So you have been sifting through some of the best upholstery varieties.
You had specifically been shopping for mid-century furniture that distinctly suits just about any space in a living room interior.
Later, you started online scouting and eventually landed on the West Elm leather sofa, assuming it would fit all of your needs… It could be perfect!
Well, we’re delighted to hear that you found an ideal piece, finally!
Here’s the step by step guide on changing legs of west elm leather sofa
The heavenly leather sofa collection of West Elm is well known for it’s mix of sleek frame and plush cushioning. All sofas are factory-made and ready to move.
Simply wait for the delivery and roll your sleeves up to set the sofa as per the room’s specifications. The overall experience is good.
But, the real frustration comes when one wishes to make some custom changes into this living room upholstery. As such, most customers run into a clash with the couch legs. They are too thin and break easily.
How can replacement couch legs be accomplished in such cases? That must be your question too. But don’t worry, because this guide is here for your help.
Different types of leather couches at West Elm and their features
Before we head to the replacement of couch legs, it’s necessary to identify the type of leather couch you have.
West Elm produces some of the most premium-looking vegan leather sofa sets that carry a soft and luxe feel from outside but are built extremely durable from inside.
Each leather sofa by West Elm carries almost the same traits, except for the design and overall concept. In short, there are a few basic types of couches you can find in stores. Take a look at the features of each now.
West Elm primarily sells four types of leather couches.
Top–Grain
The West Elm couch variety is slightly more refined in appearance. The even surface is basically the result of tanning on hide. The buffing treatment also imparts a silky smooth texture to the sofa. Legs are frequently angled in these sofas, necessitating the need for West Elm couch leg replacement.
Aniline
It’s worth noting that it utilizes vegan leather for its leather upholsteries. Given that, the product you receive mainly passes through a treatment to get a natural-like glow. However, West Elm couch repair is difficult on leather sofas such as Aniline.
The specific style has textures of original hide that completely cover the back and seat of the sofa, unlike all other types. Thus, any wear and tear can lead to a big crisis. The main issue is that the majority of West Elm’s furniture is aniline.
Semi–Aniline
If you seek a more even option with a uniform finish, perhaps semi-aniline suits you. But rather than plain, you should look for West Elm Chesterfield as well. Leather chairs in this design are quite famous at the furniture store.
Pigment–Dyed
The dyed version can also be found in West Elm’s Anton leather sofas. The sofa set is buffed and sanded for uniform coloring. With a protective coating layer, the sofa aims to stand the test of time. But the coloring can fade in a couple of years. Especially if you have kids in your family, you must prepare for expenses on repairs.
Methods for Selecting the Correct Type of Couch and Sofa Legs for Your House
Folks often make a similar mistake and later end up with custom changes to the sofa set. If you don’t want to replace West Elm couch legs or encounter other repair issues, follow this step-by-step guide. It will help you make a wise selection for the couch and sofa legs to ensure you don’t make a wrong move. Without further ado, jump to the topic.
Choose the finest material first:
As far as possible, start your hunt with the material selection. Choose only the finest quality over anything random served on the screen. West Elm mainly deals in four varieties of leather: top grain, aniline, semi-aniline, and pigment dyed. Each of these leather sofa styles has its own pluses and minuses. Thus, it is vital to check them first.
The overall layers of the sofa seek durability to hold weight and accidental meet with sharp and pointy objects. So make sure you don’t miss out on this point for a great shopping experience.
Be Mindful about the Frame:
There’s no need to ask the manufacturer about opening the sofa and showing the inside. For this purpose, you can simply look at the curves and overall design of the item. Such as, if you are looking for a leather armchair at West Elm, look at its curves. The overall framing must not be thin, as sofas tend to degrade over time. You may face a longevity issue with the product if you ignore this principle. However, that’s a wholly different story if your sofa is entirely metal-built.
Take Measurements:
It’s necessary to ascertain the ideal size. Too big size will end up covering a large space of your room. So try to not let those visuals have a big influence on you. You can choose between a single, two-seat, or three-seat sofa set with less fluff if you are short on space. But if you don’t have much space in your living rooms, you can go with a West Elm leather sleeper sofa or sectional sofa.
Remember the Padding:
The sofa must be well padded, and the hide must be properly treated for a leather-like feel. Else, it can end up looking like a plastic sofa, with no meaning to serve into the luxury-profile of your living room. Even if you are buying a West Elm recliner couch, padding can’t be missed. Another thing to note is the stitches. The entire surface of the sofa must be well-locked. However, if the leather sofa is made of high-quality materials, the problem should not arise.
Evaluate the Arm and Legs:
The West Elm Haven sofa legs and arms are a priority. Too curvy arms and too curvy foot can call for repairs soon. It will not transfer pressure from top to bottom as uniformly as required. A person or child sitting on it can even invite injury. The weight must be equally balanced by both arms and legs to ensure it does not fall into your living room. However, going with straight arms doesn’t make sense; they can be readily damaged from the side pressure. Thus, a little curve is essential to diversify the weight of the item.
Sofa Leg Repairing Methods:
Problems aren’t time-bound, however. If the sofa legs have been detached or damaged, no worries. These are some basic repair methods that you can try.
Look whether they are detachable:
Most leather sofas feature detachable sofa legs. So look to see if the manufacturer has provided detachable legs in the upholstery. But it’s vital to first note down the type of legs provided in the sofa chair. Most sofas feature a metal bracket installed right under the arm-side bottoms. If the legs are shaking a little bit, perhaps a screw driver would be good enough. If the leg is completely detached, make another dig to find the problem.
Perhaps the metal bracket is no longer supporting the whole structure. Normally, screws supporting holes in the sofa’s frame lose their hold. Thus, you may be required to purchase another bracket. So take the measurement and buy it.
Screw Off or Chop Off:
If the legs are detachable with a screwdriver, it should not take too much of your time or effort. But if they are glued to the sofa frame, you will have to seek help from a sawing machine then. To remove the West Elm sofa legs from the sofa, you may need to cut them. But be cautious with those thin shark-metal blades. Move the grinding wheel on the legs and cut the piece off from the sofa set. Be careful with the fabric, too.
Buy a Suitable Leg & Bracket:
Now that you have detached the leg from the upholstery, it’s time to get a leg and a bracket from the market. However, you can even buy a metal-based leg that is more durable and lasts a lifetime. But that’s also optional because similar durability is possible with wooden-based legs.
The only thing you must pay proper attention to is the bracket and the holding potential of the sofa frame. Try to avoid screwing up the bracket in a similar location. Use plastic fillers to ensure the bracket stays there and provides solid support to the leg.
Setup and testing:
Once after you set up the whole structure for legs, install and test whether the sofa is ready to use or still need some fixes. You can do repairs on your own if it is a two- or three-seat set. For a West Elm vegan leather sectional sofa, you must seek a helping hand.
You can better watch this tutorial to learn the whole process in no time.
FAQs
Does West Elm sell replacement parts?
No. West Elm doesn’t sell replacement parts. Most customers have even expressed their concern to the brand regarding this matter, asking what they will do in the event of damage. But no updates have come from the brand so far.
What is the West Elm sofa price range?
The price range of a West Elm sofa starts at $1000. But even that depends on the sofa category. Most leather sofas are available at a price range above $1700. The price goes even higher if you opt for a bigger size with more details.
Can I change the color of my leather couch without changing the whole sofa?
Of course you can change the leather couch color and it will not affect the whole appearance of your sofa as well. It happens through a special dye treatment that can transform a sofa from black to white, white to black, or any other desired color.
How do I stop my old leather sofa from cracking or sagging?
A sofa set degrades over time. Like humans, furniture also ages. But with some good care, you can slow down this process as well. For this purpose, keep your furniture away from heat or windows. Regular conditioning of a sofa set might prevent cracking and dryness. Still, avoid frequent use of liquid application as it tends to affect the natural glow of the whole item.
How much does a replacement cost?
Sofa replacement can cost anywhere between $850 and $2500. However, cost is also determined by the feature that seeks replacement. Similarly, the quality of the item you want to replace your old one with may influence the final price.
What is the policy on replacement?
The replacement policy covers a time period since the purchase date or delivery date of the product. Only within this period replacement will be acceptable by the brand or manufacturer. But some terms and conditions also apply. Most brands accept replacements for damaged products, but most don’t. You can also replace your couch covers provided with the sofa itself.
Will my furniture fit my house?
Well, if you are choosing oversized furniture for your medium-sized living room, issues may arise. Hence small size or medium sized furniture are fairly great deal.
Is it possible to have in-house delivery?
Of course. Brands like West Elm are delivering small to large-size upholstery right to people’s homes. But comparatively, it is expensive. Still, it provides you the opportunity to get an item at your convenience or get it exactly as you saw it online.
Conclusion
Finally, you have learned the overall replacement process for West Elm leather sofa legs. Though the issue had no chance of arriving if you had made the wisest selection and followed this guide. Still, if a mistake has happened, do not worry. Follow the steps as given in this guide and get your West Elm leather sofa back into good working condition.
But be cautious with the hide, color, and detailing while repairing it on you
