Everything You Didn’t Know About Furniture Construction
Furnishing your home can be a time-consuming experience, not to mention a significant investment. You want to know that the money you spend results in the quality you expect. Fortunately, there are almost endless choices in design, price range, and materials to fit every type of home. With some knowledge about furniture construction, you should be able to shop anywhere that interests you and feel confident that you can tell a well-crafted furnishing from a shoddily constructed piece.
Couches and Chairs
A quality couch or chair starts with a sturdy frame. When choosing living room furniture in Ft Myers, look for a kiln-dried wooden frame. Kiln drying slowly removes the water from the wood, ensuring that it retains the intended shape and support. Wood that is too soft, too thin, or too green can warp, crack or break over time.
As with any wood construction, a wooden furniture frame should be fitted tightly. Signs of hand-crafted, sturdy construction methods for joints are dovetail and mortise-and-tenon. Particularly on large pieces like couches, the corners and base joints should be reinforced.
Seating can be a matter of personal preference, but the support should be comfortable and sturdy enough to stand up to repeated use. The filling may be a combination of foam, down, and springs. You’ll want to make sure that the foam is high-density and any springs are wrapped. If your seating contains down, a down-proof material should be used as a barrier under the upholstery fabric to prevent the feathers from escaping.
Tables
When choosing a dining, coffee or occasional table, you should first think about how they will be used. That will then guide you to the appropriate material choice. For instance, if you have young children in your household, you’ll need a top that holds up to spills, dings, and craft projects. The base should be level, stable, and not easily moved or tipped.
Hardwoods are the best choices for wooden furniture. They are stronger and more durable than other woods, resisting warping. Look for smooth, solid construction with no visible knots. Be careful of composite wood and veneers, as they can be made with harmful chemicals like formaldehyde. Pay attention to the unions and make sure there are no gaps, misplaced screws or excess glue.
Stone tables can be both beautiful and durable but can be very unforgiving on anything that comes into contact with them. Granite and marble are porous and may not be suitable for all uses without a sealing treatment. If the table has metal legs, look for solid construction, not cheap, hollow aluminum, and make sure that there are no rough spots or sharp edges.
Bedroom Furniture
When purchasing a dresser, open the drawers. They should feel solid and have a dust guard between the drawers. Bed frames should sit level and have little movement when in place. There should be enough support across the base to hold the mattress and box springs securely without groaning, cracking or slipping.
When examining bedroom furniture, as well as living room furniture in Ft Myers, the use of thin plywood or softwoods is not a sign of quality construction. Neither is light-weight aluminum, particularly when used in any weight-bearing capacity. Metal finishes should be coated to prevent them from oxidizing or rusting. Fabrics should have well-constructed seams and be tightly fitted.
Choose a Respected Furniture Store
When you are ready to choose your furnishings, you want a furniture store in Fort Myers that has a large selection, knowledgeable sales team, and excellent customer service. You need Matter Brothers Furniture and Mattress. We’re here to help you design the perfect home, don’t hesitate to visit us at one of our five convenient locations or contact us.
