Questions to Ask Before Purchasing Leather Furniture

October 3, 2018

Leather is the gold standard of furniture upholstery, and for good reason—it’s beautiful, natural and durable. Leather is a long-lasting surface that comes in a variety of colors and finishes. Leather is exceptionally versatile, and effortlessly blends with virtually any type of décor scheme. Additionally, leather is resistant to scratches and other types of damage that can plague less durable types of furniture upholstery.

Leather is relatively easy to care for and clean, especially when you work with a company specializing in leather conditioning in San Diego, CA.

Thanks to its desirability, however, leather often represents a substantial investment. If you’re thinking about taking the plunge and purchasing leather furniture, there are a number of things that you should be aware of before going through with a purchase, including:

  • The type of leather: There are four primary terms that are used to indicate the type and quality of leather used to upholster a given piece of furniture. Full grain is the most desirable type of leather—it’s strong, rich and shows lots of natural texture. Top grain leather is taken from the same section of hide as full grain leather, but has a few inches sanded off to remove blemishes. Split and bonded leather are less desirable than full and top grain leather.
  • Type of dye used: The type of dye used to finish your leather will ultimately say a lot about the way that your leather ages. The type of dye used will also determine your leather’s ability to ward off spills, stains and more. Leather dyed with pure aniline, for instance, is dyed in a rotating drum that ensures robust, even coverage. Semi-aniline dyed leather is dyed using the same methodology, but also includes a protective layer that wards off stains and spills.
  • The frame’s construction method: The way that the frame of your leather furniture is constructed will go a long way toward protecting the integrity of your couch as well as its leather upholstery. While leather is flexible, couches that bend and sway too much will place undue amounts of strain on the upholstery. Furniture frames should always be made out of kiln-dried hardwood, and include well-formed joints that are doweled, glued and screwed.
  • Whether or not a warranty is included: A piece of furniture is only as good as its accompanying warranty. The integrity of the warranty that comes with your furniture says a lot about the company’s willingness to guarantee their craftsmanship—be sure to read through the warranty’s fine print, and ask lots of questions. Some warranties, for instance, may only guarantee the frame, and will not offer any types of guarantees as far as the leather upholstery itself is concerned.

Total Leather Care is a company specializing in leather conditioning in San Diego, CA. We’re proud to provide our clients with a robust range of leather care services for furniture, yachts and more. You can rely on us to meet all of your leather care needs—get in touch today to learn more!

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