what to look for when buying used upholstered or leather furnitur

15 years ago

If I were buying something I planned to strip to the frame and re-upholster this wouldn't be an issue. But right now there's just no way I'm going to try something like that! I want a sofa and loveseat (or a sectional) that could go immediately into use. Because our cat will occasionally throw up on it, I'll probably get leather. If we can save money by buying these on consignment or CL, so much the better.

These are the guidelines I've come up with - what other pointers can you give me?

First the obvious ones -

Is it comfortable for sitting on & laying down?

Are the dimensions right for my room?

Then

Check carefully for any obvious damage or wear.

Who is the manufacturer?

When and at what store was it purchased?

Fabric - what is the fiber content? Has it been treated for stain protection?

Leather - what type or grade of leather is it? Is it treated in any way?

Ask about construction - look for 8-way hand-tied springs, hardwood frame - and here's where I get real hazy. I know there are important things to look for in cushion construction, but don't remember what they are.

Unfortunately, I know that the typical seller won't know a lot of this info, not to mention being a total stranger whose credibility is unknown to me!

Lastly - if I'm looking at things that are only a few years old, what percentage of retail price should I expect to pay?

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Comments (2)

suero
15 years ago
Fabric cleaning code: S (solvent) or W (washable)
Chairs and sofas of recent manufacture, unless expensive, use flat coil springs.
If resale, smoking or non-smoking household, pets in household?
For cushions, if you can, unzip the cover and look at the filling. For seats, what kind of filling? Poly dacron wrapped foam? Feathers? Springs? Back cushions, feathers? Feathers and down? Foam? If the hang tag is still attached (you know, the one that says "do not remove under penalty of law), it's easy to find out the contents.
flyingflower
15 years ago
I sold my leather sofa last year and I had a couple people come out to look at it. I remember one woman lifed the cushion to verify that it was the manufacturer I said it was. Now your first thought might be, why not believe what the seller tells you? Well, you'd be surprised how clueless some are, if not downright deceptive. And not till it happened to me did I take that seriously. I asked one woman who I was considering buying a piece of furniture from who it was made by and she gave me a name...but she was wrong, she only remembered the first letter and then made the rest up according to whatever famous name she had heard of! I thought it was a big name brand and then came to find out it was a no-name. Ok, getting back to my sofa...the woman checks the tag (make sure it hasn't been cut off). I thought she was only interested in the label but she was also looking for a leather swatch they sew into the sofa seat. She compared that swatch with the cushion to make sure it was the original color (no one had tried to dye it) and to see how much it had faded. Then she asked if she could have a tiny piece cut from the swatch so she could take it home and see if the color worked with her decor. So you might try that IF you find a sofa you like but you're unsure of the color. Had she asked for a cushion to take home of course I would say no, I may never see that cushion again! Once you buy it you can't return it so you have to be certain the color will look good in the light of your house. Lighting plays tricks on color, it could appear different in your house.

Companies like Ethan Allen don't use 8-way hand tied anymore so don't think you're getting an inferior product if that's not how it's constructed.

I remember when I was shopping for the leather sofa one of the marks of quality was how many pieces were sewn together to make the sofa. Cheaper leather sofas have what looks like a patchwork of strips sewn together.

This probably goes without saying but people who looked at my sofa didn't do it....sit on all the cushions, not just one, because owners tend to sit in the same spot most of the time (especially in my house where one cushion offers best TV viewing!). It's the only way to know if one of the cushions has been "broken down". This is why I periodically swap the cushions around so they get uniform use.
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what to look for when buying used upholstered or leather furnitur

Comments (2)

suero

flyingflower

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