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Tips
on Buying Furniture
Understanding Upholstered Furniture Materials and Construction:
Frame
A kiln-dried hardwood frame is a must in ensuring durability
in your piece of upholstery. Oak, maple and ash and alder
are woods most commonly used. A high grade of pine can actually
be better than some softer hardwoods. It depends on the grade
of wood being used. A good frame is joined using dowels as
well as corner blocks glued and screwed together. The legs
should be an integral part of the frame and center legs should
be used for additional support.
Springs
There are two primary spring systems used in constructing
upholstered furniture; eight-way hand-tied and no-sag or sinuous.
In our 20 years of experience, we have not seen any warranty
differences between the two. However; eight-way hand-tied
springs are used in the base of better quality pieces and
are often considered a sign of quality. These three dimensional
coils are attached to webbing on the bottom of the sofa or
chair and tied with twine at the top to each of the eight
adjacent coils to prevent them from shifting. This system
gives the product an even comfort level and has the advantage
of never "bottoming-out" no matter how big the person
is that sits on it.
No-sag, or sinuous springs are two dimensional "S"
shaped wires that are fastened to the top of the front rail
and run from the front to the back of the piece every few
inches apart. This spring system offers a somewhat softer
seat and can be used in pieces that sit lower to the ground
as in many contemporary designs. While less costly to produce,
it is not necessarily the sign of an inferior product. The
quality and quantity of springs utilized is more an issue
than which system is selected.
Padding
The way a frame is padded will affect not only its comfort,
but also its durability. Prior to applying the fabric, it
is important that the frame be padded so that at no point
will the fabric be touching wood. This will prevent untimely
fabric wear and also add a subtle softness to the piece. Cotton
and polydacron are the most popular frame padding materials.
Seat cushions are filled with one of the following combinations
of materials:
High density polyurethane foam wrapped in Dacron is the most
common (and least expensive) seat core. The density of foam
and quantity of Dacron will determine the softness of the
seat.
Spring-Down cushions consist of innerspring coils surrounded
by foam and wrapped in Dacron. This whole unit is then inserted
into a muslin bag of channeled blendown. The springs give
the unit support, while the blendown gives a luxurious surface
feel.
Blendown cushions offer the softest seat, utilizing a combination
of down and feathers sometimes wrapped around a foam core
and then encased in a muslin bag. This cushion does not retain
its shape without an occasional fluffing. Back cushions are
primarily filled with Dacron fiber. Encasing the filling in
a bag will help the cushions keep their proper shape. Occasionally,
in better quality pieces, blendown is substituted for a more
luxurious feel.
Fabric
When choosing fabrics for upholstered furniture, keep in
mind that tightly woven fabrics tend to wear the best. Durability
is determined by the number of threads per square inch rather
than the thickness of the yarn used. Generally, fabrics that
have their pattern woven in will wear better than printed
fabrics.
There are many types of fiber used in the manufacturing of
upholstery fabrics. They each have unique attributes that
must be considered in making a selection based on the planned
usage of the piece. In addition to their look and feel, factors
to consider are wearability, cleanability and sensitivity
to direct sunlight.
Natural
Fibers
Prized for their soft " hand" and versatility,
the natural fibers remain popular as coverings for upholstered
furniture.
Cotton
Cotton takes color well, soft and pliable, blends well with
other fibers, durable with unlimited styling potential. However,
continuous exposure to direct sunlight will cause the cotton
fiber to disintegrate. In damp climates, cotton may tend to
mildew. It is somewhat less stain resistant than synthetics.
Flax/Linen
With a strong, cool, crisp " hand", linen is one
of the most durable fibers available. It has a tendency to
resist color and is often found in natural coloration's as
a result. Linen reflects heat somewhat better than cotton,
but will disintegrate in intense sunlight. It is at the higher
end of fabric cost.
Wool
Naturally springy and resilient, wool is extremely durable.
It tends to take color softly and has good resistance to abrasion.
Wool has natural stain resistance, but should be mothproofed
before using.
Silk
Without question the most beautiful, yet fragile of all upholstery
fabrics. Soft and lustrous, strong light will tend to discolor
and disintegrate the fiber. Difficult to clean, the fibers
will tend to mildew in damp climates.
Rayon/Acetate
Made of processed cellulose, can be woven to emulate silk
or linen. Its low cost and blendability with other more expensive
fibers make it a popular choice. The fiber is reasonably colorfast
and abrasion resistant, but will tend to rot under long exposure
to direct sunlight.
Synthetic
Fibers
These petroleum-based fibers have been developed over the
last sixty years as an alternative to natural fibers and are
often blended with them in an effort to achieve the best properties
of each.
Polyester: a polymer that takes vibrant colors
well. Polyester is strong and cleanable and stands up well
under direct sunlight. Flame and abrasion resistant, it is
often blended with natural fibers to soften its feel. Recent
developments have led to a finely extruded polyester fiber
that resembles the look and feel of silk.
Olefin: known by many people by the trade name,
Herculon. Strong, with natural stain resistant properties,
olefin is a bulky fiber with a coarse "hand" that
does not hold up well to direct sunlight. Often it is used
to create heavy textured causal fabrics. These fabrics when
loosely woven require a latex backing for added strength.
Nylon: The strongest and most dirt resistant fiber,
nylon is used often in commercial applications where it will
take a beating. Until recently, nylon typically had a high
luster, but now it is often available with a delustered wool
look and feel. Its only drawback is its sensitivity to sunlight.
Note:
While a few fibers have flame retardant properties, most others
must be treated with fire retardant chemicals prior to being
used commercially. Some states are now requiring this treatment
on residential upholstered furniture as well.
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