By Amanda Rogers
When my husband and I got married, our lives and
our furniture blended — his, mine and ours.
We had his stereo, my bed, his dad’s newspaper rack and my great-grandparents’ dining room table and chairs, circa 1960.
Since then, we’ve brought in our own pieces, mostly antiques tough enough to stand up to our three sons.
Unlike our parents’ leftovers and the antiques, though, the couches we’ve bought over the years haven’t stood up as well.
The blue-and-white striped sofa bed we bought 15 years ago looks like we found it dumped on the interstate — after it had been hit by a couple of cars. One leg is broken off and has to be propped under the corner; the frame is cracked on one side so it sags to the left; there’s a hole in the fabric along the back; and it smells funny, either from the boys or the dog.
If I could get it through the door, I’d dump it on the curb right now. And my husband would help me. Unfortunately, then we wouldn’t have anything to sit on.
We know it’s time to go furniture shopping. But how do you know what’s inside a couch and whether it can hold up?
Ask someone who knows what’s inside. Louis Benavidez of Arlington has been upholstering furniture for 24 years. He’s seen the inside of more couches than I will ever sit on. He gave me the basics of furniture shopping.
You want a solid wood frame, not “hardened wood” or particle board. But without gutting the couch and looking inside, how can you tell?
Pick it up. If it’s heavy, it’s a good piece, Benavidez says. Of course, my couch is heavy because there’s a fold-out bed inside. You need to take that into consideration.
Check out the cushions. If you sink into them, they’re made of low-density foam. Nice and soft, but it’s not going to last long. You want medium- or high-density foam if you want the couch to last awhile or if it’s going to be used a lot.
Take the cushions off and check out the springs. They’ll be covered in fabric, but you should be able to tell if they’re no-sag springs (which go front to back) or circular springs (which go up and down). The circular springs are tied together like a spider web and will last longer, Benavidez says.
Look for the tougher, thicker fabrics. Benavidez favors tapestries and dark denims. The popular new microfibers are pretty good, too, he says.
And don’t be afraid to ask questions. Salespeople should know how their furniture is made. Is the frame glued well?
You get what you pay for with furniture. A cheap piece is a quick fix, but you’ll probably be looking for furniture again soon.
