Expert: Mark H. Miller - 6/15/2011

Question
We have a leather couch that we all sink into a bit.  When my mom visits, she sits on the very edge so it won't be too difficult to get up.  The cushions aren't removable, but my wife and I flipped the couch over to inspect the springs.  The serpentine S-springs seem to be in good condition, and there is a thin fabric (jute?) padding on top of the springs.  Can we replace that pad with some other material to make the seats firmer?  Thanks!

Answer
Hello Lucien,

I wish I had better news for you but adding a pad on top on the springs as you suggest will do absolutely noting.   There is only one way to make the seat firmer and that is to fill the entire seat cavity under the springs with a very large block of foam so that the springs no longer work at all - which they don't anyway.  

Coincidental to your problem;  many years ago the U.S. Surgeon General stated that people often say that Mom stood up from a low sitting sofa - fell and broke her hip.  When in reality the sequence that happened is that when Mom got out of the sofa that sits too low she broke her hip and then fell.  Furniture that sits too low is dangerous for the elderly,  only adding a block of foam that fills the cavity of your sofa will remedy the problem - there is no better solution other than replacing the sofa.

Mark Miller.