How to Reinforce a Sofa's Bottom

Reinforcing a sagging couch can save you hundreds of dollars in furniture repair or replacement. Sagging couch cushions can put undo stress on the sofa's overall frame, leading to bent or flattened springs, bends or breaks in the wood, and misshaped cushions. Preventing a sagging sofa is difficult, as daily use over a period of years can cause the cushions and sofa to sag from the bottom. Furniture restorers can rebuild a couch to like new condition for hundreds of dollars, but there is an cheaper way. By using some wood, a hammer and nails, you can reinforce the couch from the bottom and extend the life of your furniture.

Shop knife
1-inch thick firm foam, measured to fit the cavity underneath the couch
1/4-inch plywood, cut to fit your couch
Hammer
1 1/2-inch zinc-plated nails, quantity determined by size of couch
Coarse sandpaper
Wood stain to match the color of your sofa frame (optional)
Sponge brush

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the cushions and pillows from your couch. Turn it over so that the bottom is facing up. The bottom of the couch should face you at an upward angle.
- 2
  Cut away any netting or fabric covering the bottom side of the couch with a shop knife and discard. Fit the foam inside of the couch's cavity, tucking into corners. Do your best to keep the foam flat and, if necessary, cut the foam to fit using the shop knife.
- 3
  Align the top corner of plywood to the top left corner of your couch's underside. Fasten the plywood to the corner using a hammer and nail. Straighten the plywood so it is even against the edge of the couch, then drive another nail through the plywood and into the couch frame. Keep two to three inches between your first and second nail. Insert a nail every two to three inches along the perimeter of the plywood until you wind your way back to the first nail.
- 4
  Sand the edges of the plywood to smooth the wood and flip the couch back over. If desired, stain the plywood to match the color of your couch's frame.

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