How long should furniture last?

ASmallWonder · January 2012

When you buy something like a living room set, how long would you expect to keep it before it's no longer functional or stylish? I'm trying to justify buying a new living room set :-p

drewiekc · January 2012

Totally depends on the quality of furniture bought. If we go cheap and get an Ashley sofa, I expect 3-4 years. If we go higher quality, I expect much longer.

scoutkate · January 2012

It would depend on the type of furniture. for example, I prefer fabric sofas and I would expect to have to reupholster them within 5 years, especally with dogs and a young kid. But if I bought a leather sofa I'd expect it to last a lot longer.

drucita · January 2012

We have a high end leather furniture and it has lasted for 10 years and still looks great, we use it everyday !

ASmallWonder · January 2012

Ours is definitely of the unexpensive variety (Bob's!) and we've had it for 5 years. We're admitted couch potatoes so our fat asses have put it through its paces. Plus we had a cat with um, issues so we've had to scrub the hell out of the microfiber in some places. If we replace it it will be replaced with another set that's also not expensive. Oh and DH just informed me last night that in one place the spring sort of "twangs" when you sit down. I think it's only a matter of time before it stabs him in the ass.

numeria11 · January 2012

Yeah it really depends on what you are paying and the quality. We bought a sectional back in college, microfiber (highly recommend!), and the fabric and the actual cushions are in great shape but we didn't know enough to really look at the springs and they suck and have since probably the 3rd year we've had it. That said it's going on 9 years old, so you can stretch it if you have to. We learned our lesson and next time wil pay the extra money for a hardwood frame and good springs. We also have a Crate and Barrel coffee table I hate because the wood is veneer and it's chipped terribly in just 3-4 years. Solid wood is key no more veneered crap in our house that's for sure.

ms12345 · January 2012

We just replaced ours after less than three years, we went cheap at Mealey's. Agree with PP about considering the quality of the springs - our couches still looked great, but you sank so much in them you were practically sitting on the floor.... they really only lasted a year, which blew.

ABColeslaw · January 2012

well they say 10 years, but that has not been my experience at all

juliedooley · January 2012

I think it depends. Our couches are cheap-ish and 8 years old and they're horrible...they cave in completely when anyone sits on them. It's disgusting but I'm trying to push a little longer so DS is not quite so young when we buy a new living room set. I don't know how much longer we can stand it, though, and it's embarrassing when we have company. They probably should have gone after 5-6 years.

historychick79 · January 2012

It definitely depends on quality, and how much of the frame is wood vs cardboard. We have an England living room set, I think it's lower to middle of the road quality (better than Ashley anyway). It came with a 10yr warranty on the cushions. After 5yrs with the set, I see we will probably claim it as they are sinking more than we'd like. But the frame is holding up well.

jigglyjelloo · January 2012

Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.

anneimal98 · January 2012

I'll join the depends group. For living room furniture, if I had a formal living room (which I don't), I would probably have nice/expensive pieces that get relatively little wear and might need to be reupholstered/restyled after 10 years or so but, because they would get relatively little use, probably would not need to be replaced in toto. For a casual living room (i.e. the main hangout spot in the house), I have mid-range stuff but it gets a lot of use. I'd still hope to get 10 years but at that point, I probably won't just have to redecorate for style but because the stuff has taken a pretty good beating and needs replacement.

Mt2G1012 · January 2012

Our Ashley couches and bedroom set have lasted 6 years and 4 moves. I would love to get new couches but can't justify the expense at the moment. Hopefully next year. They are fine, but not as comfy anymore and I'm sick of them now. The bedroom set is in perfect condition still but I'm sick of it as well. But I'm going to live with it for a while longer.

ASmallWonder · January 2012

jigglyjelloo:
Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.

Well crap. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see your very reasonable way of fixing this set for the time being haha.

ABColeslaw · January 2012

elmoali:
jigglyjelloo:
Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.
Well crap. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see your very reasonable way of fixing this set for the time being haha.

nono use this as a way to rehab the set for one of the many other rooms you have downstairs and still get a new set.

Kitiara5512 · January 2012

We got new living room furniture in January 07. The microfiberfauxsuedy crap tore a couple of years ago in some spots and the stuff to clean stains off with would leave a ring around the wetspot that would.not.come.off. We just replaced the pull out couch in December and the consolve loveseat and rocker/recliner are now in the game room awaiting new upholstery to be stapled onto it.

ASmallWonder · January 2012

ABColeslaw:
elmoali:
jigglyjelloo:
Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.
Well crap. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see your very reasonable way of fixing this set for the time being haha.
That's what we were planning on doing - maybe putting it in the room next to the office to make it like a reading room. It's not in such wretched shape that it needs to be gotten rid of, I'm just kind of sick of it.
nono use this as a way to rehab the set for one of the many other rooms you have downstairs and still get a new set.

ASmallWonder · January 2012

ABColeslaw:
elmoali:
jigglyjelloo:
Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.
Well crap. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see your very reasonable way of fixing this set for the time being haha.
nono use this as a way to rehab the set for one of the many other rooms you have downstairs and still get a new set.

That's what we were planning on doing - maybe putting it in the room next to the office to make it like a reading room. It's not in such wretched shape that it needs to be gotten rid of, I'm just kind of sick of it.

ABColeslaw · January 2012

elmoali:
ABColeslaw:
elmoali:
jigglyjelloo:
Sometimes the springs have come out of their brackets and can be easily fixed. All you have to do is turn the sofa over and remove the bottom fabric covering to access the springs. Then you can see if any have come loose from their bracket and then resecure them. If they are all still in their bracket you can remove springs from the area's that are sagging and turn them over, this will put an arch back into the spring and it will support the cushions better.
Well crap. Maybe I'll just pretend I didn't see your very reasonable way of fixing this set for the time being haha.
nono use this as a way to rehab the set for one of the many other rooms you have downstairs and still get a new set.
That's what we were planning on doing - maybe putting it in the room next to the office to make it like a reading room. It's not in such wretched shape that it needs to be gotten rid of, I'm just kind of sick of it.

Good plan.

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