What to do if you sleep hard on the sofa? How to make a hard sofa softer?

The Internet is full of tips on how to make a sofa softer

: take it out into the sun for a couple of weeks, jump on it, wet it with water... Following such dubious recommendations, you risk losing your upholstered furniture or hopelessly damaging the upholstery. Trust the experts: it is impossible to make a sofa less rigid using numerous traditional methods. There are only three effective ways, the secrets of which will be shared with you by the team of the upholstered furniture studio “Vitalia-furniture”.

Method one. Cardinal

In order for the upholstered furniture to become truly soft, and for the sofa to begin to meet your requirements for a comfortable rest, you should increase the internal thickness of the foam rubber or polyurethane foam. Most likely, the furniture will have to be reupholstered and you will have to turn to professionals for this. However, if you are a jack of all trades yourself, you can try organizing the work yourself.

To do this you need:

Carefully remove old upholstery
Add the required amount of filler or polyurethane foam, carefully gluing it to the old upholstery
Using a pattern of upholstery material, cut out a new upholstery taking into account allowances for the increased volume of polyurethane foam.
Secure the new upholstery in the same way as the previous one was fixed: using glue, a furniture stapler or by stitching

If the old upholstery of your favorite sofa is made of elastic material, then try using it: the stretchy fabric will fit perfectly on the updated piece of furniture, even taking into account the increase in volume. Don’t forget that for a noticeable softness effect, you need to add a layer of filler at least 3 centimeters thick to the sofa. Otherwise, all efforts will be in vain.

Elevate your legs with an adjustable cushion

This wedge foam pillow is versatile and comfortable. It can be used in four ways to support your head, back or legs to make it more comfortable while lying on the sofa. The contoured memory foam is incredibly dense, making the wedge soft while supporting your body, no matter how you position the pillow. This also helps the pillow maintain its shape.

It also folds flat for easy storage and has a convenient carry handle if you want to drag it between the living room and bedroom for maximum comfort. The removable cover zips up so it's machine washable.

So, furniture should have the following qualities:

Being comfortable is the first item on the list when we talk about sleep and daily use. Otherwise, you will have to “say goodbye” to a healthy back, neck and, as a result, good health.
To serve for a long time - for this, choose a model with a reliable and high-quality wooden frame. And professional assembly. Then it will unfold freely throughout its entire service life, and will not “squeeze” or become deformed in any other way.
Easily unfold. Imagine that every day you will have to make Herculean efforts to decompose the structure. Not much pleasant.
Functionality, or the presence of additional options. For example, laundry boxes or storage systems. Sometimes drawers are made in the sides, for example, for a bar. Or shelves - for books or accessories.

Mattress cover made of struttofiber

Struttofiber is an inexpensive, hypoallergenic filler. It is made entirely from artificial raw materials or with the addition of natural seaweed fibers, wool, cotton or the same coconut. No adhesives are used in the production of strutto. Compared to a coconut mattress topper, a struttofiber topper is less rigid and is not designed for a very large person’s weight. The affordable price makes this product popular and in demand.

How to make a sofa softer with your own hands

Upholstered furniture is an indispensable attribute of everyday life. Each family member spends his free time there. Sleep, relaxation, communication, children's games - the sofa takes on an impressive load, which affects its performance characteristics. While it is new, it can withstand the tests with dignity, but well-worn furniture gives alarm bells to the owners. They manifest themselves in the form of squeaks, malfunctions of the transformation mechanism, or deterioration in the softness of the seat. The last problem is typical for furniture with an average service life. Usually, it works well and looks good, but the seat is not as comfortable as at the beginning.

If the above reminds you of your own sofa, this article is for you. In it we will talk about ways to restore the softness of the seat, and show you how to do it yourself.

Heating blanket

A warm, cozy daybed is definitely a heated daybed. And the velvety heated sherpa will instantly make your sofa more comfortable. It has three heating settings, as well as ThermoFine technology that adapts to body temperature and the environment. This blanket is also safe and convenient to use, it automatically turns off after three hours and is machine washable. This blanket has a cigarette lighter connection so you can easily take it with you on long trips to stay warm at night.

How to make a mattress softer

Another way to soften furniture is to place a topper, which can reduce rigidity and provide the necessary anatomical properties.

A topper is a thin mattress that is placed on top of the main mattress. Moreover, if guests suddenly arrive and your sofa is not equipped with a transformation mechanism, then the topper can act as an additional sleeping place. They are used in the following cases:

to smooth the surface of the main mattress and soften it;
to impart orthopedic properties;
if you want to improve your sleeping comfort on a sofa bed.

Natural latex, memory foam, polyurethane foam - all these materials are used to make toppers. Each of these materials has an elastic and elastic structure, which allows for orthopedic properties, and also allows you to maintain the spine in the correct position based on physiology.

To increase the softness of a mattress, you can also use mattress toppers made from wool, down, or synthetic fillings, but they will not provide orthopedic support.

Before purchasing a topper, you should pay attention to its height. The greater the weight of the person who will use it, the higher the thickness of the filler. To increase the service life of a thin mattress, you need to sometimes turn it over and sleep on each side in turn.

Coconut mattress cover - a way out

Everyone has probably heard about coconut filling in mattresses. This is what manufacturers most often use to stiffen the mattress. Sales consultants tirelessly repeat about the environmental friendliness, naturalness of coconut coir, its safety, hypoallergenicity, good ventilation and excellent orthopedic properties. To all of the above, we can add that coconut filler does not retain moisture and dust, and therefore is not a favorable habitat for harmful microorganisms. The material is quite durable and can withstand high loads. All this, of course, is possible, but under two conditions:

coconut filler must be of high quality;
All production conditions must be met. In particular, coconut fiber should not be treated with formaldehyde.

In terms of orthopedic properties, coconut filler probably has no competitors. The expensive cost of a coconut topper (from 3,000 rubles) is fully justified by the quality and ease of solving the problem of how to make a mattress hard.

Filling

Before you start making a sofa with your own hands, you need to know its components. It’s easy to guess what the sofa consists of:

wooden frame
foam rubber of various thicknesses
springs (optional)
special furniture fabric
accessories (legs, fastenings, mechanisms)

What the sofa will be made of when assembling it yourself can be decided based on your budget. Valuable wood and carvings are not affordable for everyone, so it’s worth paying attention to more affordable options. For example, for the remains of various building materials, from which you can build a new piece of furniture and get rid of an old sofa.

Features of choosing foam rubber

The foam sheet is selected mainly based on two indicators: thickness and density. The layer thickness should be at least 4 cm, and the density should be approximately 30 kg/m3. The service life of the new filling and its performance depend on these indicators. Thinner and softer ones will press easily and will soon need to be replaced again, while ones that are too dense will make the seat uncomfortably hard.

Therefore, when deciding which foam rubber to choose, pay attention to its brand: the first numbers in it indicate the density, and the last ones indicate the stiffness indicator. The service life of the furniture and the cost of filling will depend on these indicators. When you come to the store to choose foam rubber for the sofa, feel free to touch each sample and squeeze it in your hands. This will help determine the difference in stiffness and help you choose the ideal option for you.

Purpose of the sofa: for sleeping, relaxing or guest

When buying a sofa, it is important to decide whether it is purchased for daily sleep, regular rest, in the kitchen for gatherings with guests, single or double, etc., low or higher is worth choosing. The product model, casing material, and further service life depend on this. Knowing the structure of the sofa will also help in making the right decision.

Four important elements of a sofa:

frame - bears the main load, determines the shape and appearance of the sofa;
sofa transformation mechanism - helps to roll out, unfold, roll out, turning the product into a full-fledged sleeping place on which you can lie along or across the sofa, and for storing a bed;
filler is the internal contents of the sofa on which a person lies or sits (polyurethane foam, polyurethane foam, spring blocks and snakes, wooden slats, padding polyester and other high-quality materials);
finishing fabric – furniture upholstery.

Transition to covering the sofa structure

Now we have everything ready, all parts of the sofa are assembled, which means it’s time to make soft furniture parts. Don’t forget to pre-treat the frame with sandpaper, then paint it in the color you want or apply a layer of colorless varnish.

Using furniture fabric and foam rubber, you need to make two bases, the thickness of which will be approximately 20 cm. As for other dimensions, for example, the width and length of these parts, you need to proceed from the parameters of your frame. More precisely, you need to take the parameters of the back of the sofa and the base as a basis. In order for foam rubber to serve you for a long time, it needs to be wrapped in padding polyester, so it will be much less subject to wear. You can connect two soft parts together using a stapler or sewing a zipper between them (preferably a detachable one).

After this, you need to attach the prepared pillows to the base of the sofa. For these purposes, so-called Velcro tape is used. If you have excess fabric, foam rubber and other materials left, you can additionally sew beautiful sofa cushions. They look beautiful in the interior, creating coziness, and are very functional during relaxation.

Related article: Curtain braid: original drapery ideas

Scheme of forming a sofa on a spring block.

When doing work on upholstering a sofa, you need to listen to some advice from professionals, then during the work you will not have any problems and will not have to start all over again. So:

Before you start cutting, you must carefully measure all the details of the structure. Do not forget that you need to add a couple of centimeters to the obtained parameters to make seams.
In order to determine the amount of fabric more accurately (to save money), you can first lay out the cutting details on paper. Don’t forget that you need to take into account both the pattern and the direction of the pile, if any. If these are seat parts, then the direction of the pile should be from the back, and vice versa on the back parts. If you choose a fabric with a large pattern, such as stripes, then most likely you will have to adjust the pattern, and this will take a significant amount of material. So be sure to purchase extra fabric.
Do not cut all the parts at once, as some nuances may be revealed during the work. First cut and sew one of the parts, and after that, after evaluating the result and making the necessary adjustments, you can continue working. For example, some furniture fabrics tend to stretch in one direction or both, while some, on the contrary, are not susceptible to this at all. All these points must be taken into account both when cutting and when directly upholstering the sofa.

Reader's question

“I love sleeping on a soft bed. They say it's harmful, but I feel cozy and comfortable. Am I doing the right thing by listening to my body?” YES “If everything suits you, sleep well! – our expert Sergei Neborsky is encouraging. – Then, the concept of “soft/hard” is very relative. All people are different. What is harmful to one may be useful to another. The cliché “sleeping on hard” comes from the days when all beds in hospitals had armored meshes, which also sagged. To make them even, wooden panels were laid on top. Considering the thin cotton mattresses, the structure turned out to be quite solid.” But we live in different times. And it’s time to admit that sleeping on a hard floor is uncomfortable for many - and there is no point in suffering.

Get full body support with a pillow

You'll love sleeping on your side with this L-shaped body pillow that's covered in 100% jersey knit fabric. The soft lyfil shapes and supports your back, neck, head, hips and knees into a unique shape to hug your body.

It is worth noting that this particular pillow is an indispensable thing for pregnant women. It is known that carrying a child puts a strong strain on all muscle groups of the expectant mother. It is especially uncomfortable to sleep. If you purchase this pillow, you will immediately feel a big difference in your sleeping comfort. Doctors often advise pregnant women to use such a pillow starting from the 5th month of pregnancy. Online stores have a huge selection of different colors and fabrics, so you can choose a pillow to suit your taste and match the interior of your home.

What to do if you get a harder sofa than you would like?

Firstly

, immediately understand that there are no “folk ways”
to make a sofa softer
. Don't hit it with a mop, sit and lie down and pour water on it - this won't help. It also makes no sense to expose the mattress to the sun. Ten days are enough for the upholstery to burn out, but it takes months for the sun to affect the properties of modern fillers. There is only one way to soften a sofa - add an additional layer of foam rubber or soft polyurethane foam.

Secondly

, you need to decide how serious
a sofa repair
you are willing to undertake. There are two ways to add a new layer of foam to the seat or berth of a sofa - internal and external.

1. To increase the thickness of foam rubber or polyurethane foam directly in the mattress

The sofa will most likely have to be reupholstered. Sometimes you can do this yourself, but it is safer to contact a specialized repair company. This will definitely save you time and maybe even money. It is difficult to carefully pull over a large and, moreover, soft sofa. However, if you decide to do this, the procedure is as follows:

remove all old upholstery
prepare new upholstery according to the old pattern, but taking into account the addition of foam rubber
Apply a new layer of foam using foam spray adhesive and let it dry completely
stretch and secure the new upholstery in the same way as the old one was secured - with glue, staples, etc.

Place your body on the massage heat mat

If you're looking for the therapeutic benefits of massage and heating pads, try this memory foam massage mat. The high-density memory foam makes this mat really soft and supportive, but it's also flexible enough to be used while sitting or lying on a sofa or bed.

It also folds flat for easy storage or portability. There are five whirlpool settings with four separate zones on the body and three intensity levels that you can use with or without the heating function.

How to properly care for a leather chair and other types of furniture?

We'll cover some basic tips to help you make your leather look new, but check the label before you start cleaning!

You need to vacuum using the softest attachment. Collect dust from upholstery carefully, minimizing contact of the brush with the material.
Remove any remaining dust with a soft, damp cloth, and then be sure to wipe it dry to prevent moisture absorption. For this cleaning stage, use distilled water, which does not contain harmful impurities and salts.

Twice a year it is necessary to treat the upholstery with leather conditioner , which will slow down the wear process, prevent deformation, drying out and the subsequent formation of cracks in the material. Air conditioners are produced in the form of aerosols; during use, they are sprayed onto a sponge, and then rubbed into the upholstery, left for 2-3 minutes, and then polished using a cloth. Before use, be sure to test the composition on a small area of skin!

Pillow stand

To truly relax on the couch, you'll need this drink and snack holder. The insulating foam design allows one of the five cup holes to expand for a secure fit on virtually any cup. A pair of cup holes are also provided for attaching mugs with handles. Plus, the removable and washable silky soft upholstery eliminates any stain concerns.

Connoisseurs love to use this pillow on the sofa to avoid constantly leaning over the coffee table. They are also a favorite to use in the car, especially on long trips in the cold winter.

“Tight jeans will wear out, a tight lock will come loose, a hard sofa will fall apart...” – this is what many people think. And they are right in their own way. An optimistic outlook on things is pleasant to others and good for health. However, things are not very sensitive to views of themselves. And if jeans in some cases really have a chance to wear out, then the sofa will not sit. Most likely, it will not react at all to attempts to “sit” or “lay it down” - or it may wrinkle if it is made poorly.