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Home Furnishings

2010-02-01 08:42:00

How long should furniture last?

Question: How long should furniture last?

Answer: More often than not, a furniture purchase is an investment. Therefore, the longevity of a piece of furniture is important to know before the purchase is made. However, there are many factors that will influence how long a piece of furniture will last, because there is nothing written in stone that will tell you the life span of furniture. The three main factors that will influence how long a piece of furniture will last are: 1. Quality (how well the piece was constructed by the manufacturer) 2. Usage (how often the furniture is used and how much stress is put on the furniture) 3. Placement in the Home (where the furniture spends most of its time in the home) Quality is the first thing to consider when buying a piece of furniture. The better the quality, the more likely it will last. A sofa, or any other upholstered piece of furniture, for example, can vary greatly in quality, depending on the manufacturer. A hardwood frame instead of a pressed wood frame will increase durability. The higher the density and/or thickness of the foam used in a sofa’s cushions will reduce the amount of foam breakdown over a period of time. Also, the closer the springs are inside the sofa, the less likely you will get the “sagging in the middle” syndrome. There are different gauges of springs to consider as well. The lower the number of spring gauge, the thicker the steel is in the spring. The spring must be durable enough to withstand use, but at the same time flexible enough to be comfortable. Another important feature to look for in a sofa is the stitching of the seams. Are the stitches even and straight? Does the fabric feel tight across the whole body of the sofa frame? In the case of quality for wood pieces, look for the following: • Occasional tables - consider the construction of the joints o On a coffee table or end table, having the legs bolted onto the tabletop underside instead of inserted and glued is preferable to reduce the chance of breakage at the point of insertion. o Examine the weight of the table and, in most cases, the heavier the better. • Bedroom furniture – consider the construction of the drawers o On a chest of drawers, examine the construction of the drawer. Dovetail joints (where the sides and back of the drawer interlock together) are preferred the majority of the time for added strength. • Dining room furniture – consider the construction of the joints o Examine the underside of a dining table to see how the tabletop is attached to the base. Generally, the more bolts used, the better. o Consider the weight of the table – the heavier the better Mattresses have varying qualities that are important to note while shopping. The ticking (the stitching across the top of the mattress) is a quick way to identify the level of firmness – the tighter the ticking, the firmer the mattress. The items to consider as far as the “innards” of a mattress are the coil count, the type of coil used, the type of foam used, and the thickness of the foam layers. Generally speaking, the more coils in the mattress, the better. However, a foam encased coil unit, regardless of how many coils, is a better value. The type of coils used is similar to the springs in a sofa – the gauge of steel gets thicker as the number goes down. Memory foam is a popular choice in mattresses; however, it has a natural tendency to trap heat. Therefore, those who tend to sleep “hot” may prefer latex foam instead, assuming that a latex allergy does not exist. Latex is a natural product of the rubber tree and is breathable, eliminating the problem of retained heat. It is also naturally resistant to mold, mildew, dust mites, and other allergens. Once a piece of furniture is purchased, it should always be used as the manufacturer intended. Therefore, having your children avoid jumping on the furniture will increase its useful life. Also, if a sofa is placed in an infrequently used sitting room, it will most likely last a very long time. A sofa that is used daily for a good length of time will, obviously, take some wear and tear. However, it goes back to the original quality of the furniture to determine how much wear and tear it can take. Some pieces of furniture have weight limits. Therefore, take into consideration the person’s weight who will be using the furniture the most and act accordingly. Pets, of course, are to be considered when determining how long furniture will last. The majority of the time, pets accelerate the decline of furniture longevity. The furniture’s placement in the home is also a key in determining the longevity of its life. Some fabrics and some woods will fade over time if placed in direct sunlight. Extreme temperatures can sometimes lift veneers off of tables, also making the veneers brittle. Also, if the furniture is placed in a high-traffic area of the home, it may be bumped into often, or brushed up against, causing wear and tear. Considering the three main factors of how long a piece of furniture will last, the customer can control the usage of his or her furniture and the placement of his or her furniture in the home. However, the quality of the furniture cannot be controlled by the customer. Therefore, it is important that the customer be well-educated in what to look for in a quality piece of furniture. At Lytton’s Furniture, providing quality products is vital to our business. It is our way of taking care of the one factor that is out of the customer’s hands and increasing the chances of that customer having furniture that lasts for a long time.