When buying a couch, the first thing to do is determine your needs. Do you need a sofa your kids can spill drinks on? Do you want to be able to wipe your sofa with cleaning spray? Do you simply want the luxurious feel of leather when you’re sitting?

Once you’ve made these choices, the next step is to learn how to distinguish superior from inferior products.

If you choose leather, it’s important to look all around a sofa to make sure there are no large solid pieces of (what looks like) leather. Pieces more than about 2 feet wide without a seam is a good indication that they’re not real leather. Many companies advertise leather sofas constructed of only segments of leather.

If you’ve decided on cloth, make sure a sofa’s seams and frame inserts (that serve as reinforcements) are firm. Feel all around to make sure there are no insufficiently cushioned spots. If you don’t see seams and you get the feeling you could sew the cover yourself from an old blanket, keep walking.

Read more on how to choose quality furniture at www.eHow.com.