Furniture Upholstery and Handmade Furniture

Handmade furniture indicates high quality, though furniture upholstery quality comes from more than just the furniture. Here, we shall discuss what you should look for when you purchase upholstered furniture.

 

First, a definition or upholstery so we are all speaking the same language. The word derives from the old English 'Upholder,' or one who is the hero of his goods for examination. There are a few versions of this, and you have to say that you are on the seat! 

 

Believe that or not, furniture upholstery applies to furniture, as well as footstools and ottomans. High-quality handmade furniture or this type involves four specific elements: the frame, the seating support, the cushioning comfort, and the cover.

 

Specific of these plays a very significant part in the comfort and overall look of your chair or sofa. 

 

Handmade Furniture: The Frame

 

The reason is that you have it and that it is a frame - which you know better as your skeleton. Your furniture also has a skeleton, which is known to be connected to your skeleton. Upholstery Glasgow 

 

Properly crafted handmade furniture should be made with a solid frame, or skeleton. That is why our forefathers devised the solid mortise and tenon, dovetail and pinned joints - for strength. All of the furniture upholstery is attached to the frame, which should be made - yours!

 

Furniture Upholstery: The Support

 

When you flop down on a seat, you have the initial shock of your weight, and then jump back to offer you support. As you lie back, the back of your chair should provide support but also yield somewhat to pressure. In modern furniture upholstery, this comes from springs that have been designed to move with the contours of your body.

 

There are two fundamental types of spring: wires compressed in a wave-shape (sinusoidal springs) that are connected to a single unit, and individual coiled springs attached to the frame. Even the latter can be pre-fabricated into an individual framed spring unit. However, the most effective forms of furniture support are individual coiled springs attached to a compressible base.

 

Not only do the springs compress, but the base to which they are attached is also compressible, offering the maximum of comfort. In handmade furniture, this base is formed by tightly stretched fabric. The individual coiled steel springs are then twined and stretched with springs.

 

The Comfort Layers

 

The canvas is placed over the spring layer, stretched, and then nailed down to the same frame. On top of that is placed the padding. Traditionally, this would be a layer of horsehair and then of wool, but today would be the level of comfort required.

 

There are comfort layers in a modern chair or sofa, including cushions for the seat, and pillows for the back. Cushions need not always be required, especially with handmade furniture, upholstery techniques, and the high level of comfort that cushions are not necessary. You can still purchase such traditionally upholstered furniture today, although most will provide cushions to cover the base seat. In fact, cheaper sofas will have a thin covering over the spring unit with cushions over that. Visit us for more info  Upholstery Glasgow.

 

The Outer Covering

 

The outer cover originally embraced a layer of canvas or linen stretched and tacked over the final stuffing layer. Now, it is more suitable for a cushion of the seat and back, with a layer of the same material covering the rest of the framework. Whatever that material is, it is the outer covering for your furniture and will have been chosen carefully.

 

Made properly, handmade furniture utilizing clean jointing techniques and solid hardwood lasts significantly longer than its factory-made equivalents, using dowels, glue and low-quality woods and laminates. However, once covered with the outer fabric or leather it is often difficult to tell the difference: that comes with use.

 

You can not beat furniture and clean upholstery: it looks better, last, and most importantly, is more comfortable to sit on!