Furniture Facts

Furniture is essential to every home and provides us with storage, seating, and a place to eat, sleep, and work. Nearly all furniture is available in many different styles, shapes and sizes as well as many different prices.

When buying furniture, consider how you'll use the furniture, as well as the overall look you want for your room. Is it formal or informal? Will it be used every day or only occasionally? Will children or pets be using these pieces of furniture? The answers to these questions will influence the style, quality and materials of the pieces you choose.

Judging Quality
Have you always wondered what the difference was between an $800 sofa and a $2,000 sofa? Understanding a little about the quality of construction of furniture will help you understand the differences among lowered-priced and higher-priced furniture.

Anatomy of Upholstered Furniture

Frames
High-quality frames are made from kiln-dried hardwood which resists warping. Frames should be joined together with dowels (at least two per joint) as opposed to stapled or nailed. Inside corners should have corner blocks that are screwed and glued to the frame.

Legs should be extensions of the frame rather than attached. On longer sofas look for center legs for additional support.

Springs
Eight-way hand-tied springs are the highest quality. This construction features funnel-like, steel coils that are tied with twine to each of the eight adjacent coils and to the frame. The springs are then attached to heavy duty webbing at the bottom for additional support. There are also four or six-way tied springs, but they are not as supportive.

Sinuous springs are another option and feature flat, s-shaped springs that are attached to the front and back of the frame. These springs take up less space than coil springs, so they're often used in contemporary furniture that has thinner seats. Although not as high quality as hand-tied springs, sinuous springs are a durable, lower-cost option.

Padding and Cushions
The best upholstered pieces have cotton or polydacron padding covering the entire frame minimizing hard edges and preventing the fabric from rubbing against the frame and wearing through. Standard-quality seat cushions have a polyurethane foam core wrapped with polyester batting for softness. Spring-down seat cushions are a higher-quality cushion that wraps down feathers around a base of coil springs that have been encased in fabric and foam.

Quality back pillows are filled with polyester, a mixture of down and polyester, or down and feathers. Inferior back pillows have crushed or shredded foam. Because the comfort of cushions is an individual preference it’s best to go for a test sit to determine which types of cushions you prefer.

Anatomy of Chairs, Tables and Casegoods

Woods
Furniture can be constructed of hardwood, softwood, or wood veneers. Hardwood is most often used on higher-quality furniture because it’s stronger than softwood. Hardwood comes from deciduous trees like oak, maple and cherry; softwoods come from confers such as pine, fir and cedar. Softwoods should be kiln-dried to prevent splitting and splintering.

Veneers are thin sheets of hardwood glued to a less-expensive wood core. Often associated with lesser-quality furniture, veneers can actually be stronger and are more stable than solid wood, which can warp with changes in temperature and humidity. In lower-quality furniture, particle board and plywood will be used more extensively.

Joinery and Hardware
Quality joints are usually achieved through a variety of methods including nails, dowels, screws, and glue. Often a combination of methods is used to create the strongest joints. Look for corner blocks on inside corners for additional support.

Staples are often found on the cheapest furniture and should be avoided especially on pieces that bear weight.

Drawers and doors should operate smoothly. Drawer box corners should have dovetail joints – never staples.

Finish
The finish of wood furniture is the final touch that adds color and protects the wood. A clear finish allows the natural color of the wood to shine while wood stains add or change the natural color. Finishes can also make a piece look rustic or refined.

In general, finishes should feel hard and smooth to the touch unless they are intentionally distressed or crackled, and they should be strong enough to resist moisture. Look out for uneven colorations, bubbling or cracks in the finish.

Inexpensive furniture may have a single coat of polyurethane, while higher-quality furniture will have a multi-step finish that includes multiple coats of finish applied with sanding in between each coat.

Web Resources

• A Guide To Furniture Woods from How Stuff Works
  Learn about the different types of woods used to make furniture and their characteristics such as hardness, color and grain.
• Buying Furniture To Last Through The Destruction Years from Furniture First
  If you have young kids and are shopping for a new family room sofa, read this article first! Furniture First has some great information on the wear-ability and clean-ability of different fabrics.
• Top Green Furniture Tips from Planet Green
  Some great tips on selecting "green" furniture.
• Wood Furniture Care Guide from HomeFurnish.com
  Everything you need to know about wood furniture care, including how to treat minor stains, nicks and scratches.