How to make a sofa with your own hands

In the furnishing of an apartment, one of the most important places is given to the sofa. Sometimes there are several of them - in the kitchen, in the living room, in the hallway. There is a huge selection of such interior items in stores, however, some craftsmen make them with their own hands, because they simply know how to do it. Read more about how to make a sofa with your own hands, its advantages, necessary materials and decoration, in this article.

There are some advantages to making your own sofa:

• cheapness - when calculating the cost of materials and evaluating the result, it turns out that the resulting product costs an order of magnitude less than a store-bought analogue;
• originality – you can make a sofa that no one else will have;
• it is a matter of pride - not everyone will undertake to make furniture with their own hands;
• independent quality control of materials and fasteners;
• the furniture item is made to individual dimensions;
• if in the future you need to reupholster the sofa, you can easily do it yourself;
• It is a creative process that brings joy.

One of the downsides is that not every home has the necessary tools, so you will have to borrow them from friends or rent them.

We decide on the design and construction

First, you should decide where the future sofa will be placed, how it will be used - only for sitting or also for sleeping at night. It should fit well into the existing interior in color and size. A large sofa is not suitable for a small room, and a miniature corner or straight sofa will simply "get lost" in a spacious hall. Its upholstery should match the color of the other draperies in the room or create a bright accent.

The following varieties exist:

• “book” – the structure folds and unfolds in one movement, but the frame is difficult to manufacture, since welding is required;

  

• "Dolphin" is a very modern system, but it is very difficult to assemble; when unfolded, the lower section extends and is covered by the back;

  

• corner – fits perfectly into the interior of any style, uses maximum usable space;

  

• roll-out option – creates a flat surface for sleeping, easily transformed;

  

• The ottoman is a very simple design, does not fold out, and is quite easy to assemble.

  

There are also U-shaped, built-in options, but such a design is too complex to make at home. If you have the skills of a wood carver, you can create a unique sofa in the Baroque or Classicism style. It is also possible to make a rocking sofa that is suspended on iron supports in a country garden.

Drawings, diagrams of sofas

Let's consider how to make a corner sofa with your own hands. To begin with, you will need to make several sketches of the general view from different sides, draw a diagram, a detailed drawing with all the dimensions, indicating all the significant elements, moving parts. If the structure is being made for the first time, you should choose the simplest drawing, without unnecessary details. The angle of the backrest, the height of the legs are selected at will.

Only a professional carpenter can make quality tenon joints. You can come up with a drawing yourself or choose the simplest option on the Internet. Nailing is not an option, it will not last long, you should prefer screws, which will provide a strong fastening for many years. Pine and spruce are preferable from wood - they are durable and strong.

Necessary materials, tools

In order to make an unusual sofa with your own hands, you will need some materials purchased in the store:

• pine timber, with dimensions of 50 x 30 mm;
• fiberboard panels, 3 mm thick;
• plywood 5 and 15 mm;
• Chipboard, about 16 mm thick;
• microlift or other lifting mechanism;
• nine furniture legs or 7 x 20 cm blocks;
• thick foam rubber 40-100 mm;
• upholstery fabric;
• pillow filling.

To perform the work, various tools are needed:

• jigsaw or hacksaw;
• screwdriver;
• drill, drills;
• construction stapler;
• a sharp knife for cutting foam rubber;
• fasteners – self-tapping screws, screws;
• PVA glue and wood glue;
• sewing machine for upholstery, pillows, covers.

If there are supposed to be open wooden parts - armrests, wooden legs, then they are covered with stain, varnish, paint. For rooms with high humidity, special impregnations for wood are used, protecting the structure from mold, decay. Sometimes MDF, laminated boards are used instead of wood.

The process of making the structure: step-by-step instructions

Before you start assembling the sofa, the parts are marked on the chipboard pieces according to the drawing and dimensions. After that, they are cut out and adjusted to each other.

What details should be obtained?

• The frame or linen box is the main part of the structure, everything else is attached to it, it is made of boards, bars. The middle is reinforced with crossbars, the bottom is made of fiberboard or plywood. Lamels are nailed to the frame, which serve as a support for the mattress.

  

• Armrests - they are made of chipboard, two identical or different, depending on the intended design. Assembly occurs by attaching smaller parts to larger ones.

  

• The backrest is attached when all the parts are already connected. It has the form of a rectangle with at least one crossbar, and the slats are also attached to it.

  

• Seats - they are assembled in parts, and it is important to take into account the coincidence of the diagonals of the boxes in order to obtain a normal shape and a stable frame.

  

• Legs – cut out of wood or purchased ready-made, wooden or metal.

  

Before assembly, the sides are drilled, special mechanisms sold in furniture fittings stores are used to make a folding sofa. The frame of the product is assembled very carefully - the strength, durability, and stability of this piece of furniture depend on this.

Sewing a cover, covering

Before starting the upholstery, check all the joints - the fastening should be as rigid as possible, nothing should "dangle". The surfaces to be upholstered are measured, each part is cut out, glued, then the next one is measured-cut-glued. The elements are joined together, they must be properly aligned, and the scraps are used to decorate the joints. A thick layer of foam rubber is laid on the seat - at least 100 mm. To do this, it is glued from several thin sheets. For decorating the sidewalls, 40-60 mm is enough. At the end, it is checked how tightly the upholstery fits, whether all protruding corners and sharp parts are well covered.

Then they move on to upholstering the furniture with fabric - it is chosen to be wear-resistant, high-quality, and beautiful. The appearance of the finished product depends on this. The fabric is bought in any textile store, or furniture fabrics.

The most popular types are:

• jacquard – premium upholstery, characteristic features – deep texture, silky sheen, average wear resistance, difficult to clean;

  

• tapestry – suitable for “elite” finishing of a sofa, such fabric has a special durable structure, unique pattern, pleasant texture;

  

• velour - natural is quite expensive, artificial is cheaper, similar to soft suede, sometimes with patterns;

  

• matting is the most budget-friendly option, reminiscent of burlap, pleasant to the touch, and does not wear out for a long time;

  

• flock - textile with a dense pile, suitable for those who have pets, has high wear resistance, is not afraid of animal claws;

  

• leatherette - very resistant to abrasion, has a luxurious appearance, is irreplaceable on armrests, places where there is increased friction, unpleasant when in contact with the naked body in the heat;

  

• genuine leather is pleasant to the touch, environmentally friendly, durable, but extremely expensive.

  

If you combine two or three fabrics at the same time, the product will turn out to be quite original, but it is important to choose the right upholstery.

How upholstery is made:

• patterns of each detail are cut out from newspapers or wallpaper, and their coincidence is checked by applying them to the surfaces of the sofa;
• on the back of the fabric, draw the borders, cut out the details, leaving allowances of at least one centimeter on each side;
• the ties are made symmetrically, so the finished sofa will look harmonious, there will be practically no folds;
• to ensure that the fabric holds better, buttons and loops are secured through holes in the body;
• if you put a layer of agrotextile or synthetic padding under the upholstery, the foam rubber will crumble much less;
• The textile is attached using a construction stapler, first one side, then the opposite side, the edges are tucked in.

After this, the sofa is reassembled, decorative pillows, cords, tassels, machine stitches are made. Legs and wooden overlays are attached at the very end.

The final stage is decoration

The sofa is decorated with bright or upholstery-colored pillows. This is the easiest way. If you make several sets of different covers, they can be changed depending on your mood, time of year - faux fur is suitable for winter decoration, cotton, linen for summer. Sometimes one side of the pillow is decorated with embroidery, applique, bright prints, small soft toys, cords, knitted elements, the other side remains smooth. Patchwork decoration is also acceptable, and sometimes a removable cover is made. Regardless of the size of the sofa, you should not use more than five pillows. It is better that they are of different shapes, sizes, textures.

The sofa cover is selected to match the interior: it should go well with other textiles in the room – curtains, carpet, chair covers, etc.

The material most often used for it is:

• fur - natural or artificial, creates a unique comfort;
• acrylic – very durable, hypoallergenic;
• terry cloth – available in all sorts of colors;
• tapestry – suitable for a “rich” classic interior;
• silk, satin – look luxurious, expensive.

Blankets for decorating upholstered furniture are made of bamboo, fleece, viscose, acrylic, cotton, silk. You can also make a sofa cover yourself or buy it in a store - it is convenient because it does not slip, it is easy to wash, but a store-bought one is quite expensive. A homemade one is sewn on a machine using patterns made according to the size of the structure.

Conclusion

It is quite easy to make a regular or corner sofa with your own hands, if you have some carpentry skills, quality materials, and tools. Detailed master classes, photos, and video reviews are available on many websites dedicated to furniture and repairs. Such a homemade design will cost much less than store analogues, and it will also be made with love, according to individual sizes.

Video: How to make a sofa with your own hands (homemade sofa)

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