Suspension in Upholstery

Here's another tip on construction. A sofa or chair is only as good as the suspension system - if the suspension fails, the piece sags when you sit on it (its not the cushions - its the suspension). If you're building with an 8-way hand-tied system, its essential that the bottom of the sofa where the springs are clipped to is taut - like a drum skin. To do that you need a stiff frame and then the webbing to be stretched tightly, like a drum. Then you reinforce the webbing with steel bands. While you can't see all this due to the black dust cover, you CAN see the steel bands if you flip the piece over. This is the bottom of a Hancock and Moore Garden Loveseat, and you can clearly see the outline of the steel bands. When you see these, its a sign the maker is doing it right.

Your local furniture store might not be too appreciative if you flip sofas over upside-down in their showroom, however. ;)