Recliner Buying Guide: Everything You Need To Know

La-Z-Boy Southeast | June 26, 2019

Are you looking for a recliner buying guide that contains everything you need to know before you invest in a reclining chair?

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we’ve helped thousands of comfort seekers find the perfect recliner for their needs.

In this recliner buying guide, we will walk you through the entire purchasing process from start to finish in seven easy steps.

1) Measure Your Room

The first step in buying a new recliner is to measure the room where it will be located.

Measure the entire space and make a sketch of the room while you go. It’s alright if your artwork isn’t perfect.

These measurements will help us later on when we’re determining if your new recliner will fit in your space.

Tip: If you’d like some help measuring and planning your room, our professional interior designers are happy to help.

La-Z-Boy offers a free design service at all of our locations and we’ll gladly put together a 3D room plan with your room’s exact dimensions.

2) Find a Recliner That Fits Your Body

Sitting in a recliner that doesn’t fit your body can cause unnecessary pain and discomfort.

Getting fitted for a recliner will prevent unnecessary pain and ensure you’re comfortable in every position.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we will take a look at your height then narrow your search down to the following categories:

We carry a wide variety of recliners in each category that will fit your height requirement.

3) Evaluate Your Body’s Pressure Points

Once you’ve found a recliner you like, take a seat and evaluate how it fits your body in a seated and reclined position.

Here are a few questions you can ask yourself while you’re taking your recliner for a test drive.

Where does the footrest hit your ankle? You will want to make sure the heels of your feet are supported by the footrest. If the footrest is too short, your legs will hang off. This can put pressure on your Achilles tendon and cause ankle pain.

Is your lower back supported? Check if the lumbar support is too firm or too soft. When you recline, see if a gap develops near your lower back. Reclining with a gap between your lower back and seat can lead to back pain and other health issues.

Does your head feel pushed forward? If the back of your recliner is too short, the top cushion will push your head forward. This causes neck pain without you even knowing it. Make sure your neck is in a natural position when you rest your head.

If the recliner you’re sitting in fits your height requirement and hits your pressure points properly, then you’ve found your perfect fit!

4) Check Your Recliner for Durability & Quality

Now that you’ve found a recliner that fits, let’s make sure it’s built to last for a long time.

Ask your sales representative if we can, “Roll the recliner forward and take a look underneath.”

If they say you can’t look underneath, that’s an immediate red flag signaling the construction of the chair is more than likely poor.

Here are a few things you should look for while the recliner is upside down:

Does the frame have four sides? Most people will push on the arms of their recliner when it’s time to get up. This can cause two or three-sided frames to warp, expand, and split. Four-sided frames will support your body and last for years.
What’s the base made out of? Bases are typically made of hardwood or plastic. Hardwood bases are sturdy, look better, and last longer. Plastic bases are flimsy, look cheap, and wear out easily.
Do you see a mesh layer between the cushion and springs? This layer of mesh will evenly distribute weight and keep the cushion from tearing. Without this layer, your seat cushion would be shredded to pieces by the springs.

Recliners with a four-sided frame, hardwood base, and mesh layer between the springs and cushion are built well and will be very durable.

5) Pick Your Fabric & Check Your Measurements

Picking the upholstery fabric for your new recliner is one of the most exciting steps in the process.

However, we have over 900 different fabrics to choose from so it can also be intimidating.

This is where the ability to consult with an interior designer for free comes in handy.

Your interior designer will help you find a leather or fabric that fits your style and will look great.

Plus, they can take a look at the measurements we took earlier and tell you if your new recliner will fit in your space.

6) Select Your Recliner Options & Upgrades

Adding options and upgrades to your new recliner will make it truly one-of-a-kind.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, we offer the most recliner options and upgrades available in the marketplace:

Swivel Base
Power or Manual Recline
Heat & Massage
AirForm Cushions
Handle on Left or Right
Extended Handle
Silver Arc Handle
Glide Instead of Rock
Recline Away from Wall

Once you’ve selected your fabric and upgrades, you’ll be presented with a pricing quote.

The average price of a La-Z-Boy Recliner can range anywhere from $299 – $4,000 depending on the fabric, options, and upgrades.

7) Set Up Delivery or Pick-Up

The final step in the buying process is to set up delivery or pick-up of your new chair.

Sometimes our showrooms will have La-Z-Boy Recliners in stock and ready to go home with you.

However, if you’re purchasing a recliner we don’t have in stock it will need to be custom built and delivered to your home.

La-Z-Boy doesn’t include the cost of full-service delivery in the price of our furniture.

When you pay for full-service furniture delivery you’ll receive our top-of-the-line experience.

Your delivery team will give you a call one hour before they arrive at your home.

When the delivery truck arrives, they will unload, unbox, and assemble your recliner. Then it will be placed exactly where you want it.

Check Out These Additional Resources

We hope this recliner buying guide helps you find the perfect chair for your unique needs.

At La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor, our design consultants are available to answer all of your questions.

Here are some additional online resources you may like to check out:

We’d be happy to help you find a new recliner at any of our locations in NC, SC, and GA.