Big People equals Big Recliner Problems

[baileyuph]

Recent problems and discussions with manufacturing associates confirms what has
been a big influx into the furniture repair work - Big People cause big recliner problems.

They come in all bent up to the point they may not fully open or close only with difficulty if at all.

The Associate commented that the problem is on the rise, primarily to two reasons;

1.  More recliners, the units are put into almost every thing including sofa, love seats, as well as chairs.

2.  As you can guess the other reason is people are so much heavier, they sit, eat more, and watch more.

3.  I added a thought to those two by stating that it is like when they initiate their exit from the reclining mode, they do not bother to close the recliner which could easily contribute to the recliner distruction problem.

As a comment, wonder when the idea will blow over or wane?  Probably when the price becomes prohibitive are my thoughts.

They sure are a bear to move around, I would not want to be a furniture delivery person, these days.

Oh, while talking with the manufacturing associate, he commented that this year the sales of the popular priced (Asian furniture if you will) is down.  I asked why and he didn't really know except that part of the market is not seeing an increase in spendable funds.

All make some sense to me.

Talk about filling the land fills, the conribution from this furniture may be around for awhile.

Doyle

[kodydog]

It costs money to be over weight. Heavy people love recliners but need to realize most will not be able to bare the weight. I think a stout chair with ottoman would be more piratical. And don't be afraid to spend a little money. Better yet have one custom made by a local craftsman. Even then there are no guarantees.

We had a customer with a 300+ lb husband. She had a custom, heavy duty chair built. The guy who built it did a good job but the seat and back cushions went flat after one year. We replaced the seat with our best foam and added more stuffing to the back. He then complained the back was too firm. And after one year the seat was flat again. Is this now my problem? How do you tell people like this your too fat and the only solution is to replace the foam every year. She say's the husband has no desire to loose weight. Its sad.

[chrisberry12]

when you sell your foam/cushion replacement put a weight limit on the product with no guarantee over the limit, then you are not liable. I would use firm ultra foam from Albany Foam and Supply, and the backs, i use soft ultra foam http://www.albanyfoam.com/

[bobbin]

As obesity becomes epidemic in our country a lot of industries "bear the weight" (sorry).   I refuse to call the obese set "big".  They're fat, end of story.  It's not a moral judgement, but it is the truth.  Fat is fat and calling by any number of euphemisms doesn't change the truth.  So I'm sticking with fat.  A friend in automotive upholstery bemoans the number of seats utterly destroyed by fatties. 

Some years ago I was asked to replace a couple of zippers in body bags used by a funeral parlor (the plush ones with the removable liners).  It seems that as people get fatter and fatter, the older bags are not quite large enough to encompass the bulk of the morbidly obese dead.  The zippers are frequently strained to the breaking point.  Caskets are now being built in larger sizes, too.  And the gurneys are now designed to bear ever greater weights.  And the suspension in hearses is now available in heavier/beefier options.  The man who brought in the bags commented that they'd recently been to two removals where windows had to be removed and the deceased had to be removed by a front end loader because they were so morbidly obese they couldn't be removed through the bedroom door and down the staircase. 

He was a lovely, charming man and he confided that dealing with the bereaved under those circumstances was the hardest part of his difficult job.

[sofadoc]

Are Americans fat because they're lazy? Or are they lazy because they're fat?

I'm 56, and weigh 220. About 50 lbs. more than I should. But I still haul couches on my back all day. I can still outrun the grandkids. And I still mow my own lawn twice a week. I wish someone had warned me to lay off the pizzas when I was younger, but just like the kids today.......I probably wouldn't have listened.

Kids are like dogs. If you spoil a dog on table scraps, you could put him on a desert island with a big bag of dry dog food, and he'd lay there and starve to death. Kids are the same way with junk food. It's not so much that a kid or a dog is picky or finicky, it's just that their brain receptors no longer recognize nutritious food as something that's edible. I watched a teenager at a restaurant cover his mouth to hold back the vomit when he was served a healthy meal.

Mix all these factors with a big ass recliner and a TV that gets over 200 channels, and you got yourself a bona fide epidemic.

I agree with Bobbin.....FAT IS FAT. There's no use in trying to be tactful about it.

As for foam replacement. I'm not sure why. But I've changed foam cores in a ton of flat cushions, and I've yet to have any come back. It may be because by the time MY foam goes flat, the recliner is REALLY, REALLY  worn out, so they just junk it. I offer no implied warranty with foam replacement.

[bobbin]

I received my "wake up call" when our recently adopted kitty mixed it up with one of the long-term residents.  I broke up the fight (without oven mitts) and sustained 3 nasty bites to my left forearm, along with several very deep scratches.  Hydrogen peroxide was futile, wound up in the walk-in unit where I received a tetanus booster (due), a 10 day course of oral anti-biotic, and a shot in the can of an anti-biotic!  Discovered that I'm hypertensive, too... .

Bottom line:  shedding 20 lbs., and going for a brisk walk 3x weekly could prolly eliminate the need for Lisinopril.  So, guys, we're all in this together... ain't a one of us that likely escapes "free"!

Fat is fat.  Lazy is lazy.  And it's up to US to take control and make the changes that will build health.

Interesting thread. 

[sofadoc]

Bottom line:  shedding 20 lbs., and going for a brisk walk 3x weekly could prolly eliminate the need for Lisinopril.

Another topic headed straight into the ditch.

Lisinopril, and all those other $5 BP medicines gave me dizzy headaches. I can't do generics. Bystolic and Benicar for me ($50 co-pay for each).


Back on topic............One thing I've noticed: The bigger the person.........the cheaper their recliner. The food budget comes first.

[baileyuph]

 I think a stout chair with ottoman would be more piratical (Kody commented)



No doubt Kody, that is the best way to spend your furniture money.  Like you said, "buy quality".

Recliners come with so much and many problems, perhaps some will take your advice.

LIke all of you have said, the best foam available is very important.  

As a comment, foam replacements are on the up tick in business.  

It is all about misunderstanding.  Consumers (most any way) have a problem understanding, all furniture is not created equal and more importantly just being new does not give quality.  Some think new and quality are equals, not so.

Doyle

[kodydog]

Manufactures use soft foam because it feels good in the show room and it feels good when the furniture is delivered. but 6 months later its flat as a pancake.

For some reason fat people think the softer the better. If you let them test three different foams, soft, medium or firm they will choose soft every time.

[sofadoc]

Manufactures use soft foam because it feels good in the show room and it feels good when the furniture is delivered. but 6 months later its flat as a pancake.

AMEN BRUTHA......PREACH ON!!!

The biggest mistake that customers make in the showroom. They sit on a couch for 30 seconds....exclaim "WOW! This is GREAT!! I'll take it!" If they would sit there for about 10 minutes, they would start to feel their tailbone hurting from lack of support.

For some reason fat people think the softer the better. If you let them test three different foams, soft, medium or firm they will choose soft every time.

Around here, it kinda depends on WHEN they test the foam.
In the showroom, they choose soft. 6 months later (when the cushions are flat as a pancake), they want FIRM.  Poor "medium".......never gets picked.

For foam replacement jobs, I offer 2 "in-stock" options for "same day" service. One is 2.0 density 34lbs. compression pink foam. It is always way firmer than their original foam, but is a little light in weight. The other option is 2.7/50 lbs. A little firmer, heavier, but more expensive. Over half the time, my customers choose the pink foam. I haven't had any negative feedback 6 months to a year later (or after that).   

[byhammerandhand]

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/07/study-many-parents-are-in-denial-about-their-kids-obesity/375023/

[papasage]

some  mfg. needs to start making  furniture for over weight people  . not just a bigger chair  but a  bigger  better built  chair .