How long should furniture last?

[badatmath]

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.

 

[Time2]

Bottom line, things just aren't made to last like they used to be.


I still have a 4 drawer dresser my parents bought when I was 12yrs old, I'm 66 now. It wasn't a high end piece when new, but it's still quite functional.

 

[euro]

We just bought a Lazyboy for DW and it cost nearly $4000. I guess it depends on one's perspective but I don't consider that "low end" for sure. I would be disappointed if it started to fail within 2 years, but in my mind, it would well justify a repair call. I can't remember what the warranty is (might have still been covered at 2 years, or might even have SOME coverage after 7 years?), but I would guess your problem may be something minor and perhaps easily fixable. Worth a shot.

 

[Midpack]

It depends entirely on how it's made and what usage it sees. There is no universal answer.

Many popular recliners aren't built very well at all these days, that's why we ponied up for eKornes Stressless Recliners. They cost more but my parents had a pair that was still in good working order at more than 20 years. We had cheap recliners when we were younger and they only last a few years before the looked tired and something in the frame/mechanism broke...

 

[badatmath]

We just bought a Lazyboy for DW and it cost nearly $4000. I guess it depends on one's perspective but I don't consider that "low end" for sure. I would be disappointed if it started to fail within 2 years, but in my mind, it would well justify a repair call. I can't remember what the warranty is (might have still been covered at 2 years, or might even have SOME coverage after 7 years?), but I would guess your problem may be something minor and perhaps easily fixable. Worth a shot.

Mine was not nearly that much but nevertheless when it was still fairly new I asked and they said I'd have to take it to some warehouse to be looked at. Which would have required I rent/borrow a truck, etc. It doesn't stay locked in one position real well. But I am the only one ever sitting in it (besides pets) and I am not unusually large or hard on things.

 

[braumeister]

Many popular recliners aren't built very well at all these days, that's why we ponied up for eKornes Stressless Recliners.

I fully agree. We had only middling luck with LaZBoy furniture, so I bought a Stressless recliner early this year. What struck me about it was that it cost more than my first car, so this was a serious BTD moment.

But they are just incredibly comfortable. What sets the Stressless chairs apart is the interior mechanism. No motors or gimmicks, it just adjusts itself continuously as you move in the chair to always provide the perfect support for your lower back. An amazingly clever design. Next time we look for a piece of furniture we'll be going back for more of this.

 

[Figaro]

What comes to my mind as I hit the comment button is that moving parts always have the potential to break. An alternative is to buy an ottoman, no moving parts. And you could always buy a fabric cover when the material wears out. It's cheaper than a new LazyBoy, it downs cause any landfill waste and you could still prop your feet up.

 

[zinger1457]

Have you taken a look at it to see if a part underneath is broken or worn out, maybe a loose screw? I had a problem with my La-Z-Boy recliner years ago and they shipped me the parts for free and I fixed it myself. The non-powered recliners aren't overly complicated.

 

[Jerry1]

I’m sitting in my Lazy-Boy that is at least 10 years old and showing no real signs of wear. When we got married, we bought a couch and loveseat and that lasted about 20 years before we handed it down to someone who needed it. We bought a LB sectional, kept it for many years, gave it to DD and they just gave it to another family member. Bottom line is that my Lazy-Boy experience has been great. It hurts to hear people say they’re not as good as they were. Wish I could understand why companies cut cost so deeply as to sacrifice quality and why people won’t step up and pay a bit extra for quality. LB has never been cheap, but we always found it to be a very good value.

 

[MC Rider]

Wish I could understand why companies cut cost so deeply as to sacrifice quality

Follow the money to the execs pockets.

 

[badatmath]

What comes to my mind as I hit the comment button is that moving parts always have the potential to break. An alternative is to buy an ottoman, no moving parts. And you could always buy a fabric cover when the material wears out. It's cheaper than a new LazyBoy, it downs cause any landfill waste and you could still prop your feet up.

Yep definitely considering this too. I guess I am sort of amazed my prior LB was so perfect and this one. . . not so much.

Have you taken a look at it to see if a part underneath is broken or worn out, maybe a loose screw? I had a problem with my La-Z-Boy recliner years ago and they shipped me the parts for free and I fixed it myself. The non-powered recliners aren't overly complicated.

Hmm that is a good idea but I have the swivel bottom and not sure how much I can see. Or how to remove it. I will see if there are directions online. I would not get the swivel again. It doesn't suit me.

 

[MC Rider]

.......... I will see if there are directions online.

Youtube has videos to fix all kinds of stuff. I bet you they have at least one for your chair or one similar enough to help you out.


Got screwdriver, crescent wrench, pliers, hammer?

 

[Jerry1]

Wish I could understand why companies cut cost so deeply as to sacrifice quality

Follow the money to the execs pockets.

So there’s no profit in quality? I understand that’s what’s going on, but that certainly can’t be the only way to make money. Just a shame.

 

[jollystomper]

Seven years seems awfully short. That was probably the lifespan in our home when we had kids who grew up thinking furniture was the coolest thing to jump on, climb on, or throw each other on. But for adults, for normal usage, the only real potential stress I can think of is the load put on it by the user(s).

I have a generic but comfortable power recliner that was packaged with a home theater system DW gave me as a gift 10 years ago, and mechanically it is still going strong. I do not use it every day, and as much as I love DW I do not let her sit on my lap when I am on it .

Hopefully the issue is a simple loose/missing screw, or broken part that is easy to replace or fix.

 

[MC Rider]

Get a bright light, maybe reading glasses, and flip that thing over for a look.

 

[Jerry1]

Get a bright light, maybe reading glasses, and flip that thing over for a look.

Agree, the mechanism is not complex at all. I’ve oiled mine due to spring squeaking and there’s just not that much to it.

 

[Midpack]

Wish I could understand why companies cut cost so deeply as to sacrifice quality

Follow the money to the execs pockets.

It’s not that simple. Companies make what customers actually buy, not what they say they’d like to buy. More customers are looking for lower prices, and don’t think about quality or value - so there’s more low priced junk, and less quality goods. If more people bought Stressless and passed over La-Z-Boys, what do you think La-Z-Boy would do to stay in business? Globalization has played a role as well.

We get what we (collectively) deserve.

 

[MC Rider]

No doubt. The cheap crap from China and Amazon is hard to resist.

 

[COcheesehead]

One of the big furniture warehouse stores by us sells crappy quality furniture, cheap. The parking lot is always full.

 

[Music Lover]

No doubt. The cheap crap from China and Amazon is hard to resist.

Not for us.

 

[Ronstar]

I haven't seen any quality furniture in stores in a long time. Very few pieces made today from real hardwood with strong joinery.

So it doesn't surprise me that recliners do not last long. The furniture companies have lowered construction quality in order to remain competitive.

I make blanket chests, toy boxes, and tables. I usually pay more for the raw wood alone than what I can buy a mass produced store piece for. I cringe when I see the stuff that these stores are selling.

 

[oiseux]

Things like coverings, foams and decorative items generally have very short terms. Frames can often have the longest warranty (lifetime). You should consult back with the dealer, if it is a mechanical or frame failure and not associated with a decorative item.



They cover some items with lifetime terms, like the lift mechanism and frame, with exceptions

https://www.la-z-boy.com/content/CustomerCare/parts-warranty

 

[brett]

Our cherry wood bedroom set was the first new furniture that we bought after five years of so of marriage/university.

We purchased higher end quality wood product. It seemed very expensive at the time, but less expensive than some of the lower priced flimsy and/or fibreboard product. It was a value vs price purchase.

It has been 45 years. It still looks like new despite numerous local and cross country moves. Same for a few pieces of upholstered furniture that we kept post downsizing.

 

[zinger1457]

The Amish manufacturers make quality hardwood furniture in the US but probably won't find it in many stores. I ordered a solid cherry hardwood bedroom from them about 5 years ago, did it online, the craftsmanship is exceptional. They will send you any wood and stain samples that you want and it was a good match to what I ended up with.

 

[Sunset]

I haven't seen any quality furniture in stores in a long time. Very few pieces made today from real hardwood with strong joinery.

So it doesn't surprise me that recliners do not last long. The furniture companies have lowered construction quality in order to remain competitive.

I make blanket chests, toy boxes, and tables. I usually pay more for the raw wood alone than what I can buy a mass produced store piece for. I cringe when I see the stuff that these stores are selling.

So true.
When I want high quality furniture, I buy old furniture at garage sales and get real wood, and half-blind dovetail joints, and can see how it held up after 40 or more years.