Shopping this season for upholstered Furniture
Whether it is a sofa or loveseat or a chair or a chaise, beauty and comfort are the criteria for selecting upholstered furniture. Fabric plays a very important role in the beauty of upholstered furniture. Besides this, there are three basic parts of the furniture piece to consider before purchasing, and they are: the frame, the supporting foundation, and the padding or cushioning. Below are some suggestions for buying upholstered furniture.

The Frame:

The frame should be made from high quality kiln-dried hardwood. It is necessary to go for kiln-drying process as it keeps the wood from cracking or warping. Today, frames are also made of steel, plastic, laminated boards or a combination of materials. The frame should follow the contours of the furniture and should not depend only on padding to achieve the shape.

The Joints :
Look for joints in the furniture piece that are either glued or screwed into place. See that they are properly fixed. Avoid blocks that have been stapled into place.

The Deck:
The bottom of the seating area, underneath the cushions is the deck. Cheap sofas use interwoven straps which are fixed to the frame, while expensive ones have the straps fixed to springs placed around the perimeter. The best sofas are those which build the deck with springs.

Frame Support:
Support on the frame is provided by webbing, sling straps, or springs of various types. They are used to providing great comfort, support and durability and better the quality of the springs used, the more the comfort is. Make sure the back of the piece has springs in it, too.

Cushioning:
Cushioning forms the next layer and is very important for ultimate comfort. Cushions are made from cotton or polyester fiber, foam or down. It is to be noted that denser the foam, the heavier it is and more durable. Better-quality foam usually has a density rating of 1.8 to 2.5With respect to the cheaper furniture, the cushion is filled with polyurethane foam while more expensive furniture have high comfort, high resiliency foam, which provides extra fluffiness. Always remember that cushions grow softer with time, and hence a floor model will have softer cushions than the piece you ordered when it was new.

The Cover:
For outer beauty, it is your choice. Basically, there are two types of fabrics, for upholstery-naturals and synthetics. As a rule, synthetic fabrics are more durable, color-fast and cleanable. Run your hand over the fabric to determine its durability. Tightly-woven fabrics or heavy fabrics will stand up to wear and tear better. Fabrics like satins, brocades or damasks are very delicate, and are not recommended for regular use. Leather, available in a rainbow of colors and a range of styles, is today one of the most popular upholstery materials. The choice for upholstered fabric is just unlimited. But then, this also depends on your taste in the colors, patterns and textures and of course your lifestyle and budget.

A quick recap: Checklist
* Frame is sturdy.
* Wood used for making frame is properly dried.
* Frame doesn’t creak or wobble.
* Frame sits properly on the floor.
* Frame and corners are well padded.
* Seats are comfortable.
* Backs are free of hard spots and bumps.
* Seams and welts are straight.
* Patterns and stripes match at seams.
* Patterns are centered.
* Cushions are resilient and fit snugly.
* Covered in tightly woven, durable fabric.
* Mechanisms on recliners work smoothly.
* Metal parts are smooth with no sharp edges.
* In each position, dual purpose seating is well balanced.
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) urges importers and manufacturers of furniture to ensure that quality pieces of furniture are made available to consumers, especially as the anticipated shopping season approaches and the demand for products increases. Consumers, on the other hand, need to carefully examine every piece of furniture they intend to purchase for possible defects and buy from reputable dealers.