Ever Wonder Why Sofas Have Feet? Here’s Why!

The sofa is a staple piece in everybody’s living room. It provides us comfort while we sit back after a long day or if we just need a nap. Not only that, but the sofa is aesthetically pleasing and draws the room together. But the feet under the sofa is not to allow dust bunnies to accumulate. Did you know that there is actually a reason that sofas have feet?

So, why do sofas have feet? The primary purpose of sofa feet is to make sitting down on the sofa less strenuous and more comfortable getting up from it. Having the sofa up off the floor also helps prevent friction between the floor and sofa, which can cause fraying. Additionally, sofa feet help make moving the sofa much easier.  

Having a sofa with feet has its advantages, but some sofas don’t have feet. So if you want to purchase a new sofa or are considering replacing yours, here is some info on why sofa feet are an excellent addition to any sofa.

Why Having Sofa Feet are Better

Although some couches are made with no feet, having feet certainly has its perks. 

• Stability – A sofa that has feet tends to be more stable than the ones without legs. When a sofa doesn’t have feet, it will slide more often when someone sits down or stands up. The feet of a sofa allow it to be more grounded into the floor to prevent slippage.
• Less strenuous – Having feet on your sofa lifts it off the ground and makes you sit higher up. This makes sitting down and getting up much more comfortable. Being higher up is also more enjoyable for people with long legs because their knees don’t end up in their chest while sitting. 
• More durable – When a sofa doesn’t have feet and it’s sitting directly on the ground, the fabric can quickly become frayed because of friction. If there was a spill near a sofa with no feet, the spill would soak directly into the sofa since it is not off the floor. Also, dust and debris are more apt to get stuck on the bottom of the sofa. 
• Visually appealing – Sofas with feet tend to look nicer than sofas without. They add a sense of sophistication to the room. You can also change out the sofa feet to modernize them more. 

A great thing about sofa feet is that you can adjust the size of them to make sitting more catered to your height. If you are very tall, you can purchase taller feet so that the sofa sits higher up, or if you are shorter, you can find shorter feet. 

Cons of Having Sofa Feet

Some people prefer their sofas to sit directly on the floor. There are several reasons for this:

• They are shorter and prefer their feet to hit the ground when sitting.
• The feet keep falling off when moved or lifted.
• Crumbs, dirt, debris, and toys collect under the sofa.
• They have an animal that keeps hiding under the sofa.
• They don’t want their children to climb under the sofa.

The biggest con of having a sofa with feet is that things easily collect under the sofa. If you lose something, you could most likely find it under there. However, you can purchase a slipcover that comes with a layered skirt to help prevent that dust and debris from slipping under the sofa. 

If your sofa had a foot fall off, you could easily screw it back into place. If your sofa feet continuously fall off, they may need to be replaced with new hardware. To help solve the problem of dirt getting underneath, you can purchase a sofa duster that can easily slide under the sofa to dust the dirt away.   

If your sofa did come with feet and you have decided you rather it not have them, they can easily be removed. 

What If Your Sofa Doesn’t Have Feet?

After reading this, you may have decided that you wish your sofa had feet. Luckily, you can add feet to your sofa even though it didn’t come with any. And if your sofa has feet, but you wish they were taller, you can also swap them out.

You will first want to pick out which feet you want to see on your sofa and how high you would like them to be. Some kits include the feet plus the hardware needed to install them. A few popular generic ones are:

6 Inches Mid-century modern style walnut finish

Last update on 2023-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

4 Inches Wooden pyramid legs  

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3 Inches Brown plastic round legs

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If you want to spice up your sofa with something a little fancier, you can find sofa feet that are carved with different shapes. These are some other options:

5 Inches Dark brown spindle legs

Last update on 2023-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

7 Inches Unfinished carved legs

Last update on 2023-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

8 Inches Walnut carved round bun legs

Last update on 2023-12-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Because all sofa feet are not created equal, several different ways to install them exist. Some of the options are:

• Dowel screws – This is where part of the screw is in the foot, and the other half of the screw is in the sofa. These are better with shorter feet. 
• Threaded inserts – An insert is drilled into the sofa so that an inserted bolt attached to the foot can be screwed in. 
• T-nuts – These are square pieces that are screwed into the sofa. A screw will be partly installed into the foot and then screwed into the t-nut. 
• Straight and angled metal plates – This is a metal plate attached to the sofa that connects to the foot by a screw. This method is a favorite for many builders because it is the most sturdy. 
• Wood mounting blocks – These work the same as the metal plates but have a more beautiful wooden finish. 

Related: Should A Side Table Be Higher Than The Sofa

Conclusion

Sofas were made with feet to help make sitting down and getting up less strenuous. Sitting higher up is more comfortable for most people because it allows their legs to bend at a 90-degree angle rather than having their knees be in their chest. 

Sofa feet are also visually appealing and can add a hint of class to your living room. Luckily, you can easily install some if your sofa does not have feet.