How To Fix Seatback For Reclining Loveseat? Troubleshooting and Repair Guide

Helen Skeates
Helen Skeates
17 min read

That said, how do you put the seatback of a recliner love seat back together? If the back of your chair isn’t working properly, you shouldn’t just throw it away. Don’t, on the other hand, ruin a relationship just because it needs a little tender loving care.

Nothing happens when you pull the recline lever on your beloved reclining loveseat. You try to fight back harder and with more force, but are met with a backlash. Using the footrest, you try to lift yourself up.

Depending on how much it rises, it will either stick out of the chair or sink into it. Over a few weeks or all at once, it may have happened gradually or all at once. Many recliners have this problem.

For the most part, recliners may be fixed in less than a minute. Fasteners, such as nuts and bolts or screws, must be replaced if they are broken or missing. A split timber structure can be repaired or even rebuilt.

How the Recliner Mechanism Works

An adjustable-height chair, a reclining chair can be used in both a sitting and a lying-down position. Backrest with attached headrest, seat pan, and foot rest are the three main components (or stretcher).

How to Fix Seatback For Reclining Loveseat - Krostrade

Relaxing on your back or sitting upright with your feet on the ground is made easier by a tilted backrest. In order to offer a comfortable ride, the seat pan rotates with the backrest’s tilt.

For those who like their feet to remain level or tilted at an angle, there is a footrest that can be easily adjusted. In order to fine-tune the position of a reclining chair, simply place your weight on it, and then adjust the back support accordingly. Change settings quickly and easily with lever-operated cranks on most.

Why Your Outdoor Recliner Won’t Close

The failure of a recliner to close for a variety of circumstances. Among the most important are:

  1. There is either too much spring tension or the chair has been left open for an extended period of time.
  2. There is a broken spring.
  3. Roller bearings require lubricant.
  4. A part of the loop handle or the back support may have cracked or come loose, causing the device to become stuck. Or a different portion has been damaged.
  5. Several critical parts, such as the cam plate, are absent.
  6. It’s falling apart because the screws holding it together are loose.
  7. Using a screwdriver or hammer, someone has tried to prise it open.
  8. It’s rusted shut from being left out in the rain, or it’s so filthy that it won’t close properly.
  9. The chair will not return to its original position because the springs have extended.
  10. In the sweltering heat, one of its arms has been deformed.

How to Fix an Outdoor Recliner Chair that Won’t Close

Listed here are a few easy repairs to bring your broken recliner chair back in working order.

1. Check if the Screws on the Back of Your Recliner Chair Are Loose

This chair may no longer be able to function properly if you haven’t recently tightened the screws on the back of the chair. Simply tighten the screws using a screwdriver to resolve the problem. To get them back to their original size, you may need to buy new ones.

2. Tighten Loose or Broken Hinges

Another issue with outdoor recliners is that the hinges might loosen or break over time. Moving the chair becomes difficult in this situation. The good news is that you can fix loose hinges by putting the hinge rod into the chair in the correct way.

You can easily replace a hinge at your local hardware shop, and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. To get the best results, make sure each side has the same amount of screws.

3. Tighten Loose Screws on the Chair Frame / Leg Brackets

Your outdoor recliner chair’s smooth movement or closing will be affected if the bolts holding it together have loosened or gone missing.

To begin, if your chairs are fastened together with bolts rather than screws, all you have to do is tighten them by hand with an Allen wrench (or Allen key). The screws on your reclining chair may need to be drilled a little larger so that they may be reinstalled. Make sure that you don’t make your chair latch mechanism too loose, otherwise it will be very easy for it to fall off when you try to close it. A dab of silicone or adhesive can be applied to each unsecured screw hole.

4. Check if the Legs Are Bent

Stubborn outdoor recliners can also be caused by bent legs. Make use of your handy drill to sand down any burrs or uneven areas on the surface. Increasing the support for a bent leg can be accomplished by drilling just inside it (on top) rather than all the way through. To avoid damaging the wood, use a delicate touch when doing this.

5. Tighten Loose Recliner Springs

A simple tightening of a single loose spring should cure the problem. The only exception is if there are more than one. Typically, this entails disassembling each side one at a time and then replacing each spring one at a time. To save time later, make sure you know which side the hooks should go on them.

6. Lubricate

Your chair’s roller caster lubrication may need to be changed if it is jerky or difficult to use.

Ensure that the chair bases are free to rotate before applying some furniture oil to the wheel surface, being sure to cover all of the contact points with the base.

Reassemble the piece with the casters free-wheeling smoothly. If you have a double-sided caster, make sure to coat both sides.

7. Check for a Broken Cable Release Mechanism

A common problem with outdoor recliner chairs is rust-coated cable connecting to seatback release lever. In order for the chair to open and close smoothly, this makes it tough.

Remove all the screws that attach the cushion fabric to the frame in order to have access from the bottom. Afterwards, use just a small amount of silicone or hot glue to seal the screwholes. Attach the new foam pad to the chair frame by driving a few screws through the cushions and into the wooden frame itself and into each side of the cushion.

Catnapper Hollins Casual Contemporary Power Reclining Loveseat with USB Ports | Wayside Furniture | Reclining Loveseats

After that, remove the screws from the back of your seat to make it easier to get to the cable below. Pull off any residual strands of wire to get rid of the rust. Reattach your new wires with fresh screws after putting a dab of silicone over each hole. If the opening and closing of your chair is no longer smooth, try replacing the cables until you locate some that won’t rust.

8. Check for Burned Components

Over time, the springs beneath your cushions (and seat back in single-recliner models) tend to flatten. Replace them if necessary, or use strong bungee cords to secure them in place in the meanwhile.

Sunlight and UV radiation can damage recliner chairs’ plastic casters, making them difficult or impossible to rotate. If this is the case, then you should replace the shattered components with metal.

9. Fix the Loose Latch Mechanism

Moisture and other substances in the air cause outdoor recliner chairs with weather-resistant latches to rust over time. This means that if your chair’s clasp is already rusted, you can fix it with silicone or hot glue. Instead, if your plastic furniture doesn’t have place for the screw, simply apply more silicone and let it set. New sealant should prevent water from penetrating the lock mechanism.

You can fix this by applying a dab of silicone or hot glue to each shaft/bolt and waiting for it to harden, as shown above.

Wrap some duct tape around the latch if it doesn’t remain in place or apply extra silicone to strengthen it.

How to replace a cable

When you’re learning how to mend a reclining loveseat’s seatback, you should inspect the wires. Here’s what you need to do to accomplish this:

Turn your recliner so that the bottom is pointing toward the ceiling, and then recline back in your chair. Remove the four bolts on the tail of the footrest. Two more bolts should be enough to keep the squab attached to the chair’s underbelly.

The two bolts should now be removed. At this point, you should be able to view the reclining mechanism’s control line. The recliner’s lever side is where it is.

If the line has become loose and is swaying around, reconnect it. A shaky bolt holds the lever component in place if the line is fine. It needs to be reinstalled using a bolt.

if you see that the line has been broken, remove it. Rewrite the paragraph. Be patient and don’t give up if you don’t locate one in a few days.

What is the definition of a reclining loveseat?

When the back and front of the chair are raised, the reclining loveseat will recline. With a lever on the side of the chair and a footrest that extends when the back is reclined, it’s common for this chair to have a lounge backrest and footrest.

Many modern reclining loveseats come with adjustable headrests, lumbar support, and a separate footstool that adapts to the weight and leg angle of the user.

Heat, massage, and vibration are just a few of the other things you’ll find here. There are several models that are wheelchair-accessible. As a result of our increasingly hectic schedules, many of us feel the need to pamper ourselves once we get home.

The ability to recline with the push of a button distinguishes power loveseats. Recliner loveseats are ideal for those who prefer to relax at home before heading out.

It’s for individuals who enjoy a little extravagance in their daily routine. If you have a home theater system, you’ll have an even better time. For those long movie evenings, the sofa’s central console is a great place to put two drinks.

Did You Just Find the Problem? Loose Attaching Hardware

If you’re lucky, you may have already discovered the problem. Once the back of the chair is removed, inspect all of the hardware brackets and tabs that hold the recliner in place. Hardware that is slack should be firmly tightened since if the problem is moving in the chair, tightening the hardware could ensure that all movement is eliminated.

Does Your Recliner Back Have a Mind of Its Own? Probably the Cable

If the chair doesn’t want to recline or reclines too far, the cable is most likely to blame for the problem. The bad news is that it will take a while to fix, but the good news is that it can save your beloved recliner and you won’t have to pay a repairman to do it.

How to Repair the Cable

  • Flip your chair around so that the bottom is facing up towards your ceiling and the seat is facing down.
  • To attach the footrest, there are likely four bolts situated at the bottom of the seat. Remove them right now.
  • The squab should be attached to the underside of the recliner with two more bolts. Remove these two screws now.
  • You should be able to view the reclining mechanism’s cable at this stage. The recliner’s handle side will have it.
  • Simply rejoin the cable if it has come loose and is slithering about unhindered.
  • A loose bolt is holding the lever mechanism in place, but the cable is fine. Put it back together using the new bolts.
  • You can simply remove the cable and replace it with a new one if you find that the cable has snapped while you’re in there. Be patient and don’t give up if you don’t find one within a few days. You can get them for less than ten bucks on Amazon, as you can see there.
  • Since most of us prefer to follow textual instructions with visual aids, we’ve compiled a handy movie to serve as an example.

Place the Chair Back into Place Once Again

Reattach the chair once it’s been fixed and you’re ready to try it out. To reinstall it, follow the same procedure you used to remove and replace it. Locking lever brackets, bolts, or locking it back into place are all options.

What Is the Worst that Can Happen?

Even if you’re considering tossing your broken recliner back on the curb with a sign reading “Free to Good Home,” you might as well try to fix it yourself.

What could possibly go wrong? In your mind, you already have it removed. If you take it apart and get stuck, ask a friend who has greater mechanical aptitude for help. Either way, you’ll be motivated to take on more do-it-yourself endeavors in the future.

Palmer Power Headrest – Power Lumbar - Power | Sofas and Sectionals

Why Your Outdoor Recliner Won’t Close

The failure of a recliner to close for a variety of circumstances. Among the most important are:

  1. There is either too much spring tension or the chair has been left open for an extended period of time.
  2. There is a broken spring.
  3. Roller bearings require lubricant.
  4. A part of the loop handle or the back support may have cracked or come loose, causing the device to become stuck. Or a different portion has been damaged.
  5. Several critical parts, such as the cam plate, are absent.
  6. It’s falling apart because the screws holding it together are loose.
  7. Using a screwdriver or hammer, someone has tried to prise it open.
  8. It’s rusted shut from being left out in the rain, or it’s so filthy that it won’t close properly.
  9. The chair will not return to its original position because the springs have extended.
  10. In the sweltering heat, one of its arms has been deformed.

How to Avoid the Recliner Won’t Close Problem in Future

Surely you’ve had enough of your outdoor recliner chair misbehaving and don’t want to go through it again any time soon. You can simply do this by following the straightforward maintenance methods listed below:

It is important to constantly lock or tilt your chair back completely while not in use so that the springs may relax.

Using a light oil like sewing machine oil, lubricate moving parts (rollers) and grease fittings on a regular basis.

Always keep an eye out for signs of rust at connections where synthetic materials like plastic bearings are present.

If bearings exhibit symptoms of wear, replace them or lubricate them if synthetic materials are employed.

Leave a few screws open to help with future adjustments if the bearings or other portion have a problem.

Replace any lost screws as soon as possible with high-quality replacements.

Lay it flat and open inside if your outdoor recliner chair has been exposed to rain, sun, or snow while outside. After that, allow it to dry completely before using it again and re-oiling all moving parts.

Use stainless steel nuts and washers instead of plastic if you can’t find the part you need anymore because of wear and tear.

Avoid welding unless you’re confident in your ability to fix any damage that occurs and have the proper equipment to do it.

Recliner chairs are delicate and should not be misused. Avoid slamming it open or shut, for example, as this increases the likelihood of it breaking.

How Can I Make My Recliner Close Easier?

Make sure all the screws are loose so that you may subsequently make modifications. Screwdrivers should be used to secure them in place. Prior to re-tightening anything, check for any loose bearings or parts. Doing so can only lead to more issues if left unattended. Additionally, excessive weight on the reclining chair can quickly harm it, so avoid it at all costs.

Are Power Recliners Good for the Outdoors?

If the seals are made of rubber, they won’t last long in the sun (particularly where there is a zipper or Velcro). When kept outside, the steel springs in these outdoor recliners will rust. When using them outside, keep them flat and just close them when you’re ready to utilize them. When possible, use stainless steel instead of plastic parts. They will ultimately seize up and need to be replaced.

Can You Manually Close a Power Recliner?

Yes, but only if it isn’t jammed or otherwise difficult to open. When you turn it on again in a few weeks or months, it should be easier to close. Forcing the motorized recliner open could result in significant damage if the mechanism suddenly releases since you cannot open it manually. When working on a power recliner, always disconnect at least one of the wires that link to the main plug before beginning any repairs.

Helen Skeates

Helen Skeates

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