What's in a Sofa?

With all the new options out there today in buying furniture how can you decide on what sofa would be best for you?

Styles change all the time but that shouldn't mean that you have to sacrifice quality for the latest trend. When designing a room, for the more budget conscience client, I always recommend spend money on the piece that will be used most often. In the living room, the obvious answer is where you park your seat. I've had clients come to me with looking for certain criteria in their chair or sofa because of either neck or back pain. This is the area beside the kitchen where people gather and spend quality time together. The last thing you want to think about is if my furniture is going to give me a stiff neck.

I'm also a big fan of furniture made in right here in the United States. Some places will state that they are made in the US but I would beware and ask if the frame is made in the US? Some companies only reupholster here is the US but have their frames made overseas.

Let go beyond the pretty facade of your sofa and dig deep into the different methods in constructing a sofa.

Construction

Frame

Best Option: Hardwoods such as oak or maple are best and make sure it is kiln-dried. A term you often hear that simply means it goes into a kiln to dry out any moisture in the wood. This prevents warping from happening.

Good Option: Hardwood plywood that has also been kiln dried. In some instances this can be better than solid wood if it is applied cross directionally making it stronger than wood.

Bad options: Soft woods such as pine or plywood and even particle board held up by staples and nails.

Supports

Best Option: Corner blocks. Some companies, have even integrated corner blocks into their frames.

Corner Block Construction

Bad Option: Unfortunately seen in today's furniture all to often is glued dowels. I wouldn't recommend this feature for the sofa construction but if you wanted a cheap kids bed that will not be roughed up, this is fine.

Dowel Construction

Interior Frame

8 Way Hand Tied

Best Option: A true and tried method is called Eight-Way Hand tied. This is still done today by hand. You have a series of tornado shaped coils held together with a sturdy string tied 8 ways.

Good Option: Drop in coil. This is machine made and literally dropped into the frame and fastened in. It is not as good as the 8 way hand tied which reinforces the sturdiness of the frame but it's still quality design.

Sinous Spring System

Good Option: Sinuous spring system. Depending on the construction of the sofa such as a tufted seat, an 8-way hand tied is not possible. The sinuous spring system looks like a series of S. running up and down the frame.

Webbing

Bad Option: I'm mixed on this one but ultimately it's not a good option. It is webbing. When you have webbing spreading across the frame as your only support, you can guarantee sagging. Webbing should only use for extra support such as the corners of the frame and arm or across the back just not not the main support for your back and seat. Polypropelyne or Pirelli webbing is best option for that instead of jute.

The reason why I'm mixed is if I'm going for that Danish style design where you have that intentional webbed look where the construction is just exposed wood frame and webbing. The design is purposeful and although would not recommend the inner workings of the sofa, a great accent chair can be fine. Know that eventually the webbing will have to be replaced.

Also beware of cardboard in covering of the frame before the foam and Dacron is wrapped.

Cushions

Most cushions will have foam. In residential, the density of the foam is where the quality is and industry standard density is from 1.5-2.5 depending on firmness. I would prefer a 2.0 density as a minimum if given the choice.

Spring Coil Cushion

Best option: Spring coil system inside the foam. This helps retain the shape of the cushion making it last longer. Dacron wrap. Channeled feather and down (this prevents feathers from sagging to one spot)

Good Option: Same construction as above but with no spring coil system.

Preferential option: Down cushion. Some are drawn to the all down cushion look which is literally sleeping on a down comforter. Some love this look, but hate the maintenance. After a while it takes so much effort on keeping the sofa looking neat and clean with the constant fluffing, that there is a love hate relationship with it. Please take this into consideration when

Preferential option: Some manufacturers offer a fiber fill instead of down in their cushions. This i recommend for anyone allergic to down.