Whether you’re trying to decide if your couch is worth re-covering or you’re looking to buy one new or secondhand, it’s important to understand quality. You don’t want to put money into a couch that’s not going to last.
Here is an in-store test I’ve used and is recommended by Lucas Lam
COMFORT
Sit on both ends and the middle for 2 to 5 minutes. How does it feel for size, back support, etc.? You should bring other adult family members and ask them to do the same. Is it the best size for the people who will use it most frequently?
FRAME
1) Press on the back rail and arms and try to wiggle. You shouldn’t feel much movement.
2) Lift one corner of the couch about 6 inches off the floor while someone else holds down the opposing end. The couch should not twist.
3) Ask a clerk to remove the dust cover under the couch near a leg just enough so that you can see the frame. Look for corner blocks (add strength) and neat, tight joints that are glued, stapled or screwed in place.
4) Kiln-dried hardwood and furniture-grade plywood can denote high quality, but the frame can still be poorly put together.
CUSHIONS
1) Unzip seat cushions. Better-quality pieces have foam covered by batting enclosed in muslin.
2) Knead the frame along back, rail, corners and arms. If you feel hard or sharp edges, padding is skimpy.
3) The sofa back should be padded to give a finished look. It should not be lumpy.
4) Check inside removable back cushions. Polyester fill held in pillowcases and stitched into compartments will minimize settling.
5) Reversible cushions help fabric and filling last longer.
SPRINGS
1) You shouldn’t tip or sink in one direction when you sit down. If you do, springs probably aren’t centered or properly attached to the frame.
2) You don’t want to hear squeaks.
3) Eight-way, hand-tied springs are no longer synonymous with quality. Coil, cone, S-shape and grid can all be just fine.
Above all, won’t you think it is also the way when the Buyer to choose their cargos from Supplier ?