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The Cutting Table · a question, worked through

What do the metal bars on a floor sofa actually do?

They hold one thing: the backrest. Everything else on the sofa simply rests.

Answered by

The Quiet Geometer of Seattle ·

Pinned by Hana

The quick answer

The metal bars on a floor sofa keep the backrest cushions from sliding back or tipping over when you lean on them. A standard set is four free-standing frames, two at the sides and two at the back, standing on the floor behind the backrests. They aren't attached to the cushions, don't join the seats together, and stay put once you sit down.

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Key facts

  • The bars stop backrest cushions sliding backward or tipping over.
  • The bars don't connect the base cushions.
  • A standard set is four frames: two at the sides, two at the back.
  • Each backrest needs its own support bar.
  • The bars float free; they aren't strapped, hooked or screwed to the sofa.
  • Once you sit down, the bars don't move.
  • Nothing else on the sofa needs assembling.
  • The bars are steel tube about 5/8 in (16 mm) in diameter, in a silver/chrome finish only.
  • The bars ship in their own small box, about 16 x 16 x 2 in (40 x 40 x 5 cm) and about 9 lb (4 kg).
  • Each L-shaped backrest the bars hold is about 39 x 39 x 15 in (100 x 100 x 39 cm).

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What the bars carry, and what they don't

A floor sofa is a set of cushions that sit together. The seats rest on the floor. The backrests lean. The metal support bars exist for the leaning.

When you sit back, a tall backrest wants to slide away or tip over. A frame standing behind it stops that. The bars do not join the seats, and they do not hold the sofa together. That is why each backrest needs its own bar.

The frames are not strapped, hooked or screwed to anything. You place them where the backrests need them. Once someone sits down, body weight holds everything still.

Nothing is bolted. Nothing needs to be. Weight does the work.

Setting the four frames

  1. Join the pieces

    Twist and push until the spring dots click into the holes. A stiff corner joint loosens after clicking in and out a few times.

  2. Find the floor piece

    The U-piece with the black plastic fitting goes on the floor.

  3. Two at the sides, two at the back

    Stand them under and behind the backrests. The assembly Pattern has photos.

  4. Sit down

    Lean back once. The frames settle and stay.

Adding a backrest or moving the chaise: where do the bars go?

  • Adding a backrest later? Add a bar with it; the add-on ottoman ships with one.
  • Switching the chaise to the other side? Move the L-shaped backrest and set its bar behind it.
  • Want the seats joined? Ties or hook-and-loop fastening can be added on request.
  • Anything else to assemble? No. The bars are the only hardware.

The metal bars on a floor sofa hold only the backrests. They stand free on the floor, and once someone sits down they don't move.

Hana
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Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    Where do the metal bars go once they're put together?

    The workshop's answer

    There are four bar frames: two go on the sides and two at the back. They sit on the floor under and behind the backrests to keep the large backrests from tipping over. They aren't attached to the couch, and nothing else needs assembling.

  2. A common question

    What do the support bars do, and do I need extra ones?

    The workshop's answer

    The iron supports only stop the backrest cushions sliding backward when you lean on them; they don't join the base cushions together. Each backrest needs its own support, so an extra backrest needs one extra bar. They aren't strapped to the sofa.

  3. A common question

    How do the bars go together?

    The workshop's answer

    They assemble by twisting and pushing: a metal insert grips the joint and the dots click in. A stiff corner joint loosens after clicking in and out a few times. Once assembled, they sit behind the backrest cushions.

  4. A common question

    Are the bars attached to anything, or do they float free?

    The workshop's answer

    They float free, so you can place them where you like. Once you sit on the sofa, they don't move.

Questions buyers ask next

How many metal bars does a bigger floor sofa need?

Count the backrests. Each one needs its own support bar. A standard set is four frames, and when you add a backrest module you add a bar with it; the add-on ottoman ships with one bar of its own.

Do the bars hold the seat cushions together?

No. The bars only support the backrests. The seat, backrest and armrests are separate cushions that sit together, and ties or hook-and-loop fastening can be added on request if you want them joined.

Can the bars move to the other side if I switch the chaise?

Yes. The sectional has no fixed direction and the bars float free. Move the L-shaped backrest to the other corner and set its bar behind it, the same way as before.