How to Buy the Best Sofa

Think about your environment and who will be using the couch.

Let’s be honest, the right sofa in your home can make or break your living room.  

With the advent of “binge” watching Netflix and streaming shows, the amount of time people spend on their couches daily continues to rise.

Your friends end up crashing on your sofa; spouses in trouble with their husband / wife end up crashing on sofas.

Needless to say, choosing the right sofa is almost just as important as choosing the right bed.

Here are FarBelowRetailSTL.com, we offer a wide assortment of Sectional Sofas, Sofa / Love Seats, Reclining Sectionals, and Reclining Sofa / Love Seats.

But how do you choose the sofa that is right for you, your family, and your home?

Ask about the joints.

Just because a couch may have staples or nails doesn’t mean to avoid it entirely; though we recommend against buying a sofa that is held together only by nails, staples, or glue.  Yes, the price may be cheaper, but the sofa life will be shorter, the couch will be weak, and you most likely won’t be as comfortable.

Your best bet for joints is to go with wooden dowels, double wooden dowels, wooden corner blocks, or metal screws and brackets.  Ask one of our FarBelowRetailSTL sales reps for written manufacturer information on frame joinery.

Check the sturdiness of the frame.

You want a sturdy frame because that means your sofa will last longer.  Lower cost soft wood may be cheaper in price, but it often will warp after a few years.  Hardwood is more durable.  

An easy way to test the frame strength of your potential next couch is by lifting one front leg of the sofa off the floor. Once you’ve raised it about six inches, the other front leg should raise too. If it’s still touching the floor, that’s a great indicator that the frame is weak.

Test the Springs

The majority of sofas have sinuous / serpentine springs which are preassembled units of snaking wire. They are nice and supportive, but they can press on the frame or sag over time if the metal isn’t heavy enough. Higher end sofas often come with “eight-way hand-tied springs.” They’re definitely comfortable couches, but pricier.  The springs in the upholstery should be close together and firm. Sofas with no springs, just webbing or mesh, are usually uncomfortable and flimsy.  

Coiled seating is a great option. It’s essentially like sitting on a mattress. There are pocketed coils in the seat cushions themselves and will hold up longer than foam while providing more support for bigger people or even for people who end up falling asleep on their sofa a great deal.

How does it feel?

Take a seat.  How do you feel?  Is it comfortable?  Can you imagine yourself binge watching a Netflix series whilst planted on the sofa?

Polyurethane foam is a low-cost, easy-care cushion filling. But the more durable, high-density type can feel hard, and softer, low-density foam deteriorates more rapidly with constant use. High-resilient (HR) foam is slightly more expensive but more comfortable and long-lasting. Polyester fiber is also inexpensive, but it flattens quickly. Goose- and duck-feather fillings are comfy, but they can clump. Top of the line: goose down (the bird’s soft undercoat) mixed with feathers. The combo is deliciously plump, expensive (about double the price of foam), and high maintenance; cushions need frequent fluffing. A down-polyfiber blend is cheaper, but it flattens fast.

Think about your environment and who will be using the couch.

Do you have cats or dogs who frequently enjoy sitting or scratching your couch?  Your best option may be to go with tough textiles.  Your sofa should have durable fabric.  Cotton and linen are great. Synthetic microfiber can mimic most fabrics and is stain resistant. Cotton and linen can be treated for stain resistance, but they aren’t as easy to clean, or as durable. Wool and leather are great looking and strong, but expensive. Fabrics with patterns woven in tend to wear better than those with printed patterns.

Give FarBelowRetailSTL.com a call or stop by our showroom today to test out our sofa selection.

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