When it comes to upholstered furniture, there’s always a lot of talk about the various fabrics and leathers. Whether that discussion revolves around different performance fabrics options, or which grade of leather is the best, it’s always good to remember that the cover is only part of the whole.
You know what they say about upholstered furniture — that beauty is only skin (or fabric) deep. Okay, well maybe they don’t actually say that about upholstery, but it’s still true! There’s so much more to a sofa, loveseat, recliner, accent chair, or sectional than the fabric or leather covering it.
Join us as we look beneath the surface at the most common upholstery suspension systems. What is a suspension system with regard to upholstered seating? What’s the difference between sinuous springs, 8-way hand-tied, and Pirelli webbing? Thanks for asking!
By the end of this article, you’ll know the answer to that question along with everything else you need to know to make an informed purchase next time you go sofa shopping!
What Is an Upholstery Suspension System?
When most people hear the word “suspension“, they probably think of the shock absorbers on a car, or perhaps a suspension bridge. When it comes to upholstered seating, a suspension system is what supports the seat itself underneath the cushion.
Like the shock absorbers in your car, the suspension system in your sofa or chair absorbs your motion whenever you sit on it. And like the steel cables on a suspension bridge, a suspension system in a sofa supports the weight of the user — and suspends them above the frame using a variety of springs, coils, wire, or webbing.
What Are the Most Common Upholstery Suspension Systems?
There are 3 common suspension systems furniture manufacturers use when building a sofa, loveseat, sectional, chair or recliner. These 3 types of suspension are:
- Sinuous Springs (aka sinuous wire)
- 8-Way Hand-Tied Springs
- Pirelli Webbing (aka rubber webbing or nylon webbing)
What Is Sinuous Spring Suspension?
One of the most common seating systems used in modern upholstery is sinuous springs, also known as sinuous wire or zig-zag spring. Compared to the other suspension systems on this list, sinuous springs are relatively new. However, over the past few decades, sinuous spring suspensions have surpassed all other designs to become the most popular in the industry.
This is for good reason. Sinuous spring systems are affordable, easy to install, and fairly easy to repair. When built well, they are also quite durable. The ease of construction and affordability means that sinuous spring construction provides a lot of value for the price. As a result, you can find sinuous spring construction in a wide range of furniture — from entry-level to upper-mid furniture lines.
So how does it work?
First, they bend a thick gauge of wire into a repeating S-shaped pattern. This creates tension. Then, they anchor this spring to the frame on each end. A typical chair or sofa will have numerous sinuous springs bent in the same way.
The little details are usually what differentiates the nicer sinuous spring systems from the cheaper, lower-quality ones. For instance, higher-end sinuous springs may be made of thicker gauge wire, the wire may be bent into more dense S-shapes, or there may be more springs installed closer together. Additionally, with higher-quality sinuous systems, manufacturers usually connect each spring using one or two thin guide wires that run perpendicular to the entire seat. These pieces may also have extra features like special resin clips that minimize squeaking where the springs attach to the frame.
All of these improvements make a seat more sturdy, supportive and durable. However, but you won’t find them in entry-level pieces built with sinuous springs.
What Are 8-Way Hand-Tied Springs?
The oldest, most-established method of supporting upholstered seating is the 8-way hand-tied spring. This type of seating is extremely durable and has been around for well over a century. You know that beautiful antique sofa passed down from your grandmother or great grandmother? It’s probably an 8-way hand-tied sofa.
In fact, according to many in the furniture industry, 8-way hand-tied springs are the gold standard when it comes to seating. But what does 8-way hand-tied even mean? Well, the name comes from the fact that they tie each and every coil spring beneath the seat, by hand, in 8 different places.
Imagine cutting a pizza into 8 slices. First, you cut vertically, top-to-bottom. Then you cut horizontally, side-to-side. Then you make a diagonal cut, and then finally a second diagonal cut on the other side. These 4 cuts converge in the middle of the pizza, but the end result is 8 equal slices, right? This is exactly how 8-way hand-tied is done.
Twine passes through the round spring coil in 4 directions — vertically, horizontally, and then two ways diagonally. It is then tied to each spring —both when it enters the coil, and when it exits the coil. The result is a network of spring coils, where each one is attached in 8 different places. This keeps the springs properly seated in place for years and years.
Due to this level of detail, 8-way hand-tied suspension systems are very sturdy. And because the springs are tied and not clipped, they are very resistant to squeaking. However, these systems are also very labor-intensive and difficult to repair since they do the work by hand. This usually means a higher price. As a result, you generally see 8-way hand-tied springs on mid-to-high and high-end sofas, loveseats, chairs or sectionals.
What Is Pirelli Webbing?
Although Pirelli webbing hasn’t been around quite as long as 8-way hand-tied springs, it is yet another tried-and-true suspension method. Pirelli webbing, also known as nylon webbing or rubber webbing, has been used in European upholstery construction going back multiple generations.
You may be thinking, “Wait a second, doesn’t Pirelli make car tires?” Yes, they do. About 65 or 70 years ago, Pirelli was looking for a responsible and efficient way to use excess rubber leftover from tire manufacturing. As a result, Pirelli webbing was born.
While many other companies make this webbing today, most people in the industry still call it Pirelli webbing. Though often called “rubber webbing” or “nylon webbing”, neither name is quite accurate. They actually make Pirelli webbing from a combination of both woven nylon fabric and rubber.
Webbing suspension systems are very straightforward. First, the craftsperson cuts lengths of webbing to size (slightly shorter than the frame’s width) and stretches it taut before attaching it to the frame with special clips. Usually, they do this a second time in a perpendicular fashion, creating a woven mesh of webbing.
You will find Pirelli webbing in a wide range of products from mid-level upholstery to high-end Italian leather sofas. This is because it is fairly reliable but also very easy to repair. However, there is one drawback worth mentioning. If you have large dogs or rambunctious children who like to jump on your couch, sectional sofa, or loveseat, you may want to consider an alternative. While webbing suspension systems can be very durable and supportive, repeated forceful movements like jumping can wear out the webbing very quickly.
Are There Any Other Suspension Systems That I Should Know About?
While there are some other, less-common suspension options on the market, most modern manufacturers construct their upholstered living room furniture using one of the 3 methods above.
Some alternatives like drop-in coils are simply less popular than they used to be, largely replaced by better quality, quieter, and more affordable sinuous spring designs. Other suspension options like pocket coils are simply new to the market and less-known. Lastly, there are brands like England Furniture and Flexsteel, both of whom have pioneered their own unique, patented high-quality suspension technologies.
Continue Your Upholstery Shopping Journey with Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet!
So which suspension system should you get? Well, that’s really up to you, your budget, and your intended use. At least now when your salesperson starts talking about sinuous wire or 8-way hand-tied springs, you can do more than just smile and nod awkwardly!
Ultimately, whether you’re shopping for living room furniture with us or elsewhere, we want to better equip you to make an informed buying decision. Check below for some of our helpful articles to help you along your upholstery journey:
