Project Case Study · Pew Reupholstery

Before and After: Reupholstering Orange Church Pews in Hunter Green

Bright orange pew fabric makes a statement. In this sanctuary it was competing with amber and green stained glass. We reupholstered the pews in a deep hunter green and kept the oak pew ends with their carved crosses. Here is what changed, why the new color works, and how to choose a pew color for your own sanctuary.

Church pews reupholstered in hunter green fabric with oak ends and carved crosses beside stained-glass windows
The finished pews: hunter green fabric, original oak ends, carved crosses intact.

The Pews, Side by Side

Both photos are taken from nearly the same spot, looking down the pew line toward the stained-glass windows. Watch the carved cross on the nearest pew end, the lattice glass, and the gray carpet. None of those changed.

Before Church pews upholstered in bright orange fabric with oak ends and carved crosses before reupholstery
Before: bright orange from seat to top of back. Against amber glass and white walls, the pews were the loudest thing in the room.
After Same church pews after reupholstery in hunter green fabric, stained-glass windows along the wall
After: hunter green, same oak and crosses. The green picks up the green panes in the stained glass and lets the windows lead again.

The takeaway: when the frames are good, a new fabric color can change how a whole sanctuary feels. Nothing structural moved in this room.

Where This Sanctuary Started

These pews were already upholstered, so this was a reupholstery job, not a first-time conversion. The seats and backs were covered edge to edge in a bright orange fabric. The oak pew ends each carry a carved cross, and the frames are square and solid.

The room around them is simple and bright: white walls, gray-blue carpet, and tall lattice windows filled with amber and green stained glass. That is a lot of warm color coming in through the glass. Put orange pews underneath it and everything starts shouting at once.

The good news in the before photo is everything that is not orange. Oak ends like these, with the crosses cut right into them, are the kind of detail a church should keep. New pews would have meant losing them.

So the question was never whether to replace the pews. It was which color would let this room settle down.

Oak church pew with carved end reupholstered in red fabric by McPhail Church Services
Oak ends are worth keeping. This red pew is from a different McPhail project, shown for comparison.

Choosing a New Pew Color: What This Room Teaches

Pew fabric is the largest block of color in most sanctuaries, and it stays for a long time. This project is a good lesson in how to choose it.

Start with what cannot change

Stained glass, wood tone, and carpet are expensive or impossible to swap. Here the green came straight out of the windows, so the pews and the glass now agree.

Pick a color that sits back

Deeper colors let the windows, the altar, and the cross carry the room. Bright colors pull the eye down to the seating, which is rarely where you want it.

Respect the wood tone

Golden oak and hunter green have been paired for generations because they flatter each other. The carved crosses now stand out against the fabric instead of disappearing into it.

Judge samples in your own light

Stained glass tints everything under it. A fabric that looks right in a showroom can look very different at 11 a.m. on a Sunday, so look at samples in the sanctuary itself.

We offer a wide fabric selection with design recommendations and color-matching. More on that is on our church pew upholstery page.

How a Pew Reupholstery Job Comes Together

Changing the fabric on already-upholstered pews follows a steady sequence. Here is how a job like this one runs.

  1. Walk the sanctuary

    The free consultation starts with the frames, joints, and seat boards. If something needs repair, it gets fixed before new fabric covers it.

  2. Choose the fabric and color

    Our fabrics are woven in the U.S. from domestic yarns and built for commercial use. This is where the room’s glass, wood, and carpet guide the choice.

  3. Take off the old fabric

    The old covering comes off, and the foam underneath gets checked. Worn foam is replaced with high-density LUX foam, sized and firmed for the congregation.

  4. Protect the wood

    Oak ends and carved details stay on the pew and are protected while the upholstery work happens around them.

  5. Fit the new fabric

    New fabric is pulled tight and fastened so it sits flat from end to end, with clean edges against the wood.

  6. Reset the room

    The pews go back in their rows, ready for the next service. The upholstery is covered by our 15-year warranty.

McPhail craftsmen preparing church pew panels for reupholstery in their shop
Prepping pew panels in our shop. This photo is from a different McPhail project.
McPhail technician finishing reupholstered church pews inside a sanctuary
Finishing upholstered pews on-site. Also from a different McPhail project.

Pew Fabric Colors and the Rooms They Suit

There is no single right pew color. There is a right color for your room. These are the pairings we see work again and again.

Fabric colorOften suitsWatch for
Hunter or forest greenGolden oak, green in the stained glass, trees outside the windowsCan read dark in a room with small windows
Burgundy or redDark wood, traditional sanctuaries, dark wainscot, like our Lebanon, TN pew upholstery projectCan overpower a small, low-ceilinged room
BlueBlue carpet or glass, lighter wood tonesMatch the carpet closely or clearly contrast it
Gray or taupeLarge, modern rooms with neutral walls and lots of lighting, like our large two-level sanctuaryPick a warm neutral if the wood is golden

If the fabric is fine and the wood is the problem, start with church pew refinishing instead. If you want some padding without full upholstery, look at lay-in pew cushions.

Why Churches Trust McPhail With Their Pews

We are a family-owned company that has worked with churches from Eastern North Carolina to Texas, plus courthouses, funeral homes, and historical buildings. The people who help you choose the fabric are the same people who put it on your pews.

2,000+church pew restorations
30+years of combined experience
15-yearupholstery warranty
100%in-house, no subcontractors
  • A 15-year upholstery warranty. Rare in this trade, and backed by the team that did the work.
  • Color help included. Design recommendations and color-matching to your wood, glass, and carpet.
  • No outside contractors. Upholstery, refinishing, repairs, and installation by our own team.
  • USA-sourced materials. Domestic wood, fabric, and foam, with high-density LUX foam in the seats.
  • Built around your calendar. We schedule around services, weddings, and funerals.
  • Free consultation and quote. Honest advice on what needs doing now and what can wait.

“We appreciate your dedication to your job and concern to complete the installation in a neat and orderly manner.”

Bethel United Methodist ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Clarksville, TN

“I cannot say enough as to how blessed we were to have a man of his honesty and integrity to be a part of the building of our new place of worship.”

Bible Holiness ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Silvis, IL

See more color changes in our before-and-after photo gallery, or read more about the McPhail family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can church pews be reupholstered in a different color?

Yes. This project took pews from bright orange to hunter green. The old fabric comes off, the foam is checked, and new fabric in any color from our selection goes on the same frames.

How do we choose the right color for our church pews?

Start with what will not change, such as stained glass, wood tone, and carpet, and choose a fabric that works with them. Look at samples in your sanctuary’s own light. We offer design recommendations and color-matching to help.

Is the old foam replaced when pews are reupholstered?

We check it on every job. Where the foam has worn down, we replace it with high-density LUX foam and set its size and firmness for your congregation.

Will reupholstering damage carved pew ends?

It should not. The oak ends stay on the pew and are protected while the upholstery work is done. The carved crosses on the pews in this project came through unchanged.

Will our church have to cancel services during the work?

No. We schedule every project around your church calendar, including services, weddings, and funerals, so the sanctuary stays available for worship.

What warranty comes with pew reupholstery?

McPhail Church Services offers a 15-year warranty on church pew upholstery, which is rare in this industry. All of the work is done by our own team.

Ready for a Color Change?

If your pews have a color that no longer fits your sanctuary, the frames are probably worth keeping. Let us take a look and bring the room back together. The consultation is free.

McPhail Church Services, Inc. · 59 Vickers Lane, Autryville, NC 28318 · 910-322-5673

Project Case Study · Large Sanctuary

Before and After: Reupholstering Pews in a Large Two-Level Sanctuary

Most pew projects cover a couple dozen rows. This one filled a main floor and a wraparound balcony. The faded mint-green fabric came off, a neutral gray-taupe went on, and the solid oak pew frames stayed right where they were. Here is what changed, how a reupholstery job this size gets done around a busy church calendar, and what to plan for if your sanctuary is big too.

Large two-level church sanctuary after pew reupholstery, with gray-taupe fabric on every pew on the main floor and balcony
The finished room: every pew on the main floor and balcony in one gray-taupe fabric.
ScaleMain floor plus a wraparound balcony
ServiceChurch pew reupholstery
Starting pointFaded mint-green fabric on oak frames
ResultOne gray-taupe fabric, every frame kept

The Sanctuary, Side by Side

Same room, shot from two different spots. The before photo looks across the main floor from the side. The after photo looks out from the platform. To line them up, find the balcony front, the lighting truss, and the wood doors along the back wall. None of those moved.

Before Large church sanctuary before pew reupholstery, rows of mint-green pews on the main floor and balcony with work underway
Before: mint-green fabric, work underway. Look at the right edge. A saw station and tools sit on the floor, and crew members are working up in the balcony rows.
After Same large church sanctuary after reupholstery, gray-taupe pews in angled sections below the balcony
After: gray-taupe on every row. Same oak ends, same angled sections, same balcony. The room around the pews got new carpet and a lighter wall color too.

The takeaway: size is not a reason to replace. A sanctuary this big can keep every pew frame and still end up looking like a different room.

What a Room This Size Starts With

Start with the pews themselves. Hundreds of feet of them, set in angled sections that fan toward the platform, with more rows stepping up the balcony. Every pew is fully upholstered on the seat and back, with oak ends and an oak cap along the top.

Now look at the fabric. In the before photo the green is not one color. It runs lighter in some spots and darker in others, the way upholstery does after years of people sitting, standing, and sliding in and out. Aisle seats and front rows take the most traffic, so a big room can look patchy long before the frames need anything at all.

And the frames did not need anything obvious. The oak ends are straight and square, the sections are still in line, and the balcony rows match the floor. That is the situation where reupholstery makes the most sense. You are paying to replace the part that wore out, not the part that did not. Smaller rooms follow the same logic, like our church pew upholstery project in Lebanon, TN, where bare wood pews got padding for the first time.

Scale changes the planning, not the principle. More pews means more fabric to order, more sections to sequence, and more Sundays to work around. It is the same job, many more times.

McPhail technician working on upholstered church pews on-site inside a sanctuary
On-site upholstery work in a sanctuary. This photo is from a different McPhail project, shown to illustrate the work.

What Changed, Detail by Detail

Put the two photos next to each other and four things stand out. The biggest one is what did not change: the seating layout of a very large room.

A neutral fabric

Mint green gave way to a soft gray-taupe. A neutral lets the platform and the people be the color in the room, and it will not look dated when the next paint job comes along.

Balcony matches the floor

The balcony rows got the same fabric as the main floor. From the platform, the whole room reads as one pew line instead of an upstairs and a downstairs.

Angled sections kept

The pews still fan toward the platform in the same angled sections, with the same aisles. Nobody had to relearn where they sit, and no one had to redesign the room.

A new palette around them

The church also changed the carpet and lightened the walls. New pew fabric had to fit that new palette, which is why the color choice mattered as much as the upholstery.

How a Large Sanctuary Gets Reupholstered

A big room follows the same process as a small one. It just takes more coordination. The full service overview lives on our church pew upholstery page.

  1. Walk the whole room, balcony included

    The free consultation covers every section. We check frames and joints, note which rows are angled or curved, and flag anything that needs repair before new fabric goes on. We work on pews of any size, curved, angled, or straight.

  2. Choose one fabric for every section

    Our fabrics are woven in the U.S. from domestic yarns and built for commercial use. They are also multi-sourced, which matters on a big order, because a room this size cannot sit half-finished waiting on a shipment.

  3. Set up right in the building

    On large jobs the crew often works from a staging area inside the sanctuary, which is exactly what the saw station and tools in the before photo look like. Keeping the work on-site saves hauling hundreds of pews back and forth.

  4. Work section by section

    Old fabric comes off, foam is checked and replaced with high-density LUX foam where it has worn down, and new fabric is pulled tight. Sections are sequenced around your services, so the room stays usable.

  5. Match the balcony to the floor

    Upstairs rows get the same fabric, the same foam, and the same finish as the main floor. Consistency is the whole point in a room where you can see every pew from the platform.

  6. Walk it again with the church

    Once the last section is done, the rows are back in place and ready for a full house. Every pew is covered by our 15-year upholstery warranty.

McPhail crew carrying a church pew into a church from a work trailer
Moving pews is part of the trade. This photo is from a different McPhail project.
McPhail craftsmen preparing church pew panels for upholstery in their shop
Prepping pew panels in our shop. Also from a different McPhail project.

Planning a Big-Room Pew Project

If your sanctuary has hundreds of seats, a few things are worth sorting out before the first pew is touched.

TopicWhat to plan for
ScheduleShare your full calendar early, including midweek services, weddings, and funerals. The work gets sequenced around it section by section.
Other renovationsIf carpet, paint, or lighting is changing too, say so at the consultation so the schedules line up and the fabric suits the new palette.
Fabric colorPick for the room you will have, not the room you have now. Look at samples in the sanctuary’s own light before you decide. Our orange to hunter green case study walks through one color choice.
BudgetFor about a third of the cost of new pews, existing furniture gets new life. Large rooms can also be phased, with the worst sections first.
RepairsAny loose joint or cracked seat should be fixed before new fabric covers it. Structural work runs through church pew parts and repairs.

If the wood needs attention too, pair the upholstery with church pew refinishing so the oak and the fabric finish together.

Why Large Churches Trust McPhail With the Whole Room

A big sanctuary is a big decision, and the congregation will sit with the result for a long time. We are a family-owned company that has served churches from Eastern North Carolina to Texas, plus courthouses, funeral homes, and historical buildings. The people who walk your room are the people who do the work.

2,000+church pew restorations
30+years of combined experience
15-yearupholstery warranty
100%in-house, no subcontractors
  • A 15-year upholstery warranty. On every pew, whether you have twenty or several hundred.
  • No outside contractors. A big job is not handed off to extra crews. Our own team does the work.
  • Built around your calendar. We schedule around services and events so worship keeps going.
  • USA-sourced materials. Domestic wood, fabric, and foam, with high-density LUX foam in the seats.
  • Any pew shape. Curved, angled, or straight, on the floor or in the balcony.
  • Free consultation and quote. We prioritize what needs attention now and what can wait.

“I cannot say enough as to how blessed we were to have a man of his honesty and integrity to be a part of the building of our new place of worship.”

Bible Holiness ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Silvis, IL

“Mr. McPhail did an excellent job in the restoration of the pews.”

Asbury United Methodist ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Knoxville, TN

See more finished rooms in our before-and-after photo gallery, or read more about the McPhail family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a large sanctuary be reupholstered without replacing the pews?

Yes. This project kept every oak pew frame on the main floor and in the balcony and replaced only the fabric and the worn parts underneath it. If the frames are sound, the size of the room does not change the answer.

Will our church have to cancel services during a large pew project?

No. We work in stages around your services, weddings, funerals, and events, so the sanctuary stays usable while the work moves through it section by section.

Can you reupholster curved or angled pews?

Yes. We work on pews of any size, whether they are curved, angled, or straight. The angled sections in this sanctuary kept their layout exactly.

Can balcony pews be reupholstered to match the main floor?

Yes. In this project the balcony rows received the same fabric as the main floor, so the whole room reads as one continuous pew line from the platform.

How long does a large pew reupholstery project take?

It depends on the number of pews, their condition, and how the work has to fit around your calendar. Many upholstery projects finish within a few days, and larger rooms are scheduled in stages. We give you a real timeline after the free consultation.

What warranty comes with church pew reupholstery?

McPhail Church Services offers a 15-year warranty on pew upholstery, which is rare in this industry. Every stage of the work is done by our own team.

Big Room? Let’s Walk It Together.

If your sanctuary looks more like the before photo than the after, we will walk every section with you, balcony included. The consultation is free, and your church never has to miss a Sunday.

McPhail Church Services, Inc. · 59 Vickers Lane, Autryville, NC 28318 · 910-322-5673

Project Case Study · Lebanon, Tennessee

Before and After: Church Pew Upholstery in Lebanon, TN

This Lebanon, TN sanctuary started with rows of hard, bare wood pews. It ended with fully padded, fabric-covered seats and backs, and it kept every original pew frame. Here is what changed, how a wood-to-upholstered conversion like this comes together, and how to tell whether your own pews are good candidates.

Church pews in Lebanon, TN after upholstery, with red fabric seats and backs on the original dark wood frames
The finished pew line in Lebanon, TN: same frames, same rows, new red upholstery.
LocationLebanon, TN (Wilson County)
ServiceChurch pew upholstery
Starting pointSolid wood pews, no padding
ResultPadded seats and backs, original frames kept

The Lebanon Pews, Side by Side

Both photos come from the same Lebanon, TN sanctuary. Look at the scroll-topped pew ends, the dark wainscot, and the tan carpet. Those never changed. The after shot is taken from the opposite side of the room, which is why the window shows up on the right.

Before Bare dark wood church pews in Lebanon, TN before upholstery, showing worn finish on the seat backs
Before: all wood, no padding. Hard seats, hard backs, and a dark finish worn hazy where shoulders and hands rub the backs every Sunday.
After Upholstered church pews in Lebanon, TN after the project, red fabric on seats and backs with dark wood ends
After: padded and covered, frames kept. Red fabric runs the full seat and back. A slim wood rail still caps each back, and the ends frame the fabric.

The takeaway: if your pews look like the photo on the left and the frames are still solid, they can look like the photo on the right without buying a single new pew.

Where This Lebanon Sanctuary Started

Lebanon is the Wilson County seat, about half an hour east of Nashville. Locals call it Cedar City for the red cedars that cover the area, and the town takes its name from the cedars of Lebanon in scripture. The forest is still there. Cedars of Lebanon State Park sits about 10 miles south of town.

It is also a place with deep roots. Cumberland University was founded here in 1842. Towns with that kind of history tend to have sanctuaries full of solid wood pews, built to outlast everyone who ever sat in them. Comfort was not really the design brief.

That is what the before photo shows. These pews were structurally sound, with heavy scroll-cut ends and long, straight seat boards. But every surface you actually touch was bare wood. The finish on the backs had gone cloudy from years of contact. For a short service that is fine. For a long service, a revival week, or an older member with a bad back, it is a long hour.

So the problem was never the pews. It was the part of the pew that meets the congregation.

Close view of bare wood church pew rows in a Lebanon, TN sanctuary before reupholstery
The Lebanon pews before the project. Solid frames, worn finish, no padding anywhere.

What Changed, Detail by Detail

Put the two Lebanon photos next to each other and four changes stand out. None of them required moving a wall, pulling carpet, or changing the layout of the room.

Padded seats

The bare seat boards now carry foam under a tight fabric cover. It is the change the congregation notices first, usually within about ten minutes of sitting down.

Full-height backs

The fabric covers the whole back panel, not just a strip. That also hides the worn, hazy finish that showed up so clearly in the before photo.

A clean wood cap line

A slim wood rail still runs along the top of every back. It gives each row a crisp edge and keeps the pews reading as wood furniture, not a theater row.

Color chosen for the room

Red against dark wainscot and cream walls is a classic sanctuary pairing. The exposed pew ends now read as a darker, even frame around the fabric. For a color change on pews that were already upholstered, see our orange to hunter green pew reupholstery.

How a Wood-to-Upholstered Conversion Comes Together

Turning solid wood pews into upholstered ones is one of the most common requests we get, and the process follows the same sequence whether the church is in Lebanon, TN or down the road from our Autryville, NC shop. You can read the full service overview on our church pew upholstery page.

  1. Walk the sanctuary and check the frames

    It starts with a free consultation. We look at the ends, joints, and seat boards before anything else, because foam and fabric only belong on a frame that will last as long as the upholstery does.

  2. Pick the fabric and the color

    Our fabrics are woven in the U.S. from domestic yarns and built for commercial use. We help match color to the room, the way red works against dark wainscot in Lebanon.

  3. Choose the foam

    We use high-density LUX foam and set the thickness and firmness to the congregation. A seat that feels plush in week one and flat by year three is a foam problem, so this step matters.

  4. Prep the wood underneath

    Seat and back surfaces get cleaned and checked, and anything loose gets fixed now. Once fabric goes on, nobody sees that wood again, so this is the last chance to do it right.

  5. Upholster the seats and backs

    Foam is cut to each pew, then fabric is pulled tight and fastened so it sits flat from end to end. The top edge finishes cleanly under the wood rail.

  6. Finish the exposed wood and reset the room

    The ends and rails left showing get cleaned up so the wood frames the fabric. Then the rows go back exactly where they were, ready for the next service.

McPhail craftsmen preparing church pew panels for upholstery in the Autryville, NC shop
Prepping pew panels in our shop. This photo is from a different McPhail job, not the Lebanon project.
McPhail technician finishing upholstered church pews on-site inside a sanctuary
Upholstery work on-site in a sanctuary. Also a different McPhail job, shown to illustrate the process.

Upholstering Existing Pews vs. Buying New

When a church decides its pews are uncomfortable, the first instinct is often to price new ones. The Lebanon project is a good example of why that is not always the right call. The same logic holds at any size, as our large two-level sanctuary reupholstery shows.

QuestionUpholster what you haveBuy new pews
CostFor about a third of the cost of new pews, existing furniture gets new life.Full purchase price for every pew, plus removal of the old ones.
The roomSame rows, same spacing, same look of the sanctuary your members know.New layout, new style, new measurements to plan around.
Wood qualityKeeps solid frames built from the kind of wood that is hard to buy today.Depends entirely on what the new pews are made of.
DisruptionMany upholstery projects are finished within a few days, scheduled around services.Lead time for manufacturing, then delivery and installation.

Upholstery is not the only fix, either. If your congregation wants padding but you would rather keep the wood fully visible, lay-in pew cushions are a lighter option. If the wood itself is the problem, start with church pew refinishing.

Why Tennessee Churches Call a Pew Company From North Carolina

Lebanon is a long way from Autryville, NC. Churches there and across Middle Tennessee still call us, for the same reasons congregations do from Eastern North Carolina to Texas. We are a family-owned company, and the people who quote your job are the people who do it. More on our work across the state is on our Tennessee church furniture page.

2,000+church pew restorations
30+years of combined experience
15-yearupholstery warranty
100%in-house, no subcontractors
  • A 15-year upholstery warranty. That is rare in this trade. We can offer it because we do every stage ourselves.
  • No outside contractors. Upholstery, refinishing, repairs, and installation are all done by our own team.
  • Work around your church calendar. We schedule around services, weddings, and funerals so worship never stops.
  • USA-sourced materials. Wood, fabric, and foam are domestic, and our cushions use high-density LUX foam.
  • Two generations on the job. Norman McPhail and his son Nicholas still run projects together.
  • Free consultation and quote. We tell you what needs attention now and what can wait a budget cycle or two.

“We appreciate your dedication to your job and concern to complete the installation in a neat and orderly manner.”

Bethel United Methodist ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Clarksville, TN

“Mr. McPhail did an excellent job in the restoration of the pews.”

Asbury United Methodist ChurchChurch Pew Restoration in Knoxville, TN

Want to see more sanctuaries like this one? Browse the full before-and-after photo gallery, or read more about the McPhail family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can solid wood church pews be upholstered without replacing them?

Yes. That is exactly what this Lebanon, TN project shows. As long as the frames are sound, foam and fabric can be added to the seats and backs of existing wood pews, and the original ends and rows stay in place.

How long does it take to upholster church pews?

Many pew upholstery projects are completed within a few days. The real timeline depends on how many pews you have and whether any repairs are needed first, which we confirm during the free consultation.

Will our church have to cancel services during the work?

No. We schedule every project around your church calendar, including services, weddings, and funerals, so the sanctuary stays available for worship.

What warranty comes with pew upholstery?

McPhail Church Services offers a 15-year warranty on church pew upholstery, which is rare in this industry. All of the work is done by our own team, so there is never a question of who stands behind it.

Do you work with churches in Lebanon and elsewhere in Tennessee?

Yes. This project was in Lebanon, TN, and we have also restored pews for churches in Clarksville and Knoxville. Our shop is in Autryville, NC, and we serve churches across the East Coast and as far west as Texas.

How do we choose a fabric color for our pews?

We bring a wide selection of U.S.-woven fabrics and help you choose a color that suits your sanctuary’s wood, walls, and carpet. We can also color-match fabric to furniture you already have.

Your Sanctuary Could Be the Next Before-and-After

If your pews look more like the Lebanon before photo than the after, let us take a look. The consultation is free, the quote is honest, and your church never has to miss a Sunday.

McPhail Church Services, Inc. · 59 Vickers Lane, Autryville, NC 28318 · 910-322-5673

Church Furniture Services — Rocky Mount, NC

What Rocky Mount Churches Should Ask Before Hiring a Pew Restoration Company

Most congregations restore their pews once in a generation, which means almost nobody on the committee has done it before. That is a hard position to negotiate from. Here are eight questions worth asking any pew restoration company in Rocky Mount, why each one matters, and what a straight answer sounds like. Ours are included, so you can judge them against anyone else’s.

Row of church pews freshly reupholstered in durable blue fabric after restoration
A completed pew line, reupholstered and reinstalled.

Why This Decision Is Harder in Rocky Mount Than It Looks

Rocky Mount is old by North Carolina standards, and the church building stock shows it. The city grew up around Rocky Mount Mills, built in 1818 as the second cotton mill in the state, on the falls of the Tar River that gave the town its name. The Central City Historic District alone holds 166 contributing buildings spanning the late 19th through the mid 20th centuries, among them the Church of the Good Shepherd from 1877 and Holy Hope Episcopal Church from the 1910s. Across the Edgecombe County line, Lincoln Park adds another 47 contributing buildings in a historically middle-class African American section of the city.

A city that grew that early, across two counties, ends up with a lot of sanctuaries holding original wood furniture. And original wood furniture is exactly the kind of thing a low bid can quietly ruin. Nobody notices on installation day. Everybody notices in year four.

So the questions below are not about being difficult with a contractor. They are about making sure the person you hire understands what they are being handed.

Two McPhail craftsmen repairing a church pew frame by hand in the in-house shop
Frame repair in our own shop. Who actually touches the pew is the first thing to establish.

The Eight Questions

Question 1

Do you do the work yourselves, or do you subcontract it?

This is the question that determines the value of every other answer. Pew restoration involves upholstery, wood refinishing, structural repair, and installation. When those are split across different crews, no single party is accountable for the finished pew, and a warranty claim in year six turns into a conversation about whose stage failed.

Our answerAll work is completed in-house by our own team. No outside contractors, at any stage.

Question 2

Where do your materials come from, and what foam do you use?

Ask about foam by name, not as a category. Foam is where a low bid usually hides, because a cheaper grade looks and feels identical on installation day and then compresses within a few years under weekly use. Wood and fabric sourcing is worth asking about for the same reason.

Our answerWood, fabric, and foam are all sourced domestically. Our cushions use high-quality LUX foam, chosen for durability under regular congregational use. See lay-in pew cushions for how that side works.

Question 3

What is the warranty, on what exactly, and who honors it?

There is no industry standard here, which is precisely why the question separates companies. Get the term in writing, get the scope in writing, and if the company subcontracts, ask who is actually on the hook when a seam opens up in year eight.

Our answerA 15-year warranty on upholstery work, which is rare in this trade. We can offer it because we do every stage ourselves and are still the party you call.

Question 4

Will you work around our calendar, including things that come up on short notice?

Services are the easy part, because they are predictable. Funerals are not. A company that can only work in one uninterrupted block is going to run into your church’s actual life at some point, and the sanctuary will be the thing that gives.

Our answerWe work in stages around Sunday services, weddings, funerals, and events so the sanctuary stays usable throughout. This is how we run every project, not a special accommodation.

Question 5

Is your default to repair or to replace, and why?

Ask them to justify the recommendation against your actual pews, in your sanctuary, not from photographs. Older Rocky Mount pews are frequently built from dense old-growth wood that no longer exists commercially at that quality, which usually makes repair both the cheaper answer and the better one.

Our answerRepair first, and we will tell you when it is not the right call. Structural work runs through pew parts and repairs, surface work through church pew refinishing.

Question 6

Can you match the existing pew line if we phase this over several years?

Most church budgets phase this work, and phasing only succeeds if the finished sanctuary reads as one continuous pew line rather than three separate projects done at three different times. Ask specifically about color-matching across years, not just within a single job.

Our answerYes. We use proprietary in-house coating formulas and offer color-matching with design recommendations, and because the same team stays on the account, phase three still matches phase one.

Question 7

Who handles removal, transport, and reinstallation?

A pew is heavy, awkward, and often anchored. The moment a sanctuary’s furniture is being moved by a crew who did not restore it and will not be back, small damage becomes nobody’s responsibility.

Our answerOur own team, through pew installations and deliveries, including disassembly, transport, and reinstallation.

Question 8

Can we see finished sanctuaries, and how many of these have you done?

Ask for before-and-after photographs of whole sanctuaries rather than close-up product shots, and ask for a number. Experience with pews specifically is not the same as experience with furniture generally.

Our answerMore than 2,000 completed church pew restorations, with over 30 years of combined staff experience. Before-and-after work is in our photo gallery.

Three Answers That Should Give You Pause

  • A firm quote without an in-person look. Nobody can price a pew line honestly from photographs. A number given over the phone is a number that will change, usually upward, once someone actually sees the frames.
  • Full replacement recommended before the pews were inspected. Replacement is sometimes right. It is never right as an opening position on a historic sanctuary’s original wood.
  • Vagueness about who does the work. If a company will not say plainly whether the upholstery, the refinishing, and the installation are their own people, assume they are not, and price the warranty accordingly.

What Happens When You Call Us

The consultation and quote are free, and they happen in your sanctuary. We walk the pew line, assess frame condition, veneer, finish, and joints separately, and prioritize repairs by what genuinely needs attention now against what can wait a few budget cycles. Nothing gets assumed from a phone call.

If your building sits in one of Rocky Mount’s historic districts, it is also worth confirming whether any preservation conditions apply before work begins, particularly if the church has ever used state or federal preservation tax credits tied to the property. The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office is the right place to check.

From there, the scope is yours to set. A full church furniture services project, a phased plan across several years, or a single section of pews that has taken the worst of it. General project questions are answered on our FAQ page.

15-yr Upholstery Warranty
2,000+ Pews Restored
30+ yrs Combined Experience
100% In-House, No Subcontractors

What Congregations Say

See recent updates and photos on our Facebook page.

Serving Rocky Mount, Nash County, and Edgecombe County

Rocky Mount sits inside McPhail Church Services’ Eastern North Carolina territory, alongside Wilson, Greenville, Goldsboro, and New Bern. From our shop in Autryville we travel across the region for consultations, on-site repairs, and full restoration projects. Our North Carolina church pew services page covers how we work statewide, and the about us page introduces the family behind the shop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it matter whether a pew restoration company subcontracts the work?

It matters more than almost anything else you can ask about. When upholstery, wood refinishing, structural repair, and installation are split across different crews, no single party is accountable for the finished pew, and a warranty claim years later becomes a question of whose work failed. McPhail completes every stage in-house with no outside contractors, which is what makes a long warranty possible to honor.

What should a church ask about materials?

Ask specifically where the wood, fabric, and foam come from, and ask about the foam by name rather than as a general category. Foam is where a low bid usually hides, because a cheaper grade looks identical on installation day and compresses within a few years under regular use. McPhail sources wood, fabric, and foam domestically and uses high-quality LUX foam in its cushions.

How long should a church pew upholstery warranty last?

There is no industry standard, which is exactly why the question is worth asking. McPhail carries a 15-year warranty on upholstery work, which is unusually long for this trade. The follow-up question matters just as much: ask what the warranty actually covers, get it in writing, and confirm who honors it if the company that sold it subcontracted the work.

Will a pew restoration project force us to cancel services?

It should not. Ask directly whether the schedule will be built around your church calendar, including weddings and funerals that get added on short notice. McPhail works in stages around Sunday services and events so the sanctuary stays usable throughout the project, and handles removal, transport, and reinstallation with its own team.

How do we know whether our pews should be repaired or replaced?

Ask what the company’s default is, and ask them to justify it against the actual condition of your pews rather than a photograph. Older pews in Rocky Mount’s historic sanctuaries are often built from dense old-growth wood that cannot be matched with new material, so repair is usually both the cheaper and the better answer. A company that recommends full replacement without inspecting the frames has not done the work of finding out.

Can a pew restoration project be phased across budget years?

Yes, and most are. Ask two things: whether the company will prioritize by condition during the consultation, and whether they can color-match a section refinished years later to the sections done earlier. A phased project only works if the finished sanctuary reads as one pew line rather than as three separate projects.

Are churches in Rocky Mount’s historic districts subject to special rules?

It depends on the building’s designation and on whether the church has used state or federal preservation tax credits or grants tied to the property. Rocky Mount Central City Historic District alone holds 166 contributing buildings. The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office is the right resource to confirm what applies to a specific building before work begins.

What proof of past work should we ask to see?

Ask for before-and-after photographs of finished sanctuaries rather than product shots, and ask how many pew restorations the company has actually completed. McPhail has completed more than 2,000 church pew restorations with over 30 years of combined staff experience, and keeps a before-and-after photo gallery on its site.

Get a Free Quote for Your Rocky Mount Church

Ask us the eight questions above. If the answers hold up better than the other bids, we would be glad to walk your sanctuary.

McPhail Church Services, Inc. · 59 Vickers Lane, Autryville, NC 28318 · 910-322-5673

Sources: Rocky Mount Central City Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places June 19, 1980 with a boundary revision August 27, 2009, comprising 166 contributing buildings from the late 19th through mid 20th centuries, including the Church of the Good Shepherd (1877) and Holy Hope Episcopal Church (1910s). Lincoln Park Historic District, Edgecombe County, 47 contributing buildings. Rocky Mount Mills, built 1818, the second cotton mill in North Carolina. Churches are cited here as historic district architecture only.

Pros and Cons to Repairing Your Pews

Pros

• Cost-effective: Repairs are typically less expensive than purchasing new pews.
• Preserves history: Maintains the original craftsmanship, which is especially valuable for historic or sentimental pieces.
• Sustainability: Reusing materials reduces waste and supports eco-friendly practices.
• Customization: Allows for targeted updates, such as reupholstering or refinishing, to match new décor or requirements.

Cons

• Limited lifespan: Depending on the condition of the original structure, repaired pews may not last as long as brand-new pews.
• Structural limitations: Severely damaged pews might not be salvageable or may lose their integrity over time.
• Less modern design: Repairs may not fully update the aesthetic or comfort to match current standards.

Repairing pews and buying new ones both have great benefits and negatives that are important to consider. If the main factor in refreshing your sanctuary seating is cost, then refurbishing your pews through repairs or reupholstery is the way to go. But, if it fits your budget to have new pews made that will help you bring the vision you have for your church to life, go with the new!

Regardless of which you choose, McPhail Church Services is here to help, just as we have been since the early 1990s. While we specialize in reupholstery, repairs, and wood restoration, we have a large network of pew manufacturers to make sure you get the exact ones you’re looking for and experience top-class service.

If you want to learn more about buying new pews (continue reading for more information) or repairing old ones fill out the form below or give us a call at to talk to our expert team who will give you the best option based on your situation!

    Services of Interest

    Pros and Cons to Buying New Pews

    Pros

    • Customizable design: Offers complete freedom to select materials, finishes, and configurations tailored to your space and needs.
    • Durability: Modern pews are designed to last longer with updated construction techniques and materials.
    • Warranty options: New pews often come with warranties for long-term peace of mind.
    • Improved comfort: Includes upgraded ergonomics and seating options for enhanced user experience.

    Cons

    • Higher upfront cost: Significantly more expensive than repairs, especially for custom designs.
    • Loss of historic value: Replacing old pews removes the character and heritage of the originals.
    • Environmental impact: New materials and production processes may not be as eco-friendly.
    • Longer lead times: Custom pews may take weeks or months to manufacture and install. Both options depend on factors such as budget, the historical value of existing pews, and the desired aesthetic and functionality.

    pew restoration

    McPhail Church Services can furnish your Church Plant!

    As your congregation pursues Christ’s call to grow the church and build disciples, often that can mean planning for a church plant – a separate campus where the body of Christ can be rooted and flourish in and underserved area.  While planting a new church home is an exciting time, the logistics can be daunting.

    McPhail Church Services can help!  One of the services we offer is church furniture transporting, assembly, and installation.  For instance, if you purchase used furniture from another organization, and need it moved into your new church plant space, our team is happy to handle all the details:  from un-installing the pews at their existing location, to transporting them to your new location, and then installing them to your specifications. Our McPhail teams have installed literally thousands of church pews in sanctuaries, and trust us- this is NOT a project you want to tackle yourself, especially if you’re moving antique or used wooden pews. Our specialists can handle the entire process, making it a seamless transition.

    If you’re interested in saving money by purchasing used furniture, but don’t know where to start, McPhail Church Services also sells used church furniture, which is always an attractive, affordable option for church plants.  First, we make sure any used church furniture we sell has been restored to tip-top shape. For more than 30 years, we’ve been the go-to provider for these kinds of services, offering reupholstery, padding replacement, solid wood refinishing, veneer repairs and more.  We can even customize some features of your refurbished church furniture, to make the best fit possible for your new church space. The right furniture can truly be transformative for your new space. You can see examples of our refinishing/refurbishing work on our `Before & After’ page.

    If you’re moving into an existing church space, our repair service can help with sprucing up any existing worn or damaged church pews. We also carry a wide range of church pew parts and have vast experience working with used church furniture from every manufacturer in America.

    Partner with McPhail Church Services for your new church!

    We’d be happy to come sit down with your church plant team and help you work through your options, and the logistics of outfitting your new space, while respecting your budget and timeline.  Contact us today to set up a free consultation and price quote.  We look forward to working with your church plant team!

      Services of Interest

      When you’re a member of a church you love, you refer to it like you would a family:  it’s your ‘church home’, and it’s where you meet up with your ‘church family’. A successful church is one that recognizes that the brothers and sisters in Christ who gather there are a spiritual family, where you can rely on one another, share life together, and spend time together. That’s why, just like any home, it’s important that your church building and furnishings are welcoming, and people and guests can be comfortable. 

      For decades, McPhail Church Services has partnered with thousands of churches across the country to make theirs an inviting, comfortable space that serves their worship and fellowship needs.

       

      Our North Carolina based family-owned business specializes in church pew upholstery, restoration, and repair. We’ve built our business by offering on-site pew upholstery and restoration, which is a huge help to churches that are trying to be efficient with a limited budget or are concerned about how much time would be involved sending their seating away to be refurbished. That’s why at McPhail’s, we come to you- from our home to yours- to offer top notch expertise where you need it most.

      We work directly with your committee to make sure you have an end product your team is happy with. If refurbishing is not an option, we can provide a complete pew replacement for your sanctuary.

      Pew Refurbishing from McPhail Church Services

      For about a third of the cost of new pews, McPhail can beautify your existing furniture within a few days, bringing new life to your church seating, be it pews, pulpit chairs, or supplemental seating.  We work on any size project, and work around your church schedule, even the busy schedule of new church plants, so services aren’t disrupted. Most of our work is done by our McPhail reupholstery team on site, with minimum disruption to your church family. And all services are completed by us without outside contractors, allowing us to make the process as simple and affordable as possible.

       

               Why choose McPhail for pew reupholstery?

      McPhail Church Services has a proprietary upholstery/reupholstery process that is highly valued by thousands of churches around the country. We’re so confident you’ll love our services that we offer a 15-year warranty on our church pew upholstery. You can see examples of our fine craftsmanship to get an idea of what we can do for your sanctuary seating.

      We also have long and trusted relationships with the best fabric mills in the country, so we can provide you with the finest choices in upholstery fabric that is attractive, durable, and reasonably priced.   All our fabrics are woven in the U.S., using domestic yarns. We even warranty the fabric, which is designed to stand up to years of commercial use.

      Our upholstery teams use top of the line high density upholstery foam (LUX foam) that is renowned for durability, comfort, and its ability to retain its shape for years despite repeated use. Both the compression and size of the foam affect comfort, so we’ll work with you to determine the best choice for your congregation. 

      McPhail offers the finishings touches for your church home

      McPhail Church Services also offers church pew refinishing, wood restoration, and we provide church pew parts and repair. We also manufacture and sell lay-in pew cushions for an affordable option to traditional upholstered pews. 

      Please contact us today for a free quote on our various church products and services, and allow us the privilege of helping you make your church building your congregation’s home away from home.

        Services of Interest

        As one of the foremost church services in the country, we’ve been lucky to work with some of our dearest churches to furnish plants in our community. 

        McPhail Church Services Inc. has provided furniture and church pews to churches around the country for decades now. We’re known for the quality of our work and our schedule flexibility. Our main priority is to ensure that church service isn’t affected at all, so we work around your convenience and timing.

        If you’ve been planning to furnish a church plant, we’re confident that we can be the ideal partner for you on this journey.

        Below we’ll answer some commonly asked questions about furnishing church plants:

        What services can McPhail Church Services provide for my church?

        Think of us if you want fantastic quality for an affordable price in relation to any of the following:

        What should I consider while furnishing my church plant? 

        The most important thing to consider is seating arrangements for the congregation. We excel in church pews crafted to ensure not just maximum comfort, but also maximum efficiency while keeping your space in mind.

        Can I move older church pews over to the plant?

        We can help you with that, no problem. We offer church pew installation services to all our clients in many different states. We’ll pick up pews from your current location and install them at your church on your schedule and around your convenience.

        Does McPhail offer church pew upholstery services?

        We offer easy church pew upholstery and pew padding services. They’re quick, affordable, and highly customizable. You can choose the fabric and stains while having your pews designed to match your plant’s overall aesthetic and style.

        What makes McPhail’s services special?

        At McPhail Church Services, we’ve been installing and refinishing church pews for decades. We have a proprietary process for our projects that we’ve developed with a lot of effort, research, and input from our clients. We’re so confident you’ll love our services, we offer a 15-year warranty on our church pew upholstery.

        Where can I learn more?

        You can call us at (910) 322-5673 to speak to a McPhail expert, or you can drop us a message for a quote. You’re also welcome to fill out this form, and someone at our end will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

        We’re looking forward to working with you on your next project.Can I 

          Services of Interest

          If you are planning on redesigning or updating your church, then you may have thought about changing the upholstery of your pews. The seating of any church is essential for the community to worship and say their prayers. The seats should be easily approachable and comfortable for all members.

          We will be giving complete details on the cost to reupholster a church pew – both one single pew and the all of the pews in the congregation – and whether it’s more cost effective to get replace or reupholster pews.

          Let’s find out! 

          2025 Church Pew Reupholstery Pricing

          Before deciding to reupholster your church furniture, there are a few important things to consider. Costs can vary quite a bit, mainly depending on the type of fabric you choose.

          There are plenty of upholstery options, including moisture-resistant, stain-resistant, and even dust-repelling fabrics. Since churchgoers often sit for long periods, providing comfortable seating is a thoughtful gesture. However, high-quality, cushy upholstery may come at a higher price.

          If you’re updating or restoring pews, don’t forget that replacing the old upholstery is a must. Pairing fresh, polished pews with worn-out fabric would take away from the beauty of the new furniture.

          What Affects the Cost of Church Pew Reupholstery?
          Several factors influence the cost of reupholstering church pews, including:

          • Fabric Choice – Premium fabrics like stain-resistant or moisture-repelling materials tend to cost more than basic options.
          • Cushion Thickness – The more padding you add for comfort, the higher the price.
          • Pew Size & Quantity – Larger pews and more seating require more material and labor.
          • Labor Costs – Professional reupholstery services charge based on time, expertise, and complexity.
          • Additional Repairs – If the pews need structural repairs or refinishing, that will add to the total cost.

           

          Average Cost of Reupholstering a Single Church Pew

          If you have only one damaged pew, it is significantly less in terms of expense. The cost adds up when you go for intricately detailed materials or expensive rich-looking fabrics, or you decide to reupholster with i-clean materials that are anti-spill, anti-stain or anti-dust.

          Another aspect to keep in mind is how much upholstery you need on your pew.  Some pews only have upholstery on the bench, while others have it on the bench and seat back, etc.  The more upholstery you use obviously drives up the cost as the amount of material increases as well.

          Do You Need to Reupholster Every Church Pew?

          After years of use, upholstery loses its brilliance and comfort, so it’s wise to change it after a while. But, if your upholstery is in good condition, there is no need to reupholster every single pew in the church.

          If there is one pew that has been damaged for some reason or the material has got torn, you should think of changing that. It is not necessary to reupholster the entire church pew. That could waste a lot of money and waste suitable materials that could still be used.

          Reupholster vs. Replace a Pew

          Reupholstering the pews of the church is an excellent way to refresh and refurbish your church’s space without having to spend a lot of money on an entirely new set of pews. It’s best to have proper and professional help to ensure that the pews come out in the best condition.  Although tedious and time consuming, there is also the DIY route – however, this leaves more room for error.

          Now, it’s evident that choosing to only reupholster saves significantly more money than replacing the entire church’s pews with new ones. But still, if you want to replace every pew, that is also an option. Before investing in anything, ask the following questions to yourself:

            • Is the seat falling off?

            • Is the seat uncomfortable, or do you feel the hard surface underneath?

            • Has the pew upholstery gone bumpy or have lumps?

            • When you are sitting, are you able to hear cracking sounds from stressed woods?

            • Does the pew rock when sat down upon?

            • Is the pew collapsing, or can you feel cracks when touching it?

          If you are not nodding your head while reading the questions, then it may be best to replace the entire pew rather than just the upholstery.  If the pew is falling apart, then the upholstery cannot fix the foundational imperfections of the wood itself.

          McPhail Church Services, Inc.

          Reupholstering can be a tedious and lengthy process, but McPhail Church Services has got you covered. Our services are super quick and affordable as well. We service North Carolina, the East Coast, and every state as far west as Texas! 

          Pew upholstery is our most popular service not only in churches but also in synagogues and other sanctuaries; if you are looking to give your pews an upgrade, McPhail Church Services is the industry leader of pew reupholstery nationwide – we even offer a 15-year warranty on our upholstery. Please contact us today to get a free quote on the cost of your pew reupholstery.  We look forward to speaking with you soon.

            Services of Interest

            Most people don’t realize that used or refurbished church furniture is often more cost-effective than new. Most church furniture from ‘back in the day” is of a higher quality and constructed in the “built-to-last” spirit.

            Have you ever noticed how tables, chairs, cabinets and dressers that your parents/ grandparents owned are still in use today? These pieces lasted because they were built with solid hardwoods and not with pressed chipboard with a veneer coating. Now that’s not to say veneer with the proper care will not last, rather, that modern advancements in plywood have not produced a lumber that is stronger than solid hardwoods.

            Just keep in mind big box retail store furniture and think to yourself that it is inexpensive, but probably will not last. The same thing applies to church furniture. However with only a few manufactures providing this specialty product they can often demand premium prices for what most would consider “knock down” church furniture.

            Enter the world of refurbished church seating. At less than a third of the price it is possible to fill your sanctuary, courthouse and funeral home with VERY high quality, solid wood seating. Few places sell used church furniture but the ones that do will usually repair, re-upholster and restore.

            Keep in mind also that solid oak pews over a decade or two old are considered vintage and increase in value every day. When a congregation decides to update their church seating it is very common for them to have no idea what to do with their existing pews and sadly some have just disposed of them.

            Why let something with so much history go to waste when it can bring joy to others for years to come. Consider refurbished/used pews today and bring a custom look to your facility at less than a third of the price. We can help with that! Click the following and request a phone call TODAY –> Used Pews