Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

Planning on buying leather furniture? Did you know there are different types of leather? Which is best for you? Read on and learn some important tips to keep in mind when shopping.

Start by Mental about the usage patterns you expect with your new leather pieces. Will the furniture be located in an active, "high-impact" setting with children, pets, Food and drinks galore? Or, is your home a quiet, "low-impact" environMent?

Leather Colors

Quality leather is a remarkably durable material that will offer many years of comfort. However, the right type of leather should be excellent based upon how you expect the furniture to be enjoyed. As a leather furniture heal and rehabilitation specialist, I repeatedly hear from my clients how their sales person, designer, etc. Never told them the leather would stain, fade, tear, etc. So, avoid these problems by learning a few easy keys and asking a few easy questions. To understand the issues let me take you straight through a mini-primer about leather.

Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

There are two ways of coloring cushion grade leather --- with dyes only or with dyes and pigMents. Leather colored strictly with a dye is referred to as unfinished, whereas pigmented leather is classified as finished. So, what's the difference?

If leather is colored only with dye then there is no protective coating. It is sometimes referred to as "pure-aniline" leather. (Aniline is a type of dye that colors leather.) This leather is soft, supple to the touch. Its color is rich and deep as dyes are translucent and they penetrate, often wholly straight through the leather. The leather's natural charm is accentuated by the dye giving the furniture a luxurious look and feel. Only the finest hides can qualify to be unfinished, so unsurprisingly, it's the most expensive category. However, there is a dark side. This class of leather stains beyond doubt (these hides are very porous) and the color fades, in some cases very rapidly. (Uv's the culprit.)

Finished leather is colored with the same aniline dye as unfinished leather any way these hides go straight through a secondary coloring process. A pigmented coating (finish) is applied that is chemically engineered specifically for leather. It has to flex and allow the leather to breath so it has unique attributes that differentiate it from tasteless wall paint. Pigmented leather finishes are opaque, creating a colored film on top of the hide. The color coating is then augmented with a clear coat forming its traditional protection. This clear coat also dictates the sheen, from gloss to matte. potential closed leather may not feel as soft and supple as unfinished, but will be able to withstand the rigors of an active household. It won't stain nearly as readily. It's easier to clean, and fades so slowly, you'll never observation it.

Your first key is placement. plainly put, active, high impact environment like a house room, media center, conference room, dining room, etc. Dictates closed leather. A low impact home, with Uv tinted windows and little threat of staining can indulge the charm of unfinished leather.

The next step is to reconsider your budget. This is where your expectations are appropriately set. There are two traditional considerations, the leather and the frame.

Top-grain leather is the most durable, but will cost more. This is the trueskin of the skin which offers vast majority of the hide's durability. Split-hide leather (leather "split" from the epidermis) won't stand up to the test of time in an active household, but as a low grade is generally more affordable. If you want a piece that will last a long time, then you must insist on top-grain leather.

The internals or guts of the furniture should be considered. Is it constructed using hard wood appropriately joined with tight, solid fits, or is it slapped together with cheap pressed board, staples and cardboard? (No kidding, cardboard.) Clearly, solid construction will cost more, but offer many years of trouble free service.

Color selection is something else to think about. The lighter the color, the more maintenance it will want to keep the leather seeing new and clean.

Finally, is it all leather or did the manufacturer sneak in some vinyl? Vinyl and all its fancy name derivatives like leatherette, leather-mate, leather-match etc. Is a synthetic, not the real deal. It won't feel or wear like leather. It's less expensive than leather, but plainly doesn't have the durableness of potential leather.

So, based on your budget, set your expectations correctly and think about how the piece will be used. Then when you shop ask the following questions.

1. Is the leather closed or unfinished? Remember to reconsider placement and usage patterns.

2. Is it top-grain leather? If it isn't, it won't have the durableness you think you're getting.

3. Is it all leather or is some of it vinyl? Don't be duped.

4. How is the frame constructed? Remember the story of the three little pigs? If it's going to last, it has to be well built.

With the answers to these questions at least you'll know what you're buying. For more information, go to this web-site advleather.com/

Leather Furniture Consumer's Guide - Abbreviated Version

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