UPHOLSTERY PROCESS – IN DETAIL
The Frame
The strength and backbone of any piece of furniture. So we
use only the finest quality seasoned beech hardwood, harvested from
a managed renewable source. Hardly the cheapest solution, but indisputably
the best. We use Beech because it is a straight grained timber with
few knots.An absence of knots is an absence of weak points and straight
grained means no warping or twisting.
For added strength all joints are dowelled and glued with screwed corner strengthening blocks. For all occasional furniture items, the frames are of solid hardwoods. These are built traditionally to the same exacting standards before being stained and polished to enhance the natural beauty of the wood. All polished frame items are available in any finish of your choice, traditional ranges are Mahogany, Dark Oak and Yew.
Suspension
Different furniture shapes require different suspension systems to
produce the correct "feel" to the sitting position. At
Abbey Antiques & Furnishings
you can rely on us to make the right choice. We use either the interwoven
elastabelt system, metal serpentine springs or coil spring units dependent
upon the individual furniture shape and the sitting posture required.
As
the suspension is the "heart" of any piece of furniture,
reliability is a
high priority and we choose only the finest raw materials from proven
British suppliers.
Padding
Comfort is all-important with any piece of furniture, it’s so
easy for the result to be too hard or too soft. To achieve the correct
balance requires an individual combination of different high-density
fillings to ensure lasting shape retention and optimum comfort.
Leather Finishes
Here you have two options – plain and antique. Plain leather
offers a single colour finish. It’s ideal for giving a contemporary
appearance to any traditional design and just what many people are
looking for. Our antique finish enhances buttoned furniture with the
patina of a genuine, well preserved antique. To achieve the antique
effect, the tannery dyes the leather the desired colour and then stains
the top surface with a dark floranteak. The furniture is upholstered
in the traditional way and then
using a special solvent, the top layer of floranteak is gently removed
by hand, gradually highlighting the raised areas, but leaving the buttoned
areas dark. The final stage is the application of a special sealant,
which enhances the natural lustre of the leather – Abbey Antiques’ skill
and
know-how at its best.
Leather
So much depends on the quality of the leather, of course. All our upholstery
covers are hand cut to templates from full hides. It’s the
only way to achieve a uniform quality and finish. We use only the
finest tanned top grade cattle hides from top British and European
tanners.
Seat Cushions
Our standard cushion fillers are constructed from the very latest combustion
modified high resilient foams. Dacron fillings are available as an
option.
Buttons
You’re talking to the button experts! All buttons are attached
as part of the upholstery process by hand and sunk deep for neatness
and security. An Abbey Antique button won’t come loose
Castors
We choose orbit style castors, widely regarded as the very best. One
person can move any piece of Abbey Antiques furniture easily. It
will simply glide across your room.
Wooden Bun Feet
An attractive alternative to castors are our Wooden Bun Feet. These
solid wooden bun feet not only give an authentic visual finish to
the base of your furniture but are ideal for polished wooden or tiled
floors.
Studs
Essential to the traditional classic finish. These metal stud nails
are individually hand tacked through the leather and into the wooden
frame. The studs are of an antique bronze finish. However brass finished
studs are available as an optional extra.