How to Fix a Sagging Couch in 5 Steps

If your couch is feeling less than comfortable lately—or possibly sagging in all the wrong places—it’s smart to wonder if you need to invest in couch repair. Learning how to fix a sagging couch is definitely something you can DIY, but you’ll first need to determine whether the cushions, couch frame, or serpentine springs are the problem.

If it’s the cushions, the fix can be easy. If it’s the frame or springs, the fix can get more involved. In this post, we’ll walk you through all your options and the steps needed to give your sagging couch more support. It’s a great way to lean into the upcycling trend!

How to Fix a Sagging Sofa in 5 Steps

When you need sagging couch support, there are a few steps to take either to fix the problem or to determine that you need a professional repair service. Below are all the steps you can take, depending on your comfort level.

Step 1: Begin The Inspection

The first step in learning how to fix a sagging couch is to determine what is causing the problem: the cushions, the frame, or the serpentine springs. 

If you only need to know how to fix couch cushions, you’ll likely be able to see the problem, particularly if you can remove the cushions, set them on a flat surface, and notice whether their centers still sag. 

Your couch repair might get a bit more complicated if the main frame, usually made of wood or metal, is broken. If it’s made of wood, you can often repair it by replacing or reinforcing pieces of the frame. To gain access to the couch’s main structure, you’ll need to flip it over and cut away (or unstaple) the dust cloth. Once this is done, you’ll be able to inspect the inside of the couch, including the frame.

If the frame is still intact, you may have one or more displaced or broken serpentine springs, which typically run front to back underneath your couch’s seating area. If these are broken or displaced, they will definitely cause your couch to sag. 

Step 2: Gather Your Tools and Materials

Depending on what the cause of your sagging couch is, you’ll need an assortment of tools and materials to fix it, including:

• Staple gun
• Utility knife
• Scissors
• Flat-head screwdriver
• Pliers
• Drill 
• Drill bits
• Serpentine springs
• Matching attachment clips
• Paper-wrapped wire or twine

Step 3: Fix Couch Cushions

Restuffing couch cushions can be a great way to prevent further sagging. To do this, you have a few different options:

1. Flip and/or rotate the cushions. If your cushions are soft and you’ve never flipped or rotated them, consider doing this for a quick fix!
2. Beat the cushions to loosen the filling. Similar to fluffing your pillow, this works best on cushions that have loose stuffing that has compacted over time. 
3. Add more stuffing. If flipping your cushions doesn’t fix the sag, they might need a bit more stuffing—this can be a cheaper option than replacing the cushion outright. If you can’t match the stuffing inside your cushions, consider buying foam replacement and cutting it to fill the sagging spot in your cushions. You can also refill cushions with Poly-fil polyester fiber fill. 
4. Add a sofa topper. A mat protector can give you a temporary fix by adding more support to your couch under the cushions.  

Step 4: Fix Couch Springs

If your cushions are intact, you might need to learn how to fix couch springs. When the serpentine springs inside your couch’s frame are the culprit for unwanted sagging, it’s usually because they’re either detached from the clips on the frame that hold them in place, or they’re broken. 

To fix them, you’ll need to buy new springs, and then do the following:

1. Flip your couch over. If you haven’t yet balanced the back of your couch on two chairs to ensure it’s flat when you access the inside of its base, do so.
2. Remove the couch legs. You can typically do this by unscrewing the legs from each corner of the couch’s base.  
3. Remove the dust cloth. Unstaple or cut away the dust cloth covering the base of the couch. Note that you’ll need to either save and restaple it or replace it altogether when your fix is complete.
4. Reattach undamaged springs. If the springs are intact but simply detached from the fasteners on the front or back of the couch, you can slip them back into place. If the springs are damaged or overstretched, however, you can…
5. Replace the springs. Detach each damaged or overstretched spring from the couch’s base. To attach new springs, slip the ends of each one into the clips connected to the frame. 
6. Reinforce the serpentine springs. Run paper-wrapped wire or twine perpendicular to the springs, weaving it tightly through the “S” shapes of each spring. To connect the ends of the wire or twine to the couch frame, pull it as tight as you can, and form it into a “Z” shape before stapling it to the frame. Stapling over the “Z” shape will help prevent the wire or twine from pulling loose under pressure. 

Step 5: Fix Couch Frame

If your couch has a wooden frame and is broken, you’ll need to do the following:

1. Remove the damaged pieces. This may mean taking the couch frame fully or partially apart so you can make space for any necessary replacement pieces.
2. Measure the frame dimensions. You’ll need to be exact in order to cut a properly fitting replacement piece for the wood frame. 
3. Cut and attach the replacement piece. Once you have a new piece of wood with the proper couch dimensions, you can screw it onto the original frame where you previously removed the old, damaged piece.
4. Make sure the springs are attached. If you need to attach spring fasteners to the new part of the frame, do so before attempting to reattach or replace the serpentine springs. 
5. Reattach or replace the dust cloth. You can staple this into the frame around the base of the couch.
6. Reattach the couch legs. Screw these back into place over the dust cloth. 

If your couch has a damaged metal frame, you may need to either replace it completely or hire a professional repair service. 

Avoid Couch Sagging

If you’ve recently opted out of buying a daybed and purchased a new couch, you can (and should!) take measures to make it last as long as possible. Here are a few things to do to keep your couch looking and feeling new:

• Flip the cushions regularly. This can help decrease the wear and tear on your couch by preventing dips in the cushions.
• Buy a couch with detached cushions. This will let you remove and replace the cushions as needed.
• Change where you regularly sit. If you vary the spot where you regularly sit—or move the cushions around so the one in your favorite spot doesn’t suffer the brunt of the wear and tear—it can help keep the couch looking and feeling new. 
• Move the furniture around. You can regularly change the layout of your room so that people aren’t always sitting on your couch. At the very least, you can move it to a spot where people default to sitting on a different section of it than usual.

If you follow these steps, you may never need to know how to fix a sagging sofa, because you can avoid the sagging altogether!

Need Help With Couch Repair?

Couch repair and reassembly can be challenging, and hiring help will often give you the peace of mind you might be craving. Not sure who to call? Try booking a Tasker today!