helping friend move couch.... stuck.

[Brandon]

Was trying to help a friend last night move a couch I gave them into his new house. Only problem for us is the front door (porch) is to narrow. And if you were to get it in, there is a wall about 3 feet behind the door. If you come in from the garage there is a wall 3 feet maybe 3.5 feet behind that door. We have tried to stand it on end and raise it through the door but that did not seem to work.

Anyone have any ideas? There are no feet on the bottom that come off, it's a metal frame /dual recliner. We've also tried compressing the cushions but that got us no where.

Also there are no back doors or huge windows either.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Sometimes the square peg just doesn't fit in the round hole.

i've seen movers twist things through openings that shocked me but sounds like you've looked at the geometry well enough on this.

do you have a metal reciprocating saw and a friend who wants a sectional?

 

[Mark 1911]

Sometimes taking the door off it's hinges and carefully taking the hinges and molding off the frame will give enough clearance. If that doesn't work, and there are no other door or window openings you can use, then you may be out of luck. Always a good idea to take measurements of your access points before buying furniture.

 

[metaldog]

Is the problem getting through the door, or past the 3' wall? If doorway is wide enough, but couch wont clear the door, I suggest knock the hinge pins out & remove the door from frame. Not sure in regard to the wall, other than taking it out.

Tryin to help....

 

[Brandon]

We did think of that! I just don't see how people could design a house as poorly as this.

 

[Brandon]

This was a couch that was given to him. Recently single father of 2 trying to start a new life.
We took the door off the hinges, getting it through the door is the easy part. It's the wall(s) that are stopping us.

 

[dave29]

Sometimes the "backs" of the recliners can be removed on those couches. I have had 2 that were removable and 1 that wasn't. Might be worth checking that if you haven't already.

 

[Brandon]

*Not drawn to scale

 

[Brandon]

we did not check this... If I remember correctly I have checked this in the past and it did not work.

 

[kawtech87]

Can you diasasemble the couch in anyway at all? Take feet off, take the back off anything?

We had a futon that was assembled in the room it was in. We never thought of having to take it out of the room until it was time to move it. We had to completey disasemble it and reasemble it in the new location.

On couches they are a bit more dificult to take apart but it can be done. You may have to remove a bit of upholstry to see the assembly screws but they are there. You should beable to disasemble the whole couch without tearing much if any fabric. I guaruntee you it wasnt upholstered in one piece you just have to figure out how the pieces fit then remove them.

 

[Brandon]

No feet, I asked him to check if he has time today to see if the back will come off. If so I think that would solve the problem

 

[jetmechG550]

Friends - Pivot! - YouTube

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

If you have double hung windows, you might be able to take both sashes out the work the couch in that way.

You said you tried by turning the couch on end...did you try it from both ends and/or by starting with both sides of the couch going through the door first?

This is tough to do without being there....

One time, I had to move a couch and to get it in the only vehicle we had (an old Honda Accord hatchback), we had to saw off one of the unremovable legs. We reattached it with double threaded bolts (the term escapes me at the moment) when we got it to its destination.

 

[Brandon]

We stood it upright or pretty close to it so it would fit height wise through the door.
Thought about the windows, they are double hung, but there are 2 side by sides with a non removable piece in between them.
(Had this idea because this is how I moved my pool table in/out of my apartment years ago)

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I would seriously look into gently removing some of the upholstery and then work on partial disassembly.

Set of wrenches / sockets and some Mechanix gloves (to protect from upholstery staples!) and you may be good to go.

-J-

 

[CountryBoy19]

This is tough to do without being there....

Looks like we're all heading to Brandon's friends place to take a look at the situation then...

We stood it upright or pretty close to it so it would fit height wise through the door.
Thought about the windows, they are double hung, but there are 2 side by sides with a non removable piece in between them.
(Had this idea because this is how I moved my pool table in/out of my apartment years ago)

If I follow this right you're saying that standing straight up and down it will fit in the door but won't make the turn down the hall? Thats one huge couch or one narrow hallway... I assume you tried it both ways (back first and bottom first) when standing upright? Often times they will fit one way but not the other.

 

[karl77]

would tip the couch up on one end, then walk in in sideways with the upper arm in first.


worst case, call some movers and have a guy come out and see if he can get it inside.

 

[Mark 1911]

We stood it upright or pretty close to it so it would fit height wise through the door.
Thought about the windows, they are double hung, but there are 2 side by sides with a non removable piece in between them.
(Had this idea because this is how I moved my pool table in/out of my apartment years ago)

How old are the windows? It's not that difficult to replace the 2 side by sides with one large assembly (could still be 2 side by sides in one large pre-assembled frame). I just helped one of my friends do this at his house. Upgrading windows is always a nice touch, and its really not that bad of a job if you know how. Once the old windows were out you could easily move the couch in through the opening. For that matter, you could even put the old ones back in if you didn't want to buy a new one. A little work, but really not that bad - especially if you know any carpenters. Just trying to help.

 

[Trigger Time]

The house probably wasn't built with that wall right behind the door. Someone most likely built it after living there tohave privacy when the door was open. My recommendation: tear down the wall.

 

[Brandon]

windows are pretty new, and money is very very tight right now...