Can I Adjust My Sofa Legs?

Legs and Frames

• Check first to see whether adjusters on the bottom of the legs twist to raise or lower your couch. Many sofas include carved frames that include legs, or legs were machined to form spindles on one end and then attached to the main frame. Carved frames of mahogany, rosewood and other exotic hardwoods establish a sofa’s style; upholstery just serves as cushions. Replacing these unitary pieces is tricky, but if you cut them they can’t be replaced. Overstuffed pieces often have separate legs, attached to the frame with hardware; these are easy to replace.

Screw-Type Legs

• The easiest way to raise or lower a sofa is to remove the old legs and buy new legs. Replace screw-type legs to raise, lower or change the style of your sofa’s legs. Screw-type replacements are also available in styles that attach to the vertical part of the frame, either on the outside or concealed on the inside. The legs, cut with a ledge in the middle of the leg, wedge under the base and attach along the corner of the frame. Counter-sink screws on exterior-mount legs and cover them with wood plugs.

Dowels

• Legs using dowels sit directly under the corner of the frame and attach by means of one or more wooden dowels drilled and glued into both leg and frame. You must separate the legs with a coping saw and drill new holes -- or clean out the old ones -- to install new dowels. You might also use screw-type legs to replace doweled legs without the need to re-drill for dowels.

Hanger Bolts

• Hanger bolts, stationary bolts that extend from the top of the leg, unscrew easily from the corners of the sofa. New legs attach to a cleat called a T-nut or a T-plate that is screwed onto the frame. T-nuts and plates hold the hanger bolt steady so it doesn’t work loose during movement of the sofa, grinding out wood and making the hole bigger. Hanger bolts must match the size on the T-plate. Legs and hardware are also available in metric sizes for European furniture.

Considerations

• Before changing legs on your sofa, try the new height by adding or removing cushions. Find new legs that use the same hardware as the old to simplify the change, and always replace center support legs in long sofas. Try to replace rather than cut. Keep in mind that antiques lose a part of their frame and, probably, their value when an owner decides to shorten their legs. If you do cut, always measure carefully -- twice -- beforehand.