So, is The Brick furniture good quality? The short answer is: it depends on your expectations and what you buy. The Brick is a solid option for trendy, affordable furniture you need for the short to medium term, but it's not a go-to for heirloom pieces that will last a generation.
The brand sits firmly in the mid-tier market, offering styles that compete with brands like Leon's and Structube. Quality is acceptable for the price - especially during sales - but materials like engineered wood and bonded leather mean its durability is limited. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what to know before you shop.
How Is The Brick's Quality?
The Brick's quality is best described as average and inconsistent across its product lines. It delivers on style and affordability but often sacrifices long-term durability to keep costs down. Here's what you can expect:
- Materials: Most furniture is constructed from engineered woods like MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and particleboard, finished with laminate or wood veneers. Upholstered items typically feature polyester-blend fabrics or bonded leather, which is known for peeling after a few years. You will rarely find solid hardwood construction.
- Construction Methods: Joinery typically consists of staples, cams, and dowels. While standard for budget-friendly furniture, these methods are less secure than the dovetail or mortise-and-tenon joints found in higher-end pieces, leading to instability over time.
- Durability and Longevity: Most items from The Brick are designed to last about 3 to 5 years with normal use. High-use pieces like sofas and dining chairs may show wear, such as sagging cushions or wobbly legs, even sooner.
- Common Complaints: Customer reviews frequently mention specific failures. The most common issues include bonded leather peeling and cracking, veneer chipping on tables and dressers, sagging sofa cushions, and dining chairs that become wobbly surprisingly quickly.
Is The Brick Good Value for the Price?
The Brick offers fair value, particularly if you manage to snag a deep discount. You get trendy designs and functional furniture for a reasonable initial cost, but the short lifespan means you'll be replacing it sooner than you would with a higher-quality brand.
Price Positioning
The Brick competes directly with other Canadian mid-range retailers like Leon's and Structube. Prices are accessible, with sofas typically running between $800 to $2,500 and bedroom sets costing $1,000 to $4,000. It's crucial to shop during one of their frequent sales (often 30-50% off), as full-price items rarely offer compelling value. However, watch out for add-ons like steep delivery fees ($150+) and extended warranties that can quickly inflate the final price.
What You're Paying For
You're paying for affordability and immediate access to current design trends. The Brick excels at creating of-the-moment styles without the high-end price tag, supported by accessible financing options. You are not paying for premium materials, expert craftsmanship, or long-term durability.
Where You Get Good Value
- Appliances: The Brick is a competitive retailer for major appliance brands. The quality depends on the manufacturer (like Samsung or Frigidaire), not The Brick itself.
- Trend-Driven Decor: For accent pieces or furniture you don't expect to keep for more than a few years, the price-to-style ratio is often excellent.
- Furniture for Temporary Situations: For a first apartment, a student dorm, or a guest room, The Brick offers functional pieces that won't break the bank.
Where You Don't Get Good Value
- Bonded and Faux Leather Furniture: These sofas and chairs look great initially but are notorious for peeling and cracking within 2-3 years, making them poor long-term purchases.
- Everyday Dining Chairs: Furniture that takes a lot of stress, like dining chairs, tends to loosen and wobble quickly due to the basic construction methods.
- Full-Price Items: Given the frequency of sales, paying full retail price at The Brick is rarely a good investment.
The Brick Quality by Category
Quality and durability vary significantly depending on the type of product you buy. Here’s how their main categories stack up.
Sofas & Sectionals
Sofas from The Brick often look stylish and feel comfortable in the showroom. Frames are typically made from engineered wood, and cushions use a standard 1.8-2.2 PCF foam that can begin to sag within 3-5 years of regular use. Fabric options are mostly polyester, while bonded leather should be avoided for longevity. Verdict: A decent short-term option for apartments or starter homes, but not a "forever sofa."
Bedroom Furniture
Most of The Brick's bedroom sets are made from MDF or particleboard with laminate or veneer finishes. These materials are susceptible to scratches, chipping, and swelling if exposed to moisture. Priced from $1,000 to $4,000 per set, they offer popular styles for less, but don't expect them to survive a cross-country move. Verdict: Good for guest rooms or short-term needs, but lacks long-term durability.
Dining Furniture
This category is prone to stability issues. Dining chairs, in particular, often receive complaints about wobbly legs due to basic screw-and-dowel assembly. Table surfaces are typically laminate or veneer that can be easily scratched and are difficult to repair. Verdict: You may find stylish sets, but inspect them for stability in-store and expect them to be best suited for lighter use.
Appliances
Arguably one of The Brick's strongest categories. They carry major, reputable brands and offer competitive prices, frequent sales, and financing options that make large purchases more manageable. Here, the quality is determined by the specific product manufacturer. Verdict: Often a very good place to buy appliances, especially during promotional events like Black Friday.
Our Verdict: Is The Brick Worth It?
The Brick is worth it for shoppers on a budget who need stylish furniture for short-term use (3-5 years) and prioritize affordability over longevity. If you are looking for investment pieces that will endure daily use for many years, you are better off spending more elsewhere. The key is to be a savvy shopper: buy on sale, avoid problematic materials like bonded leather, and have realistic expectations about durability.
Quality Grade: C+
The Brick earns a C+ for quality. Its reliance on lower-cost materials like particleboard, laminate veneers, and bonded leather intrinsically limits the durability of its products. While the furniture looks good and is functional for a limited time, common complaints about wobbly joints, peeling upholstery, and sagging cushions prevent a higher grade. Construction methods are standard for the price point but are not built to last.
Value Grade: B-
Value gets a B- because The Brick’s aggressive sale pricing makes trendy furniture highly accessible. For a student or first-time home buyer, getting a complete living room set for under $2,000 is a compelling proposition. However, this grade is held back by high delivery fees, short product lifespans requiring earlier replacement, and quality issues that reduce long-term value.
Better Alternatives to The Brick
If you're concerned about The Brick's limited durability and want better long-term value, consider these alternatives that offer higher quality materials and construction for a range of budgets.
EQ3
Offering modern, Canadian-designed furniture focused on durable materials like solid wood and high-quality fabrics, EQ3 is a significant step up in quality. Pieces cost more (sofas often start around $2,000), but they are built to last over 10 years, making them a better long-term investment.
Shop now at eq3.com
West Elm
West Elm provides stylish mid-century modern furniture using higher-grade materials like kiln-dried hardwood frames and solid wood. While still in the mid-range market, its construction quality is more consistent and durable than The Brick's, offering a good balance of style and longevity for a moderate price increase.
Shop now at westelm.com
Structube
Structube competes directly with The Brick on price and style, offering trendy, modern furniture at highly affordable prices. The quality is comparable - heavy on engineered woods and veneers - but many shoppers prefer Structube's minimalist aesthetic and find it to be a slightly better value for temporary or starter furniture.
Shop now at structube.com
BoConcept
If your budget allows, BoConcept offers premium, customizable Danish furniture designed for longevity. Their use of solid woods, high-end leathers, and superior craftsmanship means their furniture is built to last for decades, representing a true "buy it for life" investment far exceeding The Brick's quality.
Shop now at boconcept.com
IKEA
For shoppers most focused on budget, IKEA offers a lower price point for comparable (and sometimes better) quality. While it also uses a lot of particleboard, its value-for-money is arguably stronger, as you're paying significantly less for furniture with a similar short- to medium-term lifespan.
Shop now at ikea.com
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Brick furniture usually last?
With typical household use, you can expect most furniture from The Brick to last between 3 to 5 years. High-traffic items like sofas may show significant wear, such as sagging cushions or peeling upholstery, within 2 to 3 years.
Is The Brick's furniture real wood?
Very rarely. The vast majority of The Brick's furniture is made from engineered woods like MDF and particleboard, which are then covered with a wood-look laminate or a thin wood veneer. Always check the "product materials" section online for specifics, if it doesn't say "solid wood," it isn't.
Is The Brick better than Structube or Leon's?
These three brands are direct competitors with similar quality and pricing. Leon's often features more traditional styles, while Structube leans more modern and minimalist. All three use similar budget-friendly materials, so the "better" choice often comes down to personal style preference and which store has the best sale at the time.
Should I buy the extended warranty from The Brick?
Generally, it's not recommended. For lower-cost furniture, the price of the warranty can be a significant percentage of the item's cost. Because durability issues often surface right after the standard one-year warranty expires, many consumers find the extended plans have too many fine-print exclusions to be worthwhile.
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