The information that follows will help guide you to buy anything that’s been upholstered. So if you need an entire living room set or just a recliner, you will find purchasing tips here.

Frame Construction: Why is this so important? Well mainly because this is what you are sitting on. A bad frame will sag in the middle.

Good: Air-dried Hardwood with hardwood plywood in non-stress areas. Double doweled corner blocks glued and machine nailed. Plastic screw-in legs, Hard front edge.

Better: Kiln Dried Harwood throughout. Double Doweled Corner Blocks glued and screwed/heavy duty stapled in place.

Best: 5/4” Kiln Dried Hardwood throughout, Double Doweled Corner Blocks glued and screwed in place. Built in Legs, Center Support Leg on larger pieces provides better weight distribution, spring edge, Front to back seat stretches or braces.

Spring Construction: Why is this important? We wouldn’t want to have a sofa that a spring breaks within a year.

Good: Sinuous or No Sag S-shaped wire fastened from the front to the back of the piece, providing a luxurious seat.

Better: Drop-in Coil Pre-assembled coil spring unit, which is paced in the frame instead of clipping each spring separately. Provides uniform seating.

Best: 8-way hand ties coils provide an even foundation s that no single spring is forced to support more pressure than the other.

Cushions:

Good: 1.5 Density, Polyurethane Foam

Better: 1.8 Density, Polyurethane Foam with Dacron Wrap

Best: 2.0 Density Polyurethane foam, usually wrapped in a polydacron and sewn into a muslin bag. Muslin bag prevents fabric from slipping out of place on the cushion. To protect the fabric from wearing and to add more comfort, 1” of cotton padding is placed over 1” of foam.

The purpose of the dacron wrap is to soften the sharp edges of the foam to give it a more soft appearance. The dacron wrap also helps to protect your fabric in the event of a liquid spill by allowing the liquid to pass through your fabric and the dacron and settle in the foam. While the spill may keep your foam wet for several days, there will be a barrier between your foam and your fabric, which will allow your fabric to dry out rather than continue to soak up the wetness from your foam.

Know the sales terms

Recliners, Sofas and Loveseats now come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Today recliners, sofas and loveseats offer more then just a footrest. They come with a few more options then before.

Chaise: Provides full support and padding behind the knees when opened. There is no opening between the seat and footrest.

Lift Chair: Chair will rise up from a seated position to help occupant stand.

Massage Options: Offers many different levels of heat and/or massage (vibration)

Motion Furniture: Motion Sofa, Motion Loveseat ect… Item has reclining units in with the sofa or/and loveseat. Some Sofas and Loveseats can also provide a drop down table with cup holders. Many have storage arms or drawers.

Rocker/Recliner: Rocking back and forth recliner

Swivel: 360-degree turn radius

Glider: Glides gently back and forth.

Wall-Away, Inch-Away or Wall Saver: A recliner or sofa that fits close to the wall to save floor space but still reclines fully.

Swivel-Glider: A glider that will turn 360-degrees

Glider-Rocker: A glider that rocks also

Electric Recliner: A recliner that has a mechanical mechanism. You push a button and your recliner will recline. Push the other way and your recliner will sit back up. (this is only available with Custom Furniture)

Push Back, 2-way or 3-way position: A recliner that you push with your upper torso and hands to recline back. Generally they have a 2 or 3 position setting only.

Stationary: Non-reclining sofa, loveseat or chair.

Storage Arms: The cushion part of the armrest flips up revealing a storage area, which might also host the controls to the massage unit. Generally there is a cup holder in the storage area also.

Super Sofa: A sofa that has storage arms, a drop down table with cup holders, optional massage controls and speakerphone. The sofa might also have a storage drawer.

Drop Down Table: A table that is in the center seat of a sofa that folds down flat to reveal a table with cup holders and other options. Not available on all sofas.

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