Leather Furniture Blog

It seems whenever a store wants to justify the high cost of a sofa, loveseat or chair, they will invariably say that that set has an eight way hand tied seating system and that this is very expensive and the best seating system and thus the high cost. Is this true?
Well, it is and it isn’t so let’s dissect the truth from the well, let’s say, urban legend.
Before answering whether it’s the best or not, you have to first determine what kind of 8 way hand tied you are talking about. That’s right; there’s not one but two types of 8 way hand tied. Salesperson didn’t tell you that did he? The first type is the traditional 8 way hand tied. It is built right into the deck (or bottom) of the frame. As such, the coils are attached directly to the frame. Then, each steel coil is tied at eight points to the surrounding springs so that they move together to give great support. Each piece of furniture has a unique pattern of springs, tied at different heights, designed to provide the best support and the most comfortable sit. These coils are very similar to the coils in a mattress and as such give great support. It’s all done by hand and it is very labor intensive.

So, what about the other kind of eight way hand tied? Well, since manufacturers and retailers know that most Americans believe that eight way is the best, they sought out a way to do it cheaper and still charge the high price for the perceived value of 8-way systems. What they developed is a drop in system of coils. What does that mean? If you can imagine, they latterly build a square box and put the coils inside the box. Since they coils are not attached to the frame, the coils can’t really absorb the weight and thus distribution of the weight when sitting. Further, since they are mass produced, they are not built for the set that you purchased. They are simply mass produced in a kind of one size fits all manner.

So, know that you know the difference, how can you tell if you are getting the good or the bad eight way hand tied system? Well, that can be tricky because we all know that some salespeople will tell you what you want to hear just to make a sale. The simplest way is to ask how is this 8 way system constructed? If they do not know or can’t explain it as simply as we’ve just done, you need to do your own research. Check with the manufacturer or distributor. In most cases, they will have a website that should tell you, especially if it’s a real 8 way hand tied.

Now the most important part: the answer to the question. Is 8 way hand tied the best seating system for furniture? No, it is not. But it is one of the two best. If you get a set with a genuine eight way hand tied seating system, you will have a seating system that is of the highest quality and comfort for years to come. A genuine 8 way hand tied system AND a genuine Pirelli seating system are equal in both quality and support. We will address Pirelli systems in our next blog.