Upholstery Tip #27: How to Position the Knot

When attaching coil springs to a seat base, make sure each spring is positioned so the joint – also known as the open end or knot – faces towards the centre of the chair. This joint is the weakest part of the spring. The outer edge of a seat tends to take the most weight and pressure from regular use, so keeping the weak point away from that area makes good sense.

If a spring does eventually break (which can happen in older chairs or heavily used ones), having the broken joint facing inwards reduces the chance of it pushing through the layers of webbing, hessian, padding and fabric. Instead of heading outwards, it’s more likely to stay tucked safely inside – and not end up poking someone in the bottom!