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Upholstered Furniture Value
Except for custom made furniture, all furniture today is mass produced, and some methods are better than others. A good quality upholstered sofa or chair starts with the frame. Chances are the chair that sells for $1,200 probably has a frame made of kiln dried hardwood, assembled with dovetail, or tongue and groove joints, and corner bracing for extra support. The less expensive pieces probably have frames made of plywood or wood that has not been kiln dried, nailed together with simple butt joints and no corner bracing. The more expensive chair was probably assembled in place. In other words the frame was constructed, coil springs hand tied, and upholstered in place as one unit. This method of construction involves a lot more work and hand detail. The less expensive piece may have been assembled in sections, with the sides and back made as seperate units, upholstery and all, and then nailed or screwed to the frame. More expensive pieces may also have hand carved detail such as cabriole legs and carved feet, or carved details on the arms. Again, any work that must be done by hand will increase the cost to produce. The type of support also affects price. The more expensive chair most likely has eight way hand tied coil springs for support. As the name implies, each coil must be individually hand tied, and the more springs, the more work involved. The less expensive chair probably has a no sag construction for support, which is still a good support system if done properly. However, an inexpensive chair may not have any springs at all, simply a piece of foam padding. Cushions on more expensive pieces are made of down or permalight which is a high grade polyester, while inexpensive chairs tend to have foam padding. The chair will not spring back to shape, and most likely will not last. Choice of fabric is one of the most important factors in the price of a sofa or chair. Any chair over $600 probably has leather upholstery, which is very expensive. Even chairs with fabric can cost more depending on the fabric. Silk or damask is more costly than cotton or corduroy. Price depends not only on the amount of fabric used but also on the grade of fabric and how expensive it is to produce. A strong, durable fabric will cost more than an inexpensive one that may show signs of wear after a year or two. If the fabric is treated for soil and stain resistance, that also increases the cost. Adjustable or reclining chairs and sofas obviously cost more to produce because of the mechanical mechanisms involved. Higher end pieces are generally multi position, that is the back and seat can be adjusted to several different positions for comfort. Less expensive pieces are generally limited to one or two positions. The mechanisms used in more costly pieces should be made of heavy duty material that will hold up to years of use, while less expensive mechanisms may tend to snap or break and leave you stuck in an awkward position. So, which chair or sofa is the better value? Only you can decide, and that depends on what you are looking for. If you want a piece that will last for years and remain as sturdy as the day you bought it, make sure you look for the extra features which should be evident on the more expensive piece. - Back - |
Sale! Chair
and loveseat for $399! How can that be? Just yesterday you saw a chair that looked very
similar for $1,200. Why does one cost so much more than the other? There are many reasons,
including construction methods, amount of hand detail, materials used and fabric. The
least expensive is not always the better value.