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whiteycat

Question about quality of Bradington Young leather recliners

whiteycat
10 years ago

I am looking for 2 good quality leather recliners for our living room. We bought 2 leather rocker recliners by Lane about 4 years ago, and the quality on them is not great. Leather on arms is fading, seat cushions uneven, etc. This time we want chairs of higher quality.

I am wondering about the quality of Bradington Young recliners, since Hooker acquired the company in early 2000's. I see on the BY website that their frames are not made of solid hardwood. They are made of laminate plywood, 7/8" wide. "the frames from only the finest multi-ply, 7/8" laminated hardwoods." I don't know if this is how they always made their frames, or if this is something fairly new in order to cut costs.

I always read that good quality upholstered furniture is made from kiln dried solid hardwood frames. So the plywood frames make me hesitant to buy BY.

Can anyone shed light on this for me? We really like how the Alta sits, model 4104. Thanks for any information on this topic!

Comments (12)

  • Billu1971
    10 years ago

    Bradington Young used to be made in North Carolina, and they build a great quality product. After Hooker purchased the company, they are now making a lot of things overseas in China. I used to do a lot of business with them...but there is nothing wrong with a 7/8" hardwood plywood...but make certain it isn't engineered/manufactured hardwood...this is "politician speak" for particle board, and it will not last. If your frame and suspension do not carry lifetime warranties, I would keep looking!

  • whiteycat
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Billu1971, Thanks for your reply. I do not know if the BY frame is real hardwood ply, or engineered hardwood or pressed wood ply. I am now taking another look at the recliners by Smith Brothers since I know they use solid hardwood frames, etc. I have a Smith Brothers couch that is a year old, and we love it so far.

  • differentdreamer
    10 years ago

    B-Y still manufactures furniture in North Carolina - it's not all outsourced to Asia.

  • freethinker99
    10 years ago

    Bradington Young makes a good product but they do use plywood. 5/4 hardwood is preferable. I believe they use to use 5/4 hardwood.

    There are only a handful of companies making recliners out of 5/4 hardwood except a few such as Hancock and Moore which would be more coslty.

    I do think the chairs from Bradington Young would be worth your consideration.

  • tracey_b
    7 years ago

    We were all set to buy a BY recliners 2 yrs ago, but decided to wait (until early this year). In the meantime, I started researching leathers and such and ended up with Hancock and Moore (after reading and hearing about the comparisons between the 2 companies). I'd spend a little more if you can afford it, for better made stuff that can last much longer. We saw a cut-away of one of the H&M chairs that convinced hubby this is what we wanted. We also decided on sofa/chair combo in leather. Now we're ready for the 2 companion chairs and decided again on H&M, putting Century fabric on these. The chairs themselves should last "forever"--if we get tired of the fabric, we can just have them re-upholstered. AND, you can get free cushion replacements on H&M furniture.

  • ivy333dale
    7 years ago

    There is a small company in Ohio called ORT that makes recliners. We got a leather one a year ago after looking at everything and anything in the way of brands and it has turned out very good. Get the 'extra spring' ( no charge) in the seat. Both my husband and i find this one very comfortable and it is holding up well to every day use. I paid around $1400 for it, not cheap but not the most expensive by any means.


  • lpw26
    3 years ago

    READ THE BRADINGTON YOUNG REVIEWS ON YELP. Overall they get 1.5 stars. Mine review is on there. My $7k leather sofa was a costly mistake... what a piece of junk.

  • PRO
    The KEEPING ROOM
    3 years ago

    If you paid $ 7K for a B-Y sofa, someone took you to the cleaners and back again. You overpaid by double for any sofa in the line. I've been a B-Y dealer for over 30 years, and quite honestly there's a lot of bad information in the above threads. I have very few issues with B-Y, it's made in the USA and they back their product well. While its not at the level of Hancock and Moore, it's not H&M price points, either.


    Most people don't know this, but the single largest cost in making a leather sofa is the hide itself, and B-Y uses good leathers, same as Hancock and Moore. The second largest cost factor is the foam (not the frame as everything thinks). Here's where premium lines like H&M excel, they use the best foam and lots of it in places where B-Y skimps, the back panels, side panels, arm caps, etc. Third is the frame, B-Y is an all-plywood line, H&M is a mix of plywoods in motion pieces, and still uses solid hardwood in stationary. Finally labor, and here H&M does detail tailoring that you won't find on B-Y, not even close. Myself? I buy Hancock and Moore for my home.


    If you are buying leather motion furniture, the most important elements for longevity are the quality of the leather itself (should be all top-grain, no bonded, no bi-cast, no splits, no vinyl combos) and the mechanism itself. Mechs should only be either Leggett and Platt or Ultra-Mek, and both are marked with a label on the mechanism itself when you extend it. Here's what their labels look like on the mechs, the L&P label is the lower one.



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  • HU-763256999
    3 years ago

    I THINK BRADDINGTON YOUNG ARE THE MOST OVER PRICED HORRIBLE PIECES OF FURNITURE YOU CAN BUY!! Purchased from James Allen in Dallas Tx horrible buying experience, i was told it was damaged in shipping and had to be recovered! Then lasted two years and now broken!! HORRIBLE DO NOT BUY!!!

  • maisydaisyaiken
    3 years ago

    We bought a very expensive Bradington Young leather, swivel recliner. It was custom made to our color specifications. The recliner on the furniture store floor was so beautiful and comfortable that we decided on it against a fabric recliner. It took almost 10 weeks to get it and when it was delivered it was overly stuffed. When we sit in it, it throws your neck and body forward instead of relaxing in it. The BY representative claimed it was "within the standards" and there was no return. What kind of reputable furniture company doesn't stand behind their work?. It is impossible to get out of the recliner without kicking the bottom. For $3000+ we expected a top notch chair. We are now in discussions with the furniture company. THIS IS A WARNING TO ANYONE THINKING OF BUYING BRADINGTON YOUNG!!!!!

  • barry kushnir
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Thank you this is very helpful. These manufacturers overcharge and then you get junk. We have to stop buying from manufacturers that do not use quality components, outsources to China and doesn't stand behind their product.

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