Move a Sofa Bed Up or Down Stairs

If you have ever had a sofa bed you know how daunting a task it is to relocate it, especially up or down stairs. As the owner and operator of a junk removal service, Haul-a-Way, we encounter this type of problem on a routine basis. Most of our customers are amazed at how simple and easy it is to move a sofa bed up, and in my line of work mainly, down stairs. This article explains how we move the sofa bed down stairs, but this can be applied to moving it up stairs.

Steps

  1. Clear a path. Make sure that the path you will utilize to move the sofa bed is or will be clear of all obstructions. Also take note of low ceilings or extremely narrow passages. Use a measuring tape, if available, to measure the width and heights of these obstacles and compare them against the dimensions of the sofa.
  2. Have a plan of action. Make sure you and your moving partner are clear about what you will be doing so you can synchronize your actions to make the move more efficient and less likely to hurt anyone. Discuss and rehearse the movement for the areas that may cause a potential problem in moving the sofa.
  3. Remove the mattress and pillows. To lighten the load, remove the mattress. This can usually be done by fully extending the sofa bed to its bed position. On the underside you will notice fabric ties connected to the mattress and then knotted around the frame. Untie each of the ties and move the mattress to an area out of the way. Once this is complete, fold the frame back into the sofa. Do not replace any of the pillows or cushions.
  4. Tie off the frame. You will want to tie off the metal frame in order to prevent it from unfolding while you are moving the sofa bed. To do this you will need a rope approximately {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length. In the front of the sofa, where one would sit and around the center tie the mattress to the front of the sofa bed. If this is not available you can tie the mattress to the back or the arms of the sofa.
  5. Lay sofa bed on its back. Now you will want to lay the cardboard on the ground and lay the back of the sofa bed on to the cardboard. At this point you may decide to use the rope to secure the sofa bed to the piece of cardboard. If you have furniture dollies you can set the sofa on them after you have secured the sofa on the cardboard.
  6. Remove the feet. If possible remove the feet of the sofa to ease its passage through doors. If this is not possible, skip to next step.
  7. Move the sofa through the door. Slide the sofa on its back on the cardboard (and furniture dollies) to the first door. If the feet are removed it should narrowly pass right through. If not, you may have to angle it such that each set of feet pass through.
  8. Move the sofa down the stairs. Remove the furniture dollies, if you have them. Slide the sofa forward while holding down pressure on the side furthest from the stairs. The sofa will begin to tilt downwards as it is moved forward. Slowly allow the sofa to lay on the stairs. Move the sofa until it is completely on the stairs. The person furthest down the stairs will need to make sure the cardboard does not catch on the stairs and direct the person highest on the stairs of when to push. The cardboard reduces the friction between the sofa and the stairs, thus making the stairs an easy obstacle to deal with. If the stairs corner or change direction, as in a flight of stairs, you will need to stand the sofa up on one of its ends (the arms). Then walk it, that is to say move it as though it were walking by sliding one side then the other, to the next flight of stairs such that the cardboard is facing the side of the stairs. Slowing lay the sofa down on the stairs. One person will need to guide the sofa down while ensuring that it does not slip while the other person will need to use their hands over their head to ease the sofa back down on the stairway slope. Repeat this step until the sofa is completely down the stairs.
  9. Continue sliding the sofa. Slide the sofa, or replace the furniture dollies and roll, to its desired location.

Tips

  • You can use straps with the winching capability to strap the couch to the cardboard. This makes sure that nothing slips loose.
  • It is very helpful to have a couple of furniture dollies, if possible. They generally only cost $15.00 and are very useful for other projects.
  • If you don't have cardboard, use an old carpet dinner without a rubberized back or turn it over and slide on carpet side.

Warnings

  • You will need at least two people to perform this type of move. Otherwise you risk injury to yourself.
  • Back braces are also recommended to prevent serious back injury.

Things You'll Need

  • A rope approximately {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length. However, additional rope may be needed depending on sofa bed type.
  • A piece of cardboard slightly bigger (4 inches on each side) as the back of the sofa bed. It does not have to be anything special but it does need to be the same type that is used in boxes. i.e. a box that a tv might come in.

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