It’s likely that your furniture will be your third most expensive lifetime purchase (after a house and a car), so it pays to do a little research before buying. If you’re settling into an area and will be able to keep the same furniture for many years, the incentive to buy quality furniture is even further increased. Here’s your guide to buying furniture that will withstand years of wear and tear — and it all depends on looking for the right furniture material types.
- Solid Wood:
Solid woods, whether they’re soft woods like pine and fir or hardwoods like oak and maple, are always durable choices, regardless of whether they’re hidden as internal frames or make up a whole piece of furniture. The advantage of buying solid wood dining room furniture or bedroom furniture is that solid wood can be sanded down and refinished if gets marred over years over use.
When you’re looking at wood furniture, inspect joints, as well, since the quality of the workmanship will greatly affect the lifetime of the piece. Screws, pins and dovetail joints are all good signs; glue and nails are not.
- Genuine Leather:
Genuine leather is stain resistant, fade resistant and stretch resistant, making it an ideal choice on high quality furniture you intend to keep for years. Maintenance is low, too, requiring only wiping with a dry microfiber cloth on a regular basis and cleaning with a leather conditioner once a year. And since spills can be easily wiped off leather, it’s an ideal choice for families with children.
- Cotton and Wool:
Cotton and wool are the most durable natural fabrics available on the market. Both can be treated for extra stain and fading resistance. Stay away from linen, silk or synthetics prone to wrinkling.
- High-Quality Fillers:
Furniture material types may be harder to distinguish if they’re hidden inside a piece. But when buying upholstered furniture, you should always unzip cushions (if possible) or at least look at the product specifications.
You want to see high-quality foam covered with feathers or loose fill. This is because loose fill alone won’t provide enough support, and foam alone tends to become misshapen and uncomfortable over time.
What other materials do you recommend? Share in the comments.