How to make a sofa with your own hands: options, instructions and assembly diagrams
An important role in the life of every man is played by a home sofa. Do not be ironic about this. A lot of creative plans and ways to implement them were conceived on this piece of home interior.
A good sofa can be bought in a store, today this is not a problem. But does a real home master miss the chance to try his hand at making upholstered furniture?
Financial incentive is another weighty argument in favor of the "couch project". If you calculate the cost of materials needed for work, and compare it with the price tags of furniture stores, then the savings will be very impressive.
In our article, we will consider the implemented options for home-made sofas and give a brief description of their manufacture. In addition, the topic of self-assembly of a corner sofa will be covered, from the drawing to the finishing sheathing.
How many sofas, beautiful and different ...
Having decided to make a sofa with your own hands, it will not be superfluous to get acquainted with ready-made samples of home “sofa” creativity.
We note the main features of this type of furniture, so as not to confuse it with an ordinary bed in the future. The main distinguishing feature of the sofa is not a soft bed, but a backrest that you can lean on. The bed does not have this element. Side railings with armrests are another classic element of sofa design.
Photo #1 Classic sofa
In modern models, armrests are often abandoned, leaving only the backrest. In some designs, it can be turned on hinges and turned into a mattress.
Such a system was called "Eurobook". The principle of its operation, as can be seen in photo No. 2, is very simple: a block with a seat on wheels moves forward, and the backrest turns on hinges with a slight movement of the hands and turns into an extra bed. This option can be taken into account by those who decide to make a sofa at home.
Wooden pallets are not in vain attracting the attention of home furniture makers. These are ready-made solid modules. Of these, it is possible to build an original bed with minimal cost and time. A pallet sofa made in a deliberately rough loft fashion style looks great with a dump truck wheel that doubles as a coffee table.
Photo No. 3 and No. 4 Homemade sofas from pallets
All you need to assemble this design is a screwdriver and a jigsaw. Having fixed the base pallets in pairs with screws, the sidewalls are attached to them. They are made from the same pallets, cut off at the level of "bosses" - thick wooden inserts. This sofa does not have a back. It is replaced by two wide pillows leaning against the wall. A pleasant "softness" of the whole structure is given by two thick foam mattresses.
If you are going to make a simple sofa, try to enlist the help of your spouse. Her sewing machine will save you from having to go to a tailor shop for sewing covers. If your wife does not share your grandiose plans, then buy a construction stapler. With it, you can accurately and quickly complete the upholstery of the frame.
Someone likes wood, and someone cannot live without metal, making everything necessary from it, including a sofa. If your old cast-iron bath has not yet been scrapped, then use the original way to turn it into a comfortable bed. There is no better material than enamelled cast iron for a garden patio.
Photo No. 5 Sofa from an old cast-iron bath
Such an outdoor sofa is not afraid of either snow or rain, regularly bringing respect to its owner from guests and neighbors.
Modellers-constructors do not only models of old ships, tanks and aircraft. Furniture items often fall into the sphere of their attention (photo No. 6).
Photo No. 6 Sofa model with a metal frame, a wooden back and a bed
Why don't we make such a sofa by increasing its miniature layout to the desired size? The idea of this design is simple and rational: the base is made of a profile pipe, to which thick plywood or OSB board is attached.
After practicing assembly techniques on a smaller copy, it will be easier for you to work with a full-length sofa.
If the farm does not have an old tire, then making an original round sofa is not easy. If rubber "shoes" of the tractor are available, you can cover them with fabric and attach a high back. A stand with legs and soft foam cushions give the structure the perfect look.
Photo No. 7 Sofa from a tire
How to make a corner sofa yourself?
Without a detailed assembly diagram, it is impossible to start this work. The corner sofa consists of several parts, the manufacture and docking of which requires precision. The best fastening material for a beginner is self-tapping screws. Spike joints of the frame - the level of an experienced carpenter.
So, to assemble a corner sofa, you will need the following materials:
- wooden block (section 30x50 mm);
- board (25x80 mm);
- plywood or chipboard (thickness 12 mm);
- plywood (thickness 5 mm);
- foam rubber 10 cm thick;
- thin foam rubber or batting (for making a lining for the hull skin);
- PVA glue for attaching a soft lining;
- upholstery fabric.
To work, you will need the following set of tools:
- screwdriver;
- jigsaw and hacksaw with a miter box;
- construction knife for cutting foam rubber;
- scissors for cutting furniture fabric;
- stapler;
- self-tapping screws;
- sewing machine.
Before you make a corner sofa yourself, you need to clearly define its layout and once again review all the prepared drawings.
The basis of each block of the corner sofa is a frame made of plywood or chipboard, mounted on a bar frame. If the thickness of the plate is large enough (from 16 mm), you can do without a bar. In this case, the self-tapping screws are screwed directly into the ends of the plates, having drilled guide holes of small diameter in them to prevent splitting of the material.
For the rational use of the internal space in blocks No. 1 and No. 2, removable covers can be made. To support them from the inside along the contour of the frame, it is necessary to fix a bar with a section of 2x3 cm, lowering it below the upper cut of the plates by the thickness of the cover (12 mm). In order for the lid to be easily lifted, two holes are drilled in it for fingers.
By design, blocks No. 1 and No. 2 are the same, but we will make block No. 3 with a drawer-seat that increases the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe sofa. This is the simplest option that does not require the installation of transformation mechanisms (retractable or rotary). Their correct installation and adjustment for beginners is a complex process.
We will have a drawer with a lid made of chipboard or thick plywood. It is not difficult to assemble it, but making comfortable folding legs is a problem. They will interfere when pushing the drawer into the sofa body. Instead, we will increase the height of the front plate of the box. It will play the role of a support platform when unfolding the sofa.
For easy pull-out, two wheels from office chairs can be attached to the back of the front panel of the drawer. The body of the wheel will not rest against the bottom of the sofa if a small cut is made in it in advance.
The lid on unit 3 can be made removable to store bed linen.
The dimensions of the seat cushion must be equal to the dimensions of the drawer area. Pulling out the drawer of our corner sofa, we remove the back cushion and put it in place of the mattress.
Further, our step-by-step instructions contain a description of the assembly of the backs. For all corner sofa blocks, their design is the same: vertical posts connect three boards. The two lower ones serve to fix the back to the sofa, and the upper one provides rigidity and serves as the basis for attaching the skin.
Having assembled the back frame, it must be sheathed with plywood 5 mm thick in front and behind. All sharp corners are processed with sandpaper so that there are no hooks and irregularities when installing upholstery fabric. Batting or thin foam rubber should be glued to all front and side surfaces to make the upholstery softer and more voluminous.
The last stage of manufacturing is the upholstery of the sofa with fabric. It can be bought at a specialized store, having made a preliminary calculation of the area of \u200b\u200bsheathing and not forgetting a margin of 5-10%, necessary for cutting and turning on the frame.
To do this, all the front parts of the body and back must be measured and cut out pieces of material according to the obtained dimensions. They are fastened with a stapler on the invisible ends of the panels. To prevent the fabric from wrinkling at the corners, make cuts on it and pull it tight before shooting the staples.
Cushions for the back and seat of a corner sofa are best made of foam rubber with a thickness of at least 10 cm. The optimal design of covers for them is a removable zipper. When soiled, the covers can be easily removed and sent to the wash. If you have no experience in sewing, then draw a simple pillow sketch and order the tailoring of covers in the atelier.
