A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you’ll make — and one of the most permanent. Before you know it, a decade or more has passed, and that impulse purchase has become part of your life. So give some thought to it before you buy. Then buy the best-quality sofa that you can afford. Your purchase will be amortized over many years.

How to Spot a Quality Sofa

Check the joints and frame

The best sofas have joints that are double doweled and fitted with corner blocks that are both glued and screwed or stapled into place. Quality pieces have legs that are part of the frame, not just attached to it (although removable feet do make it easier to get items through doorways).

Test its sturdiness

Quality sofas should feel solid and heavy. Flop around on one to test its sturdiness and then lift it up by the corner and shake it a bit. If it feels light or wobbly, take a pass.

Consider the cushions.

Most cushions have a core of polyurethane foam; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last. In the cheapest furniture, the cushion is filled with just the polyurethane foam core. In better furniture, Higher-quality options include poly-down cushions, which have down mixed with the batting

Get the right size.

Consider the proportions of the room and determine what height, length and depth of sofa would look best in the space. If you’re uncertain, mock up a footprint on the floor using masking tape or blue painter’s tape.

Sofa back type

Sofas generally come with one of two types of backs: a pillow back, which has removable cushions or pillows along the rear; or a tight back, in which the upholstery is tailored to the contours of the sofa’s back.