The sofa does not fold out, what should I do?

How to fix a sofa yourself

The sofa takes pride of place in any apartment. It is very convenient to sit on the sofa in front of the TV, or take a short nap after a busy day at work.

However, intensive use of this piece of furniture can lead to breakdowns over time.

If such a nuisance happened to your sofa, do not rush to get upset. In fact, you can fix most breakdowns yourself.

What do you need to work with a sofa?

Sagging sofa
Repairing a sagging sofa is easy if you prepare in advance all the elements necessary for the work. The final result depends on you, because you can make it harder or, on the contrary, correct it and create a soft sofa that resembles a feather bed. Any sofa will eventually sag, so you need to be prepared for this course of events. So, in order to restore sagging sofas, you need to have on hand:

• foam seal;
• pliers;
• foam;
• fabric tape.

Sofas are the part of the furniture on which household members spend most of their time. Therefore, it’s normal to push through over time, the main thing is to know how to correct the situation.

High-quality do-it-yourself sofa repair

Regardless of the quality of furniture in the room, sooner or later it becomes unusable. Then you need to carry out, for example, repairing a sofa yourself. To perform such work, you need to stock up on a set of attributes for installation, personal desire and the ability to interact with different materials.

Main details of the sofa.

The success of repair activities directly depends on the condition in which the frame base is located. Moreover, an old-style sofa made of chipboard is much more difficult to fix than can be done with a more modern analogue made of wood.

Having studied the design features of this piece of furniture in detail, you can get to work.

Tips and mistakes

In particularly difficult situations, it is worth consulting with a specialist before starting repairs. You should handle the sofa very carefully when repairing the box spring, otherwise there is a risk of injury.

Be sure to use goggles and gloves for protection during restoration work. If the problem seems too complicated, then you should invite a specialist.

Let's look at the main mistakes when doing DIY repairs.

• Incorrect cutting. It is recommended to cut new fabric over old upholstery. If this is not possible, then you should take accurate measurements from sofa cushions or other elements.
• Use of untreated wood parts. The wood for the frame must be dried and impregnated with an antiseptic. Otherwise, the part will soon begin to rot.
• Neglect of additional fastenings. It is recommended to reinforce new parts on the frame with metal corners. This will make the design more reliable.
• Large distance between furniture stapler staples. The upholstery must be secured using a special method so that it does not come apart. The staples should be placed at a distance of no more than 20 mm from each other.

Design features of the sofa

You can restore an old sofa by repairing or replacing the main elements in the form of legs, supports, locks and reupholstery. All of the above types of work require special attention.

There are many models of sofas, but each of the varieties has only its own inherent details:

Scheme of a sofa made of timber.

• armrests are made of wood, metal, MDF or chipboard, providing softness or hardness;
• unevenness of upholstery fabrics, represented by leather or leatherette;
• inner layer made of padding polyester, batting or furniture foam;
• the use of polyurethane foam to improve shock absorption properties;
• installation of a spring block;
• the use of burlap to prevent squeaks during operation;
• The frame is made of natural wood or chipboard.

Attention! The quality and duration of use of the sofa depends on the use of high-quality materials for the construction of the frame structure and the correct installation. Significant importance is attached to the internal filler, which affects comfort and safety.

Remember! You need to disassemble the sofa from the sides, then remove the back and seat.

• the sofa book is used most often;
• the Eurobook is transformed by moving the seat and folding the backrest;
• the Eurobook “tick-tock” moves, occupying a circular position;
• the “accordion” appears to be in 3 parts, which are repaired in rare cases;
• the “click-click” device is represented by the following positions: assembled, half unfolded and completely;
• The “dolphin” design can be seen in corner-type mechanisms.

When to replace

The sofa has several structural elements that provide its user with high comfort, comfortable rest, and relaxation of the muscles of the musculoskeletal system: springs, frame, upholstery. When choosing a specific model, you need to pay attention to their quality so that the product does not require repairs for a long time.

If upholstered furniture is made from high-quality materials, it will have a long service life. But sometimes even first-class models need repairs after some time of use.

Sofa arrangement diagram
Replacing the spring system of sofas of different sizes, colors and configurations is required in a number of cases:

• The model served for a very long time, so the springs weakened their effect. As a result, there are dents and bulges on the sitting surface, and the product is not very comfortable to use, especially when unfolded;
• furniture needs to be repaired if the spring structure used in the manufacturing process had a manufacturing defect, low quality, and so on, but this fact became clear only after using the furniture for some time;
• repairs may be necessary when the level of rigidity of the spring elements was chosen irrationally, that is, they do not suit its owners in terms of comfort and rigidity. But, unfortunately, such a characteristic as the level of rigidity cannot be significantly adjusted. You can either replace the spring system with a different model, softer or stiffer, or slightly soften the mattress using foam rubber.

Dents on the sofa

Recommendations for repairing a sofa

Sofa arrangement diagram.

To understand how to repair a sofa, you need to understand the characteristics of the breakdown. If the transforming structure fails, you need to replace it in the model under consideration with similar parts.

The best examples of sofas will be mechanisms on a spring frame covered with burlap or batting. However, such designs will be expensive. Often, to reduce the price, manufacturers use calico and foam rubber. In cheaper versions of sofas, blocks on springs are not installed. To fill the inside of the sofa, polyurethane foam is taken and laid in a thick layer.

Repairing an old sofa should be carried out using only high-quality materials, which will significantly extend its service life. Thus, the thickness of the polyurethane foam should not be less than 40 cm. The holofiber used allows you to wash the structure, the padding polyester can emphasize the relief pattern of the sofa, and does not absorb moisture. Periotek has a high base strength and is not afraid of high temperatures. For spring varieties, it is best to use a 5 cm padded jacket, trimmed with a layer of hard material.

You can replace the outer upholstery yourself. For this, fabrics are taken: leather, velor, flock, tapestry, jacquard, chenille. Leather covering is performed by specialists due to the complexity of such work. Other types of matter allow you to carry out repairs on your own.

Cutting material for sofa upholstery

The final result of the entire reupholstering process depends on how accurately the patterns are made.

1. Buy upholstery material with a reserve; it is better to use the remaining pieces to decorate stools or additional pillows than to buy more later.
2. Place the old upholstery on the new material and stretch it evenly.
3. Make sure that there is no distortion in the fabric itself, as well as in the pattern.
4. Draw a marker around the borders.
5. When making a drawing according to a pattern, you need to leave an allowance of approximately 2 cm.
6. Cut with sharp scissors.
7. Foam rubber is cut in the same way as fabric.
8. Assembling the new structure is done in the reverse order.

Changing foam rubber: features

Sofa repairs involving the replacement of foam rubber are carried out according to the previously discussed scheme, often combining these types of work. According to the same scheme, the structure is dismantled, the previous filling is removed, and it is immediately replaced with a new one. The thickness of this coating corresponds to 35-40 mm.

Diagram of the spring block device.

To fix the foam rubber, use a construction stapler or an adhesive substance; they allow you to fix it on the frame. A padding polyester is placed on it, which is covered with fabric on the outside.

Sofa repair is often associated with replacing springs and the transformation mechanism. Such repair activities are carried out when these elements cannot be restored. They are replaced with similar new parts.

Step-by-step instruction

You can repair a dented sofa only after identifying the cause of the hole.

The easiest way to replace the filling in pillows is:

1. open the side seam;
2. add filler in the required quantity;
3. if necessary, completely remove the old filler, replacing it with a new one;
4. Carefully sew up the side seam with strong thread.

It is recommended to use the same filler that was in the sofa cushions. It is usually enough to add more material if it has sagged after a few washes.

If the upholstery is worn, it is also recommended to replace it. It is important to choose the color of the fabric tone-on-tone or based on the principle of contrast.

Quite often, the reason for the appearance of holes on the sofa lies in a damaged spring block. In this case, you should remove the upholstery as carefully as possible so as not to spoil it.

Repairing a spring block with your own hands is easy:

• find the broken spring and pull it out;
• a new part of a suitable size should be placed in the free space;
• When making repairs, it is recommended to use pliers;
• It is important to install the new spring with the correct side so that it does not shoot out when using the sofa.

Upon inspection, it may turn out that the sofa sank due to a broken frame. You can solve this problem yourself. You just need to remove the broken part and make a new one of the appropriate size.

It is recommended to use the same type of wood from which the frame was originally made.

In some cases, it makes sense to immediately replace the mounts with new ones. Metal parts tend to rust over time from exposure to the environment. It is important to make a new frame part from dried wood. Otherwise, the repair will have to be repeated in the near future.

It is worth immediately checking the entire frame for cracks, and then making additional replacements if necessary.

Restoration of the spring block

The sofas are equipped with old or new springs, which differ in size.

If they fail, these elements are easily replaced. To do this, the old part is cut with wire cutters and a new one is screwed in. Then all the components are tied together with a strong rope. Sagging springs can be replaced by taking these parts from a discarded sofa. Slightly bent elements can be easily straightened manually, without removing the block. Otherwise, you need to completely replace the system, including the layer of batting, then you will be able to avoid the squeaking of the seat.

You can extend the time of using the sofa in this way: bulk foam rubber is cut with a stationery knife, and the spring block is filled with it. Then it is covered with thick fabric; for this, a thick blanket is taken, which is nailed to the frame base.

The top is filled with foam rubber, its height is 4 cm. It can also be fixed with nails or staples while maintaining a distance of 3-4 cm. The unnecessary ends of this material are cut off.

Such simple tips will help you cope with the task of how to fix a sofa without resorting to the help of specialists.

Step-by-step description of the work

First, you should turn your sofa over so that its frame can be seen. All work depends on this action, since this is the only way to understand what is damaged in the furniture. Most often, in this case, the frame itself breaks, less often the foam rubber and upholstery are dented. In any case, the damage can be fixed.

When replacing the frame, you need to install not only new boards, but also all the screws, since corrosion can form on the old ones, causing various types of fungi. With foam rubber things are even simpler; just use an anti-stapler to remove the upholstery and replace the soft part.

In some cases, people try to immediately change the upholstery of furniture, because in this way it looks newer and fresher, but at the same time has a shape familiar to household members.

How to fix a sofa yourself if it collapses in the middle? Check the places where the pillows are placed. Perhaps someone just sat down very sharply and broke the base. Replacing it is simple; you just need to remove the cushions, select the boards to size and secure them carefully. You can put plywood on top for density.

A bigger problem could be that the springs on the sofa break. In order to restore furniture, you will need to remove the upholstery, the soft layer and find the cause of the unevenness. Then you should carefully remove the broken part with pliers, and then screw in a new spring. They are sold in many hardware stores, so you won’t have to look for a long time for the part. The main thing is to secure it tightly at the base, otherwise you will have to disassemble the upholstered furniture again.

Replacing a spring block is a more labor-intensive process

In some cases, the pillows themselves may be the cause of the unevenness of the sofa. For example, after washing they became much softer than before, and now, when you sit on them, you feel like you’re falling through. Fixing this problem is as easy as shelling pears. You need to add more filling to the pillows, and then carefully sew them together.

Pillows too soft after washing

Before you begin, evaluate the problem at hand. Based on this, already purchase the material and start doing business. Remember that even a beginner in this field can easily cope with the task.

In our age of total economy, many of us cannot afford to go and just buy a new sofa if the old one is worn out, wrinkled, and does not look very aesthetically pleasing. But it’s true: repairing it is cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture. Well, how to do this? Let's find out in this article.

Just replace the pillows

The simplest, least burdensome version of the defect is when the soft seats, as well as the back of the sofa, are soft, square, rectangular cushions that are dented. Everything is simple here. It is necessary to make new pillows filled with special furniture foam rubber, polyurethane foam or other modern materials. If the upholstery is still in good condition, it is enough to change the filling. Is the upholstery worn out and not aesthetically pleasing? Then we make new pillows, matching the fabric to the color of the main furniture frame.

Spring blocks

If the sofa has spring blocks, the completeness of which is worn out, it is worth carrying out local repairs. In this case, the upholstery from the sofa will have to be temporarily removed. Next, the spring block is inspected, one of the pressed ones is removed, and replaced with a new one. If the block is monolithic, somewhere it has failed, somewhere it is in its original form, the entire structure will have to be replaced.

Typically, older sofa models are equipped with spiral springs. New pieces of furniture are filled with zigzag spring elements. Note! Sometimes the spring is depressed due to the fact that there is a broken bar or crossbar underneath it. That is, in fact, the springs themselves are in working condition, but the support under them is partially or completely broken. In this case, the wooden plank is changed. Structural integrity is fully restored.

Professional consultation with a specialist

If it is difficult to carry out repairs on your own, but there is no money to hire a specialist for restoration work, it is worth getting advice from an expert. To do this, you can call the repair company to find out how the specialists intend to carry out repairs and in what sequence. Accordingly, these events do not need to be booked. A call to the workshop will be made only for the purpose of obtaining the necessary information.

You can also watch a video on the Internet, where furniture repair professionals show and explain in detail how they repair sofa springs, pillows, and wooden planks located at the base of the furniture structure.

Types and types of mechanisms

Today, furniture production has a large number of types and types of mechanisms. The photo below shows only some of them (the most common):

Click-clack

The click-clack mechanism has three positions, one for lying down and two for sitting. Usually installed on modern lamella-type models.

Meralax

Meralax is one of the reliable French clamshell layout mechanisms. It has an orthopedic effect in two versions - lamella and metal weaving.

Dolphin

The “dolphin” mechanism is exactly the option that combines compactness and convenience. The seat is attached to the side parts of the frame, pulling the mechanism out of the niche “towards you” to the upper horizontal position by the transverse bar and we get a full-fledged sleeping place.

This is the simplest of all existing mechanisms. When made of high quality, it is stable and durable, but, as a rule, the metal from which it is made leaves much to be desired.

Accordion

The “accordion” mechanism is one of the most popular mechanisms for transforming sofas; it has three layout positions.

One part is fixed, the other two have moving parts that are secured with locks.

Now it is installed mainly on modern models of upholstered furniture.

The most common mechanism is installed on a sofa book. It is quite simple in layout and has a number of advantages over other models. The entire structure is made of thick metal and high-quality rivets.

You can also familiarize yourself with other types of sofa transformation mechanisms in the article Review of sofa transformation mechanisms.

How is the replacement done?

If you want to repair your sofa without hiring the services of professional furniture makers, you should carefully study the procedure. You need to start by disassembling the sofa, or rather, by disconnecting its side parts using a wrench. Do not allow these structural elements to fall freely after dismantling; mark each of them so as not to confuse the left and right parts during subsequent assembly. Next, the mechanisms are dismantled, the seat, the backrest and, if present, the tray are disconnected one by one.

To remove the covers you will need to use pliers. Using them, carefully, without jerking, pull out the fastening brackets. Otherwise, the upholstery may be damaged.

Disassembling the sofa should begin by removing the side elements

The sofa is disassembled.
Remove the mattress and proceed to repairing the springs. Using a damp rag, you should remove dust from the surface of the structure, and then carefully inspect all the springs. Remove damaged springs using pliers and replace with new ones. Next, cover the spring block with foam rubber or other material to increase its service life.

Carefully remove the upholstery

Damaged spring

Spring fastening options

The fact is that when using a sofa, differences are created between those springs that are pressed by the person’s weight, and those springs that remain unused. This leads to deformation of the spring block and the need for its repair. If you fill the gaps between the springs with foam rubber, and also cover the entire mattress with similar material, this can somewhat smooth out the load difference. Ultimately, the sofa mattress will last longer.

The distance between the springs should be filled with foam rubber

If you need to replace a large number of springs in a sofa in a single large Bonnell block, it is easier to purchase a new block. If only one or two springs stick out, then only these elements need to be replaced, and it is not rational to change the entire unit.

Repair of the “sofa book” mechanism

Before starting repairs, you need to determine the extent and cause of the breakdown. As a rule, it is mainly the rivets of the guide strip that are bolted to the sofa frame that break here. They fly out completely or wear appears, leading to an increase in gaps.

For work we will need tools:

1. Drill or screwdriver
2. Rivets
3. Hammer
4. Anvil or any other massive stand

It is necessary to firmly fix the mechanism on the table surface, for example, using clamps. Using a drill, we drill out the broken rivet, starting with a small drill and gradually moving to the desired size.

To select the required drill diameter, the size of the rivet and its thickness, we measure it with a caliper. We insert it into the hole, with the cap down, and the part that will be riveted should face up.

If it is not possible to repair the mechanism using rivets, the bar can be secured using a bolt and nut.

Here it is very important to choose the right length so that the bolt does not rest against the frame from the inside, because cutting it off after installation will not be very convenient!

What to do: how to repair?

Repairing a sagging sofa depends on its filling. Typically involves replacing worn out foam or spring blocks, sometimes parts of the main frame. At the same time, you can replace the upholstery and strengthen the filling to prevent subsidence.

What materials and tools are needed?

For repairs you will need:

• filler – foam rubber, synthetic winterizer, polyurethane, spring blocks, etc.;
• a construction stapler with staples or a staple gun;
• Screwdriver Set;
• anti-stapler;
• furniture belts;
• pliers;
• construction adhesive;
• for frame repairs - wooden blocks;
• optional upholstery material;
• thread for reupholstering furniture.

Do-it-yourself stages

Attention First, you need to determine the cause of the squeezing - it is sagging filler or a broken frame. Both reasons require furniture disassembly. It is worth photographing the step-by-step process before removing the parts - this will allow you to navigate during assembly.

The sofa should be turned over and inspected around the perimeter for defective boards. If the lamellas (perpendicular to the panel frame) on which the upholstered part of the furniture is placed are broken, they are replaced.

If the problem with a sagging seat is not in the frame, you need to remove the cushions, side panels, and upholstery. Inspect the frame from the inside, then the pillows. To do this, remove the upholstery and backing with an anti-stapler. If the model is spring, inspect the mechanisms.

1. Twisted elements that have become disconnected from each other or from the frame can be restored using hardened wire and pliers. Sharp edges are bitten off and folded over.
2. Individual springs that are broken or have lost their elasticity are replaced with new ones. To do this, the damaged parts are disconnected with pliers.
3. If it is impossible to replace individual springs, replace the entire spring unit.
4. If necessary, replace the plywood base.

The fastest way to replace a spring in a block is to bite it with pliers or wire cutters, carefully pull it out piece by piece, and then install a new one. After replacement, the new element is attached with a strong rope or wire. If the parts are long or, conversely, too short, it may be difficult to remove them and install new ones.

You should not spare the top foam layer after replacing the spring block - it is better to replace it as well.

Stages of restoring a foam block:

1. The upholstery is removed from the furniture, having first unscrewed the bolts, screws, and removed the staples.
2. The old filling is removed after first measuring its thickness and making a pattern. To do this, lay out the old filler on a flat floor on top of the new one, and trace the contours with a marker.
3. The new filler is cut along the contour with a carpenter's or stationery knife, applied to the body, and the protruding parts are cut off.
4. Install new foam rubber, gluing it with furniture glue in places of contact with the frame, and allow to dry.
5. After the glue has dried, a layer of batting or padding polyester is placed on top, stretched, nailed around the perimeter with a stapler or staple gun.

Advice: After replacing a worn-out part, the furniture is put back together, having first cleaned the mechanisms and upholstery from dust and dirt. We wrote about repairing or replacing springs in a separate publication, and you can learn about how to select and change foam rubber.

How can you strengthen and strengthen?

When replacing a spring block, it can be strengthened by lining it with thick foam rubber from the inside and covering it with a thick layer of felt or synthetic padding on top. This will evenly distribute the load on the springs. The foam block is also strengthened in the same way, but you need to take into account the thickness of the reinforcing layer when making the pattern.

Snake-type elements can be reinforced with textile belts.

1. To do this, the tape is wound on a wooden block and the free end is attached between two springs.
2. The tip is bent and secured to the frame with a stapler.
3. Providing tension with a block, the tape is pulled to the opposite side of the frame and secured.
4. Having stretched the tapes between all the springs along the width, the procedure is carried out along the length of the frame, passing the tape in a checkerboard pattern above and below the already tensioned ones.

Video on how to repair holes on a sofa with your own hands:

Repair of the accordion sofa mechanism

This design has a number of small details that affect the correct layout of the sofa. Naturally, repairs will have their own difficulties, but with the right approach this issue can be resolved.

The figure shows the main elements of the “accordion” (its most vulnerable parts), since they bear the main load.

After the expiration of operating time, some of them require, at best, repair, and at worst, replacement.

The rollers must be replaced . At home, you can change the polyurethane wheel base by choosing the desired size (height). Having drilled out the mounting axle, it can be replaced with a regular bolt with two nuts for better fixation of the wheel.

Beech slats, due to their rigidity and strength, are almost impossible to break, although there are exceptions to the rule. Mostly the fasteners that “hold” the lamella break.

The photo shows that the lamella insert is attached to the metal frame using rivets.

Specialized stores sell almost all furniture fittings, including the “pockets” we need.

To replace them we will need a drill with which we need to drill out the rivets. We check their width and thickness to ensure that there are no unnecessary gaps.

Riveting can be done using smaller or larger hammers or using a special rivet setting tool.

But the best option for installing the slat holder would be a regular bolt and nut.

Claim the sofa sank

1.1. In this case, go to court immediately

2.1. You can write a claim for the return of low-quality goods in free form and refer to Art. 18 and 25 ZPPP.

If you need to prepare a claim, you can contact any lawyer registered on the site.

2.2. Refer to the consumer protection law, the product is of poor quality, attach the expert’s conclusion, demand a refund of the money or a sofa of proper quality, 10 days for a response, then file a lawsuit if there is no response or you are not satisfied with it.

3.1. Alla I think we need to wait for the results of the examination. You can do the examination at your own expense and not wait for a factory expert

I wish you good luck and all the best!

3.2. Legal. And you, in turn, have the right to contact another expert organization that will examine you and give you a specialist opinion. Good luck and all the best.

4.1. — Hello, send your claim by mail and go to court. Moreover, the sofa was taken from you. Good luck to you and all the best.

4.2. There will be no money, which means you need to go to court with a claim for the return of the principal debt + apply financial sanctions.

4.3. Svetlana! You can contact Rospotrebnadzor, and also write a claim to the store, send it by mail, and then go to court! Good luck!

5.1. The claim is written in any form. Quality control and examination within the warranty period must be organized by the seller. Article 18 of the Law of the Russian Federation dated 02/07/1992 N 2300-1 “On the Protection of Consumer Rights”: The seller (manufacturer), an authorized organization or an authorized individual entrepreneur, an importer are obliged to accept goods of inadequate quality from the consumer and, if necessary, check the quality of the goods. The consumer has the right to participate in checking the quality of the product. In the event of a dispute about the reasons for the occurrence of defects in the goods, the seller (manufacturer), an authorized organization or an authorized individual entrepreneur, or the importer are obliged to conduct an examination of the goods at their own expense. The examination of goods is carried out within the time limits established by Articles 20, 21 and 22 of this Law to satisfy the relevant consumer requirements. The consumer has the right to be present during the examination of the goods and, in case of disagreement with its results, to challenge the conclusion of such examination in court. If, as a result of the examination of the goods, it is established that its defects arose due to circumstances for which the seller (manufacturer) is not responsible, the consumer is obliged to reimburse the seller (manufacturer), an authorized organization or an authorized individual entrepreneur, the importer for the costs of conducting the examination, as well as those associated with its implementation. costs of storing and transporting goods.

Repair of the sofa mechanism “Click clack”

Today, the quality of operation of “Click Klyak” mechanisms leaves much to be desired. Manufacturers do not pay much attention to strength, counting on a large frame area (the larger the area, the more stable the product).

The body bends in places where the weight is localized, since it is made of sheet iron, and this breaks the transformation lock itself.

At home, making repairs can be very problematic; only complete replacement is possible.

In order for the mechanism to serve for a long time, it is necessary to lubricate the rubbing joints in a timely manner.

In the figure below they are shown by arrows.

A common cause of breakdown and rapid failure of the mechanism is incorrectly tightened fastening bolts between the wooden frame and the mechanism.

During operation, large gaps appear, which lead to distortions and wear.

Repairing the frame

The metal inserts that support the bed are the weakest point in the frame. Often children in the family love to jump on a soft sofa. This causes the support springs to stretch or become detached from the wood supports. A snake spring is placed at the bottom of the products. If they just come off the fastening, you need to put them back in place using pliers. But in the case when they are stretched and require replacement, it is better to turn to professionals.

Snake springs – often used to support seat cushions in sofas

In some sofas, the seat is placed on wooden supports (slats) - they can break. They cannot be repaired, only completely replaced with exactly the same size. Construction stores will be able to cut you the required length and width. Most often, manufacturers use pine wood for such parts. The ends of the new lamella must be treated with wood glue, fixed in the required place and nailed with a gun with staples or thin nails.

What if the wooden frame is damaged? Everything needs to be changed - selected to size and nailed in place of the broken ones. A sofa in a country house often suffers from dampness, so the boards can simply rot. It is possible that upon inspection you will discover that plywood is used in the frame - it makes sense to replace it with a wooden panel.

Repair of a sofa roll-out mechanism

The roll-out mechanism of a sofa is one of the most durable and reliable structures, but, as it turns out, it can also become unusable in a very short time.

The reason for this fragility is the poor quality of the layout elements, in particular the rollers. For reliable disassembly and assembly of the mechanism, the rollers must rotate easily and slide unhindered across the surface.

Watch the video of how a home mechanic changes the guide roller of a sofa with a Dolphin mechanism:

This article described only the main causes and options for breakdowns of sofa transformation mechanisms, which almost any owner can do without special training.

What to do if the sofa is squashed: how to remove the hole on your own? Secrets of choosing strong furniture

Like any household item, sofas have their own service life, after which its consumer qualities begin to decline. Most often you have to deal with subsidence and squeezing of the filler - foam rubber or springs. Sometimes you can repair it yourself, but it can be easier to extend its service life with proper operation. The article describes in detail why pits appear, how to repair this defect on your own, and also provides recommendations for choosing high-quality furniture.

Warning

You should always remember that only a trained specialist with the necessary set of tools can carry out a major repair of the sofa folding mechanism. He will always be able to accurately determine and eliminate the cause of the breakdown at a high quality level.

Without the proper experience, such repairs can lead to even greater malfunctions, therefore, if a problem is discovered, very carefully study the cause of the breakdown of your favorite sofa, evaluate the complexity of the design and your strengths, and also, if you still decide to repair the sofa mechanisms yourself , approach the process itself very responsibly.

Difficulties at work

If you need to change the upholstery, you must first remove all the staples that secured the fabric. But before you repair an old sofa with your own hands and make new upholstery, you should remember that this is not so easy, because:

• cutting of all the necessary parts should be carried out strictly according to the patterns;
• furniture may have a complex design that is not easy to understand;
• elements may have unusual geometric shapes, which complicates the cutting and upholstery process.

Common mistakes when doing DIY repairs

• The first and most common mistake when repairing a sofa with a foam block is the wrong choice of replacement material. Foam rubber that is too thick or, conversely, too thin will not fit correctly into the frame, the upholstery will sag or become overly stretched and will tear very quickly.
• The second mistake is not replacing the packing in pieces, but in pieces: it will sag faster than the whole piece.
• The third is incorrect cutting of foam rubber. It must be cut strictly according to the old pattern or by taking precise measurements. Attempts to trim the padding already in the frame are fraught with unnecessary trimming.
• When repairing a spring sofa, the sharp ends of the wire or the new spring are not always bent inward. Because of such negligence, the felt or foam backing quickly breaks, and the sharp end begins to dig into anyone who sits on an unsuccessfully replaced spring.
• After repair, the sofa must be assembled, but this is more difficult to do than to disassemble. Not everyone is familiar with the design of furniture, so after repairs the craftsmen are faced with the problem of how to put it all back together. To prevent such a mistake, you should photograph or write down all stages of disassembly and places where parts are attached.

How to properly repair a sofa is written here.

Why does a hole appear on the foam rubber?

Foam rubber sags not only due to improper treatment of the sofa. This is often due to the poor quality of the material itself, which quickly loses its elasticity and begins to compress and sag. The main reasons for pushing through the foam filler:

• poor quality material;
• dampening of the filler;
• excessive loads;
• knocking out dust;
• using furniture cleaners containing alcohol;
• proximity of heating devices;
• using a steam generator to clean a sofa.

How to choose the right foam rubber and how to replace it is discussed here.

We conduct an examination and make a diagnosis

If you are about to repair anything, you need to know what we are dealing with. A sofa is not a stool, everything is more complicated here. Before solving any problem, you need to determine the cause of its occurrence.

Sometimes the reason is on the surface - soft sofa pillows. But it happens that you have to dig deeper - in the spring block, the frame of the product. In the case where the pillows are not the issue, the sofa needs to be disassembled and the hidden part inspected. How to do it:

1. Remove all the cushions and turn the sofa upside down and carefully inspect the entire perimeter of the sofa. There may be reasons for the problem - broken boards or torn fabric.
2. The sofa consists of a frame that connects all parts of the sofa together. Its design includes slats - the soft part of the sofa is placed on them. This part is traditionally made of wood. Some parts may break due to abnormal loads. Because of this, the entire seat may sag. During inspection, you need to identify the “weak link” and replace it. Cracked, rotten, fallen out - all this needs to be repaired.
3. If nothing suspicious was noticed when turned upside down, then perhaps there is a breakdown in the very heart of the sofa - the spring block. But getting there won't be so easy. The technical fabric upholstery needs to be removed. This is almost a jewelry job that requires care and special tools depending on the type of fastening.

How to choose good furniture: expert advice

When choosing furniture, you need to pay attention not only to its aesthetics. Durability, convenience, and ease of use are also important.

The main criterion when choosing is purpose.

• It is better to take furniture for sleeping on spring blocks. These designs are comfortable, durable, and have good orthopedic qualities.
• Foam fillers are not suitable for this function; they wear out quickly.
• Natural latex as a filler has a high level of elasticity, quickly restores its shape, and is little susceptible to deformation even with prolonged daily use as a sleeping place. A significant drawback of furniture with such content is its high price. Service life is about 20 years.
• Another material that does not press through for a long time is Periotec. This is a non-woven fabric made of polyester fibers with the addition of artificial or natural ones. Due to its unique structure, the material is almost not subject to deformation, and its elasticity resembles a spring block with independent elements.
• A sofa on a block with independent springs is also less susceptible to deformation. Thanks to the good redistribution of the load on neighboring elements, such furniture practically does not sag over time, but in this regard it is inferior to periotek and natural latex.

As experts note, a durable sofa should have the following characteristics:

• durable frame made of wood or metal;
• good filler;
• dense upholstery (how to choose upholstery material and cover or reupholster a sofa?);
• high-quality transformation mechanism for sofa beds.

Most often, models in the mid-price segment use combined fillers, which make it possible to achieve optimal rigidity indicators and extend the life of furniture. In order for the sofa to serve for a long time, you need to treat the furniture with care and comply with operational requirements.

To prevent it from sagging, when choosing, it is better to consider a model with natural latex or periotec, especially if you plan to use it regularly as a sleeping place. If the seat does sag, it is necessary to find out the cause of the deformation and replace the part that has become unusable. There is no need to purchase new furniture.