How to uncover quality in upholstered furniture - Inside the Western Home

Sunset, Oct, 1990

Attractive style and fabric may seem like all you need to know about buying an upholstered chair or sofa. But there's more to judging quality than meets the eye.

Hidden beneath the surface are the components for comfort and durability-the frame, springs, padding, and cushioning. When these are topnotch, an armchair or sofa can last for generations.

As you shop, an eagle-eyed inspection of what you can see is a good place to start. Workmanship here is a big clue to the standards applied throughout construction.

Check for seams and welts (fabric-covered cording used to conceal seams and delineate shape) that are neat, even, and without gaps or loose threads. Look for lined skirts that hang straight, free of puckering. Fabric should be applied so that stripes and plaids line up at seams. In the best pieces, floral patterns will appear to be unbroken as they flow over cushions, arms, and back.

If the tailoring passes inspection, follow with some educated poking and a good test sit. Asking the right questions and reading labels will tell you the rest of the inside story.

IS THE FRAME MADE OF

KILN-DRIED HARDWOOD?

The anatomy of a well-made sofa or chair begins with good bones. The sturdiest construction uses kiln-dried hardwood such as oak, hickory, poplar, ash, birch, elm, maple, or pecan.

Why kiln-dried lumber? For maximum stability. Lumber with too high a moisture content has a much greater tendency to warp.

Why hardwood? Because its cell structure is denser than that of softwoods like spruce, pine, and fir, and can better stand up to years of use without cracking or splitting. Hardwood has a life expectancy of 50 to 75 years and so can be reupholstered several times.

ARE JOINTS DOUBLE-DOWELED AND

GLUED? ARE CORNERS BLOCKED? Primary frame joints should be glued and double-doweled (connected with at least two dowels) as opposed to merely stapled, nailed, or attached with screws. Inside corners of the frame should be corner-blocked (reinforced with blocks of wood), using glue and screws for fasteners.

ARE LEGS PART OF THE FRAME?

Longest-lasting legs are an integral part of the frame. Some designs require legs that screw into the frame or attach in some other way, but these are more apt to buckle or break off.

if legs are made from a separate piece of wood, they should be corner-blocked into the frame, then attached with glue and screws. This is superior to joinery where legs are simply doweled on or-worse-fastened by a single screw. The giveaway in this case is a leg that turns in your hand.

WHAT KIND OF SPRINGS ARE IN THE SEAT AND BACK?

Under the cushions of a chair or sofa, you'll find the foundation of seating comfort the spring base. According to one manufacturer, "Nothing beats traditional, old-fashioned eight-way hand-tied coil springs for comfort and longevity."

The standard for top quality, this construction features steel coil springs configured in different gauges to give added support to areas that receive the greatest stress. Springs are individually anchored to jute webbing or polypropylene sheeting across the bottom of the frame.

The top of each spring is then tied by hand to all adjacent ones and to the frame with jute or nylon twine in eight directions. If part of the twine should break, the coils won't poke through padding because they're tied in so many places. And although they're firmly secured, coils still have enough freedom of action to move independently. For optimum support, look for 9 to 12 coils per seating area.

Among other commonly used seat-base constructions are drop-in coil units and no-sag springs. Although both fall short of the standard set by the eight-way hand-tied base, they offer good durability and comfort at a lower price.

Drop-in units (sometimes called pre-engineered) are assembled by machine over a sturdy steel grid, then dropped into the frame and fastened to it with metal fittings.

Unlike the coils in a hand-tied base, drop-in coils are all the same gauge and haven't been configured to give added support. Also, they're built with more metal-to-metal contact and tend to squeak after a while.

A no-sag spring base usually consists of flat, S-shaped wire springs fastened side by side across the frame. The tighter the "S," the greater the tension and the less the potential for sagging (which, despite their name, these springs have been known to do).

Because no-sag springs are flat and take up less space than coils, they're often the best alternative for contemporary pieces with thin seats. They're also the best choice for back construction in pillow-back sofas and chairs, where coils would be too bulky.

On top-quality tight-back pieces (without back cushions), look for a Marshall unit. This is made with a set of light-gauge coil springs individually pocketed in muslin.

IS THE EXTERIOR FULLY PADDED?

The best armchairs and sofas are padded all over. This protects you from hard edges and also keeps upholstery fabric from rubbing against the furniture frame and wearing through.

On the seat base, back, and arms, padding often consists of a layer of polyurethane foam topped with a layer of polyester batting. On the outside arm and back cavities, you'll usually find batting used alone.