Sofa SOS! How to Save a Sagging Sofa Cushion
All sofas start to lose their bounce overtime. Homes with children in tow can especially put a strain on your sofas vitality through the years. Every once in a while, your sofa cushions will need reviving and thankfully, there are plenty of ways to do so without breaking the bank.
Not only does sagging couch material look unattractive, the lack of support and oomph in your chair can be pretty bad for your back, so follow these tips to help restore your sofa to its former firm glory!
Preventative measures
First up, it's worth knowing what steps you can take to ensure sofa cushions don't sag in the first place. If you have recently purchased a custom-made couch, you should make sure to do the following:
- Rotate the cushions regularly to prevent one section from wearing out faster than any other.
- Rearrange your furniture every few months to get your sofa placed in different spots. Switching chairs around every now and then will encourage people to sit on other chairs for a change. Don't let one furniture piece become the 'TV sofa' or the one where everyone gathers for years on end.
- If you have children (or are a big kid yourself), try to avoid flopping down on the couch or jumping on it. Nothing depresses or wears down the cushion material faster, so invest in a trampoline if you have to.
Restoring saggy cushions
Before you make any attempts to restore your sagging sofa cushions, fist make sure that the problem is down to the cushions themselves rather than the frame. A broken or weakened sofa frame can cause your cushions to appear sagged and deflated since there is no longer adequate support. If this is the case, a sofa frame repair is fairly simple and cost-effective to carry out.
Once you've established that your cushions are to blame for the saggy appearance, here are a few simple ways to renew them:
- Add or replace the inner foam - The quickest step is to simply add to the inner foam filling or replace the inner cushion altogether. This shouldn't be too difficult to fix since most couches have a zipper to allow easy access to the cushion inners. Polyester fibre filling should do the trick if your cushions need a little extra plumping. Otherwise, you should opt for cut-to-size foam blocks if it needs considerable re-shaping. These can be purchased at most hardware and craft stores.
- Restore firmness with plywood - An easy way to quickly restore firmness to your cushions is to place a piece of plywood inside and across the center of your sofa cushion. This helps to disperse the weight to prevent sagging in the middle and gives the edges an overall firmer structure once padding has been added. This is not the most comfortable option, however, so it should be viewed as a temporary solution at best. If using plywood isn't an option, you can get the same effect using collapsible boards known as seat savers. These are made from vinyl and can be used to prop up the insides of sofa cushions in the same way.
- Consult the manufacturer/an upholsterer - If you have an expensive luxury sofa, the idea of a DIY operation with store-bought tools may not fill you with much confidence and could even do more damage. As frustrating as it may be to pay for professional help, a proper repair from an upholsterer will give you greater piece of mind in the long run. Be sure to check out your sofas warranty as the manufacturer may be able to repair or replace the cushions free of charge.
Beyond repair?
While the above tips can help restore firmness in many sofa styles, your efforts could be wasted on ones that are old. In this time, wear and tear can cause considerable fading in fabric or cause cracks in leather that can't be disguised by a simple plumping of the cushion inners. On top of this, the frame could be in bad shape which can be dangerous if chair legs are visibly cracked or compromised in some way.
If any of this applies, it may be best to consider a new style of sofa altogether. Custom made couches can be a good investment since you can choose all the right materials for your needs and decor taste. Cushion inners can be made of feather blends or spring foam materials (or a combination of both) to provide different levels of support and softness. Consider this when enlisting the help of a bespoke couch designer. Choosing precisely the right quality of cushion material will ensure high-end comfort and best of all -- long-lasting plumpness in your sofa!
Share