, used to hide staples.
Flanged cord, lip cord	Cordon à lèvre	A decorative cord with a flat edge that is sewn or stapled into the seam.
Fringe	Frange	A decorative edge of hanging threads.
Loop braid	Crête	A narrow braid with a looped or scalloped edge.
Piping, welt	Passepoil	A fabric-covered cord sewn into seams. See the piping guide.
Pompom	Pompon	A small decorative ball of threads.
Spaced nailing	Clous espacés	Decorative nails placed at regular intervals.
Tassel	Gland	A decorative hanging ornament.
Trimmings	Passementerie	All decorative braids, cords, fringes and tassels.
Trimmings maker	Passementier	The craftsperson who makes braids, cords, fringes and tassels.

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10 · 24 terms

Chair and Furniture Types

The seats you will meet in a French workshop.

English	French	What it means
Armchair	Fauteuil	A seat with arms. See seats restored in my workshop.
Bench	Banquette	An upholstered bench, with or without back.
Bergère chair	Bergère	A deep armchair with closed, upholstered sides. See bergère projects in Guide 3.
Bridge chair	Fauteuil bridge	A small, compact armchair. See bridge chair projects in Guide 3.
Cabriolet chair	Cabriolet	A French armchair with a curved back, concave to follow the body. See upholster one during the 5-day course.
Chair	Chaise	A seat without arms.
Club chair	Fauteuil club	A deep, rounded armchair, traditionally in leather.
Crapaud chair	Crapaud	A low, deep, fully upholstered Napoleon III armchair.
Daybed	Méridienne	A reclining seat with a raised end.
Dining chair	Chaise de salle à manger	The most common first project, often with a drop-in seat.
Flat-back armchair	Fauteuil à la reine	A French armchair with a flat, upright back.
Footstool	Repose-pieds	A small stool to rest the feet.
Gondola chair	Fauteuil gondole	An armchair whose back curves round to form the arms.
Headboard	Tête de lit	An upholstered panel at the head of a bed.
Loveseat	Causeuse	A small sofa for two.
Marquise	Marquise	A wide, low bergère, between an armchair and a small sofa.
Medallion chair	Fauteuil médaillon	A Louis XVI armchair with an oval back.
Mutton-bone chair	Chaise os de mouton	A Louis XIII chair with legs turned like a bone.
Ottoman, pouf	Pouf	A low upholstered seat, with or without a light frame.
Slipper chair	Chauffeuse	A low chair without arms.
Sofa	Canapé	A seat for several people.
Stool	Tabouret	A seat without back or arms, the ideal first project. See build one during a class.
Voltaire chair	Fauteuil Voltaire	An armchair with a high back and a gentle lumbar curve shaped to follow the body. See Voltaire projects in Guide 3.
Wing chair	Fauteuil à oreilles	An armchair with side wings on the back.

See these pieces restored step by step in Guide 3: Full Upholstery Projects.

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11 · 10 terms

French Furniture Styles

From Louis XIII to Napoleon III, how to recognise a period.

English	French	What it means
Directoire	Directoire	Around 1795 to 1799. Sober lines inspired by Antiquity.
Empire	Empire	Around 1804 to 1815. Straight, solid, majestic shapes.
Louis XIII	Louis XIII	Around 1610 to 1643. Turned legs, square frames, mutton-bone chairs.
Louis XIV	Louis XIV	Around 1643 to 1715. Imposing, richly carved furniture.
Louis XV	Louis XV	Around 1723 to 1774. Curves everywhere, cabriole legs, cabriolet and bergère chairs. See seats restored in my workshop.
Louis XVI	Louis XVI	Around 1774 to 1792. Straight tapered legs, medallion backs, a return to classical lines. See seats restored in my workshop.
Louis-Philippe	Louis-Philippe	Around 1830 to 1848. Comfortable, bourgeois furniture.
Napoleon III	Napoléon III, Second Empire	Around 1852 to 1870. Fully upholstered seats, deep buttoning, crapaud chairs.
Restoration	Restauration	Around 1815 to 1830. Lighter, more rounded shapes than Empire.
Régence	Régence	Around 1715 to 1723. The transition toward Louis XV curves.

Dates are approximate and vary between sources: styles overlap from one period to the next.

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12 · 8 terms

Walls and Soft Furnishings

Fabric on walls and windows, the other side of the craft.

English	French	What it means
Battens	Tasseaux	Wooden strips fixed to the wall to stretch the fabric on.
Curtain	Rideau	A fabric panel hung at a window.
Interlining	Molleton	A soft layer placed behind wall fabric or curtains.
Panel, width	Lé	One full width of fabric, joined to the next to cover a wall.
Pelmet	Lambrequin, cantonnière	A decorative panel at the top of a window.
Tie-back	Embrasse	A cord or band that holds a curtain open.
Wall braid	Lézarde	A narrow braid used to finish the edges of wall upholstery.
Wall upholstery	Tenture murale	Covering walls with stretched fabric.

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