It’s a question we’ve been asked many times, ‘how long should you own a sofa for?’ and whilst, with other household items, there’s a definite benchmark – no such benchmark exists for sofas and so the answer is a little hazier.

Unfortunately, there is no universal answer on the lifespan of your couch. A number of factors can affect the shelf life of a sofa including quality, materials, fabrics and of course, the internal construction.

Generally speaking, a good, sturdy and well-built sofa should last in excess of seven years before you start noticing minor faults and flaws.

In a recent study regarding how long people think furniture should last for, an overwhelming 54% thought that furniture should last twenty years or more!

So, what can affect your sofa’s life?

People

Who uses your sofa? Who will use your sofa? It’s always worth considering this before committing to buy. If you have a two-person household, then the chances are you’ll be able to choose a sofa that’s a little more delicate such as a velvet sofa or one with varying textures.

For busy households with lots of bums on seats, you need to ensure you have a sturdy, robust sofa that’s designed to withstand general wear and tear such as a leather sofa which is better equipped to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Also, think about the back and the armrests of your sofa. Are people going to be sitting on the armrests? Kids? Family members coming to visit when there’s no space? If this is the case, you may be looking at a new sofa earlier on as sitting on backrests and armrests can cause bends, sags and collapsing earlier on.

Style

The style of your sofa can also affect its lifespan. Do you have loose, foam cushions? Be aware that loose cushions can flatten easier and quicker than if you were to purchase a couch with no cushions.

That way, you can easily purchase your own cushions from a local supermarket or DIY store and then swap them out when it suits you.

Are you looking at buying a leather couch? Do you have animals? Because you’ll need to take into account that your sofa will not last as long with animals nails scratching into its surface and jumping up and down on the seating.

Quality

A no-brainer really. The quality of a sofa always tells you how long it will last. But higher quality doesn’t necessarily mean higher prices. Choose a manufacturer or retailer who make their sofas on-site and by hand as opposed to drop shipping it from abroad or mass-producing in a factory with no real quality checks.

Sofas that are poorly made tend to suffer from premature sagging and you’ll notice the wood frame on the inside of the sofa is too thin and most likely will have cracked in many places as it’s unable to deal with the pressure. Also, the cushions will not be packed tightly with foam and as a result will lose form and shape much quicker than if they were densely packed in.

Sofas, which have been glued, can sometimes have a shorter life, if they are only glued however in conjunction with other techniques can last a while.

When looking at a new sofa, don’t be scared to ask questions about the construction of the sofa to the retailer and if they have a workshop on-site, ask if you can observe them making items for a short time. This will instil more faith in you as a buyer and put your mind at rest in regards to the quality.

Whilst there is no universal number of years a sofa will last, we’d say that a couch should last upwards of seven years without having to make any massive changes to the upholstery, frame or construction.

How long has your sofa lasted? Be sure to get in touch and let us know!