Smart Mom Tips: Ways to Make Your Mid Century Sofas Higher

Some couches are so low that they can make you feel like your butt is dropping to the floor. Getting up is more uncomfortable as well. The standard seat height of a couch should be not lower than 17 inches. If living in a small space where the living room and dining room are the same, then there is a need to boost the couch more than the standard height for you to use on the dining table.

Adding some height to mid-century sofas can be comfortable for people experiencing difficulties in rising from the low surface because of injury, age, weak muscles or disability. Having a higher couch can also work better for group conversation because the couch can freely rise to the level of other seats.

There are multiple ways to raise the couch. Explore to find the best method that will work for your decor, budget, and decor.

Added Cushions

One method to raise the couch is to add cushions. Adding furniture leg cushions will help in adding some height to the seat of the couch even if the seat of the couch is irreplaceable. If the couch has a removable seat cushion, there is a big chance that you can easily purchase for replacement cushions.

To add some height to the couch without changing how the couch looks, put the additional cushions on the top of the original cushion. Measure the couch’s length between the arms and the depth from the back of the seat until the front edge. Also, purchase a high-density foam that will fit the size of the couch.

After, use a cotton batting to cushion and cover the foam. Make a cover out of upholstery fabric that fits with the couch. Use non-slip materials between the cushion to aid in keeping the couch in place.

Adding Different Legs

Various couches have the same leg type. The most common leg type is a short peg with a half-inch bolt that extends to the top of the couch. The bold found on the leg screws into a regular half inch T-nut on the bottom part of the couch.

Try flipping the couch upside down. Then unscrew and remove the legs using your hands, then use the removed legs as a reference to order for taller legs. Furniture shops usually have extra legs that they removed from old couches that didn’t pass the quality test for the showroom floor. Or try finding some in a thrift store, you might find a taller leg that matches the legs of your couch.

Casters

To help in gaining height and mobility, adding casters can help the problem. Tons of caster wheels are capable of giving support to the couch. Some casters are 4 inches tall or even more. Also, many of the casters have locks that will restrain the couch from moving. If the caster matches your needs, then remove the old legs.

Screw 2×4 blocks on the bottom corners of the couch. Stack the blocks together if needed. However, it still depends on how tall you want the couch to be. Then screw the casters to the blocks. There are various kinds of caster available in the market. Some are plain black wheels, while others are spherical balls that can give an aesthetic appeal.

Keep in mind to choose the caster that has a weight capacity that exceeds the weight of the heaviest person that you know, and your couch will be fine.

Risers

Risers are blocks that have receptacles on the top that will hold the furniture legs. Using a riser can add up at least five inches to the couch’s current height. By measuring the width of the couch legs before shopping for risers can help in making sure that they will fit.

However, the main disadvantage when using a riser is that they are exposed. Slipcovers can be an alternative to hide the risers. To make sure that you will buy a slipcover that will fit perfectly to cover the riser, measure the couch when the risers are in place.

Make Your Own

Another smart way that you can do to make your couch higher is to make your legs. If the legs of the couch are removable, unscrew the feet from the bottom of the couch using your hands. Then measure the diameter of the bolt from the leg’s top. Purchase at least four carriages that have a diameter of the length that will pass through two blocks of scrap wood.

Use a carriage bolt that has a threaded and long shaft with square shoulders at the top to avoid the bolt from twisting in wood. Then drill a hole through the blocks and countersink the hole to create a depth of at least a half inch. Bolt both the scrap blocks to the bottom using the T-nut inserts of the old legs.

Then add more blocks if needed, screw or nail the blocks to the bottoms of the blocks installed previously. Check if the blocks are completely even to the top of the countersunk carriage bolt. Smoothen the blocks using sandpaper. Then color them with a stain marker if needed.

Dig some of the floor glides to the bottom using a hammer. Floor glides have a sharp tip that will pierce wood easily. Also, the tops have a smooth texture that will glide on the floor.

Takeaway

There are various ways that you can use to make your mid century sofas higher. With little tweaks and hacks, your couch will be readily comfortable for people that are experiencing injury, old age, weak muscles or disability.

Author’s Bio

Midinmod mid century design furnitures are highly compatible with the new age apartment nomads, loft dwellers, and home-owners alike. The furniture represents a minimalistic, healthy lifestyle which is inspired by mid-century modern furniture, Danish, and Scandinavian designs.