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Tips on short terms fixes when your couch or chair starts to 'sag'

If you think about it, a couch is actually a rather resilient piece of furniture. People rarely lower themselves gently upon it, but rather collapse onto it in a heap. Along with general wear and tear, and supporting the weight of entire bodies being thrown onto it on a daily basis, it is not surprising that the springs inside a couch lose their ‘springyness’ and rigidity over time. Fortunately your couch or sofa can be revived. Read on to find out how...

The first step is to remove all of the cushions and pillows and flip the couch over to assess the damage. Give it a good inspection—are the boards, springs and frame still intact? If so, it may simply be that the foam and cushions need to be replaced or re-stuffed. If the frame is cracked however, your sofa more than likely needs replacing. If the trouble lies only in the boards or springs, then read on...

If your sofa has visible boards or slats, then try to assess if these are split or damaged. If one or two are broken, then these can be replaced relatively easily. If the situation is worse and there are many broken springs or snapped boards, reinforcement is needed. Readymade sofa supports can be bought for this purpose, but a cheaper option is to simply purchase a piece of ply board from a builder’s merchant or hardware store. The plywood should be wide enough to support the cushions but not span the entire length of the sofa, or it will lose its ‘springyness’.

If it is the springs that are damaged and they are accessible, then you can use a pair of pliers to twist the wires back into shape. A professional upholsterer can help with this if the springs are very heavy grade steel and won’t budge with a standard pair of pliers.

If after trying all of these suggestions, you find that your couch is still not as firm and supportive as it used to be, then it may be time to visit SofaSofa for a brand new suite!