How to Fix a Sagging Couch

When you flop down on your couch after a hard day’s work, you expect comfort and support for tired muscles. When the guys come over to watch the big game, they each expect their own spot to lounge comfortably. Over time, couch cushions and structural components can get worn or damaged, which results in a sagging couch. Now your after-work relaxation is hard and lumpy, and your buddies find themselves falling into each other because of the bow in the sofa seat.

Tips to fix a sagging couch

There are several do-it-yourself options to fix a sagging couch. Of course, you could just throw some thick cardboard or a piece of plywood under the cushions and call it good, but this does not deliver a very comfortable or long-lasting outcome. The overall goal is to make a more stable and rigid structure, and more even and comfortable cushions as well.

• Determine Why the Couch Is Sagging

  There are multiple reasons why you have a sagging couch. The problem could be structural, such as broken wooden slats and bent springs, or simply caused by extended use, such as permanently squished cushions that have lost their bounce. Figuring out why your couch is sagging requires you to take it apart and possibly flip it upside down to explore all possible causes.

• Replace or Repair the Wooden Structure

  If the wooden slats or platform underneath the couch are broken, bent, or missing, all you have to do to repair them is purchase similar wood from the hardware store, cut it to the right length, and nail them in place. Some thin pieces of wood can be attached with a staple gun as well.

• Replace or Repair the Springs

  Couches come with two different types of springs: coiled ones that are similar to what you may see in a box spring for a bed, or zigzag springs that hook to each end of the frame. Because the springs are under high tension, it can be dangerous to work with them. Always wear safety goggles if you try this yourself. Replacing a broken spring is a good job for a professional, but if one just has a slight bend, grab a pair of pliers and fix it.

• Restuff or Refluff the Cushions

  The simplest way to repair a sagging couch is to give the cushions an extra boost with some new stuffing or batting. Many couch cushions have zippers, so the first step is to simply remove them. If they do not have zippers, it may be necessary to carefully open up one seam if you are confident you can sew it back up again.

  One option is to replace all the foam completely. Take careful measurements and go to a decorating or fabric store and get foam cut to the right shape. Another option is to use thick quilt batting to wrap the existing foam on all sides. After you tuck the cushions back into their covers, they will look fluffier and fuller than before. Finally, buying a polyester fill material and stuffing it as much as possible into cushions that are attached to the couch is another way to boost up sagging cushions.

If you have an uncomfortably sagging couch that you do not want to replace, these three ways of giving it new life can help you enjoy your favorite piece of furniture for many years to come.