How to Stop Recliner Unnecessary Movements on the Floor

by Andrew Smith| Last Updated: January 5, 2021

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How to Stop Recliner Unnecessary Movements on the Floor

Though familiar, it becomes bothering whenever you sit on any chair, and it moves. It can move on any surface, whether on the carpet, tiles, hardwood, and even laminate floors. Even worse, if you have a recliner chair since it tends to move at any time, you want to engage the reclining mechanism. Most especially if you are many people in the house using the recliner, the moving becomes more than when you live alone.

If this drives you crazy, you are in the right place. We will teach you various tips and tricks to prevent your recliner chair from moving or sliding on any floor.

But first;

Table of Contents

Why Should You Stop Your Recliner From Moving And Sliding?

A moving recliner is something that should bother every owner. While there may be several reasons to make you want to stop the movements, here are the common ones.

So how do you make sure your recliner does not move or slide unnecessarily?

Consider a Favourable Type of Flooring

Your type of floor will significantly influence how your recliner moves or slides. Though it is necessary to have sleek flooring for your space, consider a floor that will not end up being the source of a nuisance.

For instance, a tiled or a hardwood floor tends to be smooth hence easy for the recliner chair or any furniture to move when in use. While having a mat is among the solutions to stopping the movements, the type of mat matters. A low pile carpet is slipperier than a deep carpet. Therefore, the deep carpeting solution will enable your furniture to remain in position as long as you need them to be.

So if you are thinking of tearing and replacing your existing floor, you know what to do.

How To Keep Recliner From Sliding On Wood Floor

A recliner that slides on your wooden floor is not only annoying but can permanently ruin your perfectly polished wooden floor with scratches.

Thankfully, there are several DIY methods to keep your recliner from sliding on the wood floor. The cherry on the top is that these methods are inexpensive and quick fixes. They include:

  1. Use Non-Slip Rubber Grippers

Non-slip rubber grippers are an excellent way to stop your recliner on its tracks. They don’t require an adhesive to fix, so you shouldn’t worry about any sticky residue being left on the floor.

Moreover, they are not permanent. So, you will easily dispose of them when you decide to move the recliner to a carpeted area.

These small discs are specially made for furniture with legs. However, they can still work on a recliner with a metal frame instead of legs. You arrange the discs at the four corners of the metal framework.

  1. Non-Slip Rubber Pads

These rubber pads are specially made for area rugs, but they can also keep a recliner from sliding on a wood floor. Place one underneath your recliner and your problem will be solved.

These pads come in sheets and might protrude underneath the couch. However, they are re-sizeable.

Use a pair of scissors to trim the edges to an appropriate size to avoid it showing underneath the recliner.

  1. Corks

Using corks at each corner of your recliner is another effective way of stopping your recliner from sliding on a wooden floor. Just like rubber grippers, corks are non-permanent and non-adhesive. However, the corks are thicker than the grippers hence raising the recliner a bit higher.

We recommend that you buy pre-cut cork squares for your recliner. Also, ensure that the corks are slightly bigger than the metal framework for the chair to sit nicely on top.

The only downside of this method is that the recliner will sink into the corks with time. Although the sinking will not result in any kind of sliding, the chair may feel uneven.

  1. Small Mats

Unlike traditional sofas, you can’t see what’s underneath a recliner chair. You can take advantage of the hidden area by placing a small non-slip mat to keep your recliner from sliding.

The mat should be small enough to stay hidden underneath the chair but still, serve its intended purpose. It would be best if you also considered buying a mat that matches the recliner upholstery color or the floor color to catch the least attention even when the recliner is open.

How To Stop Recliner From Sliding On Carpet

Usually, a seat stays affixed on a carpeted floor when bought. However, some chairs, especially recliners, tend to slide when you sit.

The problem is not always with the recliner though. Your carpet could be too smooth, thus not providing much friction. On the other hand, most wooden legs tend to be coated. The coating makes them smooth and glossy, therefore unstable on a smooth carpet.

So, how do you stop the sliding?

There are two options to choose from. Both of these options require you to have some extra hands to help you flip your chair upside down. They are:

  1. Using Non-Slide Furniture Grippers

Non-slide grippers are your number one go-to solution if you want to stop your recliner from sliding on carpets. You can buy them in online stores or your local furniture store.

Moreover, they are not expensive. They cost anywhere between $5 and $20. They come in a variety of materials like plastic, rubber, softwood, among others. Before you make a purchase, ask the experts to recommend the best grippers for your type of carpet.

Usually, they come in a set of fours. All you have to do is attach one gripper to each of the chair’s legs. Ensure that the non-sliding part of the gripper faces the floor.

  1. Use Corks

Corks are another effective way of stopping your recliner from sliding on the carpet. Like grippers, they are cheap and can be bought at your nearest DIY store.

If you are a wine lover, you can use your old wine bottle corks. Use a hacksaw to cut them into thin rounds, and then use an adhesive to affix them on the bottom of your recliner’s legs.

Make sure you give the glue enough time to dry thoroughly before you flip your recliner back, or you may cause a new problem. The recliner legs could get glued to the carpet.

Additional Accessories and Features

You can implement some accessories on your recliner for more than an aesthetic purpose. For instance, you can have some pillows on the chair for added comfort. As long as your chair is comfortable, you will have no business getting up and down frequently. Hence, this will reduce the movement of the chair on the floor. All the same, make sure you get thick foam and attractive pillows that blend in with your theme.

Related: Best Ergonomic Recliner Chairs

What’s more?

When buying a recliner, consider getting one that has additional features. Such features include cup holders and side pockets for storage. With these extra features, you will have everything you need in place. So, you won’t need to keep getting your remote or reading materials, as well as your cup of coffee while enjoying a movie. Whatever type of recliner you need, we have different reviews that have recliners with unique additional features.

Moreover, you can have a side table near your recliner if your recliner doesn’t have extra features. The basic fact here is to minimize the number of times you get up and down the chair to reduce the movements on the floor.

Use of Anti-Skid Materials

Anti-slip grips are a great way to avoid unwanted recliner movements. Depending on the type of your recliner, you can have them come with the recliner as accessories, fixed, or you can separately purchase them.

Luckily, they are plenty in the market with affordable rates in case you are buying separately. Anti-skip materials include;

Rubber Grippers

The rubber grippers easily hold the floor without using any adhesive, which can stain the floor. Remarkably, these grippers are not permanent; hence you are free to remove them once you move your recliner to a deep carpeted area. They are mostly for furniture that rests on four legs but, a recliner rests on a metal framework rather than legs.

However, you can still arrange them on the four corners of the recliner’s framework. Better yet, you can opt to get the rubber sheets instead of the rubber grippers. These sheets or pads are easy to cut into a suitable size to place under your recliner. Ensure you set the pads well to avoid them showing beneath the base of the recliner.

Corks

If you are a wine-lover, you can use the bottle corks as your cost-effective solution to sliding recliners. Cut them into thin and round shapes and attach them to the chair feet.

Generally, corks are similar to rubber grippers because they are affordable, removable, and do not need adhesives to hold them in place. You can also get pre-cut corks in the hardware stores.

Conversely, a cork seems to be bigger than the rubber grippers. Bear in mind that this will rest your recliner in a higher position. With prolonged use, the chair can sink in the cork, causing it to slant on one side. This may cause an uncomfortable feeling of the chair when sitting on it unless the cork fell evenly.

Hardwood Protective Pads

For those with hardwood floors, you will need some peel and stick gripper pads. Fixing them is not as hard as you need to let the footrest go in then tip it on. In other cases, there may lack of chair feet. Instead, it would be best if you searched for metal bars present. Metal bars are in the framework of the chair on each side. For the swivel rocker recliners, the metal framework is a ring or circular style.

Place in the gripper pads on each foot. Ensure you maintain at least six placed along with either bars or circular bottom for sticking.

These protective pads perform an excellent job in preventing traction on hardwood floors. Hence, they significantly minimize the chance of recliner sliding on the hardwood floor. It would even be better if you chose a thick, robust, and high-quality pad that will not only stay tight under your chair but also offer a prolonged service.

However, be sure to check on them every so often to replace those out of shape.

Position Your Recliner Appropriately

Always ensure your recliner is in the correct position with enough space to recline. If not, opt for one of the best wall hugger recliners from our review, as this will be perfect even in a small house.

Otherwise, poor positioning of other types of recliners will enable the user to reposition to use it well. For instance, if your recliner is too close to a wall and has no space for reclining back, you will need to pull it forward to acquire enough room behind for reclining. Even the act of bumping into a wall while reclining may thrust it forward.

Also, avoid placing the recliner where people tend to use it as a passage. This will make them keep moving it to get enough space to move around freely. Furthermore, position your recliner concerning how you want to use it. If you want it for TV, have it in a great location where you can watch TV comfortably even when you are not sitting up. That way, you will avoid moving it to relocate it to a better position.

What You Should Not Use

Furniture feet and cups are standard products available in hardware or home enhancement stores. But there are those types you should not use on hardwood floors, such as the plastic cups. Generally, bare plastic has no grip and will not help prevent your recliner from moving or sliding around your space. Worse still, it will end up scratching your floor, leaving ugly and visible marks.

The bowl-like plastic cups will not work well on the recliner framework as they will be hard to maintain in position. Moreover, plastic is also not as vital to endure frequent use of the chair. It can most likely break or crack, leaving behind chips that can bruise your leg if not carefully collected for dumping.

If you live in a rental apartment, avoid using floor solutions with adhesive to retain your recliner in a standby position. Generally, do not use adhesive solutions on any floor as this will leave stains or tend to be a challenge removing when you want to move or even change your flooring.

Related guide: How to Remove Stubborn Stains From a Recliner

Wrapping Up

Apart from the annoying bit of a recliner moving or sliding carelessly, it can permanently dent your floors. Take action and save your precious floor. Using any of the above tips and tricks, you will ensure that moving and sliding nuisance never happens again.

Be creative and sit smart!

Author

  • Andrew Smith

    Andrew Smith is the founder of CozySeating, is a father of 2, and an engineer from one of the leading furniture stores in the country. Due to his 10 years of experience, he has proved to be the best person to offer advice to clients regarding different seating furniture based on their needs and performance. Besides, he is a specialist in product reviews and always keeps up with the current trends in the market.

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