Sofa Spring Repair: Fixing the “Sinking” Feeling You sit down on your sofa and immediately feel it dip. Not in a dramatic, broken way. Just enough that you notice it. The cushion doesn’t push back like it used to. Your posture shifts. You might even feel yourself sliding forward a little. That “sinking” feeling is one of the most common signs that something under the upholstery isn’t doing its job anymore. Most people assume the sofa is worn out. In reality, this problem is often tied to the springs. And spring issues are usually fixable. With the right sofa repair, a sagging seat can feel supportive again without replacing the whole piece. What’s really causing the sink A sofa seat works because several parts share the load. Springs create tension. Webbing supports them. The frame keeps everything aligned. When one of these weakens, the seat loses balance. In many cases, the springs have stretched or snapped. Sometimes they’ve pulled loose from their clips. In other sofas, the elastic webbing has simply lost its tension after years of use. Less often, the issue is a loose joint in the wooden frame that lets the seat shift under weight. Cushions get blamed a lot, but foam alone rarely causes that dropping sensation. If the seat still dips when the cushions are removed, the problem is structural. Understanding what kind of springs you have Not all sofas are built the same way. Newer sofas often use sinuous, or zig - zag, springs. These are metal wires that run from front to back. They’re efficient and strong, but they can snap at stress points or pop out of their clips over time. Older or higher - quality sofas may use coil springs. These are individual springs tied together by hand. They provide excellent support, but repairs require skill. Retensioning or retying coils is precise work, and uneven tension can make the seat worse if done poorly. Some sofas don’t use metal springs at all. They rely on elastic or jute webbing. This system works well at first but stretches gradually. The result is a slow sag that people often don’t notice until it becomes uncomfortable. How to tell it’s not just the cushions A quick test can save guesswork. Remove the seat cushions and sit carefully on the base. If the seat still drops or tilts, the cushions aren’t the main issue. Another sign is unevenness. If one seat feels lower than the rest or you feel pulled toward the c enter, springs or webbing are likely failing. Noises are another clue. Creaking, clicking, or metal sounds usually point to loose or broken springs. Foam doesn’t make noise. Springs do. Why ignoring it is a mistake A single weak spring rarely stays a single problem. When one area fails, the surrounding springs take on more weight. That extra stress causes them to stretch or bend faster. Over time, what could have been a straightforward sofa repair turns into multiple broken components. There’s also the frame to consider. Uneven pressure can loosen joints or crack wood, especially in the front rail where people sit most often. The longer you wait, the more expensive the fix tends to become. Can spring problems be fixed at home? Some people attempt repairs themselves, and in limited cases that works. If a zig - zag spring has slipped out of a clip and the clip is intact, reseating it can restore tension. Replacing a broken clip is also manageable with the right tools. But once you’re dealing with snapped springs, stretched webbing across a wide area, or coil spring systems, the work becomes less forgiving. Tension has to be even. Alignment matters. One poorly set spring can throw off the whole seat. If you’re unsure, stopping early is wise. Professional sofa repair costs less than correcting a bad DIY attempt later. What a proper spring repair looks like Good repair work focuses on balance, not just replacing what’s broken. A technician will usually access the seat from underneath or from the back. They’ll inspect the springs, webbing, and frame together, not in isolation. Broken springs are replaced or retensioned. Loose clips and fasteners are secured. Webbing is tightened or replaced where needed. Weak areas are reinforced so the same failure doesn’t repeat six months later. The goal is to restore even support across the entire seat, not just remove the dip you feel today. Do you need full reupholstery? In most cases, no. Spring repair doesn’t require stripping all the fabric. If the upholstery is still in good shape and the cushions can be reused or refilled, repairs can be done internally. Full reupholstery only makes sense if the fabric is already worn out or if multiple systems have failed at once. A skilled technician should be able to tell you honestly which option makes sense after a proper inspection. How long repairs last When done correctly, spring repairs last for years. Often they last as long as the original springs did. The difference lies in how thorough the repair is. Quick patches tend to fail early. Repairs that restore tension evenly and reinforce stress points ho ld up far better. This is why experienced sofa repair matters. It’s not just about fixing today’s problem. It’s about preventing the next one. Is it worth the cost? Spring repair is almost always cheaper than replacing a well - built sofa. Costs vary depending on the spring system and how accessible the seat is, but even more involved repairs usually come in well below the price of a new sofa of similar quality. If the frame is solid and the sofa fits your space and style, repairing the support makes practical sense. Many older sofas were built with stronger materials than today’s mass - produced models. Preventing future sagging Once the springs are fixed, small habits help extend their life. Rotate seat cushions so wear stays even. Avoid always sitting in the same spot. Make sure the sofa sits level on the floor. These simple steps reduce stress on individual springs and webbing. The bottom line That sinking feeling doesn’t mean your sofa is finished. It usually means the support underneath needs attention. Springs and webbing wear quietly, but they’re often repairable. Good sofa repair restores comfort, posture, and confidence in the piece. You sit down and feel supported again. No dip. No slide. Just a sofa that works the way it should.