Everything You Need to Know Before Buying Your Next Sofa

Buying a new sofa is a significant investment. Your sofa is the centrepiece of any room it’s placed in. Therefore, it’ll see plenty of action and use over many years. But because buying a new sofa is a financial investment, it’s also a purchase that can cost you hundreds or thousands of pounds.

Fortunately, you can make this piece of furniture last a long time. You just need to do your due diligence and purchase a sofa that’s solid for its quality and its construction. In order to find the perfect sofa, you’ll want to consider different styles, different features, and all kinds of options.

Here’s how you can narrow down your choices and find the right sofa for your living space.

Make Sure to Measure Your Space

The first step to ensuring your next new sofa is the perfect fit for your living room is to make sure it actually fits. Not all sofas will fit in rooms of different sizes, and you don’t want to wind up with a sofa that’s too small or too big.

So, before you begin shopping for a new sofa, make sure you measure your space. Using a measuring tape, measure how much room you’d like your new sofa to take up. You’ll want to measure the available room to determine the length, width, and seat depth you need to shop for.¹

It’s also a good idea to consider factors that will affect the size of your new sofa. For instance, do you want to be able to lie down on your sofa? How many people would you like to be able to seat? Do you want your sofa to fill a large space or do you need it to be more size conscious?

Think About the Types of Sofa Frames

Once you’ve determined how much available space you have for a sofa, it’s time to begin the process of choosing the details of the furniture itself. And there’s no better place to start than the frame of a sofa.

All sofas have frames. Typically, these frames are made out of wood. However, you do have other options. You can choose a sofa with a frame made from any of the following:

Particle Board: The cheapest, lightest, and most fragile option. Particle board is made of composite wood materials.
Hardwood: A variety of wood like oak or walnut. Hardwood frames are solid and more durable than particle boards.
Kiln Dried Hardwood: A wood frame that’s finished and dried in an oven. This type of wood frame is strong and durable. As such, it isn’t prone to warping.
Metal: Although tough and sturdy, metal frames can bend over time.

After you consider the frame type or material, you’ll want to learn more about how it’s assembled. Sofas can be made with one of two common types of frame assembly:

Stapled Frame Assembly: An inexpensive frame that’s held together with heavy-duty staples. It’s built like a picture frame.
Double Doweled Frame Assembly: A higher quality frame that’s held together at the joints with dowels, glue, and screws.²

These factors will help narrow down the different types of sofas you’ll want to shop for.

Decide If You Want Your Sofa to Move or Transform

Another detail that will help you hone in on the perfect sofa is what you’d like your new furniture to be able to do. Some people want a basic sofa that’s designed for sitting and lounging. However, others would like their sofas to be more accommodating.

You can choose a traditional sofa. Also known as a static sofa, this option won’t move or be able to be adjusted. This is the most common choice. You can also consider sodas with motion, which have one or more seats that recline. These sofas may also include footrests.

You can also shop for a sleeper sofa. Also called sofa beds, these sofas convert into beds that can be used for guests. It’s a great way to add additional room in your home and it can turn your living space into an extra guest room.

Determine what will work best for your home. Then you can search for static, motion, or sleeper sofas.

Choose Your Cushions and Upholstery

The last details you’ll want to consider are style and comfort. Some sofas can be inviting and comfortable to lounge on, while others may not suit your living space and decor. It’s equally important to consider both.

To determine whether or not a sofa will be comfortable to sit on and enjoy, you’ll want to check out the cushions. The material that fills a sofa’s cushions makes it either firm or soft. Common cushion types include:

Low-Density Foam: These types of cushions are made of foam that’s soft to the touch. They’re affordable, but can flatten, dimple, and wear quickly with regular use.
High-Density Foam: A more expensive alternative to low-density foam, high-density foam cushions hold their shape longer and are firmer.
Down: These are the most expensive cushions, as they’re filled with goose down. They offer a very comfortable feel, but pillows do have to be fluffed often.
Hybrid: A combination of foam and goose down, these cushions offer the comfort of down with the form and firmness of foam.³

You can also find sofas with two different types of cushions, or two different ways cushions are used. Some sofas feature pillow back cushions, which are removable and can be fluffed or replaced as needed. Other sofas use tight back cushions, which are sewn onto the sofa’s frame.

After you’ve considered these different sofa cushion options, you’ll want to think about what’s covering those cushions. Sofas come in all different types of material, or upholstery. The upholstery determines the style, the feel, and the color of your sofa.

Commonly, sofas are upholstered in these common fabrics:

Linen;
Tweed;
Polyester;
Cotton;
Nylon;
Rayon;
Bonded leather, and;
Grain leather.⁴

Each person will want a different kind of upholstery. You can consider sofas with each of these fabrics to decide which works best for you.

Do Your Research Before You Buy a New Sofa

Ultimately, the best way to buy a new sofa you’ll be happy with is to do your research before buying. You should be an informed shopper – one who’s able to narrow down the available options by choosing the right size, frame, cushions, and upholstery.

When it comes to your final choice, make sure to search and compare to ensure you’re getting a great value. You can shop and search for sofas online in every variety. You can then compare prices, consider different features, and decide which offers the right mix of value, style, and comfort for you.