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vanox1

Please help me parse this sofa description

vanox1
14 years ago

Hi everyone,

I've been thinking about getting this Albert Sectional from DWR for a while now. It seats very comfortably in the store, but it doesn't have eight-way hand tied springs, which seems to be the gold standard, if i understand correctly, for contruction quality and longetivity.

Below is the description from the DWR website. Can someone help parse what it really means, or does anyone here have the albert sectional who can speak to how well it holds up?

The frame sounds solid, but the limited research i've done thus far seems to indicate that "web suspension" and "high density foam" occupy the lowest rung on the quality and longetivity ladder.

Thanks!

Here's a link to the sectional:

http://www.dwr.com/product/albert-sectional-chaise-right-sierra.do?keyword=albert+sierra&sortby=ourPicks

And a description from their website:

Kiln-dried hardwood corner-blocked frame; unidirectional web suspension; high-density high-resiliency polyurethane foam with Dacron® wrap; chromed steel legs.

Comments (5)

  • laura11106
    14 years ago

    Actually, your specifications fit the middle of the quality ladder, not the bottom. Web suspensions can mean many different things, and not all of them are bad. 8 way hand-tied springs are not particularly known for their longevity. It's more a matter of "feel" plus the fact that they cost much more than other spring systems. High density foam is the standard in the industry for mid-priced sofas. There are some brand name high density foams such as Ultracel or Qualux which are a bit more pricy and tend to hold up better over extended periods of time, but a standard high density foam cushion with a dacron polyester wrap should hold up for many years.

  • vanox1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for the informative reply. Sounds like the use of high density foam isn't necessarily such a bad thing, and may even have some advantages over the hand-tied spring method. The Albert feels great in the store. As long it lasts at least 7 or 8 years I'll be happy. Sounds like the foam doesn't lose it's shape that quickly so I should be good to go then.

  • laura11106
    14 years ago

    Actually the foam doesn't have anything to do with the 8 way hand-tied springs. The "unidirectional web suspension" is being used as a substitute for the springs. There are many different types of webbing. Some will be as durable or more durable than 8 way hand-tied. The big advantage of the 8 way hand-tied is additional comfort. If you find the webbing to be comfortable enough, don't worry about it.

  • vanox1
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Thanks for clarifying. I happened to try the Maxwell sofa at Restoration Hardware today, which has the 8 way hand-tied springs, and it did seem a bit more comfortable, but it was also noticeably deeper which might have accounted for some of the perceived difference in comfort. I'm 6'4" and I still felt like I just sank into the thing.

  • john_wc
    14 years ago

    Web suspension sounds like Pirelli bands. Think industrial strength rubber bands. :) Webbing is not uncommon on sofas with thin seat decks because there is no room for coil springs.

    As for cushion density, it should have a numerical rating. Ensure it is a minimum of 1.8.

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