The most important indicators of value are the raw components and the skill with which these components are transformed into new upholstery.
This primer teaches you about components of furniture, processes for materials, and methods of assembly. This knowledge enables you to make decisions about furniture with confidence and assure that you get what you want for your home at the best value.
How To Build Quality
Nothing transforms a house into a home like upholstered furniture. Yet, upholstery is different from other types of furniture because you can’t see the actual parts that make up the frame, springs and cushions. Therefore, it is often tricky for shoppers to know about the quality of the furniture they are buying.
When you shop for cabinetry, the quality is apparent in how the drawers are constructed and how consistently the finish is applied. However, most of the quality issues of upholstered furniture are hidden beneath the textile. And there’s a lot more to nice upholstery than a great shape and a beautiful fabric.
There are several key words associated with quality, including Eight-Way Hand-Tied Springs and Kiln-Dried Wood. But, what they mean and why they are significant to you require explanation. Once you understand how upholstery is manufactured, you’ll have the tools necessary to make decisions about what is right for you and your home.
Frames
The life of a piece of upholstered furniture begins with its frame. Lasting furniture must be constructed of the proper kinds of wood that have been processed with quality in mind. Additionally, the frame needs to be well reinforced using any of several age-old techniques of joining, blocking, fastening and doweling.
Wood
You may never see the wood used to create the frame of your bed, sofa, chair or ottoman. But, you really should know whether a hardwood or softwood was used. Avoid Softwoods because they aren’t sturdy enough to hold the joinery that is required for good quality furniture. The tight graining of Hardwoods allows for pegs, screws and nails to be set securely so they won’t come loose over time. Hardwoods include Oak, Alder and other woods with tight graining. Hardwood laminates are often used for blocks and braces because laminates are actually stronger than solid wood in these applications.
You also want to know that the wood in your furniture has been kiln-dried. Kiln-drying is an extra process in which the wood is heated in an industrial oven to yield several benefits:
- It removes excess sap and moisture, which can cause frames to warp.
- It prevents wood from absorbing any moisture in the future that may cause the frame to swell, shrink or change shape, which can loosen joints and fastenings.
- It minimizes bending, torquing, mildewing and rotting during the life of the piece.
Joints, Blocking and Doweling
The next step in creating great furniture is assembling the wood into a sturdy frame. Generally, the more rigid the frame the better, because a loose frame can crack or fail. Several craftsman processes can be used to create a good, strong frame. A variety of woods and laminates are used for joining, blocking and doweling and sometimes several techniques are used.
Joints are the places where one piece of frame wood intersects to another part of the frame at an angle. Joints must be reinforced with blocks or dowels for extra support or the frame will be susceptible to loosening over time.
Blocking refers to the process of placing additional blocks of wood behind or diagonal to joints and corners for support in areas where the furniture craftsman believes there may be greater stress. Blocks provide lateral support and a larger area for screws and fasteners to set wood elements securely. This extra bracing at stress points contributes to the lasting integrity of the frame. An alternative to blocking is doweling.
Doweling refers to the process whereby one or two dowels are drilled, hammered and glued into the wood at stress-points to provide extra strength and support to the frame. Nails, screws, fasteners and glue may also support many parts of a frame.
Here’s a tip: Try picking up the end of upholstery. Good furniture should be heavy because quality techniques contribute to furniture weight. Quality materials and processes result in long lasting furniture worthy of passing on for generations.
Learn about Spring Systems, Cushions, and Textiles.
Go on to read about Size and Care of Upholstered Furniture.