Home     About us    Furniture   What we sell  What we don't sell    Consignment process     Helpful hints    Home accents   Prepare to be amazed    Store locations      Employment opportuities       Contacts    Links

Photos of some of our consigned items are coming soon        Insider Secrets of the Furniture Industry      Upholstered Furniture      Sofas . Love Seats . Chairs . Chaise Loungers           Comfort and quality are determined by 5 basic things: 1. Fame 2. Supporting foundation 3. Cushioning or padding 4. Cover 5. Ease of use The frame determines how long the piece will last. The frame is critical to durability and comfort because it is the underpinning for the other components. Frames can be made of kiln-dried hardwood, steel, plastic, laminated boards or a combination of materials. How to test the frame: * Pick up one corner and both legs on that side of the piece should, be the same distance off the floor. If not, the frame is twisting and is not solid. * Frame is sturdy, doesn't creak or wobble * Frame sits squarely on the floor * Corners are braced and glued The supporting foundation is key to comfort. This can be provided by webbing, sling straps, slats, or springs. The design, size and amount of support or softness determines which type is used. Springs can be single coil, double cone coil, or zigzag (sinuous S-type) and can be connected with twine, wire ties or clips. Eight-way hand-tied coil springing is the best, but also the most expensive. How to test the supporting foundation: * Sit on it! Do you hear noise? If so, this is not a good sign. * Does your weight feel distributed evenly, or do you feel like you're 'tilting' in one direction? Cushioning is critical to comfort and appearance. Cushioning materials include cotton or polyester, polyurethane foam, and down. Foam and polyester fiber/ill wrap are the most commonly used padding materials. These man-made materials are durable, resilient, mothproof, and mildew and fungus resistant. How to test the cushioning and padding: * Is it comfortable to sit on and to lay on? * Is it all new material? * Frames and corners are well-padded? * Backs are free of bumps and hard spots * Cushions fit snugly and are resilient Coverings must match use for durability. Natural fabrics include cotton, linen, silk and wool. Synthetics are acetate, acrylic, nylon, rayon and polypropylene. Fabrics with tighter weaves and durable fibers such as polypropylene or nylon stand up better to the hard use of an active household. Leather is a topic of its own, but is generally 4 times more durable than fabrics. How to test the cover: * Check out the stitching: is it fraying at the seams? * The highest quality pieces will have fabric patterns that line up and flow over the entire piece of the furniture * Generally the quality of the fabric underneath the seat cushions will reflect the quality of the overall piece * Is there a brand-name label underneath the center cushion? Higher quality manufacturers will always put their name on it. Ease of use is key to your satisfaction. Be seated. That's the only way to tell if the sofa or chair you're considering is the one for you. Be sure the height and angle of the back and depth of the seat are suited to your size or the person who will use the item most. How to test ease of use: * Is it easy to stand up from a sitting position or do you have to work for it? * Seats are comfortable * Reclining/rolling mechanisms work easily (if applicable)                             Wood Furniture     Bedroom . Dining Room . Entertainment          Quality of wood furniture is determined by 2 things: 6. Type of Wood 7. Construction The better the type of wood, the longer your piece will last. All woods used in furniture fall into three broad categories: hardwoods, softwoods and manufactured woods. Higher quality furniture is made of fine hardwoods such as maple, cherry, oak or of "selected" softwoods such as pine. Medium-priced furniture may have a combination of different woods on exposed surfaces. Particle board or 'manufactured' wood makes up some furniture also. How to test the type of wood: * First, is it solid wood or manufactured? Wood types listed in order from poor to high quality include:   - Compressed paper covered in a thin plastic wrap with a wood-grain photo finish   - Particleboard with a plastic laminate woodgrain finish   - Particleboard with a thin real wood veneer   - A combination plywood and particleboard with real wood veneers and areas of solid wood   - Solid wood with high quality veneers for high quality and lasting durability * For solid wood, is it hard or soft wood and what kind? Hard woods usually have a smaller grain and fewer knots both of which add to the durability and appearance. Good construction means longer life. Several wood and construction types may be used in the same piece of furniture. For example, the term solid cherry or solid mahogany means that all exposed parts of the piece are made of solid wood. The frame or other parts not visible to the eye might be of another wood such as gum or poplar. How to test wood construction: * Check drawers and doors: do they open and close easily and smoothly? * Look for scratches, blemishes or missing hardware * Doors and drawers fit well * Drawers   - have glides and stops   - glide easily when pulled   - have dust panels   - corners are joined securely   - insides are smooth and snag free * Long shelves have center supports * Doors swing open easily without squeaking or rubbing * Long doors are attached with sturdy hinges * Hardware is secure and strong with no rough edges * Interior lights operate easily * Entertainment units have a hole for the electric cord * Heavy balanced feeling when table is rocked * Table leaves fit properly * Finish feels smooth to the touch (except distressed) * Distressed finish has randomly spaced dark marks                                                Copyright © Finders Keepers All rights reserved