The couch is an essential piece of furniture. Apart from its functional and decorative purposes, sofas bring families and friends closer together. Whether it’s a movie night or you’re binge-watching Netflix alone after a long day at the office, your couch has been the backdrop of many special memories.
Your couch might squeak because it’s either still new and settling or because it’s old and becoming weak. Your couch may have loose parts or need lubrication. Sofas can also squeak due to rough handling over their lifespan. You can fix it by inspecting for damages and tightening bolts and screws or lubricating the joints.
So, what can you do about it? Before incorrectly diagnosing the squeaking of your couch, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the reasons why it squeaks and how you can fix it.
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Causes of Squeaking
With so many components with different textures coming together, is it any wonder that your couch squeaks? Squeaking or creaking sofas are usually not signs that a sofa needs to be repaired. As long as it’s not too loud, it’s just the sound that occurs when the various parts come together as they bear the weight of the occupant.
Newness
If your couch is fresh out of the plastic wrap and squeaks, it doesn’t mean you made a bad purchase. Squeaking is normal and expected with a new couch. The new material hasn’t been stretched yet.
However, with regular use, the squeaking and creaking should decrease as the fibers of the upholstery and the tension in the suspension system relax enough to reduce the noises your sofa makes during use.
Aging
If your sofa seems louder than before and has been in operation for over a few years, it may be because your sofa is aging. A couch typically lasts an average of seven to 15 years with proper care.
As it ages, the material naturally starts to decay, reducing its ability to withstand the weight it constantly bears. The wood around bolts and screws may begin to splinter, and the metal components may no longer be lubricated.
Loose Parts
With the constant weight and pressure exerted on the material and parts of a couch, it’s no surprise that something will eventually give. Sometimes, screw threads loosen. As mentioned above, splintering of the wood frame can cause screws and bolts to come loose.
Poor Lubrication
As your sofa ages, the oils applied to the metal components for lubrication start to dry up. The weight and pressure take their toll on poorly oiled metal components, causing them to protest with squeaks when the couch is occupied. The oils around the metal components provide lubrication and protect the hardware from rust and damage, which occurs when metal is exposed to moisture.
Abuse
If you have children at home constantly jumping on your couch, it’s no wonder your couch squeaks in protest. Couches weren’t meant for rough play. Bumps on the couch accelerate the wear and tear of the material. The lifespan of a couch is heavily influenced by how it is used or abused.
Pets can be another damaging force to sofas. As much as we love our furry friends, they just don’t understand that furniture is expensive and needs to be cared for and treated gently. This is especially true for larger dogs, as they are heavy and often make flying leaps to land on the couch. Their nails don’t do any favors to the upholstery either.
Material
Leather sofas tend to squeak more compared to fabric sofas. The texture of the leather and how it rubs against other materials creates its own squeaking noise that can amplify the squeaking of the hardware inside. Even small movements tend to produce squeaks in most leather sofas.
Additionally, if you have a plastic sofa cover on your couch, that may be your culprit right there. Although plastic sofa covers went out of style sometime in the ’70s or ’80s, some people still use them to protect their sofas. If the squeaking you hear has a very plastic sound, it could be the sofa cover and not the sofa itself.
How to Fix a Squeaking Sofa
Some issues causing the squeaking and creaking sounds of your couch require simple solutions that don’t cost an arm and a leg. You’ll need a few household items and maybe an assistant if you have a bulky couch. Here is a step-by-step guide to silence the squeaking:
1. Conduct Inspection
First, you’ll essentially be taking a look under the hood. You may need an extra pair of hands to achieve this, but the first step is to flip your couch over to expose its bottom. If your couch has a dust cover, you’ll need to remove it. If there is dust or cobwebs, you’ll also need to clear those out of the way.
Once you’ve cleared the space of dust and cobwebs, lean in to get a closer look at the interior. Pay attention to bolts, screws, corners, and upholstery. In particular, look out for loose bolts, screws, or springs.
In rare cases, there may even be loose boards and paneling inside the couch. Keep an eye out for those as well.
2. Tighten Bolts and Screws
If you’ve identified the loose parts, look for wood splinters around the screws and bolts. Split wood frames may need reinforcing, which requires some skill. However, if loose screws and bolts are the issue, you may be able to fix it yourself.
All you need to do is tighten them. If the screw threads are loose, you can replace them with new ones of the same size and fit.
3. Lubricate
Over time, the oil applied after the assembly of the couch dries up. This results in more friction between the suspension system, leading to more squeaking. You’ll need to oil the metal parts to reduce the squeaking. You may need to repeat this process every few months to give your sofa a long lifespan.
Your couch may not be completely squeak-free after this, but by tightening loose parts and lubricating when necessary, the squeaking should be satisfactorily reduced. You may need to reattach the dust cover before returning the couch to its upright position.
When It’s Time to Flip Your Couch
On average, a sofa typically lasts seven to 15 years—unless you have a pet or particularly rambunctious kids. Some sofas are harder to let go of than others. Some sofa owners with a sentimental attachment to their couch have it reupholstered to make it as good as new.
However, there comes a point where restoring a couch is impractical due to wear and tear and the repair costs, which average about $50-$70 per meter of fabric for a regular fabric. There are also labor costs to consider, which range between $40-$100 per hour. If that wasn’t the deal-breaker, this might be: Reupholstering can take anywhere between five and 25 hours.
Five hours on the lower end of the pay scale doesn’t sound too bad, but 25?! At $100 per hour, that quickly becomes very expensive.
Look out for the following to know when it’s time for a new couch:
Sagging Has Set In
If your couch sags to the point where you have to grunt and groan to get up, your couch is likely letting you know it’s time to let go—the sagging is a result of the overstretching of the upholstery over the years.
The aging of the cushioning material reduces its resilience under your weight. If it feels like you’re lying in a hammock instead of sitting on a couch, it’s time to move on.
Foam Has Deteriorated
Depending on the quality or type of foam, your sofa’s cushioning may wear out over time. You may notice the texture of the foam feeling grainy or lumpy. This is a sign that your couch is beyond help. To attempt to save it, you’ll need to have it reupholstered, which may cost you just as much or more than the market value of your couch when you bought it.
Large Cracks or Splintering
If the wooden frame of your couch is splintering or has larger cracks that only seem to be getting bigger, it’s time to part ways. At this point, your couch is no longer safe to sit on. The cracks indicate that it can no longer bear weight and will only deteriorate further.
No matter how much you love your sofa, you don’t love it enough to potentially injure yourself when you happen to sit on it when it eventually splits in half and gives way. The risk simply isn’t worth it.
Rusting of Metal Parts
Most sofas use stainless steel for their suspension system, but not all. Light rust can be removed, but if the rust is severe, there’s a possibility that the metal is no longer as sturdy and will only worsen from there.
Once the metal starts deteriorating, it may be time to invest in a new sofa, as the costs of repairs and replacing springs can be unaffordable.
Persistent Squeaking and Creaking
You’ve done your best maintenance and repair on your couch, but it still makes those annoying noises. If you can’t live with it, you can either sell your couch or dispose of it and replace it with a quieter one.
If your couch is over seven years old, you’re probably due for an upgrade anyway. You can donate your couch to charity at any time or sell it to someone on eBay.
Often, schools and extracurricular programs will accept old furniture for their classrooms, libraries, reading rooms, and more. If your couch squeaks but is still usable, this can be a good option for it.
Infestation
An infestation of your couch may require the services of a pest control professional. There’s also a high likelihood that your couch will need to be disposed of altogether. Bed bugs, carpet beetles, dust mites, and fleas are the most common culprits of furniture infestation.
These disease-carrying bugs should be treated immediately, and this may result in your couch being disposed of as soon as the infestation is detected.
Reupholstering Your Couch or Buying a New One
Having your couch reupholstered may end up costing you more than buying a new sofa. It’s less stressful to simply replace the old with the new, but there are circumstances where the overall value of the couch outweighs the impracticality of keeping a couch around. Here are cases where a complete restoration is justified:
- The couch is a valuable antique. Some sofas simply have a rich history that makes them irreplaceable. At this point, restoration is treated as a form of art restoration. These sofas are often kept as part of a collection rather than being used conventionally.
- It has a hardwood frame. Hardwood is a durable and expensive material. If the damage your sofa has suffered is in the upholstery, it may be worth reupholstering it to preserve the hardwood and the piece as a whole.
Final Thoughts
Your couch should be a place where you feel relaxed and rested, just like your bed, and not be annoyed every time it squeaks when you move. The good news is that the squeaking can be fixed. The bad news, however, is that you’ll have to get down on your knees to diagnose the problem and find the right solution if you’re not willing to seek the services of a professional.
Keep in mind that no couch can be completely squeak-free. As long as you can minimize this squeaking to a minimum, you can look forward to more memories on your couch.