Leather Furniture Shopping Tips
Leather furniture is unquestionably the strongest upholstery material used for
furniture and has been proven to outlast fabric as much as three to four
times. Although this is true, leather furniture may not be for you or your lifestyle,
and you may want to buy a different piece of furniture in a few years
anyway.
While leather furniture is durable and strong, there are significant
differences between leathers. Just because a type of leather is the most
expensive doesn't necessarily mean it's the most durable. Often you're
paying for how it's been finished or its feel, which are also important
things to consider.
Leather is a natural product, and therefore has its own
history in its grain, such as wrinkles, scratches and scars. Leather is not
perfect, even the best leather furniture has irregular markings and grain textures.
These markings and textures distinguish genuine leather furniture from the man-made
materials. Therefore, being a natural product a leathers grain pattern and
color may vary from hide to hide and within a hide. A single leather sofa
may have slightly different shades and textures for example. You will hear
of all types of different leathers when shopping for leather furniture from
top grain to full grain. To make things easier, the most common leather
furniture definitions are as follows:
- Aniline: A transparent dye used to color fine
leather hides.
- Corrected Grain Leather: Leather with artificial
grain embossed into the hide.
- Drum Dyeing: A process of immersing hides in dye and
tumbling them in a steel drum to assure full dye penetration.
- Embossing: A process that adds artificial grain
patterns by applying heat and pressure to corrected grain hides.
- Finishing: Any treatment or process performed after
tanning. Includes distressing, dyeing, glazing, pigmenting and
embossing.
- Full Grain: Leather in which the natural grain
pattern has not been altered. Full-grain leather features the genuine
grain and texture of the hide.
- Glazing (or Top Coating): The application of
protective transparent resins to the leather. The glazed leather often
features a high gloss or matte finish.
- Grain: The natural pattern of pores and wrinkles
that creates the texture on a hide.
- Hand: A term for the feel of leather.
- Nubuck: Leather that has had its surface buffed to
produce a slight nap or suede-like appearance. Keep in mind Nubuck
leather will stain easier than most other leathers, even if it has been
treated.
- Patina: The luster or shine that leather develops
over time though use.
- Pigmenting: Colorings and coatings applied to the
surface of a leather piece to cover imperfections and to produce hides
that are more wear and fade resistant.
- Pure Aniline Leather: Leather dyed with aniline
dyes. Only premium-select, full top-grain hides are dyed in this manner,
permeating the entire hide and resulting in a rich color.
- Semi-Aniline Leather: Hides that have been dyed
throughout and have a surface finish applied. These leathers offer both
a soft hand and protective benefits.
- Splits: The undersides of leather, generally used
for suede and lower quality leather furniture.
- Tanning: The chemical and mechanical process used to
treat leather hides.
- Top Grain: The uppermost layer of a hide, used for
fine upholstery leather.
Key Things to Consider with Leather Furniture
- Avoid placing leather furniture in direct sunlight,
since it can fade. Direct exposure to heating vents can damage your
leather furniture as well.
- Never use saddle soap, polishes, oils, ammonia,
cleaning fluids, solvents, or detergents to clean leather furniture.
Using any of these may cause smears, color streaking, or permanently
damage the leather's surface.
- Leather furniture should only be cared for with
“leather furniture” care products. Such care or treatment should be
applied at least every six months.
- If any of the above is a serious concern, leather
furniture may not be the right thing for your needs.
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