Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, it’s incredibly important to us that you have the best furniture or mattress shopping experience possible. That’s why whenever possible we want to help prep our shoppers before they come to shop. We’ve made it our company’s mission to educate our customers and to try and address their most pressing, frequently-asked questions before they even ask.
That leads us to a common upholstery question we hear in our own call center, and see consumers Googling online. “Why does my new sofa feel different than the one I sat on in the store?” And that’s certainly a fair question!
You likely bought your new sofa, sectional, loveseat, recliner, armchair or other upholstered seating in part because of how it felt in the showroom. So it’s understandable to be concerned or disappointed when it shows up for delivery and feels uncomfortable or stiff. Join us as we briefly explore why this happens and what you should do about it.
There Are Several Reasons Why Your New Sofa, Sectional or Chair May Feel Different
Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, this is not cause for worry. For the 3 key reasons that we’ll get into below, this difference in feel is overwhelmingly due to upholstered seating’s natural break-in period.
Whether you shopped with us or elsewhere, the odds are that the sofa or chair you fell in love with at the store has likely been sat in countless times by other shoppers. And that makes all the difference.
1) The Back & Seat Cushions
Much like many modern mattresses, the cushions and seat backs of most sofas, loveseats and chairs consist of various types of foams. And just like a mattress, you should expect a brief period for the foam in your sofa cushions to adapt to your body.
It’s a common practice when selling mattresses to let the customer know to expect a break-in period. Why not do this with upholstered seating too? From our perspective, it’s a missed customer service opportunity that would help set customers’ expectations appropriately.
The industry standard density for a foam sofa cushion is 1.8 lbs per cubic foot. However, the density and type of foam used in construction can vary by sofa model and manufacturer. While all foams require some degree of break-in, denser foams will generally take a little bit longer to wear and adapt to your body’s unique shape and weight.
One final note. What about cushions made the old fashioned way from materials like goose down? With cushions made from down feathers, a certain amount of settling should still be expected, however this period is significantly shorter.
2) The Suspension System
Okay first, what is a suspension system? Be sure to follow the link for our in-depth answer. As for the short answer, the suspension system in a piece of upholstered seating is the component that attaches to the frame, supports the seat and back cushions, and absorbs the weight of the user. Think of it like the suspension or shock absorbers in your car.
Your new upholstery’s suspension system is another element that can loosen up slightly over time. While much less significant (or noticeable) than the break in of foam cushions, the sinuous springs, 8-way hand-tied coils, or Pirelli webbing suspending your sofa may loosen slightly after being handled and sat on, giving it a more broken-in feeling.
3) Upholstery Fabrics & Leathers
The 3rd and final reason why your sofa may take a little time to feel as comfy as you remember is the fabric or leather itself. Fabric and leather upholstery can initially be a little stiff and less supple on a new sofa.
With regular use, your sofa’s upholstery material will soften and become more flexible, making your sofa, chair or loveseat more comfortable. Keep in mind that the sofas and chairs on the showroom floor have likely been on display for awhile.
For example, do you have a favorite old t-shirt? Maybe it has holes in it. Maybe it’s stretched and faded. Or maybe it’s emblazoned with the tour logo of a band that hasn’t toured since 2003. Either way, we aren’t judging, because that old, worn shirt is soft, supple and comfortable on the skin. Thankfully, your new sofa doesn’t need years and years to feel comfy, but it does take a little bit of patience.
So, How Long Will It Take for My Sofa to Break In?
In most cases, this period usually ranges from a matter of days, to a matter of weeks. But exactly how long depends on two factors. First, is the type of foam in the cushions and its density. Second, is the frequency of use. We already discussed foam density above, so let’s focus on the frequency of use.
Here at Woodstock Furniture & Mattress Outlet, we talk about the durability of upholstery and mattresses within the framework of something we like to call a product’s “comfort life”. Simply put, a mattress or piece of upholstery is meant to be used. But how long it remains at its peak level of comfort will often depend on how it is used.
For instance, a mattress in a rarely-used guest room will likely be comfortable for longer than one that is slept on nearly every night. Similarly, a pair of armchairs used only for entertaining guests in a formal sitting room will likely last much longer than your favorite sofa that you, your pets, or your kids, use to watch TV on an almost daily basis. That being said, if you make a concerted effort to use your sofa frequently, you will surely speed up the break-in process.
Still Concerned? Reach Out to Our Upholstery Experts!
If you still have worries or questions about your sofa and how it should be wearing, reach out to us! Give us a call or send our upholstery experts a message on our convenient online chat. Of course, if you’re in North Georgia or the metro Atlanta area, we invite you to come see us at our furniture and mattress stores in Woodstock/Acworth, Dallas/Hiram, and Rome.
