The gubbins of a sofa

[Four Cofffee]

A few years ago at work I went into a sofa factory and basically they used MDF, chipboard, ply, foam and glue to make these 'buy now, pay whenever' sofas. No proper substance and I am surprised they last until the end of the credit agreement.


I am thinking of replacing my sofas and the manufacturer supplies pictures of the manufacturing process, fromma absic frmae, though upholstering etc. The wood looks like proper wood (she says it is beech) but I can still see odd bits of chipboard used to shape some areas.

Is this normal even for the 'bettrer' makers to use chip board and cheaper materials in none structural areas?

[Simpo Two]

Four Cofffee said:

fromma absic frmae

Is that Latin for 'From start to finish'?

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 6th April 16:40

[Four Cofffee]

Simpo Two said:

Four Cofffee said:

fromma absic frmae

Is that Latin for 'From start to finish'?

Edited by Simpo Two on Tuesday 6th April 16:40

wyh yse

[juice]

My Grandad (and subsequently Dad) used to have a Furniture manufacturing shop making 3 piece suites but in particular - Chesterfields.

They only ever used beach frames. When mum used to take us up there on weekends, I was set to work making buttons, stamp out the leather, then moulded over the blanks

The Chesterfields were bloody expensive (even then) but the quality of them meant there are many still around 20-30 years later.

Things have probably moved on since then, but so long as the frame is beach then you'll be fine.

Buy cheap, buy twice and all that...

Edited by juice on Wednesday 7th April 18:51

[Simpo Two]

I tried a beach sofa once. I got shingles.

[robinhood21]

Simpo Two said:

I tried a beach sofa once. I got shingles.

Mind, no rash remarks from me!

[mgtony]

Shouldn't this be in the Lounge?

[Eggle]

We sell hand made leather sofas which are predominantly beech but the also use man made board to add to the strength. They make the arm frames and bond man made board to add to the rigidity. They also use man made board on the L shape centre, again to add to the strength.
Perfectly normal practice, and it will give you a better, longer lasting frame with less twist.

[Simpo Two]

Eggle said:

less twist.

Now that's an interesting point. My parents had a stonking Utility suite circa 1950, heavy as hell and I was told that to test the quality of a sofa, you pick up one end and try to twist it.

BUT - on reflection that has no bearing to the performance of the sofa... does it? They go on a flat floor and stay there!

[Rags]

Simpo Two said:

Eggle said:

less twist.

Now that's an interesting point. My parents had a stonking Utility suite circa 1950, heavy as hell and I was told that to test the quality of a sofa, you pick up one end and try to twist it.

BUT - on reflection that has no bearing to the performance of the sofa... does it? They go on a flat floor and stay there!

yeah good point however when you have one person sitting on a sofa and someone else 'falls' into the other side of it to sit down, there is certainly some give!

[FlossyThePig]

Four Cofffee said:

I am thinking of replacing my sofas and the manufacturer supplies pictures of the manufacturing process, fromma absic frmae, though upholstering etc.

Have a look at Multiyork

[Four Cofffee]

FlossyThePig said:

Four Cofffee said:

I am thinking of replacing my sofas and the manufacturer supplies pictures of the manufacturing process, fromma absic frmae, though upholstering etc.

Have a look at Multiyork

Thanks for that, I am after two x 4.5 or 5 seater Chesterfield which tend not to be stock items. To date I have found prices from £1150 to £1950 each although they may offer some discount if I do buy 2.

The thing putting me off at the minute is that I have two x 3 seaters and it hurts my Yorkshire bones to sell perfectly good furniture for next to nothing. Much prefer it to have fallen apart.

[Muzzer]

I have a Stressless sofa and chair. www.ekornes.co.uk

Excluding the insides of the seats, it's made from proper, solid, wood, leather and metal.

That's all and that's why it has a 10 year manufacturer guarantee.

[Tampon]

I am a upholsterer and have run my business for the last ten years, frames shouldn;t have "board" in them, the only reason they do is to lower the cost of manufacture. I have sold ranges from Halo, peirson and many other top manufacturers, they do use mdf and chipbaord along with a beach/ash frame, it isn't terrible but it certainly doesn't make the sofa better in any way, it cuts costs.

I make chairs, sofas and anything else soft for your harris, I make it out of solid ash most of the time ( beech and oak are fine as well ), a bespoke wingchair frame costs me £80, off the rack "standard" size would be £50, a sofa frame for a chesterfield would be £100-120 depending on the size, there is no excuse other than lowering cost for using anything else other than hessian webbing and hessain ( although there are some good modern webbing sheeting that is pretty good and can cover and "spring in one").

Board won't stop a frame twisting, if it does you have a proper shonky frame to start with. Frames don;t need support if made properly, thats why they are called the frame.

Edited by Tampon on Friday 9th April 02:19

Edited by Tampon on Friday 9th April 02:20

[rovermorris999]

Also have a look at Wesley Barrel.