A.  The 8-way hand-tied spring network is composed of heavy-gauge tempered steel coil springs.  These springs are flexible enough to cushion a child, yet they are strong enough to support a large adult without flattening out the springs, guaranteeing that persons of all sizes will “get a ride”.  No other spring system can give such comfort to light and heavy persons alike.  Pre-manufactured “drop-in” spring units claim to be just as good as 8-way hand-tied, but they are cheaper short-cuts that don’t perform as well.

Q.  On the fabric swatch labels, fabrics are listed as being either “Railroaded” or “Conventional”.  What does that mean?

A.  Our fabrics are woven in rolls 54” wide and 50 to 60 yards long.  Every fabric that has a pattern or repeat must be applied to the sofa with the top of the pattern shown upright.  Some patterns are woven with the pattern upright when the roll is rolled out left to right, and some patterns are woven with the pattern upright when the roll is rolled out top to bottom.
The bottom line is as follows:  a sofa made in a conventional (or up-the-roll) fabric may have vertical seams on the seat cushions and back.  A sofa made in a railroaded pattern will not have vertical seams. 

Q.  How do I know how to clean the fabric?

A.  Every fabric swatch is labeled with a Cleaning Code.  Cleaning codes are explained on the second page of our price lists in the Johnston Benchworks catalog in your dealer’s store.  Cleaning Code S indicates fabrics must be cleaned with a solvent-based cleaner, which is the cleaner used by local dry-cleaners.  Cleaning Code W indicates fabrics must be cleaned with a water-based cleaner, such as a damp rag with a mild soap.  Cleaning Code SW means the fabrics may be cleaned with either a solvent-based or water-based cleaner.  It is always a good idea to test the cleaner on an area that will not be seen, such as the back end of a seat cushion, before proceeding.

Q.  Your fabrics are graded from A to G.  Is a higher grade fabric better than a lower grade fabric?

A.  Fabric grades do not indicate the quality or durability of the fabric.  Our fabric grades reflect our cost   of applying a fabric to furniture.  Fabrics that have no repeat require much less fabric than fabrics with    patterns that have to be matched.  Two fabrics of equal cost will have different grades if one fabric has   no pattern and the other has a 13” horizontal repeat and an 18” vertical repeat.

Q.  When I order your furniture, how long will it take for me to get it?

A.  Our production time is four to five weeks from the date we receive an order from a dealer.  We send an order acknowledgment to the dealer which tells them the date we are scheduled to ship your order.  We have maintained this consistently-prompt production timetable since 1990.  Delivery usually takes one to two weeks in most parts of the United States, so you can count on receiving your purchase in about six weeks from the time the order is placed.  (Exception: shipments to the West Coast may take up to three weeks.)

We stock all fabrics shown in your dealer’s fabric samples, but occasionally our fabric mills do not get fabric to us on time.  If we have to back-order your furniture, we notify your dealer by telephone at least a week in advance of the scheduled production date.  We do all we can to ship every order complete and on time, but sometimes circumstances prevent us from doll we can to ship every order complete and on time, but sometimes circumstances prevent us from doing so.