One thing that will take a lot of the fun out of owning a recliner is if it moves around when you’re letting out the feet or bringing them in. It’s not only a good way to risk damaging the chair, but it also might cause damage to the floor.
Fortunately, there are things you can do to stop your recliner from sliding around. What you’ll want to do starts with knowing how recliners interact with different kinds of flooring.
We looked into the different things you can do to stop your recliner from sliding on different kinds of floors. It’s all collected in one place, so if you move your recliner from one kind to another, you can always come back to see what you can do to prevent your recliner from sliding.
In This Article We'll Discuss
How do I keep my recliner from sliding on carpet?
When it comes to recliners moving around, not all carpets are created equal. Deeper carpets tend to hold recliners in place better than low-pile carpets or carpets that are older and worn out.
You might not have a choice on what kind of carpet you put your recliner on when you purchase it. But, if you need to replace your carpet for whatever reason, you can buy a carpet with longer fibers to naturally create more friction between your recliner and your carpet.
If you have older carpet or carpet with shorter fibers, you will probably need to address the issue of sliding at your chair.
The easiest way is to make sure your recliner is placed where it can stretch out to its full length. That will prevent sliding from forcing people to move it to use it.
Beyond that, the most effective way to keep a recliner from sliding around on carpet is by adding non-skid materials to the bottom of the frame, or the feet if you have those.
In choosing a material, you’ll want to consider whether the foot might stain or stain the carpet. Black rubber might smudge light-colored carpet. Remember, you’re keeping the recliner in place through friction.
A good, neutral material to use is cork. You can either buy sheets of it, or you can cut thin strips from wine corks and glue those to the recliner’s bottom.
How do you keep a recliner from sliding on a tile floor?
It is common for furniture to slid around on a tile floor. Tile floors also tend to be a bit more durable than other choices, resistant to both damage and smudge. The worst you might get is scuff marks you need to buff out.
But you don’t want recliners sliding around. We get it. There are a few things you can do to minimize it.
The first is to position the chair where it can fold out on its own. That way, people don’t need to move it. Also, encourage proper use. Taking a running start and doing a long jump into a recliner will move it more than simply sitting in it.
You can also increase the friction on the bottom of the chair and the floor.
Grippers are a good way to do that. You can either purchase them or make them yourself. Soft rubber will create a lot of friction with minimal smudging. You can also glue cross-sections of cork to the bottom of your chair.
You can also use a non-skid mat. These are common to keep rugs and mats in place. Get one large enough for your recliner and trim it to size, big enough for the whole chair but small enough that you can hide it.
How do you keep a recliner from sliding on wood floors?
The first, best way to reduce a recliner from sliding around on a wood floor is to address use. Make sure the recliner is placed where it can unfold all the way, so people don’t have to move it to sit in it.
Also, try to discourage people from jumping or flopping into the chair. If they sit on the chair rather than launch themselves into it, it won’t move around as much.
That might only solve part of the problem. The rest of the solution is to create additional friction between the feet or frame of the chair and your wood floor.
There are a few materials you can use.
You can glue padding material to the frame where it contacts your floor. Some recliners will have proper feet, for others, it will just be metal bars. Choose padding that is thick enough to withstand use and also won’t smudge the floor.
Thin strips of cork work well for this. So do rubber ones specially designed for this purpose.
Another option is non-skid mats. These are available in a variety of sizes and are commonly used to keep rugs from sliding around on wood floors. Buy one of these and trim it to size, big enough to cover the entire chair frame but small enough that it is concealed.
How do you keep a recliner from sliding on vinyl floors?
Repairing vinyl flooring is expensive, so you don’t want a recliner that slides around. The more it moves, the greater the chance that it will damage your floor.
In fact, if you have a vinyl floor, you’ll want some kind of barrier between it and your furniture.
The most popular option is grippers that you place either on the feet of your recliner or on the part of the frame that touches the ground. Some are commercially available. Make sure you get a kind rated as safe for vinyl floors.
You can also make your own. We’d suggest doing a bit of research first to find a material that is safe to use. You might spare physical damage to your floor only to smudge it. Good, neutral rubber is acceptable.
Another option is to purchase either a dedicated furniture mat, either one your purchase or one you make yourself. You’ll want a material that won’t smudge your floor while protecting it from scratches.
If you make one, size it big enough to cover the entire frame but small enough that you can conceal it under the upholstery.
Conclusion
Knowing how to stop your recliner from sliding around starts with knowing how to do it on your particular kind of flooring. That will not only save you a little wear-and-tear on your recliner but it might also prevent a gouge in your floor.
We’ve collected tips for most kinds of floors here as a handy reference guide. Feel free to come back to it after you’ve moved your furniture around.
If you find our tips particularly insightful or have some yourself, feel free to leave a comment down below. We love to read what our readers have to say. You can also share it on your social media feeds.