Arriving today in a furniture store, we can choose any upholstery and configuration of your favorite sofa. In addition, the upholstery can be changed over time, but what should I do if the seat is sold or the frame is loosened? Repair of these parts is not cheap and will not give a long-term result if the sofa is made of low-grade materials. Therefore, the quality of upholstered furniture is much more important than its appearance, and that is why two identical at first glance, the sofa can vary greatly in price. The secret lies in what lies inside.
The frame, seat support and filling - that's what determines the comfort level of your sofa, as well as its ability to maintain its shape and strength for years to come. We offer you some tips that help determine the quality of the sofa.
Frame of the sofa
How long will your sofa last, while maintaining its shape, largely depends on its frame. With high quality upholstered furniture, it must be strong and strong.
The best frames for today are made from dried wood. The drying process removes all moisture from the wood, which allows it to maintain its shape and stability for a long period of time. The frame from the unrestrained (raw, not dried) tree can shrink or crack. The latter is also characteristic for knotty wood (coniferous tree species, especially pine).
Cracks on knotty wood
Cracks on knotty wood
In skeletons of good quality, special attention is given to joints that are glued together, connected by anchors and threads. It is also recommended that the corners of the sofa be reinforced with reinforcement blocks, which will provide him with additional support.
Reinforcing blocks in the corners of the sofa are absent
In the corners of the sofa there are reinforcing blocks
In the article "Furniture from wood - how to determine the quality?" We have already told you about the advantages and disadvantages of different types of wood materials: chipboard, plywood, hard or soft wood. We advise you to get acquainted with this article in detail, especially if apart from the sofa you are going to buy other furniture from wood. In general, we note that products from plywood and chipboard are inferior in quality to hardwood, especially if some of their parts are joined with simple staples. Nevertheless, additional layers of plywood can strengthen the frame, so in this case the main importance is the thickness of the material. A quality sofa with a plywood frame has 11-13 layers of plywood or more.
How to determine the quality of a sofa - plywood
Seat Support
A sturdy frame provides the basis for good seating support, while filling reinforces it. In the furniture store, you should definitely check the quality of the sofa support after sitting on it before buying. Seats should not sag, but you should be absolutely comfortable.
The best modern support for the seats is the system of eight-folded springs, which is manually strengthened with a strong twine. The master stretches it from top to bottom, from side to side, and then diagonally in both directions, securely fixing each spring in this way.
How to determine the quality of a sofa - bandaged springs
Nevertheless, on the sale of rare furniture with such support for seats. Most often eight-fold springs are made to order in repair shops.
Another type of reliable seat support is the design of sinusoidal springs. In this case, the springs, wriggling in the shape of the letter "S", extend from the front of the seat to the rear and are supported by additional thick wires that are laid from side to side. This also makes the seat sturdy, but it also creates a flatter surface that requires less space.
Sofa with sinusoidal springs
Finally, let's look at the third option - the support of strong ribbons that intersect crosswise, then attach to the frame, thus creating a platform for the pillows. These straps can be made of natural or man-made fibers, and if used without a special tensioning device, they do not give the seats a good support. Nevertheless, in better sofas, they are always well stretched and securely attached to the frame. This type of seat support is the least preferred of all currently existing.
Lamochnaya support of seats
Filling the pillows
Now that you know the most important thing about frameworks and seat support, it's time to consider which pillow filling is most preferable for you.
If you prefer soft seats, then you should choose pillows filled with down. They are considered a top-notch choice, and therefore are among the most expensive. In this case, high quality down pillows should have a special lining under the upholstery fabric, which will prevent the crocheting of the feathers. It should also be borne in mind that pillows filled with fluff alone are demanding in the care and need almost daily attention.
How to determine the quality of the sofa - soft filling down
For this reason, much more popular is the filling of pillows with down, combined with other materials, for example, polyester fiber. Carried out in the form of rugs, this material is wrapped around a high-density foam material to provide a less demanding filling of cushions.
How to determine the quality of the sofa - polyester fiber with down
By the way, these gaskets (fluff + polyester) can also be used with spring blocks that have been wrapped in foamy material. The result of this combination will be a soft seating surface with strong, elastic support from the inside. This is a good option, as the pillows will better keep their shape.
How to determine the quality of the sofa - the elastic filling of pillows
Elastic filling of pillows
The most common foamy seat filler today is polyurethane. Obviously, the higher its density, so the seats will be more elastic. Before buying, make sure that this material is sufficiently dense, since at a lower density it is faster to be destroyed.
To fill seats from polyurethane was softer, it is wrapped in a variety of materials, including cotton wool. The most economical, but not the most durable filling is polyurethane, wrapped in lavsan.
Polyurethane wrapped in lavsan
At the end of the article, we note that quality sofas are usually not cheap, but since they are purchased for many years, it is worthwhile to think twice before choosing a low price for comfort and the ability to keep your appearance for a long time. Always get the best quality goods that you can afford.
Need more advice on choosing a sofa and armchairs? Then get acquainted with our article "Upholstered furniture".
