Restoring a worn out sofa with your own hands. Do-it-yourself repair of folding and roll-out mechanisms of a sofa Foam rubber has moved on the sofa seat, how to fix it

An important detail of the interior is the sofa; most people spend a considerable amount of time on it. Over time, it becomes unusable, and the paradox is that no matter how you sit or lie on it, it will sag in the middle. The casing and some parts also wear out.

When such a moment comes, there are two options. Either throw it away and buy a new one, or breathe new life into it, repair the subsidence area yourself. It won't take much time and will save the family budget.

We will tell you how to fix a sofa yourself if it has fallen in the middle.

Materials and tools for work

• Upholstery material (if necessary to completely change).
• Filling: foam rubber, padding polyester, etc.
• Strong thread for re-upholstery (if necessary).
• Furniture stapler with staples.
• Flat head screwdriver for removing old trim.
• Furniture belts. If they are unavailable, strips of durable fabric are used.
• Wooden blocks (In case of frame failure).

How to fix a sofa

First of all, it is necessary to determine the location and extent of the damage. To do this, you need to look at the root of the problem. Pull the sofa to the center of the room and look inside. Perhaps the breakdown is hidden inside.

Often in such cases, the frame bar breaks or the filling in the pillows is pressed through. If the sofa has a spring base, this may be the problem, but do not despair.

Once we have identified the problem, we move on to repairs.

How to replace the filling of sofa cushions

There is nothing easier to repair a sofa than replacing the filling.

And sometimes you don’t need to change it completely; simply adding filler inside the pillow can save you. This happens if the pillows have been washed several times. During washing, the filler clumps or simply becomes softer. This gives the feeling of the sofa sagging.

Fixing the pillows will not be a problem. We carry out the work in this sequence.

• Carefully open the seam on the side of the pillow.
• Add filling, being careful not to overfill, otherwise the pillows will become hard and uncomfortable.
• If necessary, replace the filler completely.
• Don't forget to sew the seam carefully.

Important! Try to use the same filling that was used in the pillows.

If the casing becomes worn, it must be replaced. Choose a color similar to the original, or use a contrasting combination.

How to repair a spring block

Sometimes it happens that, in addition to squashed pillows, springs break.

In this case, it is necessary to remove the casing without damaging it, unless it is worn out and requires replacement.

After this, you need to find the broken springs, carefully remove them and replace them.

Furniture springs can be found in hardware stores, or you can use an old mattress that has become unusable.

In some cases, the springs are simply compressed, and their repair consists of re-tensioning the spring.

After replacing the spring, make sure to secure it correctly, otherwise you risk getting an injection when using the furniture.

If the trim does not need replacing, simply put it back on and secure it with a furniture stapler.

Advice! To avoid injury, use pliers to replace the spring.

How to fix a frame

If, after looking inside the sofa, you find that a part of the frame is broken, do not panic. Any damage can be repaired with your own hands.

To replace a broken frame part, make the same one from the required material. Disconnect the broken part, if necessary, replace the fasteners; sometimes moisture causes the fasteners to rust.

Advice! Do not use raw material. During the drying process, it will lead, after which another repair may be required.

Install the new part. Carefully inspect the entire frame; there may be cracks in other parts. Therefore, they also need to be replaced.

Old furniture becomes unusable after many years of use. The sofa looks like an old, humpbacked camel, the fabric on the sides is worn out, and when sitting in a chair, can you reach the floor with your heel? A completely logical question arises: what to do?! Throw it away and buy a new one or restore it? In our case, start repairs immediately!

To restore an old sofa we will need:

• Manual stapler with 6-8 mm staples,
• Hammer, pliers, set of keys (13, 14, rarely 17),
• A screwdriver with a thin blade for pulling out old staples,
• Awl, needle (crescent), thread, wide belts, scissors,
• Upholstery materials.

Materials

For upholstery, it is best to use high-quality material such as velor, matting, chenille, jacquard, etc.

Matting Chenille Velor Jacquard

Spring blocks or foam rubber are used as filler in furniture production. To replace them, you need to disconnect the bed from the linen pallet (sofa) using a wrench. For ease of work, you can use a table that will not only reduce disassembly and assembly time, but also preserve your health.

Dismantling the sofa

The upholstery fabric is removed using a special device. This is an ordinary screwdriver, sharpened in a special way (for pulling out staples), or factory staple removers.

Such devices are not only effective, but also safe, as they completely protect your hands from involuntary slipping.

We must not forget that repairing sofas at home is considered unsafe, so excessive forethought and caution will not hurt.

After we have removed the old fabric, we can begin to replace the spring block or those springs that have broken.

Changing a spring block at home is very problematic; it must be ordered from the manufacturer, and this takes time.

Replacing sofa springs

A marker indicates a broken spring. Spring block after repair.

Using pliers, unscrew the spiral tape; if it is a rope (twine), then cut it off.

We install the new springs in place, and do not forget to secure them to the bottom of the frame.

It is necessary to lay batting under the springs so that the springs do not create an unpleasant sound while sitting or sleeping.

Methods for tying springs Method for passing twine

It is very important here to know and follow the correct technique of upper weaving in order to maintain a uniform protrusion of the springs in height. You can use the options suggested above.

When the springs are replaced, we lay the top layer with hard batting to avoid the springs touching the fabric.

Sewing covers

Let's start cutting and sewing a cover for the sofa. In order to make the task easier, you can use the old cut, having first measured all the sewing details.

• We remove the old fabric from the sofa. We carefully sew the seams into individual parts using a special steaming device. If there is such an opportunity, time and desire, then each part can be ironed well to maintain its original dimensions.
• After ironing, it is advisable to number the parts so as not to get confused in the future. We lay out everything we got on a new piece of fabric.
• You need to try to arrange them so as to “fit” into a width of 1 m 40 cm - this is the standard width. Pay attention to how the fabric fibers run. Longitudinal ones can be used on the seat and back, and transverse ones are best used on the sides.

Difficulty may arise if the fabric has a pattern. It is necessary to extremely accurately calculate the moments of joining, for example, strips, in order to avoid unnecessary consumption. The direction of the pile is also taken into account, this is especially visible on velor fabric.

Always buy fabric with a reserve. Take at least 100 mm of extra length and width!

When all the parts have been cut out, the frame has been previously repaired, the springs have been changed, new batting is in place, only then can you begin to adjust the fabric cover.

All seams are basted by hand. Marking needles can be used for fixation. Where the fabric sags, you don’t need to cut it right away, measure everything to the end and only then can you cut and sew it up.

If the job involves a sewing machine, set it for the appropriate fabric. Check the quality of the seam on a separate piece. Where there will be allowances, make small cuts, especially in those places where the fabric runs at a right angle or along an arched line.

When the cover is sewn, you can try it on.

Upholstery of a sofa with fabric

The next stage, the final one, will be shooting the remainder of the fabric onto the fold.

1. It is best to secure the fabric in four places; this will serve as a kind of beacon.
2. We begin hammering in staples at intervals of 2-3 cm, while simultaneously ensuring uniform tension along the edges of the frame. There should be no overtightening or sagging. We do the same with the chair.

In this seemingly simple way, you can restore an old sofa with your own hands!

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.

Today we have simply a huge number of different types of sofas, which can differ in the type of design, as well as in the type of upholstery material. We will consider only some of the main varieties.

Types of sofas by covering:

• chenille;
• velor;
• flock;
• leather;
• made of leatherette.

Each coating has its own characteristics and properties that will be preferable in different conditions of use - kitchens, living rooms or office spaces with a large number of visitors.

Types of folding sofa mechanisms:

Folding:

• Click-Klyak
• Book
• couch

Retractable:

• Eurobook
• Tick-Tock
• Dolphin
• Pantograph
• Puma

Unfoldable:

• Sofa bed
• French folding bed
• American folding bed
• Accordion

Each type of mechanism allows you to turn an ordinary sofa into a fairly spacious double bed with just one or a few movements. Depending on the specific room, one or another folding design will be most convenient.

We repair the sofa mechanism with our own hands

If you use your sofa as a bed every day, then we can confidently say that the mechanism will have to be repaired first. Let's look at some features of the most popular models.

Sofa book

Most often, the latch mechanism suffers in such sofas. You lift the seat to release the latch, but it does not work and the seat continues to move along with the backrest. In this case, you will have to disassemble the mechanism and see what the reason is. Most likely, the latch tab has become deformed, and then it will need to be returned to its original position using pliers.

Accordion

This mechanism is quite simple - there are no complex levers and springs that can fail. The weakest points here are the front retractable leg, as well as the connecting hinges that connect each of the three sections of the soft part. Be careful to ensure that the front leg is positioned correctly after unfolding. Otherwise, it may break on the fasteners. But broken hinges will have to be replaced with new ones.

Dolphin

This design provides a more complex mechanism, which consists of several levers and springs. Using this mechanism, the second half of the bed is hidden in the sofa seat. To repair, you will have to carefully disassemble the sofa and carefully examine the details of the mechanism. If a transformation has occurred in one of the levers of the mechanism, you can try to return it to its previous position using pliers or a hammer. Well, if the metal is cracked, then a complete replacement of the mechanism, or at least the broken element, is needed.

In any case, if it comes to disassembling the mechanism, be sure to lubricate all moving elements with machine oil. It often happens that the mechanism stops working due to dry lubricant.

How to fix the back of a sofa

Each sofa has a backrest that allows you to lounge comfortably in it. But this same element takes on a lot of load. In addition, animals and children can climb onto the backrest, which also does not give it long life.

Please note that most types of sofas the headboard is an integral part of the bed, which means its condition will fully determine the convenience of the sleeping place itself. If the backrest is jammed, then a hole will appear in the bed, which will not give you the opportunity to get a good night's sleep. This primarily concerns books and Click-Klyaks.

To repair the backrest, you must first disassemble it and look at the condition of the wooden frame. If the frame is broken, you can try replacing the wooden structural element. We unscrew the frame, separate the broken element and select the same one.

It happens that the backrest collapses due to broken springs or worn out foam. In this case, completely replacing the spring or foam filler can solve the problem.

Repairing sofa armrests

The main problem with armrests is the loss of a presentable appearance, as well as loosening. If your armrest is worn out, then reupholstering is the best solution. At the same time, you can choose some contrasting material and drag both armrests to beautifully beat everything stylistically.

If the armrest is loose, then you will need to secure it properly. To do this, first disassemble it and carefully examine the mounting points. It happens that the fastening points of bolts or screws become flared and then it is already difficult to screw a new screw or bolt into them again. In this case, you will need to properly strengthen this place using liquid nails, wood glue or epoxy resin.

Some armrests have a built-in mechanism that allows you to change the angle. In most cases, such a mechanism is hidden under the upholstery. If you notice that the armrest does not move or, on the contrary, does not stay in position, then the problem is definitely in the mechanism. You'll have to carefully unstitch the upholstery and look at the condition of the mechanism. If it is not possible to return the mechanism to its previous condition using pliers, then you will need to replace the broken mechanism with a new one.

Ways to fix upholstery

If the damage to the upholstery is very extensive, then, of course, the best way out of this situation would be to completely reupholster the sofa. But if we are talking about a small hole, then you can hold off on completely re-tightening it and try to seal the hole with improvised means.

To restore a leather sofa, you can use the following methods:

1. Patch.
2. Liquid skin.

To install the patch correctly, you must press the patch into the gap. In this case, you need to choose leather that is thicker than the upholstery leather. Then you will be able to prevent new cracks from appearing. After the patch is sewn on, you need to treat this area with a shine product.

To apply the product " liquid skin» It is necessary first of all to degrease the treated area. After this, you need to put the product into the hole to be repaired, apply a napkin and go over it with an iron. This option leaves virtually no traces of repair.

If we are talking about cracked leatherette, then ironing will not work here. You will have to use cold sizing methods. You can also try to mask the hole using liquid polymer. This material is applied using a special spatula, and the result will be almost invisible to the naked eye.

If your sofa is upholstered in tapestry fabric, then darning the hole will be the best solution. Place a piece of non-woven fabric in the middle of the hole and carefully try to restore the pattern using threads in color. At the same time, it is not always necessary to repeat the pattern exactly - it will be enough to go through threads of several colors for camouflage.

Do it yourself and enjoy the work

As you can see, repairing a sofa is a task that Even a non-professional can do it. All you need is a minimal set of tools, enthusiasm and some free time!

It's no secret that over time, the upholstery of upholstered furniture loses its original appearance, especially if there are pets in the house; old furniture often does not fit into the new interior after renovation. In this case, you should not replace existing furniture with new interior items.

A simpler solution would be to replace the upholstery fabric and soft lining of upholstered furniture. In most cases this is not at all difficult to do. This short review provides detailed instructions on how to reupholster a sofa with your own hands.

Do-it-yourself sofa reupholstery

It is quite possible to renew the covering of upholstered furniture yourself or with the help of professionals. When performing work on your own, you may encounter the following difficulties that are difficult to overcome without special skills:

Problems may arise at the first stage of disassembling furniture. Sometimes it is difficult to do this without special skills and tools. Therefore, having decided on this job, you need to test your strength by pulling at least a stool. Using this simple task, you can hone your technology and select a tool.

Sofa parts can have complex geometric shapes. Therefore, it is difficult to make the correct pattern for them, and then carry out the correct stretching. It will be easier to make a pattern if you copy it from old upholstery.

Upholstering a book sofa, which essentially consists of two rectangular halves and two sides, is much easier than a non-folding sofa with large armrests and additional pillows, or in the case where the pattern consists of several pieces of fabric.

When restoring old furniture, it may not be enough to just replace the upholstery. Often it is necessary to replace the filler, repair the frame, and even replace the springs in old sofas.

Antique furniture requires very careful handling; its repair and renovation is best left to professionals.

Materials that are difficult to work with can be used for finishing. Leather is much more difficult to deal with than fabric. For the first hand-made reupholstery of a sofa, it is better to choose fabric materials.

Technology of work execution

This task is time-consuming, but completely doable. Reupholstering a sofa at home is not at all difficult if all steps must be performed carefully and in accordance with the recommendations and instructions.

At the first stage, the sofa is disassembled: the overhead elements, seat, and back are removed. The fasteners will be useful during assembly, so they are carefully assembled.

Next, the old upholstery is removed. This is done using an ordinary thin flat-head screwdriver. The covering cannot be thrown away, as new pieces of fabric will be cut out from its shape. After removing the coating, you need to check the condition of the internal structure and clean it.

Foam rubber requires mandatory replacement, as it has a short service life compared to natural materials. Instead of foam rubber, the relatively recently introduced padding polyester, which has a long service life, can be used. In addition, you need to correct and check the fastening of the metal springs.

Patterns are then made from the new material. They are very easy to make using removed old upholstery; you just need to add a few centimeters on each side for an allowance, the excess of which is then cut off. All fabric blanks for the pillows and for the sofa itself are made in a similar way.

It is better to purchase upholstery fabric with a small margin. Since if the dimensions and calculations are inaccurate, it may not be enough and in the worst case, it will not be possible to purchase more.

Depending on the purpose of the furniture, various materials are purchased. They can be made from a breathable natural but not hard-wearing fabric, ideal for sleeping, or they can be made from hard-wearing leather, suitable for long-term constant use, such as in organizations.

Buying fabric or leather is a very important undertaking, so before upholstering a sofa you should study photos of various design solutions, choose your individual style, choose the right fabric and store.

Material selection

The selection of materials should be done with great care. It is necessary to select fabrics not only by their design and combination, but also by their quality.

Good quality fabric should not have a strong smell. The pile should be firmly fixed to the base, there should be no shedding. Its consumption depends on the pattern of the fabric, since in some options it is necessary to set the pattern in a certain direction.

Sintepon is also not the same and requires choice. When purchasing it, you should pay attention to the fact that it should be white, odorless, durable, and not tearable in your hands.

Foam rubber also comes in different qualities. The main characteristic feature is the size of the bubbles. In high-quality foam rubber, the bubbles are small, while in lower quality material they are large. The size of the bubbles, oddly enough, determines the durability and wear resistance of the foam rubber.

Upholstery with fabric is the final stage and is carried out using a construction stapler and glue. This operation is easier to complete if you take photographs of the furniture before disassembling.

Upholstering furniture yourself at home is quite doable, but requires certain skills and patience. A carefully executed reupholstery will bring pleasure and save considerable money.

It happens that after several years of use the sofa needs to replace the spring. What to do: send it to a landfill or try to correct the situation? Let's talk further about how to repair sofas at home yourself, replace springs, their type characteristics and much more.

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.

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.

Types of springs

One of the most important criteria in terms of the comfort of such furniture is a block with practical springs. Repairing sofas at home may require replacing all the elements, but before you start, you need to determine what type of these elements are present on the sofa. Modern manufacturers use these types of springs.

Note that the service life of the described types of modern systems is different, which also affects the final cost of the sofa. The most durable and expensive are designs with a block of independent springs, and the most affordable options are those with a flat spring snake.

Required Tools

Repairing a sofa in the living room or kitchen yourself allows you to save a lot, because the services of professionals in this area can be expensive, and the springs they offer to replace old ones can have a higher cost than their counterparts in the store. It is not at all difficult to replace the sofa springs with your own hands if you prepare for the work carefully: purchase new structural elements, acquire up-to-date tools, and draw up detailed instructions for performing the operations.

To repair a sofa spring unit yourself, you will need to have the following tools at your disposal:

• yardstick;
• a wrench for disassembling the sofa frame;
• a flat-head screwdriver for removing staples on the upholstery;
• pliers for replacing metal products;
• a stationery knife or scissors for cutting the underlying layer;
• construction stapler for fixing upholstery to the frame.

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.

Pull out the mattress, 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.

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.