The sofa is a comfortable place to relax. However, for the operation of such furniture to bring pleasure, it is necessary to pay attention to the quality of the outer lining. Let's try to determine the best material for sofa upholstery.
Genuine Leather
The classic version, ideal for people who are trying to reflect their worth in interior design. Externally, the upholstery can be matte or varnished, mint, embossed, with printed drawings and without them. The main difficulty here lies in the choice of high-quality leather for a suitable shade.
Such material for sofa upholstery has the following advantages:
- noble appearance;
- a sense of solidity;
- durability;
- simple and quick care.
Among the shortcomings of the material, gradual cracking and abrasion can be noted when choosing insufficient quality leather. The obvious disadvantage for most consumers remains the high cost of such a solution.
Cotton
Natural material for
sofa upholstery, harmless, non-toxic. Thanks to these qualities, cotton is ideal for upholstering furniture that will be used in a children's room.
The fabric is easy to dye, passes air well and absorbs moisture. The only drawback of cotton is its relatively quick wear. Serves material for the upholstery of sofas on average about 5-7 years, subject to regular operation. To give the fabric longevity, manufacturers often process it with special compounds that prevent abrasion and loss of color.
Jacquard
Considering the best materials for upholstering sofas - the
types of fabrics that are suitable for these purposes - one cannot fail to note the jacquard, which is a fairly dense, high-quality and elegant base.
The material is practically not subject to abrasion, does not fade and therefore retains its original appearance for many years. The weaving here is characterized by a complex, sophisticated pattern. Often, silver and gold threads are used as inclusions.
In the manufacture of the highest quality, expensive furniture, such material is used for upholstering sofas, like stretch jacquard. The latter has a breathable effect, absorbs moisture perfectly, which affects the upholstery service life. Thanks to special anti-static treatment, the adhesion of dust and debris to the surface of the material is reduced.
Flock
What is the best material for upholstery? Many experts consider flock fabric to be the best option for these purposes, which is not only durable and attractive in appearance, but also environmentally friendly.
Outwardly, the flock is much like velvet. The composition of the material includes 65% synthetics and 35% natural cotton. The velvet appearance of the surface of the fabric is given by interweaving of kapron and nylon pile.
Such material for sofa upholstery looks like the best solution for decorating furniture that will be located in the living room. The fabric is able to withstand any household pollution, and even the sharp claws of domestic animals leave almost no noticeable marks on its surface.
Flock upholstery has the following advantages:
- pleasant to the touch, velvet, soft texture;
- easy care and cleaning;
- there is no burnout effect in the sun;
- resistance to moisture, mechanical damage;
- variety of colors.
However, flock absorbs odors well. Therefore, its use is irrational for hauling kitchen furniture.
Shenill
Extremely common material for upholstery sofas. It has a soft thick pile, presented in the form of a harmonious combination of synthetic and natural fibers. The fabric is extremely pleasant to the touch, characterized by a variety of all kinds of shades.
The application of this solution allows you to create a feeling of warmth and comfort in the house, to give upholstered furniture an extremely aesthetic appearance. Chenill is able to maintain its original structure and qualities for decades. As special tests show, the fabric withstands about 70 million touches. And that equals about 50 years of service.
Chenill is easily cleared of dust and pollution. When caring for such upholstery, it is sufficient to use a conventional vacuum cleaner, a damp sponge and a brush with soft bristles.
Silk
Fabrics made from natural silk fibers are rarely used for upholstery of upholstered furniture. Only the most expensive interior items are awarded such a constriction.
Despite the visual fragility, silk is unusually strong. The material has hypoallergenic, bactericidal and antistatic properties. The surface of the fabric is extremely smooth and pleasant to the touch. Silk leaves a pleasant feeling in contact with the skin in any weather - whether it is heat or cold.
Tapestry
Trying to decide what material to choose for the upholstery of the sofa, special attention should be paid to the tapestry, which has been used for hauling upholstered furniture since the middle of the XIV century. Modern light industry offers the consumer a wide range of such fabrics. Tapestry sheathing is strong and durable, it is characterized by a variety of textures and plots, ranging from the colorful avant-garde to children's motifs.
The basis of the material is cotton and wool threads, supplemented with synthetic fibers. The use of the latter significantly increases the wear resistance of the fabric. Like other high-quality materials for upholstering sofas, the tapestry is processed with special impregnations that protect it from pollution.
The advantages of fabric are:
- luxurious appearance;
- high tensile and abrasion strengths;
- production using natural, environmentally friendly bases (the cotton content can be from 40 to 80%).
The main disadvantage of tapestry fabric is a fairly quick burnout in the sun. Therefore, furniture with such upholstery is recommended to be installed away from windows.
Arpatek
Initially, the fabric was developed as an upholstery material for car seats, so it has an increased resistance to abrasion.
Arpatek is unique in its structure, to the touch it resembles soft, thin skin of high-quality workmanship. Such upholstery is difficult to break, all kinds of mechanical stress. The fabric does not fade in the sun, retains its original shade for a long time, does not stick to the body.
The basis of the material is natural cotton, polyurethane and viscose. Thanks to this composition, the fabric is not afraid of moisture, food pollution.
Selection tips
How to choose the best material for sofa upholstery? The photos presented in this material allow you to decide on the most attractive solutions. However, the decisive role here is played by the practicality of the fabric when used in various conditions.
To understand what material is best suited for hauling the selected sofa or chair, you should pay attention to the following points:
- If upholstered furniture will be used as a sleeping place, it is desirable that the upholstery fabric be at least half composed of synthetic fibers. Such a solution will provide upholstery resistance to wear.
- As an external material for hauling the sofa into the nursery, it is worth choosing a natural fabric that is well cleaned and does not require special care. The best solution in this situation is chenille, as well as cotton treated with protective compounds.
- Sofa in the living room will become a practical tool for relaxing in the presence of synthetic - wear-resistant and unpretentious care - upholstery. A good option here is flock, leatherette, arpatek.
- When choosing upholstery for a sofa, which is installed in the hall, it is worth paying attention to genuine leather, since in this case not so much the operational qualities of the material as the respectable appearance are of decisive importance.
Eventually
Determining the nature of upholstery for upholstered furniture, it is necessary to decide what qualities of fabric are valuable in the existing conditions, whether it is practicality, safety, appearance, ease of care, etc. To choose the best solution for interior design will allow a comparison of the characteristics of the above materials. But only practice will show how good this or that upholstery is.