How to Make a Flexsteel Reclining Sofa into a Loveseat? Perfect Information For You!

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
21 min read

A loveseat can be constructed in a variety of ways. It’s not uncommon for people to transform common household items like chairs and tables into entirely new pieces of furniture. The next step is to figure out how to convert your FlexSteele reclining sofa into a loveseat. Let’s have a look at these pieces of furniture to get a better idea of what they are.

Contents

What is Flexsteel?

Flexsteel, an American manufacturer of tractor seats, has been in business for more than a century. In the United States, the company operates a number of manufacturing facilities. Flexsteel’s recliners have a lot to offer, and you should learn more about them before making a purchase.

Flexsteel Reclining Sofa Top Sellers, UP TO 67% OFF | www.encuentroguionistas.com

What is a Flexsteele Reclining Sofa?

Knowing what a recliner is can help you understand what a reclining sofa is. If you lower the back and raise the front of a recliner, you’ll be able to recline in the chair. The backrest may depress. When the backrest is pushed back, the footrest can be extended by a lever or automatically.

What is a Loveseat?

In the beginning, the loveseat was intended to be a broader version of an armchair, which is why it is so compact and comfortable. A loveseat is a smaller version of a couch that is often used in conjunction with a larger couch in a living room or family room.

How to Make a Flexsteel Reclining Sofa into a Loveseat?

How can a flexsteel reclining sofa be transformed into a loveseat?

Step#1: Disassembling the Flexsteele Reclining Sofa

Dismantling a reclining sofa is the first step. As a result, the reclining sofa will no longer be a reclining sofa at all. It will be easier to transform this into a loveseat with this. Following these steps, you can dismantle your reclining sofa:

Method #1: Unlocking Locked Levers

The first step is to raise the back of the flexsteel reclining sofa so that it faces straight up in the air. Detachable back covers are common on upholstered couches, allowing you to see the frame underneath.

Locate and remove the velcro or snaps holding the material to the frame’s base before attempting to remove the upholstered panel. Find the locking levers on the sofa’s frame on each side of the seats.

A metal lever pointing downward should be seen on either side of the main body of the drink, at the top of the arm and back. If your sofa has a center console, look for levers on the frames between the seats.

Insert your hands into the back seams on the left and right sides of the flexsteel reclining sofa to see the construction. Look for any seams in the center console and the seats. See if you can find a downward-pointing locking lever in the seams.

Remove the seatbacks by loosening and lifting each lever with a flat head screwdriver or, if necessary, with your fingers. The couch should be returned to its original position before the back is removed from the frame.

Lift each seat and the central console out of their shells if your couch has two seats separated by a central console. Make sure you know how far back your loveseat reclines before you buy it.

Method#2: Removing Bolted Bars

Raise the sofa so that it is facing away from you and reaches all the way to the ceiling. Foundation bars should be visible beneath your couch. You should be able to see if the sofa’s base has two or three twisted or fastened bars running from one end to the other.

Make sure that the screws or bolts that hold the base plates in place are tight. Remove each screw or bolt from its base bar using a drill with the proper bit. Drive bits for square Robertson screws, which are commonly used to secure base bars, are virtually always required.

The last bar of a flexsteel reclining sofa should be removed with the assistance of a friend or family member. It’s easy to separate the various chairs and consoles after the last bar is removed.

Because of the couch’s structural components, it will not roll, damage, or injure other objects if it is stabilized by another person.

Step#2: Making the Flexsteele reclining sofa into a Loveseat

Removing Old Fabric

Remove the existing staples from the upholstery fabric with a staple remover or a flat-head screwdriver. Removing the old fabric is the first step. Replace any worn-out batting and foam if they’re still in use.

A pencil and a measuring tape are all you need to transform your sofa into a loveseat, so start by measuring the couch’s length.

Cutting the Sofa

With the reciprocating saw, cut the flextsteele reclining sofa to the length of the love seat, then remove the couch arm. To guarantee a snug fit, sand the cut edges of the couch and arm.

Before fitting the pieces together, use a smaller drill bit to make holes in the wood. This will help prevent the wood from splitting. Attach the arm to the sofa by drilling a hole through the material.

Final Measurements

Measure the final dimensions of the love seat to determine the amount of foam, batting, and upholstery fabric required. Take stock of what you’ll need to make a love seat cover. You will need to cut the foam and cloth to fit the piece of furniture.

Arranging the Foam

Using a piece of foam, create a custom fit for the love seat’s arms, back, and seating area. Using a staple gun, secure it with batting. Using a sewing machine, attach the fabric on the foam and loveseat to cover them.

Finalizing the Flesteele Reclining Sofa into a Loveseat

The love seat’s backside should be covered. A love seat can be flipped over and stapled along the bottom concealed edge of the material. Place the fabric piece over the back and staple along the top, sides, and bottom of the previously stapled piece.

Staple both sides of the armrest fabric in the concealed areas. To make the bench seat, attach the fabric with staples to the love seat’s top inside edge, then flip it over and attach it from the underside.

How good is a Flexsteel sofa?

For more than a century, Flexsteel, an American manufacturer, has produced mid-priced upholstered seats.

The corporation has several facilities throughout the United States.

  • In China, Flexsteel produces its Latitudes series.
  • In Mexico, Flexsteel produces its South Haven range.

It’s very uncommon for retail salespeople to be unable to tell the difference between American-made Flexsteel furniture and imported Latitude and South Haven furniture.

  • The number of complaints relating to latitudes is disproportionately high.
  • According to some Flexsteel retailers I’ve spoken with, the South Haven line manufactured in Mexico is inferior to the Latitudes range manufactured in China.

There are a lot of Flexsteel furniture reviews out there. Approximately 80% of the reviews are rated 1 or 2.

Flexsteel Latitudes-Fenwick Power Reclining Sofa with Power Tilt Headrest and USB Port | Fashion Furniture | Reclining Sofas

Big mid-price range upholstered furniture makers tend to follow this pattern.

  • Most of Flexsteel’s American-made competitors have a similar percentage of unfavorable ratings to theirs.
  • Imported brands that compete face even poorer customer feedback.

Most of Flexsteel’s customer complaints and concerns tend to revolve around their reclining furniture goods, particularly the larger couches and sectionals.

Recliner furniture has a number of frequent issues, such as:

  • Foam density 2.0 is used in some Flexsteel versions; this increases average longevity by one year. /
  • Non-removable seat cushions can’t be easily fixed or replaced when the foam wears out after a few years.
  • This is a simple fix if the cushions can be taken out. The problem cannot be solved if the cushions are not removable.
  • Bonded leather “peeling” is the most common issue reported here.
  • Genuine top grain leather does not crack or flake off the hide.
  • PU and vinyl fake leathers that are 100% polyurethane or vinyl do not peel.
  • There is no peeling with leather match, which uses “corrected” top grain leather (on the portions you touch) and a matching vinyl (on the parts you don’t touch).
  • Bonded leather, on the other hand, is prone to wear and tear. Even if they’re more expensive, they’re also just as comfortable.
  • It’s a bonded leather for Flexsteel’s Nuvo fabric. You shouldn’t do it.
  • It’s more likely that the frame or mechanics will malfunction the more times you move reclining furniture, whether in transit, delivery, or at your place of residence. Individual reclining chairs have less of an issue with this.

The problem areas cited above are not just for Flexsteel. They apply to most low and mid-priced mass produced upholstered furniture.

More than one reviewer claims to have owned Flexsteel furniture for 15 to 25 years or longer. There is no doubt in their mind that they will purchase Flexsteel again in the near future.

Flexsteel furniture purchased today is not the same. It should not be expected to last as long as Flexsteel furniture made 15 years ago.

This is not just a Flexsteel problem. It is true for virtually all mid-priced upholstered furniture manufacturers.

According to a recent poll of the furniture industry, most people expect their new sofa to endure between three and five years. 15 years ago, a majority of people expected their furniture to endure between 7 and 10 years.

There is a very good reason why upholstered furniture doesn’t hold up as well as it used to.

Thousands of small and medium-sized furniture businesses dotted the country thirty years ago.

  • At the time, annual sales of $50 million were enough to make a retail chain one of the country’s top 50 furniture merchants.
  • Selling for more than $100 million was rare.

Almost all of those smaller businesses have been wiped out.

  • Half of all furniture sales in the United States are made by the top 100 furniture stores.
  • The annual sales of more than a dozen mega merchants total more than $1 billion.

Cutthroat rivalry is encouraged by the powerful buyers of these large retail chains.

  • In order to service the larger chains, just a few furniture makers have grown to be sufficiently large.
  • Large furniture manufacturers like Flexsteel are all battling for limited floor space in the stores of the few dominant retailers.

Furniture discounts and sale prices are the #1 reason most consumers cite for their decision to purchase.

Retail chain buyers are constantly striving to lower prices as a result.

  • Cost-cutting measures apply to every aspect of the project, including the less visible components and materials.
  • Labor cost reduction has emerged as a critical tactic for staying competitive.

Customers frequently bemoan the uniformity of design in the furniture they purchase. There is a great deal of truth in this belief.

The current fashion trend is mostly influenced by what can be produced most cheaply by low-skilled employees.

Everything has been simplified in order to save money by reducing the requirement for highly-trained staff.

  • By using computers to cut fabrics and foam, we can save time and reduce the amount of material we use.
  • In order to save time and effort, the covers are pre-sewn and “socked on” before being attached to the furniture.
  • The warranty will be met if the foam is purchased at a lower cost. Additionally, using non-removable cushions cuts down on the amount of foam needed.
  • There is a significant savings in fabric costs when cushions cannot be removed. The more expensive the fabric or leather, the more important this becomes.
  • Solid hardwood frames have been replaced by plywood and engineered wood in mass-produced furniture. Massive computerized CNC Routers are able to create significantly more frames in a shorter period of time.

One exception to the emphasis on cost reduction has been the growth of high performance fabrics over the past decade.

  • High-performance textiles are built to withstand the rigors of everyday wear and tear while also providing permanent stain resistance.
  • These high-performance fabrics, such as Crypton, Sunbrella, and Bella-Dura cost significantly more than the old microfibers that dominated mid-priced upholstery until recently, although not all of them.
  • Compared to the previous microfibers they are swiftly replacing, other high-performance fabric brands (such as Revolution and LiveSmart) are more affordable.

Leather, bonded leather, imitation leather, or leather match are the most common materials for recliners. To observe the difference between these two materials, please click here.

When compared with other similarly priced motion furniture makers, Flexsteel’s quality stands out above the others. However, the category of reclining furniture is more likely to have issues.

Flexsteel pays more attention to the internal quality of its furniture than many of its competitors.

More than a century ago, the blue steel spring foundation gave the company its name. In addition to being incredibly cozy, this spring foundation may be the strongest and longest-lasting ever created.

* A federal court concluded that Flexsteel’s blue steel spring foundation was “as excellent or better” than 8-way hand tied foundations in a 1980s government contract dispute (in which I was a participant).

When it comes to furniture, blue steel springs are a lot more expensive than the ordinary sinuous wire springs.

The blue steel spring was once absent from the Latitudes line. The Blue Steel Spring has been added to Flexsteel’s imported items.

Flexsteel furniture manufactured in the United States appears to have a lower rate of complaints than Latitude furniture. Before the springs, there are a number of other components that will need replacing.

Flexsteel is also one of the largest manufacturers of sofas and sleepers for RVs and other recreational vehicles.

  • The majority of the RV furniture on the market is made in the United States.
  • RV furniture is generally of poorer quality than that seen in a typical home.
  • The additional dealer installation expenses are a factor in this. Another issue is the scarcity of companies producing RV furniture. There are usually only a few RV dealerships that carry it.
  • In the RV furniture market, Flexsteel’s quality is considered to be among the best.

Flexsteel was a client of mine from 1984 through 1989.

  • As a partner in a government contract consulting firm at the time, I sold the U.S. military and different federal government departments Flexsteel furniture for $15 million.
  • From 1977 through 1984, I worked as a buyer for a major furniture retailer. Our annual Flexsteel furniture purchases exceed $1 million.

FAQs

Are Flexsteel recliners any good?

When compared with other similarly priced motion furniture makers, Flexsteel’s quality stands out above the others. However, the category of reclining furniture is more likely to have issues.

Is Flexsteel a good product?

Flexsteel has been producing high-quality leather and fabric furniture for almost a century…. Even if the pattern or color scheme is a little stale, the fabrics last a long time. Everyone who has sat on my sofa has been amazed to learn how ancient it is. Despite the high price tag, “It was a worthwhile investment.”

Flexsteel Latitudes-Wicklow Power Reclining Lay-Flat Sofa with Drop-Down Table and Power Tilt Headrest | Turk Furniture | Reclining Sofas

Is Flexsteel furniture going out of business?

Furniture manufacturer Flexsteel, which has operated out of a Riverside plant for at least four decades, is ending its operations and laying off 87 people by the middle of July. On May 15, the Dubuque, Iowa-based corporation issued a press release announcing the shutdown.

Does Flexsteel use real leather?

Man-made leather is as high-quality as the most expensive natural leather. Semi-aniline and colored leathers are used by Flexsteel because they are both durable and inexpensive.

How heavy is a Flexsteel sofa?

Due to the recliners, the sofa is heavy. 400 pounds is a substantial amount of weight. We looked at a lot of them and ultimately settled on this one.

Where is Flexsteel furniture made 2021?

All four of the company’s Flexsteel spring models are created in the United States in its Dubuque, Iowa, manufacturing facility. 1

Where is Flexsteel made?

Manufacturing facilities are located in the United States and China. The majority of their product range is manufactured in the United States, with the remaining 10% manufactured in China, however this percentage is expanding quickly.

Conclusion on making a Flexsteele reclining sofa into a loveseat

Flexsteel reclining sofas can be converted into loveseats in the following manner. To make a loveseat out of the recliner, follow the same steps and procedures as disassembling it.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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