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Thread: Adding Tall Legs to a Sofa

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  1. #1
    Giesela Guest

    Default Adding Tall Legs to a Sofa

    I've been looking for a sofa on and off for several years. I like the style and size of my old one (USA Pennsylvania House) and thought about getting it recovered but finding a good reupholster and picking fabric led me to fade on the idea.
    So then I looked for a couch but most seemed too big or I didn't like the feel of the cushions and I would again just sort of give up, 6 months later think about it again rather unenthusiastically. Honestly I just don't like shopping and big money decisions. Since I know that I won't want to do it again I tend to get paralyzed by making the absolutel right decision in terms of fabric etc.
    Meanwhile my cushions are getting flatter and flatter
    I am older, overweight and my knees are getting crunchy. I found a place online that sells sofa legs that are taller than normal - so I think hey I can get taller legs and go back to the reupholster idea. My couch has a skirt so that would allow me to hide the taller legs.
    So I checked my couch legs and they don't seem to come off.
    I thought all couch legs came off?
    So now I'm wondering about how to put the taller couch legs together with a new couch. Will a reupholster make a sort of underskirt flap to an existing skirt? Is this a stupid idea? Will I be able to find a moderately priced couch with removable legs? I was thinking Smith Brothers of Berne, Flexsteel, Clayton Marcus, along those lines.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Alexandria VA
    Posts
    15,890

    Default Re: Sofa search, adding tall legs.....

    On many sofas, the leg is integrated into the frame itself, so adding a taller leg is not a viable option. I suppose you can do anything if you're willing to spend the money on it, but to properly replace joined legs in a sofa frame would be very costly to do right. Removable legs are weak legs - that's why you don't see better makers using them (exceptions made for things such as certain bun and wedge legs). If a leg is removable and someone lifts the sofa up on one end and begins to move it by dragging the unlifted end, the legs can - and will - collapse and often take a piece of the frame with them.

    What you may be objecting to in your hunt for a new sofa is too much 'sink'. First find a seat height that works for you - in most cases for women that will be 19" to 20", with a seat depth of 19" to 20" as well. Then you want an 8-way hand-tied spring deck, and firmer cushions than standard. That gives you the 'fit' and prevents the 'sink'. This happens to be a sofa I like a lot (have one in my own home) that meets that criteria:

    http://leathercraft-furniture.com/in...ofas/2670_sofa
    Duane Collie
    Straight answers from thirty-six years in the business.
    My Private Messages are Disabled - Please ask questions here in the forum.

  3. #3
    Giesela Guest

    Default Re: Sofa search, adding tall legs.....

    Duane - thanks for answering. I understand what your saying about integrated legs being stronger. Just was sort of a surprise somehow.
    I did have the thought that what difference does it make what it looks like if a skirt covers the legs, I could just screw wood to the bottom.
    Still not sure which way to jump. Easier is better and it always seems easier at least till I get into a store to just buy one.
    Thanks for the link but I'm not looking for leather. I'm not particularly tall but honestly it seems younger people are often much taller these days - I would think that between the ageing population and the taller younger generation that furniture manf should consider adding a few inches to the height of sofa's. Seems like 19 or 20 has been the standard forever and for me I'd like something taller.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Southeast Michigan
    Posts
    52

    Default Re: Sofa search, adding tall legs.....

    Quote Originally Posted by Giesela View Post
    I would think that between the ageing population and the taller younger generation that furniture manf should consider adding a few inches to the height of sofa's. Seems like 19 or 20 has been the standard forever and for me I'd like something taller.
    AMEN to that!

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