Purchasing Upholstered Furniture

Buying upholstered furniture can be difficult. It's hard to see what is going on inside. It's also easy to be distracted if you love the fabric covering or shape of the piece of furniture. When investing money into a piece, it's important to remember to take a step back and look into the quality of the piece. You don't want to be regretting your purchase a year later.




Here are some tips to help you make a successful purchase of an upholstered piece of furniture.

Hardwood Frame: It's vital that the frame be 1-1/4" thick kiln dried hardwood. This is the part that holds everything together so don't let this one slide. The hardwood will hold all fasteners in place. The fact that its kiln dried will ensure the wood is completely dry and will not warp over time. Also, you should not feel the hardwood frame anywhere, it should be completely covered with padding and fabric.

Springs: The last thing you want is to invite friends over and have the sofa squeak every time they move. The springs should be made of steel and should not make any noise. Try bouncing on the seat and pressing against the back cushion.

Padding and Foam: Whatever you do, don't go with any type of shredded foam. This will move and break down overtime. Instead, you want a foam core with a polyester blanket wrapping around. This will provide the most uniform look and feel.

Exterior: Lastly, take a look at the stitching. Is it tight? Can you see any threads? Any nail head or decorative trim should be secure and any welt cording should be straight, not wavy. All fabric should match in the pattern placement and be snug to the cushion. If the fabric starts out loose, imagine how loose it will be in a few months. Finally, feel the seat, arm and back cushions. Does the padding and foam feel uniform?


I hope this helps. A quality manufacturer will often have information in their stores about their quality control and they may perhaps have a sample to see. They sometimes will have a chair cut in half so you are able to see the inside. Make sure that exactly what you see is what is inside the piece you're purchasing.