Description
Upholstery Button Wire Backs for Covered Button Making
These upholstery button wire backs are designed for making professional fabric-covered furniture buttons for deep buttoning, headboards, sofas, chairs, footstools and decorative upholstered panels.
Supplied in packs of 1,000, the metal wire backs are available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 to match compatible upholstery button shells and button-making dies.
The wire fixing provides a practical attachment point for securing covered buttons with upholstery twine in traditional and deep-buttoned furniture work.
Product Specification
- Product type: Upholstery button wire back
- Material: Metal
- Pack quantity: 1,000
- Available sizes: 24, 30, 36 and 44
- Application: Fabric-covered upholstery buttons
- Use with: Matching button shells
- Suitable for: Deep buttoning, furniture manufacture, upholstery and restoration
What Are Upholstery Button Wire Backs?
A button wire back forms the rear fixing section of a fabric-covered upholstery button.
The wire back is combined with a matching shell and covering material to make the finished button.
The wire fixing at the rear then provides an attachment point for upholstery twine or another suitable buttoning method.
Typical applications include:
- Deep-buttoned headboards
- Sofa backs
- Armchairs
- Chesterfield-style upholstery
- Upholstered bed panels
- Footstools
- Ottomans
- Decorative wall panels
- Furniture restoration
- Replacement covered buttons
Wire Backs for Deep Buttoning
Wire-backed upholstery buttons are particularly useful for traditional deep buttoning.
The button can be attached to suitable Upholstery Twine and pulled through the upholstery to create the required button depth.
This method is commonly used on:
- Headboards
- Sofa backs
- Chair backs
- Bed panels
- Ottomans
- Footstools
- Deep-buttoned furniture
- Decorative upholstered panels
Specialist Buttoning Needles can be used to pass the twine through deeper layers of foam, fillings and upholstery.
Use with Aluminium Button Shells
Wire backs are designed to be combined with compatible Aluminium Button Shells.
The shell forms the visible front of the button while the wire back provides the rear fixing point.
A typical covered upholstery button consists of:
Button shell → upholstery fabric → wire back
Once assembled, the covered button can be attached using the fixing method appropriate to the furniture construction.
Always match the button shell and wire back by size.
Available Wire Back Sizes
Size 24 Wire Backs
Size 24 is the smallest option in this range and is suitable for compact covered furniture buttons.
Use with a compatible size 24 shell and button die.
Size 30 Wire Backs
Size 30 is a popular general upholstery button size for furniture, headboards and decorative buttoning.
Use with matching size 30 button components.
Size 36 Wire Backs
Size 36 creates a larger, more visible covered button suited to furniture where the button forms a stronger decorative feature.
Size 44 Wire Backs
Size 44 is the largest option available in this wire-back range and is useful for larger decorative upholstery buttons and substantial deep-buttoned furniture.
Always match the wire back, shell and button die to the same size.
Making Fabric-Covered Wire Back Buttons
Professional covered-button production requires correctly matched components.
A typical setup includes:
- Aluminium button shell
- Upholstery fabric
- Matching wire back
- Correct-size button die
- Fabric cutter
- Button press
For compatible shells and alternative backs, browse Button Parts.
For presses, dies and cutting equipment, browse Buttoning Tools.
Button Dies for Wire Back Buttons
Use a correctly sized Button Die to form the fabric around the shell and assemble the shell and wire back.
The standard Livedale button die is available in sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 and is designed for use with D-1 and TEP-2 presses.
Using the correct die helps:
- Centre the button components
- Form the fabric neatly around the shell
- Join the shell and wire back consistently
- Reduce damaged button components
- Produce repeatable finished buttons
Cutting Fabric for Covered Buttons
The covering fabric needs to be cut to the correct size before the button is pressed.
Use a Fabric Cutter to produce consistent fabric circles for covered-button manufacture.
Accurate fabric cutting helps avoid:
- Insufficient material around the shell
- Excess fabric inside the button
- Uneven folds
- Poor button coverage
- Inconsistent finished buttons
Always test the chosen fabric, shell, wire back and die combination before beginning a larger production run.
Button Presses for Upholstery Button Production
A hand-operated button press provides the controlled pressure needed to assemble covered upholstery buttons.
The D-1 Button Press can be used with compatible button dies for regular covered-button manufacture.
Using a button press helps improve:
- Speed
- Consistency
- Shell alignment
- Button formation
- Repeatability across production runs
For presses and associated equipment, browse Buttoning Tools.
Wire Back Buttons for Headboards
Wire-backed covered buttons are particularly well suited to deep-buttoned headboards.
They can be used to create:
- Diamond buttoning
- Square button layouts
- Traditional deep buttoning
- Upholstered bed panels
- Decorative headboard designs
The wire back provides a convenient fixing point for the buttoning twine used to pull the button into the upholstery.
The finished appearance will depend on:
- Button size
- Foam depth
- Button spacing
- Pull depth
- Fabric type
- Pleat arrangement
- Buttoning tension
Wire Back Buttons for Sofas and Chairs
Covered wire-back buttons can also be used for furniture applications including:
- Sofa backs
- Chair backs
- Deep-buttoned arms
- Footstools
- Ottomans
- Upholstered panels
- Furniture restoration
The button can be tied from the rear using suitable twine where the furniture construction allows access.
Wire Backs or Prong Backs?
Different furniture constructions require different button fixing methods.
Choose wire backs when:
- Buttoning twine is being used
- Traditional deep buttoning is required
- A flexible tied fixing is preferred
- The button needs to be pulled to a controlled depth
Choose Button Prong Backs when:
- A direct mechanical fixing is preferred
- Long prongs can pass through the upholstery construction
- The rear of the work is accessible
- A prong washer can be used to secure the fixing
Wire Backs or Hook Backs?
Hook Backs provide another covered-button attachment option.
The most suitable back depends on:
- Furniture construction
- Upholstery depth
- Fixing method
- Rear access
- Required button tension
- Intended application
Browse Button Parts to compare the available back styles.
Wire Backs or Tape Backs?
Tape Backs use a flexible tape attachment rather than a metal wire fixing.
Wire backs are particularly suited to applications where upholstery twine is used to pull and secure the button.
Tape backs provide an alternative for furniture constructions where a flexible tape fixing is preferred.
Button Wire Backs for Furniture Restoration
Wire backs can also be used when reproducing missing or damaged buttons on traditionally upholstered furniture.
When replacing an existing button, check:
- Button diameter
- Back type
- Covering material
- Fixing method
- Upholstery depth
- Button spacing
- Pull depth
Matching the original button construction helps retain the appearance and character of restored furniture.
Wire Back Buttons with Upholstery Twine
Traditional deep buttoning commonly uses strong upholstery twine to connect the button to the furniture structure.
The wire back provides the point through which the twine can be secured.
Browse Upholstery Twines for suitable traditional upholstery and buttoning threads.
For passing the twine through deep upholstery layers, browse Buttoning Needles.
Button Wire Backs for Trade Upholstery
Packs of 1,000 make these upholstery wire backs particularly suitable for:
- Professional upholsterers
- Headboard manufacturers
- Furniture manufacturers
- Bed manufacturers
- Furniture restoration workshops
- Contract furniture businesses
- Soft furnishing workrooms
Available sizes 24, 30, 36 and 44 allow workshops to produce several common sizes of fabric-covered furniture button.
Browse Button Parts for aluminium shells and alternative button backs.
Browse Buttoning Tools for button dies, fabric cutters and presses.
Browse Buttoning Parts & Equipment for the wider button-making and upholstery finishing range.
Registered trade customers receive preferential pricing. Log in to your account or register for a Livedale trade account.
For help choosing the correct button shell, back, die or buttoning tool, contact Livedale.
