CONSTRUCTION
What materials are used in Sydney Furniture Direct Lounges and sofas?
All our lounges are handmade, using only all new materials. Below is a list of each major section of a lounge, and what is used:
Frame
The major parts of the frame are solid hardwood. Shaped areas, such as arms and kick boards use strong plywood. Recliner chairs feature a quality steel mechanism, capable of supporting a body weight of up to 110Kg’s.
Solid Hardwood
Solid hardwoods are the best and most durable option to manufacture a sofa as the wood itself is, certainly, stronger and denser than other types of wood like softwood or engineered wood.
Kiln Dried Hardwood Frame
Drying wood in an oven (kiln) before using it to manufacture a frame for a lounge/sofa is crucial because it removes or brings the moisture levels down. Moisture can lead to many problems like warping and twisting.
Frame Construction
How the frame pieces are joined together is just as important as the type of wood used. Reinforcing the frame joints is essential and will determine how the frame will stand the test of time. If it’s poorly done the lounge/sofa will not last. Strong joint construction can come in many different forms.
At Sydney Furniture Direct our frame joints are:
- Corner-Block-Reinforced (where an extra piece of wood is installed at the corner).
- Nailed.
and
- Glued for extra strength.
Corner-block-reinforced frame
This a necessary part of a sturdy lounge/sofa fame. The frame parts built with corner blocks are well supported at their joints and will certainly last.
Nailed frame
Nails alone are unlikely to provide the required support to the frame, however when combined with other forms they are an indication of quality frame construction.
Glued frame
Glue is not enough to supply support the joints of a frame need, combining glue with other support methods will definitely add extra strength to the joints.
Suspension
The suspension is the part of the sofa under the cushions which holds them up as you are using the lounge/sofa. This is where support and durability meet comfort. There are many different types of suspensions. At Sydney Furniture Direct, the lounge/sofa will, depending on the model, be supported by quality steel springs.
Sinuous Springs
Also called zigzag springs. This is this one of the best suspension systems in lounges/sofas. Made with heavy gauge steel wires bent into a continuous line of vertical S shaped coils set in rows running perpendicular to the front of the sofa and we combine it with horizontal circular metal rod tied to the springs using durable metal clips to reinforce them and to inhibit the shifting and sagging. We use a heavier gauge steel and a greater number of springs with few spacings to provide more comfort.
Cushions
The seat and back cushions are the most visible parts of a sofa/lounge which you interact with directly. Therefore, cushions quality is very important.Â
Seat cushions
Seat cushion
Our lounges and sofas seat cushions feature quality foam core wrapped in polyester fibre. We use A high-density foam for the inner core and comfortable softer outer layer. This offers a comfortable seat that will hold its shape well for a long time.
Back cushions
Back cushion
Depending on the model, the back cushions are packed with pre-weighted A grade polyester fibres (Dacron) or foam.
Cover
At Sydney Furniture Direct we offer a large variety of quality fabrics and leathers in different colours and textures.
Fabric
A large variety of quality fabrics and textiles that come in different colours and textures are available to choose from. Our fabrics are made up of natural fibre, synthetic fibre or a combination of both. Natural fibre is extremely strong, smooth, and naturally lustrous. Polyester is a top-class synthetic fibre. Our upholstery fabric is easy to maintain, abrasion-resistant, and at the same time aesthetic.
Leather
All seating leather used is Real, Genuine First grade Corrected Top Grain Cow leather, which gives the best balance between comfort and durability. Corrected leathers reduce the likelihood of imperfections such as scars resulting in a more uniform grain, and are the best type of leather for everyday use. The sides and backs use a genuine pigment coated Cow Leather on Full Leather lounges.
What is the difference between full leather and full thick leather?
Full 100% Leather as the name implies is leather all over. We offer two thicknesses of genuine leather for our lounges, sofas and recliners, full genuine leather and full genuine THICK leather.
- The Full Genuine Leather is approx. 0.9mm thick, has finer grains, and accordingly it has a smoother feel.Â
- The Full Genuine THICK Leather is approx. 1.4mm thick and it is of course thicker leather! With a more pebbled texture (bigger and more prominent grains).
For both options, all seating leather used is Real, genuine First grade Corrected Top Grain Cow leather, which is the best leather for everyday use. The sides and backs use a genuine pigment coated Cow Leather
A variety of colours, for both options, is available to choose from.
The decision of whether to go Full Genuine Leather, Full Genuine THICK leather will come down to your preferences (texture & colour).
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Want to read more about Leather?
International Council Of Tanners Definition of Leather: A general term for a hide or skin with its original fibrous structure more or less intact, tanned to be imputrescible. The hair or wool may or may not have been removed. Leather is also made from a hide or skin which has been split into layers or segmented either before or after tanning, but if the tanned hide or skin is disintegrated mechanically and/or chemically into fibrous particles, small pieces or powders and then with or without the combination of a binding agent is made into sheets or other forms, such sheets or forms are not leather. If the leather has a surface coating, this surface layer, however applied, must not be thicker than 0.15mm.Â
Sourced from International Council of Tanners (ICT) – Code of practice on the appropriate designation of leather used in upholstery and automotive applications. www.leathercouncil.org