The first step to fixing your recliner is regular maintenance. If your chair malfunctions, the guide below will tell you how to correct the most common problems.
You’ll find out how to repair your recliner’s springs, backrest, and footrest. You’ll also learn what to do in case your favorite recliner is sagging or leaning to one part. And, finally, you’ll learn how to choose the right company if you can’t correct the problem yourself. Nothing is more frustrating than sitting down in your recliner.
Read along!
Table of Contents
How to Fix Recliner Chair Springs
The recliner springs are very important parts of your relaxation. However, these won’t last forever. If your springs malfunction, it’s not difficult for you to renovate them. All you need is equipment and half an hour tops.
Instruments:
- Adjustable wrench
- Flashlight
- Newer recliner spring
Instructions:
- Turn your recliner bottom-side up position.
- Get your flashlight to see better where the spring bolts are.
- Take out the bolts with your wrench.
- Get the old spring from your name brand of lift chairs and put it down, making sure to keep its left side down.
- Use your wrench again to take out the bolts that connect the footrest and the spring.
- Get your newer spring and attach it to your frame.
- Lift your chair and sit to ensure the newer spring works.
SUMMARY: You can easily install newer to ensure your armchair still supports your weight. If you contract a fixed price furniture renovate service for regular maintenance.
How to Fix a Recliner Chair Back
Fixing your comfortable recliner armchair back depends on your recliner’s type of backrest adjustment. If there are tears or holes in the covering, upholstery patches can be purchased that will match the original color, pattern, and material. Some patches are self-adhesive; cut the patch to fit. Some patches are self-adhesive; cut the patch to fit, expose the adhesive, and smooth the patch into place.
Here’s what you do for each case:
Locking lever adjustment:
- First, get a swatted turnscrew.
- Turn your recliner upside down.
- Separate the back upholstery at the Velcro strip.
Remove the seat back from the body of your armchair with the turnscrew.- Pull the locking levers up.
- Remove the backrest by wiggling it.
- Ensure the brackets are secured. They should face down and secured onto your seat’s metal posts.
- Reinstall the backrest.
Locking tabs or catches mechanism:
- Take out the bracket fasteners.
- Tighten the mechanism to make the backrest firmer.
- Make sure your tab is well secured in place after you reinstall the backrest. Use a flat turnscrew for the job.
Bolted mechanisms:
- Unfasten the lower part of your backrest to uncover the bolts.
- Use a turnscrew to remove them.
- Refasten them back more securely.
SUMMARY: To correct your backrest, you have to ensure the adjustment mechanism parts are tightly secured. However, you have to remove the backrest first. If that seems too difficult, it’s best to call a certified furniture renovate shop near you.
How to Fix a Recliner Cable
If your backrest moves by itself or doesn’t recline at all, it means your cable is damaged. Recliner maintenance of a broken cable entails the following:
- Unwind the cable stop.
- Make sure the piston bracket secures your rope.
Pull the cable to tighten it.
If that doesn’t work, you should order a replacement cable and do the following:
- Turn the recliner over.
- Remove the bolts that connect the foot rest.
- Remove the bolts that connect the squab and the frame.
- Take out the squab.
- Insert the newer cable.
- Reattach the squab.
SUMMARY: Fixing the recliner cable requires you to flip your armchair, remove the squab, and attach a new cable. This job doesn’t take long but requires some force, so call a furniture renovate service if you’re stuck.
How Do You Fix a Sagging Recliner?
A sagging recliner needs more foam. If your armchair has removable cushion upholstery, all you have to do is cut some foam pads to size and insert them into your seat or backrest cushions.
Here’s a neat video that explains it:
If your chair’s cushions don’t have zippers, you can get a recliner sofa repair kit online and:
- Turn your recliner upside down.
- Ensure the springs aren’t damaged.
- Extend your footrest to reduce the risk of injury.
- Start on one part and introduce the stiff foam insert underneath the spring. Do one spring at a time.
- Scoot the inserts to ensure they fit underneath your hips.
- You can use more inserts depending on how bad your problem is.
Can Lazy Boy Recliners Be Restuffed?
Yes. You can use the method above and add memory foam pads that will recreate the seat support you need.
Otherwise, you can check the warranty information for your seat pillows. Call to the La-Z-Boy company to check if they can send you a new cushion or shop for a new one. Install your newer cushion.
Some service shops like Jensen brothers can do a full La Z Boy restoration. Your Lazy Boy may sag because of other problems, and so the guy with experience will tell you more.
Summary: You can easily restuff your Lazy Boy recliner with memory foam pads, or purchase a newer pillow from the company.
Can Electric Recliners Be Restuffed?
It’s more difficult to restuff an electric reclining chair with the method above because the electric parts cover the spring. An easier way would be to unsew the upholstery and to add memory foam or fabric directly to your seat.
If you have a leather electric chair, you may need professional assistance from a shop.
Summary: You can restuff an electric recliner if you undo the fabric to add more memory foam. However, undoing and re-sewing the fabric is a meticulous job for fabric, and almost impossible for leather. That’s why it’s best to call a professional service.
SUMMARY: Add memory foam pads or fiber rolls either inside the cushions or underneath your seat. However, turning the armchair upside down and adding the necessary pads takes a lot of time. In this case, it might be better to call a specialist. If you have an electric model, it’s also best to get the services of a professional guy.
How to Fix a Recliner Footrest
Your footrest can malfunction because of different reasons:
The footrest doesn’t stay up:
- Turn the reclining chair over.
- Get the right-size screwdriver to tighten the screws underneath your reclining chair.
- If you can’t secure them easily, you need to get new screws. In this case, it’s best to get some that are a bit longer. That way, you ensure the screw gets deeper into your seat and holds the foot-rest better.
- Use new screws to fasten the footrest brackets firmly into place.
The footrest won’t move:
- Turn the armchair upside down.
- Relax the screw on the bottom of your footrest.
- Cover the cushion in plastic foil.
- Use a lubricant to cover the joints.
- Gently pull on your footrest to check if it’s unstuck.
The footrest doesn’t stay locked:
- Flip your DIY recliner.
- Remove the bar that connects the front of your seat and the ratchet.
- Pull the footrest to see if it works.
- If your footrest is still wobbly, you need to replace the spring.
The handle is broken:
- Purchase a universal recliner handle; if you can’t search out a handle, that’s the same as your old one.
- Close your footrest.
- Flip the reclining chair over, so the headrest and armrests are on the floor.
- Search out the mechanism that secures the handle.
- Use a spanner or your screwdriver to take off the handle.
- Remove the handle cover as well.
- Insert and tighten the new handle.
SUMMARY: Your footrest might need refastening, lubricating, or replacing the broken parts. Apply the lubricant generously to all the joints. If you can’t do this by yourself, get a armchair renovate service for the job because it’s affordable.
How to Fix a Recliner That Leans To One Side?
First, you need to search out out why your chair leans to one part. For instance, one of its parts may have broken. Whatever the reason, you’ll need the following instruments:
- Pry bar
- Wood glue
- Screwdriver
Follow the steps below to correct your leaning recliner:
- Flip over your reclining chair.
- Make sure the springs working properly. If not, retighten or replace them as needed:
- You may find these go in wooden holes. If these holes are too big, stuff them with toothpicks or wood glue to secure them better.
- These may be attached to metal holes. In this case, use a spanner to tighten them.
- Order a new mounting plate and replace the old one if it shows signs of damage.
SUMMARY: A armchair that leans to one part can be easy to correct if your spring need retightening. Otherwise, it’s best to call a reclining lift chair renovate service.
How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Recliner?
The average cost of repairing is around $175. However, that doesn’t mean that’s how much you’ll have to pay:
- Smaller repairs might cost you as little as $40.
- Bigger repairs may add up to $500 or more.
If you want to reupholster your leather armchair, that may cost you up to $1000.
Here are some tips:
- Contact your chair’s manufacturer or retailer. Even if the warranty is no longer valid, they’ll probably still help you with the necessary parts and services.
- If that doesn’t help, Google “certified furniture repair services near me” or “sofa restoration near me.” Read the reviews to search out trustworthy shops in your area, such as Jensen Brothers Furniture.
- More expensive repair shops like BarcaLounger offer you quality service as well as top warranties. If you have a more expensive reclining chair, it’s best not to skimp on money.
SUMMARY: You can pay between $40 and $1000 for a repair recliner . Choose a trustworthy service that offers you quality service and a good warranty.
Can a Recliner Be Repaired?
The answer is YES!! According to the enclosed instructions I’ve attached, it’s done-able. If you’ve had your chair for a while, the plastic will be soft and flexible. Depending on the age and location of the rip, and what fabric it is, the chances are pretty good that the repair is actually doable, but obviously, it’ll take some time and effort. I put it on a friend’s chair once and it didn’t take too long. Also, it depends on how much the damage is and how much it’s warped. Maybe you should have it checked out by your chair shop first. I read somewhere that the original padding that was in the base was soft fabric or padded fabric, so the recliner would still be able to use this padding even after repair.
Anyway, great post and wonderful pictures. I’m glad you had a good experience with your chair. I just hope mine lasts that long. I was able to find the body of the reclining chair with all the wood parts still attached. The springs were starting to deteriorate, so it was suggested that I get new springs, which I did for a few hundred dollars. Then it turned out that the back of the chair was so badly rusted that the cushion had to be removed for safety reasons. I ended up paying $900 to a non – professional to repair the chair. With the chair in that state, I went looking for a replacement to give my wife some peace and quiet.
How Do You Fix a Stuck Recliner in an Open Position?
In this week’s installment of How-To, we ask our pal Ryan Barrow, a resident auto mechanic for Popular Mechanics, to fix a broken recliner. As per usual, we couldn’t resist trying to solve the recliner’s troubles ourselves. First, we measure the seat’s width and height. Then, we used a 1/4″ solid angle jig to adjust the seat for a proper recline angle. We also needed to adjust the lever that adjusts the seat height.
We chose a Series 5 Baker recliner because it was fairly lightweight, and made for easy modifications, like adding a seat lift. We bought the leather seat lift on eBay for less than $15, so it was a good investment. Before we started working on the chair, we cleaned up the jig to keep it from getting dirty while we were using it. The spray cleaner we used worked well and didn’t leave any white marks on the plastic.
Why Won’t My Electric Recliner Go Down?
I am rethinking the whole electric recliner. The motor has some kind of short that makes it impossible to recline with it. I changed the position of the legs so they no longer hit the switch, but it is still impossible to recline the chair. I will give you an update. It seems to be getting worse. How often do we try to get an electric recliner down from the “up” position by trying to push the buttons in the “down” position but when we do, nothing happens?
A few years ago, I bought an electric recliner for my living room. It was the most wonderful piece of furniture ever. Every time we wanted to watch TV, we put the two together and I would be perfectly comfortable laying on the recliner, and my husband would be comfortably seated in the recliner. It was absolutely perfect. I had two problems with it. One was that we had to turn it on before we could start watching TV, which was the most annoying thing. We had to make sure we were at least 30 feet away from any television for the recliner.
Can You Refurbish a Lazy Boy Recliner?
Refurbishing a recliner is not something that we are necessarily huge fans of doing because there are so many moving parts that you have to work on it, but I think that the great thing about it is that once you get it looking good you can actually resell it to people who are looking for something different,” says Philip Cross, director of refinished goods for Great Falls Sofa Company in Joplin, Missouri. “The furniture that you see in the stores or at thrift stores might be just part of the original package, but that does not mean that it looks good. A reupholstered sleeper sofa, for instance, will fetch higher prices than a piece of furniture that is just purchased at a thrift store or off Craigslist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do You Replace a Pull Cable on a Recliner?
Begin by locating the access point for the recliner’s cable mechanism. This is typically found on the side or underside of the recliner, covered by a fabric panel or plastic cover.
Carefully remove the covering to expose the inner workings of the recliner mechanism. You may need to use a screwdriver or other tools depending on the design of the recliner.
Identify the old pull cable that needs to be replaced. Take note of its routing and any attachments or connectors it has.
Disconnect the old cable from any attachment points or connectors. This may involve removing screws, bolts, or other fasteners.
Next, obtain a replacement pull cable that matches the specifications of the original cable. It’s important to ensure the new cable is the correct length and has compatible connectors.
Feed the new cable through the same routing path as the old cable, following the previous routing path and any guides or channels provided.
Attach the new cable to the appropriate connectors or attachment points, securing it firmly in place. Double-check that all connections are secure to prevent any future issues.
Test the recliner by pulling the new cable to ensure it engages and operates the reclining mechanism smoothly.
Once you have confirmed that the new cable is working properly, replace the fabric panel or plastic cover, securing it back into place.
It’s worth noting that the specific steps may vary depending on the recliner model and design. It’s always recommended to consult the recliner’s user manual or reach out to the manufacturer for detailed instructions if available. If you’re unsure about the process, it may be best to seek assistance from a professional technician or repair service to ensure a safe and proper replacement of the pull cable.
What Causes a Recliner Not to Recline?
Several factors can cause a recliner not to recline properly. The underlying issues can vary depending on the specific design and mechanism of the recliner. Here are some common causes:
Mechanical Problems: A malfunctioning recliner mechanism, such as broken or worn-out springs, gears, or levers, can prevent the recliner from reclining. These mechanical components may become damaged over time due to regular use or excessive force.
Obstructions or Blockages: Objects or debris caught in the recliner’s mechanism, such as coins, small toys, or even pet hair, can hinder the smooth movement of the reclining mechanism. This can cause the recliner to get stuck or prevent it from reclining fully.
Damaged or Loose Cables: The cables responsible for controlling the reclining function may become damaged, frayed, or disconnected, resulting in the recliner not being able to recline. This can occur due to wear and tear or improper handling.
Electrical Issues (Power Recliners): Electrically powered recliners may experience issues related to the electrical components, such as faulty wiring, blown fuses, or problems with the control panel or motor. These issues can prevent the recliner from functioning properly.
Upholstery Interference: Thick or bulky upholstery materials, such as heavy blankets or cushions, can obstruct the reclining movement or prevent the footrest from fully extending.
Improper Assembly: If the recliner was not assembled correctly, components may be misaligned or not securely connected, leading to problems with the reclining function.
Wear and Tear: Over time, regular use and aging can lead to general wear and tear on the recliner, which can affect its ability to recline smoothly. This can include issues like worn-out padding, sagging springs, or loose connections.
If a recliner is not reclining properly, it is recommended to first check for any obvious obstructions or debris that may be hindering the mechanism. If no visible issues are present, it may be necessary to consult a professional technician or contact the manufacturer for further assistance. They can diagnose and address the specific problem, whether it requires simple adjustments, part replacements, or more extensive repairs.
Conclusion
It’s less expensive to renovate your chair by yourself, but you’ll need the time and the right tools for the job. However, proper recliner maintenance is very important. Make a habit of frequently checking for loose or broken parts.
That said, the six tips above should allow you to fix most armchair problems. If you face other issues, the first step is finding out what causes them. Then, you can fiddle with your chair until you search out a hard solution.
For all those other times, the wisest move is to call a reliable repair service. In fact, you will save a lot of money.
