Chairs and Sofas

Today, more than ever upholstered furniture is available in a wide range of styles and fabrics.  However, a quality piece of upholstered furniture has features that are mainly hidden, so it is important to ask questions, read the tags and labels, and inspect the piece.  The frame should be made of kiln dried hardwood that will not warp or split.  The frame should be joined together with glued and dowel joints, and reinforced with corner blocks that are glued and screwed into place.  Legs should be firmly attached and should be an integral part of the frame, with center legs added for extra support.

Support is provided by springs attached to webbing.  Webbing should be made of polypropylene, which is odor free and non absorbent.  There are two main types of spring systems: eight-way hand tied, and "NO SAG"^* or sinuous.  Eight way hand tied coils are placed at the intersections of the webbing, and are hand tied with twine from front to back, side to side and diagonally to form a uniform support.  "NO SAG"^* springs are "S" shaped and are attached to the front seat rail and run from front to back.  Although eight-way hand tied coils are generally found in more expensive pieces, a well constructed "NO SAG"^* support system provides excellent quality at a more affordable price.  The quality of the springs, and the number of springs used is more important than which system is used.

The type of padding used is another guage of quality in upholstered furniture.  Padding should be made of cotton batting and poly dacron, and should be layered around foam for extra comfort.  It should be thick enough to stand up to years of wear.  Squeeze the arms of chairs and sofas to see how thick the padding is.  If you can feel the frame, chances are that either the padding isn't thick enough or an inferior padding is being used.  In either case, it indicates poor quality.  Cushions should be made of high density, top-grade polyurethane foam, which is very durable, and holds its shape well.  Fabric is a matter of taste and style, but be sure to inspect the workmanship.  Seams should be straight and strong, welting should be uniform and strait, and zippers should glide smoothly.  If cushions are not reversible, make sure the fabric used on the underside is as durable as the fabric used on the rest of the piece.

If your shopping list of upholstered pieces includes recliners, be sure to inspect the mechanisms used.  They should operate smoothly and with a minimum of effort.  Higher quality pieces generally have multi position reclining mechanisms.  Push on the foot rest to make sure it doesn't wobble.  Look at the way the mechanism is attached to the frame to make sure it is sturdy and durable.  As with any piece of furniture, don't be afraid to ask questions and inspect the piece from every angle to ensure you are purchasing a well-constructed piece of furniture.

* "NO SAG" is a registered trademark of Leggett & Platt, Incorporated.

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