It isn’t very pleasant to see someone sitting on your couch cushion that sinks. Also, a couch with sagging cushions doesn’t allow you to have good posture while sitting. So, it’s essential to know how to keep your couch cushions from sinking.
The best way to keep couch cushions from sinking is to insert support underneath the couch cushion and change its filling material. However, a thorough inspection and repair are needed if the couch cushion is sinking due to structural issues.
Keep reading to learn more about preventing your couch cushions from sinking, the underlying reasons, and more.
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Here’s How to Keep Couch Cushions from Sinking:
#1. Insert A Support Below the Couch Cushion
One of the easiest ways to prevent the couch cushion from sinking is to insert support underneath the couch cushion.
There are ready-made products available for this purpose – like the Ben’s Home Durable Cushion Support Insert. Click here to get it delivered from Amazon.
The Ben’s Home Couch Cushion support is made from high-quality MDF wood board.
It is natural to be tired of uncomfortable naps if your couch cushion keeps sagging. And for such a situation, this support insert is the perfect solution to try.
The Cushion support from Ben’s Home is quite easy to install and durable. Inserting this support prevents that typical dip due to sinking and evenly spreads out the pressure across the couch.
This product is designed to protect your couch from damage with round corners and a soft fabric finish. In addition, your sitting experience will improve because the insert will help you keep your back straight and assist you in sitting comfortably.
You can test to see if it would help rather than throwing your couch – and start looking for a replacement. It’s a worthwhile tool to put a new life into your old couch.
#2. Change The Material of the Cushion
Base cushions of the couch tend to sink easily when filled with fiber materials. Due to regular use and wear and tear, it won’t be long enough when you notice signs of wearing.
Nowadays, fiber-filled materials are mostly used for cushions. These materials are good for back cushions that go through light usage. But for base cushions on the couch, they are not the ideal choice.
Although the lifespan of the fiber-filled cushions could be increased by rotating them on the couch to even out the pressure – let’s face it, in the hectic daily life schedule, it can be hard to take care of such things.
The solution is not as simple as buying a block of foam and cutting it to size.
While providing the necessary comfort, the foam will have a rectangular, block-like appearance and won’t resemble the original poly-fiber cushion.
The best fix is to create a cushion with a foam core cut to size and wrapped in a heavyweight polyester fabric. The cushion will appear more rounded, but the foam core ensures it will eventually rise back to its normal height.
The grade of foam to use for the core depends on personal choice.
The foam that is most often used for the core usually feels soft. You sink into the foam cushion when you sit on it, but it bounces back to its previous height when you get off the couch cushion. This type of foam provides the cushion with the qualities that made the original fiber-filled cushion so appealing.
However, some people prefer a firmer, more supporting cushion after using fiber-filled cushion, and this can be accomplished when a firmer foam is used in the core.
The cushion will still have the same puffed-up look it had when it was brand-new, thanks to the heavyweight poly fiber wrap.
#3. Ensure The Webbing Is in Good Condition
One of the greatest pleasures of being at home is flopping on the couch – but your favorite couch may suffer as a result.
Nowadays, a loose basket-weave of flexible straps attached to the couch-hardwood frame supports several sofas. However, with time and frequent flopping, this elastic belt that supports your couch may get overly stretched out. Thus, it will lose its elasticity or become loose from the frame, leaving your couch sagging.
So, it is essential to check the webbing underneath the cushions to see whether it needs to be repaired or not. You can check the couch’s bottom webbing for signs of deterioration. The cushions will sag into the couch if the webbing is not strong enough.
If the webbing is ripped or worn out in certain spots, it might cause the couch to be uneven. So, removing the old webbing support and attaching a new one if there is damage is good.
#4. Re-Stuff the Cushion to Make It Firmer
Another way to stop the couch cushion from sinking is to make them firmer – by re-stuffing them with supporting materials.
I recommend checking this thick Cushion Insert by SagsAway available on Amazon. This product is placed inside your zipped cushion cover, not the underneath area. It is just like re-stuffing the cushion with a firm material.
When you notice sagging issues with your couch cushions (and it is mostly because the foam has lost its elasticity), this product is worth a try.
Installing a product like this for the first time can be slightly challenging – but is doable.
First, ensure you choose the right size support insert based on your couch. There are three available sizes for the Sagsway Cushion Insert. You can select according to your couch cushion.
Then you can follow these steps to insert the cushion support:
- The first step involves unzipping the cushion.
- Then, separate the cushion’s cover fabric from the foam at its base, and run your hand inside the cushion.
- Also, check if anything will block you from using the cushion insert kit.
- Next, slide the cushion insert between the bottom cover and the cushion’s foam.
- Place the SagsAway insert so that it covers the areas of the cushion where your weight is most likely to cause sagging and according to how you typically sit.
- Don’t be afraid to integrate it gradually; the tighter the fit, the better your outcome.
- Once you have successfully installed the cushion insert, it’s time to zip the cushion cover and enjoy the new sitting experience.
#5. Examine And Repair the Couch Parts
Your couch cushions could also be sinking due to structural issues. It is vital to examine all the couch parts and repair them per the needs.
To check for damage to the springs or other components of the structure, flip the sofa upside down.
After being turned upside-down, the couch will be at an angle, so it helps to level it out by putting a few chairs beneath the arms.
With a screwdriver, drill, or by hand, you can loosen the couch legs counterclockwise to remove them.
Cut away the black dust cover and examine the sofa frame’s condition as it is turned upside-down. If the bottom rails of the wood frame are damaged, the couch will need to be properly fixed or replaced.
Vanessa, a professional furniture assembler explains that each screw in the couch must be fully tightened during the assembly process of the couch, unless stated something different in the instructions.
It is also an enjoyable time to renovate or replace your couch’s legs if they are scraped or worn out. To hide scratches or dents, you can paint the legs of a couch black. Or you can invest in a fresh pair of couch legs that go with your couch’s design.
If necessary, strengthen cracked or damaged areas of a wooden frame with tiny pieces of wood. You can alternatively make a splint out of wood strips and strong tape on metal frames.
Why Do Couch Cushions Sink?
The most probable cause why couch cushion sinks is the prolonged usage or the degradation of the fiber-filled material. However, the couch cushion can also sink because of the structural degradation of the couch frame.
There can be several varied reasons why your couch cushion sinks.
- Degradation of the couch frame over time.
- Deterioration of the couch cushion material with prolonged usage.
- Using couch cushions with fiber-filled materials that are known to sink easily.
- Broken parts inside the frame (like broken springs) of the couch that supports the integrity of the cushion.
In a broad sense, the reasons are either structural problems or related to the couch cushion itself. Once you identify the right cause, you can apply the fix better. So, to solve the issue, it’s essential to figure out whether your couch cushion is the main culprit behind the issue.
How To Know If Couch Cushions Are the Cause for Sinking?
Here’s how you can know if the couch is sinking because of the cushion itself:
- First, take out the couch cushion.
- On a level surface, such as the floor or a sizable table, spread out the cushions.
- You can tell that the cushions are the cause if you notice that they are sinking on their own irrespective of the couch frame.
- The underlying issues can be attributed to other factors if the couch cushions don’t seem so problematic. For example, sometimes, the springs in the couch frame can loosen and cause issues. They need to be re-attached and fastened in place.
Sometimes, it is also possible that the serpentine spring of the couch breaks off. Serpentine or zig-zag springs, located in the couch frame, are made from metal wires, and help offer support.
But with usage over time, they can also break, at the attachment points of the couch frame. Depending on your needs, you can re-attach or replace these springs.
Top 10 Tips to Prevent Couch Cushions from Sinking
1. Regularly Rotate the Cushions in Different Spots
It’s crucial to regularly rotate the cushions of your couch if you want them to last a long time. Every so often, turn them over and, if necessary, move them to various spots on the couch.
The cushions will preserve their form and stop from sinking when all the pressure doesn’t get to just one cushion of the couch.
2. Avoid Choosing the Same Spot While Sitting on the Couch
When it’s resting time, we often automatically move to our preferred place on the couch. But repeatedly sitting in the same position can degrade the couch quite a deal, wearing out the springs and compressing the fibers.
Mix it up and take a seat on various sections of your couch. Alternately, sit in various positions like – sit on the right side one day, the left side the other. Keeping the weight distributed evenly throughout the couch will prevent damage to any spot.
3. Ensure To Fluff Your Couch Cushion Regularly
Fluffing your couch cushions is one of the simplest methods to freshen up your living room furniture and prevent them from sagging.
Given that couch cushions are huge, fluffing them can be challenging (with typical pillows, it is easy). However, they often don’t take much work, so you can do it occasionally.
You can remove the cushion and set it on a flat surface. Then repeatedly strike it front and back with your hand and bounce it against one side to restructure its overall. You can repeat these processes for each side until the sagging goes away.
4. Avoid Sleeping on the Couch for Long Hours
Couches are not specifically made for sleeping on but for sitting. Despite that fact, you might find it difficult to resist napping sometimes.
Due to constant use, the frame and cushion will eventually sink and degrade. So, while the occasional nap is OK, if you’re planning to stay in for quite a few hours, it’s best to head over to your bedroom or get a luxurious couch that is made for sleeping.
5. Get Single Seat Cushions That Tend to Be More Sturdy
Coaches with many seat cushions can sag. As the couch ages, the crease between the cushions becomes more noticeable. Typically, it is advised to use a single-seat cushion.
Single-seat cushions have a simple appearance and feel and are strong and less prone to shift as you use your favorite couch.
6. Add plywood underneath the frame of the couch
If you were to support the couch frame on the bottom better, the problem of cushions sagging will be reduced. Have someone measure the frame on the bottom of the couch by turning it upside down. Remove the lining from the bottom and screw in the piece of plywood. Then re-attach the lining using a staple gun.
7. Have the filling in the cushions replaced
I have tried this method before and it worked well for me. You can have the filling replaced with something sturdier. I had purchased cushions from Costco that worked for a few months and then they started to sink in. I removed the filling by unzipping the cushions. Then I went to an upholstery outlet locally and purchased more filling. I had the cushion external material with me at the time. The cushions are fine now.
8. For Cushions that must be fluffed up each day. replace filling with foam
If you are constantly having to fluff up your cushions, that is a sign that you do not have foam as filling. With foam, as soon as you get up, the cushions will spring back into place. I have heard of people that bought feather filled cushions that were sagging after just a few months.
Also, some cushions are filled with other material such as Poly fiber that will separate and cause sagging. If you are tired of fluffing them up and the sagging is getting worse, replace the filling with foam. Take your cushions to an upholstery shop and have create the foam size that will be perfect for your cushions.
9. If your couch has broken springs, replace them so that the cushions will be fully supported
Tools Needed:
- staples
- staple gun
- hammer
- pliers
- screwdriver with a flat head
- glue for fabric
- wire that is thick
- replacement couch springs
- protective goggles
| Steps | Tool Used |
|---|---|
| 1. remove the stables that attach the lining on the bottom of couch to remove the lining | hammer, flat screwdriver |
| 2. use pliers to straight or twist misaligned springs | pliers |
| 3. If there are broken springs, contact the manufacturer to purchase springs | |
| 4. use screws to attach the new springs, your hammer and pliers may come in handle also during this step | screws, new springs, pliers, hammer, screwdriver |
10. Add Velcro strips so that the cushion will not slide forward causing them to sag
I used to have an older couch that had the back cushions unattached. These cushions would slide forward, and I would end up letting my weight land on the top of the cushions, causing them to sag. You can attach the cushions to the couch by applying velcro strips. Just make sure that you buy strips that closely match the color of your couch.
To attach the strips:
- add velcro strip to back of the couch using the sticky side
- add the other portion of the strip to the couch so that the cushion will stay in the desired place
