What Can I Use To Make My Sofa Higher?

If your sofa sits so low to the ground that you get a workout simply by getting up from it, it may be time for a change. Add sofa risers or swap out the legs for taller ones for two simple solutions to the short sofa situation.

Sofa or couch risers add height to furniture without physically altering the furniture. These cuplike devices, available in different colors, shapes, and sizes, go beneath the sofa legs so the bottoms of the legs are off the floor. Risers are designed to prevent the sofa legs from slipping off so there's no danger when people sit down.

Unless you find risers that match the style of your sofa legs, they're best for sofas where they won't be highly visible, such as on a sofa with a skirt. Some risers look chunky and clunky, and that may not be a good look for a mod sofa with highly visible legs.

Measure the height of another chair or seat that feels right to you heightwise, measuring from the floor to the top of the seat cushion. The ideal sofa height that's comfy for most adults is 17 to 18 inches from the floor to the top of the seat cushion when no one is sitting on it. By comparison, take the same measurement on your sofa that needs a lift to determine the height difference. This difference is the ideal height for your sofa risers. Before purchase, also make sure the tops of the new risers are wide enough to fit the bottom of the existing sofa legs.

Sofa legs are usually removable, and sometimes, it's as easy as turning them counterclockwise. Swapping them out for a slightly taller variety of a similar style is a great way to permanently change the height of your sofa.

As with using risers, measure from the floor to the top of the sofa cushion to determine the height. Also measure the height of the existing sofa legs; this may be easier to do with the sofa pushed onto its back, as you'll need to do this anyway to remove the legs. If you want your sofa seat to sit 2 inches higher than it is now, buy sofa legs that are 2 inches taller than the current sofa legs.

If you don't see any visible screws, bolts, or mounting hardware on the existing sofa legs, give them a twist to the left to loosen and remove them. If they're on a mounting plate, note how they're mounted and use a wrench or screwdriver to remove the assembly from the sofa bottom. Buy taller legs that mount in a similar fashion for the easiest installation. Numerous styles are available, so this is also an opportunity to give your sofa a slightly different look if you don't like the style of the original legs.