How to Select a Recliner
July 26, 2021
Choosing the Perfect Sofa for Your Home
A couch represents a sizable investment for most families. The couch you choose for your home will need to serve its purpose for many years. The cost and importance attached to a couch selection make it essential to make the best decision possible. The good news is that several objective criteria are available to guide your decision regarding a new couch.
Check Fit
It wouldn’t make sense to choose a couch that is not a good fit for you and your home. All members of your family should find the cushions comfortable. If a prospective couch includes a recliner, it should provide comfort in each position it offers. The seat depth should match the height of people using the couch, and the sofa’s back should provide adequate support when both of your feet are on the floor.
Evaluate Frame
If you decide after your purchase that you do not like the cushions or fabric that come with your couch, you can upgrade them. But you need to ensure the couch’s frame is something that will keep you satisfied for many years to come.
Plastic, particleboard, and metal are common materials used in the construction of cheap couch frames. Higher quality furniture will consist of solidly built hardwood frames.
You can test a couch’s frame by lifting one front leg of the furniture six inches from the floor. If the other front leg does not immediately leave the floor, this is a possible indicator of a weak frame.
You can test a couch’s frame by lifting one front leg of the furniture six inches from the floor. If the other front leg does not immediately leave the floor, this is a possible indicator of a weak frame.
Ask about Connecting Parts
You will probably not find it possible to use your eyes to discern the material that connects the frame parts. However, the salesperson you speak to should know this information. Restrict your couch options to units made with wooden dowels or wooden corner blocks. The frame parts of some quality couches will also use metal brackets and screws to connect frame parts.
Test Arms
Once you are sure you have a couch with a well-connected frame, you should apply pressure to both arms of the furniture. The couch’s arms should be sturdy and not lean or give when you push down on them. This step in the inspection process is most important for families with active children since one of the most common failure points for a couch is the arms.
Evaluate Upholstery
The quality of your couch’s upholstery will not have a large effect on comfort. However, upholstery quality is an essential component of its visual appeal. The patterns and stripes that make up the design should match at the seams. Design patterns should be centered, and the couch’s welts and seams should demonstrate good tailoring. Upholstery that includes higher thread counts points to dense weaving and durability. Check for proper sewing for any buttons attached to the fabric.
Evaluate Seat Cushions
The cushions used for seating should fit tightly into the frame of your sofa. These cushions should also be firm and show resilience. Press down on each cushion for a few moments to check its ability to regain its shape.
If a couch’s cushions do not return to form after pressure application, the furniture will likely not stand the test of time regarding home use. These cushions will lose their shape and attractiveness with time.
Much debate exists regarding the best materials for sofa cushions. The most common material used is polyurethane foam. A balanced foam that is both firm and comfortable is most desirable. Be sure to question your salesperson regarding this matter.
Much debate exists regarding the best materials for sofa cushions. The most common material used is polyurethane foam. A balanced foam that is both firm and comfortable is most desirable. Be sure to question your salesperson regarding this matter.
Gold UFAC Tag
The Upholstered Furniture Action Council became active in 1978. The council intends to ensure that furniture upholstery is more resistant to the possibility of fire caused by cigarettes. UFAC reports a decrease in the number of house fires since the organization put its standards in place.
Gold tags identify sofa sets with UFAC designation.
Gold tags identify sofa sets with UFAC designation.
Match Couch Size to Doorway
If you were to purchase a couch only to get home and find it was not possible to navigate the doorway of your home with your new possession, you would not be the first or last person to have this experience. You can avoid this problem by taking doorway measurements and considering this information when evaluating a sofa.
Check to see if the furniture’s legs are removable if it seems the size might be a problem. You may also be able to remove your door from the hinges to move the couch into your home.
Check to see if the furniture’s legs are removable if it seems the size might be a problem. You may also be able to remove your door from the hinges to move the couch into your home.
