How long should furniture last?

[Katsmeow]

I guess La-Z-Boy is not exactly high end but this chair started going downhill within 2 years and now (7 years) the foot portion won't stay up. Do I assume this is normal life and buy another or change brands? My last one lasted 17 years and not so unpredictable. Not looking for fancy furniture due to pets but 7 years seems a little junky? IDK.

Check with La-Z-Boy to make sure that none of your repair is covered by warranty. Some parts have lifetime coverage although not the labor.

As far as assuming all are like this, I would not.

I have a La-Z-Boy recliner that I bought in 2012. It was fabric and on the "low end" for a La-Z-Boy. Still works perfectly. I also have a leather La-Z-Boy recliner that I bought wrong the same time, maybe a year earlier. It was over $2k. It still works perfectly.

As far as how long furniture should last to me it is largely a matter of price. If I buy a $200 office chair I figure 2 years is fair. On the other hand, I have on order an office chair that is far, far more expensive than that. I expect it to last me for many years.

For most furniture (the chair excepted) in a lot of ways I don't want it to last too long. I can get tired of furniture after awhile and want something different. Or my needs change and something that worked for me no longer does. Or it looks dated and I don't like it. I honestly don't want furniture that lasts 20 years and don't want to pay for it.

 

[sweetana3]

Facebook has a page La-z-boy Lazy Boy Dissatisfied Customers with 787 members all with significant issues, including us. Horrible quality of the furniture they are turning out, even worse customer and warranty service. Also check out BBB and read the over 500 complaints.

 

[Aerides]

Non-mechanical furniture - I usually get tired with it, the style, color, etc., long before it is no longer functional. We just donated a perfectly good bedroom and dining set, nothing wrong with either, just getting older and no longer our style. I have a perfectly good sofa in the living room that I'd like to replace, but the cats like it, and so it stays until they cross over the rainbow bridge.

But a lazyboy, recliner, or otherwise mechanical furniture is going to vary a lot. Like anything with mechanics, I'd be happy to have it outlast the warranty.

I like buying something that's not terribly expensive but perfect for my needs/likes at the time. That way I don't feel bad, or feel obligated to keep it longer than I like it.

 

[Luvtoride]

We still have and use or original bedroom set (headboard, night tables, dresser and armoire)that we bought when we were married 41 years ago. Classic, dark wood, made in the Carolinas that we paid a “relative fortune” for of almost $3,000 back then. It’s all still in great shape and although we have changed every other piece of furniture in our house a few times over,have never felt the need to replace this set. I doubt that anything bought today would last this long.

 

[MC Rider]

........... The furniture companies have lowered construction quality in order to remain competitive......

I suppose they had not much choice. I seem to recall American Furniture makers took a beating a bunch of years ago from foreign competish.


Quality is nice, but also expensive. I have a pair of old dressers I got 40 years ago that were old when I got them. They have wooden casters (in the drawer) and are in good shape, used every day. Have an also old Coffee Table from Mom and Dad that might be 60 or so and could be refinished but is still strong and sturdy and used. I love the old pieces. Maybe custom makers still make em like that. Be ready to pay.

 

[badatmath]

Facebook has a page La-z-boy Lazy Boy Dissatisfied Customers with 787 members all with significant issues, including us. Horrible quality of the furniture they are turning out, even worse customer and warranty service. Also check out BBB and read the over 500 complaints.

Wow

 

[Katsmeow]

I like buying something that's not terribly expensive but perfect for my needs/likes at the time. That way I don't feel bad, or feel obligated to keep it longer than I like it.

This is how I feel about almost all furniture.

For those with furniture that has lasted many, many years I think that is fine if you are still happy with it. However, sometimes people would really like to replace that old furniture with something new and they don't since the old furniture is still good.

My mother often talked about how much of her furniture was still good. And it was when she died 50+ years later. Of course, it went for almost nothing at the estate sale.

 

[JT90505]

We have well made solid wood furniture that ranges in age from ~25 years to over 100 years old that looks good and we will die with it. Almost everything bought second-hand.

Other, more recently purchased new wood furniture, not inexpensive, is by comparison <explicative deleted> but it looks good enough. We will probably die with it as well.

We are happy with what we have and at our age buying new furniture is not high on the priority list.

Sofas that get a lot of use, about 7-8 years.

 

[Telly]

When I watch TV, I sit on a sofa that is from 1950. I have no plans to replace it. I don't know how I would find something as comfortable and properly sized for me. That old sofa has traveled a lot in it's lifetime, in and out of trucks moving, I've never stopped to figure out how many places it has been! Back about 1980, DW made new cushions for it, using the old ones as a pattern, and new foam. We also covered the body of it then with different fabric, a DW-created sewed and corded fitted overlay over the original. It is fastened on at the underside with the backing strips that you tack and staple through.

Over 5 years ago I repaired a swivel rocker recliner that was from Sears probably 1980s vintage. I don't swivel or recline in it, but I do nap in it, it is so comfortable for me. But somebody (not me!) sat down in it extremely hard, it made a noise, and sagged at one front corner. I unbolted it from the round base, and could see very little. Nothing ventured, nothing gained... so out came tack puller and small pry bar etc. and I pulled off upholstery from one side and wherever else needed to get at the problem area.

I found a mistake in manufacturing. The front and side seat parts were made with rectangular wood pieces that were joined in the corners on their thin faces via two dowels at each corner. But on the problem corner, the holes drilled for the dowels were not drilled deep enough, so when the dowels with glue applied were inserted and it was all pressed together, the two faces of the adjoining pieces did not make direct contact with each other, stopped short. So just the strength of the two dowels alone were taking the load, instead of getting more strength from the faces glued together too.

There are DIY upholstery places online, and I bought dowels and new zig-zag springs for the seat bottom as they were getting weak, and some rod springs too, and some fasteners and a tool. So I drilled the frame out deeper, glued it back together with new dowels. I also laminated the corner by putting two steel mending plates from Home Depot across and around the corner, so the wood frame there became the "meat" of a steel-wood-steel sandwich. I through-fastened steel plate to steel plate via screws with washers and nuts. And carefully stretched and reformed the upholstery and tacked and stapled it all back together. When I took it all apart and found the problem, it was a "I can fix this!" type of situation, which also describes my life

 

[Winemaker]

DW and I bought our initial furniture in !985 from Ethan Allen. Solid oak, cherry, maple, still in use today. Our original LR sleeper sofa, after many years of use, went to the basement/entertainment room/wine cellar. DW did reupholstered it about 15 years ago. We just gave it to my sister for her basement. Our second Ethan Allen sofa, replaced it and with a regular leather Ethan Allen sofa, not a sleeper. We have picked up other EA pieces over the years as the second house was bigger. Some of the pieces are in use by the the grandchildren. We never bought "fad" furniture just quality solid wood.

In 1985, we originally ordered/bought from Pennsylvania House, but when it was delivered, it was different and cheaply built than the display models. We returned it the next day, and the store owner was cooperative, yet aghast of what was delivered.

 

[Andre1969]

My family bought a few LaZboy chairs in the 1970s. Structurally/mechanically, they held up. But the covering was a crushed velour, like what you might find in a 1978 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight. Over time it would mat down, get stains from food and drink spills, sweat (central air was a plaything for the rich, and even the window units were only turned on when absolutely necessary), cigarette burns, etc The armrests seemed to take most of the punishment, especially the forward part of them where you'd rest your wrists.

I had a LaZboy recliner that my great-aunt had originally bought, new, in the 1970's. At some point, it got given to my grandparents, and then passed on to me. It was in great shape, but the cats started using it for a scratching post, and that got it looking pretty ratty. I think it was around 2004-2005 that I finally pitched it.

I can't comment on new furniture, though. Everything I have has been a hand-me down! The last acquisition was about two years ago, an L-shaped sectional sofa with a sleeper, that one of my cousins gave me. She bought it around 2000, for the family room in their basement. Her husband died in 2005 though, and she never did much entertaining after that. A few years ago, she wanted to start downsizing, and simply wanted it gone, so I took it off her hands. I can tell it's not the highest quality thing in the world, but you can't beat the price! And, it's presentable enough, in my opinion.

 

[Badger]

I suppose they had not much choice. I seem to recall American Furniture makers took a beating a bunch of years ago from foreign competish.


Quality is nice but also expensive. I have a pair of old dressers I got 40 years ago that were old when I got them. They have wooden casters (in the drawer) and are in good shape, used every day. Have an also old Coffee Table from Mom and Dad that might be 60 or so and could be refinished but is still strong and sturdy and used. I love the old pieces. Maybe custom makers still make em like that. Be ready to pay.

I could have written your post. Even when I was in my mid-20s I recognized affordable new wood furniture had inferior craftsmanship. I have a solid mahogany dresser w/large framed beveled mirror and a chest of drawers I bought in the 70s from an antique store with inlay, 20" deep dovetail drawers at all joints, and wood casters on the legs. Both are in great shape and cost me around $200. They are probably around 90 yrs old now. I also have Mom and Dad's mahogany coffee and 2 end tables from the 50s that I refinished decades ago that still look new. I just checked and about 80% of all my wood furniture is quality old or antique.



Cheers!

 

[garyt]

Not for us.

Lots of people don't have the money people on this forum have. Cheap stuff is all they can afford. Earlier post mentioned a $4K recliner. Not a lot of people can afford that.

 

[Sunset]

Lots of people don't have the money people on this forum have. Cheap stuff is all they can afford. Earlier post mentioned a $4K recliner. Not a lot of people can afford that.

I'm not sure how 'rich' other folks are, but I'm too Cheap to pay that much for a recliner/chair.

I've seen people buy all sorts of stuff, like big SUV's that they cannot afford, they just use a payment plan for 5->7 yrs

 

[Music Lover]

Lots of people don't have the money people on this forum have. Cheap stuff is all they can afford. Earlier post mentioned a $4K recliner. Not a lot of people can afford that.

I agree. IMO, people with limited funds should buy used furniture as it goes for pennies on the dollar.

About 12 years ago a co-worker was selling 3-year old couch, loveseat, and chair they had paid $3000 for. They kept dropping the price until I finally took it off their hands for $500. It's been in my 3-season sunroom ever since and is still in great shape.

My friend paid $1500 for a couch and loveseat and when he sold his house to move into a small apartment no one would buy them. He ended up giving them to me. The couch wouldn't fit in my house to I gave both pieces to my nephew.

 

[bluelight]

My bedroom dressers and night stands were purchased by my parents when they were married in the 40's. The tops needs refinishing, but the pieces are still sound and will be around as long as I am. When we purchased our current house 5 years ago, my dining room set was too small for our dining room, so we purchased a 30 year old Ethan Allen set in very good condition from a couple who was downsizing. I consider quality wood furnishings to last a lifetime if they are cared for. My old dining set is in the finished basement. Someday when I downsize, It will be used again.

We purchased new sofas when we moved here. It was the 3rd sofa set I've had since the 70's. I don't expect them to last.

 

[Brett_Cameron]

I guess La-Z-Boy is not exactly high end but this chair started going downhill within 2 years and now (7 years) the foot portion won't stay up. Do I assume this is normal life and buy another or change brands? My last one lasted 17 years and not so unpredictable. Not looking for fancy furniture due to pets but 7 years seems a little junky? IDK.

I have a big man Lazy Boy I bought direct from the factory via BIL. After 20 years or so, I wondered how long they were supposed to last since I have had to replace broken bolts, the square tube that operates the recliner levels, the springs under the seat, etc. multiple times. One answer I found on the Interweb was that recliners last 5 to 7 years. I am going on 22 years now and I feel pleased with my purchase.

 

[badatmath]

22 is really good!

 

[ransil]

I'm sitting in my 21 year old lazy boy, early on the plastic bushings in the lift mechanism all broke i got new parts under warranty and replaced them,has been good since then.

 

[W2R]

I bought an expensive Lazy Boy power recliner in January, 2020. It has been wonderful and I absolutely love it. I even sleep in it most nights.

But then, for no reason at all, it broke a few weeks ago. The foot/leg supports won't go up and down any more. Seriously I love this recliner so much that the idea of having to go very long without it, is quite upsetting to me. I know, that's pretty juvenile but it is what it is. It didn't even last two years! Anyway, I asked about buying a new recliner just like it, but they told me that might take about a year for delivery. (sigh) So I need to have it repaired.

Frank determined that the linear actuator was broken, and since that is a proprietary part, we can't buy it. Lazy Boy is going to come out and fix it (on warranty). They came out and confirmed that it's the linear actuator. Oh, and despite the warranty I had to pay them $149.23 (so far).

Anyway they have to order that part before they can repair my recliner, and assure me it will only take two weeks for them to get it. Uh huh. With delays on delivery of nearly everything these days, I don't know. Plus I am thinking there will be higher demand than normal, with the holidays coming up. So, it could be delayed.

I am 73 with an over-funded retirement, and I do not want to ever have to go without my recliner for weeks again. I don't think I can get as comfy a power recliner as this one, that won't break. BUT - - I have a crazy insane plan that might work: Once it is finally fixed, I am seriously thinking of buying a second recliner just like it, so that I never have to go without my recliner for weeks ever again. If either recliner breaks, then I can use the unbroken one until it is fixed.

Blow That Dough!

 

[Jerry1]

I am seriously thinking of buying a second recliner just like it, so that I never have to go without my recliner for weeks ever again. If either recliner breaks, then I can use the unbroken one until it is fixed.

Blow That Dough!

I think that's a perfectly reasonable conclusion. In fact, it wouldn't matter if there were no supply chain issues. Much of the LazyBoy line is special order and even in good times, there was a 6+ week wait for certain pieces. Sure, there is stock pieces around (in normal times), but if you want a particular fabric or color or certain options, that was/is all special order.

Plus, Frank needs something to sit in when he visits, so it would get some use and still be there in case of a failure. Unfortunately, in case of failure, Frank loses his seat for a few weeks.

 

[Ronstar]

……I am 73 with an over-funded retirement, and I do not want to ever have to go without my recliner for weeks again. I don't think I can get as comfy a power recliner as this one, that won't break. BUT - - I have a crazy insane plan that might work: Once it is finally fixed, I am seriously thinking of buying a second recliner just like it, so that I never have to go without my recliner for weeks ever again. If either recliner breaks, then I can use the unbroken one until it is fixed.

Blow That Dough!

Great plan, but don’t wait - order a new one now. You might get the new one before the current one gets fixed.

 

[badatmath]

Agree I am already thinking of a spare next time I buy. It is annoying when you use it daily to have it gone and such a hassle to get.

 

[pacergal]

I have a solid wood dresser that I have had since childhood, actually my son has it now.
We recently replaced our living room furniture with a new Lazyboy set.
The old one was close to 20 years old, still feel great to sit in, but the leather was ripping in places (darn dog nails!)
6 years ago, we bought a bedroom set from an Amish company--solid wood, beautiful! I expect it will outlast us.
It definitely depends on how it is made.

 

[sidewinder0024]

You should contact La-Z-boy. They have a lifetime warranty on the mechanism and some other parts. The fire department I work at has them come out at no cost to repair the damaged recliners.