Trying to buy a good quality sofa is a gamble, especially if you purchase it on the basis of its appearance without looking at what’s inside. But, scrutinising the construction and engineering of the sofa is essential to determine its quality. Even two identical-looking sofas can have different price tags because of the quality of contraction and durability they provide.
Don’t worry! We’re not telling you to rip off the covers and look at the inner layers of the furniture. You can judge it by inspecting a few aspects. That’s why we’ve drafted a quick guide to determining the quality of a sofa based on its filling, frame and seating support. Let’s have a look.
The Strength of the Frame
The durability of a sofa depends on the strength of its frame. If your sofa doesn’t have a strong, sturdy frame, it will fail to retain its shape in the long run. The quality of wood used for making the frame and the treatment of joints should be considered while judging the worth of the sofa.
Always look for sofas with kiln-dried hardwood frames. The reason being, wood is filled with a lot of moisture content which means it can easily bend or warp and destabilise the shape of the sofa. To avoid this, it goes through the kiln-drying process to get rid of about 93% of moisture inside the wood. It makes the wood more durable and resistant to moisture change. That said, make sure that the joints of the sofa are neatly dowelled, glued and screwed to provide strength to the structure. It’s better not to buy sofas made of particleboard or plywood as they are not durable materials.
You can judge the strength of the frame by lifting the sofa and moving its side-frame. If the sofa is made of good-quality wood, it will be heavier and if the joints are treated properly, they won’t twist or wobble when moved.
The Quality of the Seating Support
Apart from being sturdy and attractive, one primary characteristic that a sofa should have is a comfortable seating support. A saggy sofa is a big no-no as it won’t provide support to your body. The best supporting system to ask for when buying a good-quality sofa is the eight-way hand tied springs system. In this system, the springs are tied with a twine in eight ways, i.e., from front to back, side to side and diagonally in both directions. It provides a flexible, comfortable and supportive seating system to sofas.
The sofas with eight-way tied springs system are of high-quality and expensive as it requires expertise to construct it. If you want greater seating support on a budget, then you can consider modern sofas with sinuous spring construction and web suspension.
You can check the seating support of a sofa by sitting on it. If it is too saggy or too hard, then avoid buying it. However, if it is supportive of your body and it feels comfortable when sitting in it, then go for it. You can even ask the furniture store representative about the type of seating support the sofa has.
The Firmness of the Filling
The type of cushion filling of a sofa determines its softness. Look for high-density polyurethane foam (3 pounds per cubic foot) to get firmer cushions. They provide a bouncy feel to your sofa to make it more comfortable for you to sit in. Low-density foams are of inferior quality and break down easily so avoid them. For a softer, smoother finish, make sure that the foam is wrapped in cotton or a similar fabric as foam wrapped in Dacron (a synthetic polyester with tough, elastic properties) are not durable.
If you’re a fan of plushy cushions, then consider buying a sofa with down feathers that have down-proof ticking under the upholstery fabric. But, down cushions are demanding and need regular attention to keep them in good shape. Discuss these specifications with the salesperson and ask for an inspection before making the investment.
When purchasing a sofa, keep these important aspects in mind to judge its quality. If the piece of furniture you’re considering to buy doesn’t pass these criteria, then ignore it and look for other options. Remember that quality is more important than appearance.
