Description
Aluminium Upholstery Button Shells for Covered Button Making
These aluminium upholstery button shells are designed for making professional fabric-covered buttons for furniture, headboards, chairs, sofas, footstools, cushions and deep-buttoned upholstery.
Supplied in packs of 1,000, the shells are available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 to suit a range of upholstery button applications.
The lightweight alloy construction does not rust in the same way as ferrous steel, making aluminium button shells a practical choice for upholstery workshops, furniture manufacturers and restoration work.
Product Specification
- Material: Aluminium / alloy
- Pack quantity: 1,000 shells
- Available sizes: 24, 30, 36 and 44
- Product type: Upholstery button shell
- Application: Fabric-covered upholstery buttons
- Compatible backs: Wire, hook, prong and nail backs
- Suitable for: Professional upholstery, furniture manufacture and restoration
What Are Aluminium Button Shells Used For?
Aluminium button shells form the visible top of a fabric-covered upholstery button.
A piece of upholstery fabric is cut to the correct size, positioned over the shell and pressed together with a compatible button back.
The finished button can then be used for:
- Deep-buttoned headboards
- Sofa backs
- Armchairs
- Footstools
- Ottomans
- Upholstered wall panels
- Furniture restoration
- Cushion buttoning
- Decorative furniture detailing
- Replacement upholstery buttons
The correct button shell, back, die and fabric cutter should be matched to the required button size and intended fixing method.
Upholstery Button Shell Sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44
Livedale supplies these aluminium button shells in four common upholstery sizes:
Size 24 Button Shells
Size 24 is the smallest option in this range and is useful where a compact covered upholstery button is required.
The current product specification identifies No.24 shells as approximately 14.4mm in diameter.
Size 30 Button Shells
Size 30 provides a slightly larger covered button suitable for general upholstery and decorative furniture work.
Size 36 Button Shells
Size 36 creates a more noticeable upholstery button and is useful for larger furniture, headboards and decorative buttoning.
Size 44 Button Shells
Size 44 is the largest option in this product range and is suited to applications where a stronger visual button detail is required.
Always match the button shell size to the correct back, die and fabric cutter.
Making Fabric-Covered Upholstery Buttons
A professional covered upholstery button is made from several components.
The basic process is:
Button shell → cut fabric circle → compatible button back → matching button die → button press
Each component needs to match the selected button size.
Browse Button Parts for compatible button backs and washers.
Browse Buttoning Tools for dies, cutters and presses.
Button Shells with Wire Backs
Button Wire Backs are commonly used where the covered button needs a loop or wire fixing point.
Wire-backed covered buttons are particularly useful for:
- Traditional upholstery
- Deep buttoning
- Headboards
- Sofa backs
- Chair backs
- Upholstered panels
The wire provides an attachment point for buttoning twine or another suitable fixing method.
Button Shells with Prong Backs
Button Prong Backs provide an alternative fixing method for suitable upholstery button applications.
Prong-backed buttons can be useful where the button is secured through the upholstery construction using the integral prongs.
The selected shell and prong back must be compatible in size.
Button Shells with Hook Backs
Hook Backs can be used with compatible aluminium shells where a hooked fixing point is required.
Hook backs provide another option for upholsterers choosing the most suitable attachment method for the particular furniture construction.
Button Shells with Nail Backs
Aluminium button shells can also be used with compatible nail-back fittings.
A nail-back covered button combines the decorative fabric-covered head with a nail fixing for suitable furniture applications.
Browse No30 Button Nail Back Nails for compatible nail-back options.
The correct nail back should always be matched to the appropriate shell size and setting equipment.
Why Use Aluminium Button Shells?
Aluminium is widely used for professional covered upholstery buttons because it combines low weight with good resistance to corrosion.
Benefits include:
- Lightweight construction
- Does not rust like untreated steel
- Easy to form using the correct button die
- Suitable for repeated workshop production
- Available in several useful upholstery sizes
- Suitable for fabric-covered furniture buttons
The finished strength and appearance also depend on selecting the correct backing component and using properly matched buttoning tools.
Button Dies for Aluminium Button Shells
A correctly sized Button Die is required to form the shell, fabric and back into a finished covered button.
Livedale’s standard button die is available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 to correspond with these aluminium shell sizes.
Using the correct die helps:
- Form the fabric neatly around the shell
- Keep the button centred
- Secure the shell and back together
- Produce repeatable button shapes
- Reduce damaged shells and wasted fabric
The standard die is designed for use with compatible D-1 and TEP-2 presses.
Cutting Fabric for Covered Buttons
The fabric covering needs to be cut accurately before it is placed into the button die.
Use a matching Fabric Cutter to produce consistent fabric circles for button production.
Accurate cutting helps provide enough material to form around the shell without creating unnecessary bulk inside the button.
The required fabric circle size depends on:
- Button shell size
- Fabric thickness
- Fabric stretch
- Button back type
- Material being covered
Always test a sample button before beginning a larger production run.
Making Buttons from Leather, Vinyl or Thick Fabric
Standard upholstery fabric and heavier materials do not always require the same tooling.
When covering aluminium button shells with leather, vinyl or particularly thick upholstery material, use the appropriate Button Die for Leather, Vinyl & Thick Fabric.
Thicker materials may require:
- A specialist die
- Careful fabric or leather preparation
- Reduced material thickness around folds
- Accurate cutting
- Additional pressing force
Testing the complete material and button combination before production helps reduce waste.
Button Presses for Covered Upholstery Buttons
For regular covered-button production, a dedicated button press improves speed and consistency.
The D-1 Button Press can be used with compatible button dies for producing fabric-covered upholstery buttons.
Professional workshops making larger quantities may also use other presses within the Buttoning Tools range.
The correct press-and-die combination helps create consistent buttons with less manual variation.
Aluminium Button Shells for Deep Buttoning
Fabric-covered buttons are widely used in deep-buttoned upholstery.
Typical applications include:
- Headboards
- Chesterfield-style furniture
- Upholstered bed panels
- Sofa backs
- Chairs
- Footstools
- Ottomans
- Wall panels
For deep-buttoned work, the shell and back form the visible button while the fixing system pulls the button into the upholstery.
The depth and shape of the finished buttoning will depend on:
- Foam depth
- Filling layers
- Button spacing
- Button type
- Fixing method
- Tension
- Fabric choice
Aluminium Button Shells for Furniture Restoration
These button shells are also useful for replacing missing or damaged covered buttons on existing furniture.
Where possible, match:
- Button size
- Covering fabric
- Fixing method
- Button spacing
- Pull depth
- Original furniture construction
This helps the replacement button blend more naturally with the remaining upholstery.
Button Shells for Trade Upholstery Workshops
Packs of 1,000 are particularly suited to professional upholstery workshops, headboard manufacturers, furniture factories, soft furnishing businesses and regular button production.
Available sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 allow workshops to stock several commonly used button formats.
For compatible backs and fixing components, browse Button Parts.
For presses, dies, fabric cutters and button-making equipment, browse Buttoning Tools.
For the wider range of upholstery buttoning and furniture-finishing supplies, browse Buttoning Parts & Equipment and Buttons, Decorative Nails & Tacks.
Registered trade customers receive preferential pricing. Log in to your account or register for a Livedale trade account.
For help choosing the correct shell, button back, die or button press, contact Livedale.
