There are three factors in judging the quality of a sofa. These are the frame, the seating support and the filling or padding. These three factors will help you evaluate the comfort-ability of the sofa, its durability as well as its capability to hold on to its shape for the coming years.
The frame
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The structure of the sofa will give you a clue if it is capable of holding on to its form. A sturdy and well-built frame assures you of its excellent quality.
A good quality frame is made of kiln-dried hardwood. By kiln-drying, all the moisture from the wood are eliminated so it can preserve its shape and solidity for a long period. If you see that the sofa's frame is made of green wood, do not buy it. Green wood can contract and breaks easily. This is the same with knotted wood.
Put special attention on the frame's joints. They must be glued, pinned and screwed. Additional blocks must be used to strengthen the corners. They also provide additional support.
Do not buy a sofa that has particleboard or plywood for its frames. These are substandard particularly if staples were used to put them together. Alternatively, the frame can be sturdy if extra layers of plywood were used; nevertheless, ensure that there are about 11 to 13 layers of plywood. This number of additional plywood assures you of its stability.
The seating support
If the frame is strong, you are guaranteed of its good seating support.
To evaluate this, you have to sit on the sofa prior to purchasing it. It should not sag and must support your bottom and back well.
An excellent seating support makes use of an 8-way hand tied coil system. The builder links every coil to the next spring using a sturdy cord. The latter passes the front to the back, side to side and crossways in both ways; hence, every coil is tied securely.
Some uses the sinuous coil construction technique. These coils have an "S" shape and starts from the front to the back of the seat. They are sustained by extra wires that cross from each other's sides. This technique assures you of an excellent seating support.
There is also the web suspension wherein bands of webbings cross the seat and its back. They are then fastened to the frame in order to create a platform for the padding. Webbing uses a combination of natural and artificial fibers, as using them on its own will not give a good support for seating. It is also the least favoured method of options for seating support.
The filling
Aside from an excellent frame and seating support, you also need to check on the filling used for its cushions.
Soft cushions make use of the best fillings. They are placed under the upholstered fabric to avoid any spikes or feathers jutting out. When you sit on the sofa, you should not feel its frame on your bottom or back.
Foams that are of high density envelope the coils to come up with a soft surface; thus, providing a sturdy and resilient inside support.
Polyurethane is the commonly used filling because of its thickness. With a high level of thickness, the cushion will be firm. Some wrap the foam in cotton or a softer material to make it spongy.
Always ensure that the foam is highly thick to avoid early breakage.
Just bear in mind that if want an excellent quality sofa, you have to let go of the price. It may be expensive but you will realize that it saves you more money in the long run, as your furniture will last you longer.