Choosing a second-hand sofa

A sofa is the most used piece of furniture in a home, so with a second-hand one what matters is not the appearance but what sits under the fabric. A good old sofa with worn upholstery is a better buy than a new sofa with a weak frame.

The frame decides everything

Sit down and rock in place. Movement or creaking means the frame has loosened. Lift the sofa by one corner: a well-built one rises as a single object, while a weak frame starts to twist slightly. A solid wood frame can be restored; a chipboard one generally cannot.

Springs and the seat

• Sit on each seat separately, not just the middle.
• Feeling a spring or wood through the seat means the padding is worn - fixable, but it costs.
• A released seat should rise evenly, with no pronounced dips.
• Look underneath: sagging fabric or a snapped webbing strap signals a repair ahead.

Fabric and smells

Fabric can be replaced; a smell often cannot. Smoke or damp that has soaked into the filling frequently survives cleaning. Watch for sun-bleached areas too: if one side is lighter, that fabric has already aged and will tear sooner.

When reupholstering is worth it

Reupholstering pays off when the frame is solid wood and you like the shape. You end up with essentially a new sofa built to a standard rarely made today. If the frame is weak, or it is an ordinary modern model, the work usually costs more than the result is worth.

Measurements people forget

• Seat depth - a deep sofa suits a tall person and is uncomfortable for a shorter one.
• Arms often add 20-30 cm to the overall width.
• Back height determines whether the sofa visually divides the room.
• Check it will pass your stairwell - many only go in with the legs removed.

If a sofa in the shop interests you, ask us. We will tell you what the frame is and whether reupholstering it makes sense.