How to choose a good sofa

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker collected as much information as possible about the shapes, mechanisms, fillers and upholstery of sofas and made special tables that will help you make a decision and not regret it as soon as the furniture is delivered.

Forms of sofas

Sofas are:

• straight;
• angular;
• with an ottoman;
• modular;
• insular.

Straight sofas are classics. There are a lot of variations. Available in all sizes and colors.

Straight sofas, like corner sofas, are usually placed along the walls and are often equipped with built-in tables, a minibar and folding shelves. It is comfortable to sleep on these sofas.

Corner sofas should not be equated with ottoman sofas. In the East, this is the name for a kind of wide soft ottoman. In our furniture industry, an ottoman is understood as the protruding part of the sofa. Often without armrests, but with a storage niche.

Modern sofas with an ottoman in the interior successfully play the role of corner sofas, saving space in small rooms, and often serve as the main sleeping place for the owners.

Island sofas can be round or semicircular, oval and rectangular. These are expensive and high-profile sofas. As a rule, they do not sleep on them. They are placed in the center of spacious rooms to create a seating area. It is desirable that the approach to the "island" was from all sides.

Modular sofas consist of several parts and can be combined in different ways. The modules can be used as separate pieces of furniture. The composition may include a module with a sleeping place, but most often such sofas are designed for beauty and relaxation.

Thanks to their versatility and variety of shapes, modular sofas are great for studio apartments.

The main mechanisms of transformation

The transformation mechanism is the way the sofa is laid out. There are many options.

When you first come to a store, the variety of transformation mechanisms and their fancy names makes your head spin. In fact, everything is simple.

Mechanisms can be divided into folding, rolling out and unfolding. The first include "book" and "eurobook", as well as "click-gag". The second group includes "telescope", "tick-tock" and "dolphin". The unfolding mechanisms are the "accordion" and various "folding beds".

Rotary mechanisms stand apart. They are used in large corner sofas: one half turns to the other, forming a wide berth.

Book and Eurobook

Book sofas have been familiar to everyone since Soviet times. Raise the seat a little and get a rectangular berth. To unfold such a sofa, it must be moved away from the wall. The space under the seat is usually used for storing bedding and other items.

"Eurobook" is an improved "book". Everything is the same, only the seat moves forward on the runners. Simple, reliable mechanism, suitable for daily nesting. This sofa does not need to be moved away from the wall.

Click-gag

This is also a modernized "book", which, in addition to the "lying" and "sitting" positions, has intermediate options: "reclining" and "half sitting". The "click-clack" sofa is made on a metal frame with wooden battens, which often break under heavy load. It is better to use it in a nursery or for occasional overnight stays for guests.

Sofas with the "lit" mechanism are very similar in appearance and principle of operation. The difference is that the backrest does not fold out - only the armrests.

Telescope (withdrawable)

The sleeping place of the telescope sofa consists of three parts. Two of them form the seat and one the back. To unfold it, you need to pull the lower part of the seat, fold the backrest forward, and fill the space between them with a mattress. Among the disadvantages: a low berth and scratches on the floor with frequent use.

Accordion

This transformation mechanism is based on the accordion principle: the bed also consists of three parts, one of them is the seat, and the other two form the back. To unfold the "accordion", you need to push the seat forward and lay the backrest in the same plane.

Sofas with such a mechanism are produced on wooden frames with conventional metal hinges and on all-metal frames with wooden battens. It is better not to lay out the former often, the latter are suitable for daily use.

Tick tock (pantograph)

This transformation mechanism is very similar to the "Eurobook". Only on the "tick-tock" the seat steps forward with the help of a spring mechanism. This is a more expensive, but also more convenient option: there are no wheels, nothing scratches the floor. "Tick-tock" is perfect for those who plan to use the sofa as a bed.

Dolphin (kangaroo, microlift)

This is a very popular transformation mechanism. Especially in corner sofas and ottoman sofas used for sleeping every day.

The principle of operation is simple: when laying out, a platform rolls out from under the seat, which then rises using a special lift mechanism, forming a single berth. The more reliable the lifting mechanism, the longer the sofa will last.

French, American, Belgian and Italian clamshells

"French clamshell" is a triple fold clamshell. During the transformation, the berth turns forward and is installed on arcs. But sleeping on a sofa like this is pretty tough. It is not suitable for daily use. This is a guest option.

The "American clamshell" is a little more comfortable. There are only two folds, and therefore the mattresses are thicker, sometimes even with spring blocks. But for daily sleep, it is still not the most convenient option.

"Belgian clamshell" is not so much a type of transformation mechanism as a sign of a manufacturer. The Franco-Belgian furniture company Sedac-Meral produces double and triple folding beds with foam and spring mattresses of different heights. This is the "Belgian clamshell".

The "Italian folding bed" has two folds and is unfolded together with the soft elements of the sofa. Unlike other "folding beds", some models of "Italian" have small containers for storing bedding.

Decide if you need a sofa for sleeping or relaxing? In the first case, it is better to take a "book", "eurobook", "tick-tock" or a good "dolphin". Everything else is guest options.

Here is a table showing the pros and cons of different types of sofas.

Frame

In the production of sofas, metal and wooden frames are used, as well as frames from wooden blocks with chipboard.

Metal frames are reliable and durable, provided that the joints are welded and not bolted. Any upholstery can be used with a sofa with a metal frame. It can be replaced if necessary.

The service life of a timber frame depends on the type and quality of the tree. This also affects the price. The most expensive sofas are made of oak, beech, walnut and ash. More budget options are birch and coniferous wood frames.

In a wooden frame, the main thing is that the wood is smooth and dry. The fewer potholes and knots, the better.

The combination of wooden blocks and chipboard is the cheapest option for a sofa frame. But if the technology is followed during the production, and the chipboard elements are treated with special paint, such a sofa will also serve for many years.

Filler

Backrest, seat, armrests - each element of the sofa has a filling. As a rule, it is foam rubber and polyurethane foam. There are also latex and springs.

Sofas, inside of which only foam rubber, are the cheapest, but the least durable. A sofa filled with a single piece of foam rubber will keep its shape for as long as possible. But after three or four years, he will also go down.

Most manufacturers prefer polyurethane foam padding. It hardly differs in price from foam rubber, but it lasts much longer.

Polyurethane foam is block (sandwich) and cast. From the first, the seat, back and other elements of the sofa are simply glued together. When they talk about molded polyurethane foam, they mean that at the factory it was poured into a mold in liquid form and at the exit they received a molded back or armrest of the sofa.

The most durable, environmentally friendly and expensive filler is latex. Thanks to its high elasticity, it follows the contours of the body and instantly regains its shape. At the same time, it does not electrify, is resistant to mold and does not cause allergies. Latex is commonly used in expensive orthopedic furniture.

Separately, it should be said about the spring blocks. Their presence in the sofa not only adds glasses to comfort, but also makes the sofa more durable and wear-resistant. Of course, provided that very high quality individual spring units are used.

The best option is sofas with multi-layer filling and different density factors in different areas. The bottom layer is the densest, the top is a thin soft material for maximum comfort.

Upholstery

There are even more sofa upholstery than transformation mechanisms. To describe everything, a separate article is needed. Therefore, we will consider the most popular options.

Life hacks for those who choose a sofa

1. Decide where the sofa will be. Draw a plan on paper. This will make it easier to navigate in the store. Calculate if there is enough room to walk with the sofa unfolded.
2. Decide on the function of the sofa: a guest or for daily sleep. Also think about who will sleep on it: a child weighing 40 kg or an adult man per centner. Based on this, choose a mechanism.
3. In the store, carefully inspect the transformation mechanism. Its metal parts must be thicker than 3 mm, accurately painted and securely connected to each other.
4. Sit or even lie on the couch. Estimate the density of the filler. Pay attention to the sounds that the sofa makes as you move. A creak is a sure sign of a poorly glued frame.
5. Pay attention to the evenness of the seams and rows of staples. These are the nuances that distinguish a conscientious manufacturer from an amateur. Look at the back of the sofa. If you plan to put it not against the wall, but in the center of the room, it should also be neatly upholstered.
6. If the manufacturer's warranty is less than 18 months, choose another.