Making An Upholstered Furniture Purchase

Buying upholstered furniture can be stressful.  It doesn't make it any easier that you can't see what is going on inside!  

When investing money into a piece, it's important to remember to take a step back and look into the quality of the piece.  You don't want to be regretting your purchase a year later.  It's also important to purchase from someone who will back up the product and take care of any problems ASAP in addition to the manufacturer. You only want to buy from someone who truly believes in the product!

Here are a few tips to help you make a successful purchase of an upholstered piece of furniture.

Hardwood Frame:The frame should be 1-1/4" thick kiln dried hardwood. This is the part that holds everything together so don't let this one slide. The hardwood will hold all fasteners in place too. Also, you should not feel the hardwood frame anywhere, it should be completely covered with padding and fabric.

Springs: The last thing you want is to invite friends over and have the sofa squeak every time they move. The springs should be made of steel and should not make any noise. Try bouncing on the seat and pressing against the back cushion.

Padding and Foam: Whatever you do, don't go with any type of shredded foam. This will move and break down overtime. Instead, you want a foam core with a polyester blanket wrapping around. This will provide the most uniform look and feel. In addition, several manufacturers offer different seat densities. Try out sample cushions to find the comfort that is just right for you.

Exterior: Lastly, take a look at the stitching. Is it tight? Can you see any threads? Any nail head or decorative trim should be secure and any welt cording should be straight, not wavy. All fabric should match in the pattern placement and be snug to the cushion. If the fabric starts out loose, imagine how loose it will be in a few months. Finally, feel the seat, arm and back cushions. Does the padding and foam feel uniform?


A quality manufacturer will often have information in their stores about their quality control.  Also, remember my mention above of purchasing from a local store that you know will stand behind their product!