Learning how to keep furniture from sliding on wood floors is important.
For one thing, it increases the enjoyment of the furniture itself. It’s frustrating when a beloved couch just won’t stay in the same spot. Having to stand back up and readjust the sofa can get annoying really fast.
Secondly, anchoring furniture keeps people safe. Although the chances are slim that one might get injured from an insufficiently anchored piece of furniture, it does happen. Many people, especially the elderly and/or infirm, have been injured by sofas or chairs that slide out from under them.
Third, it protects the furniture. A constantly sliding piece of furniture is bound to have stability problems that will crop up after many years of use and inadvertent slides.
Finally, knowing how to keep furniture from sliding on a wood floor helps protect the floor itself. Many a beautiful wooden floor has been scratched and scarred from a piece of furniture that slides and scuffs its way forward and back whenever somebody uses it.
Fortunately, the solutions one can employ to keep furniture from sliding on a wood floor are simple and easy. You’ll notice, though, that our little list does not include felt pads. While they can prevent scratches, they are less likely to prevent your furniture, especially chairs, sofas, couches, and love seats, from sliding.)
Protecting Wood Floors From Sliding Furniture
Furniture Grippers/Furniture Pads
Also called grippers, furniture grips, slip pads, or gripper pads, furniture pads are simple rubber pads in various shapes and sizes. You may need to experiment to find the right type of pads for your particular furniture and floor.
They work on just about any surface. And they can be especially effective on hardwood floors. Simply buy a set and place a mat under each corner or leg of your furniture.
Make sure you have some help installing them since you’ll need someone strong to hold the corner of the furniture aloft while you place the pad underneath. Be careful not to have the furniture fall on your fingers during installation.
Higher-quality pads contain no glues or sticky residues. The rubber stays in place because of the grid-like design. This increases surface friction.
You will need to keep the floor beneath the furniture clean, however. Even the grippiest grips can slide if there’s enough dust underneath the furniture.
Area Rug (Or Just a Rug)
Another low-tech solution that you may already have in your home: a rug! Some experts recommend placing the front legs of a piece of furniture on an area rug or throw rug to prevent the furniture from sliding. This can be especially effective for sofas and other types of seating.
As we know, however, a rug isn’t a foolproof method of keeping furniture from sliding on wood floors. In fact, as the buyers of furniture pads can attest, furniture legs sliding on carpet can be an everyday occurrence. And some pieces of furniture on a rug are just as liable to slip as those on wood floors or laminate floors.
But we’re discussing wood floors in this blog post. Try placing the legs of your furniture pieces on an area rug of sufficient thickness. To stop furniture from sliding, this would preferably be a rug that already has a rubber backing (i.e., a rug pad) that prevents slips and slides in the first place.
Leg Caps
These are plastic pieces with silicone bottoms that can be attached or screwed onto chair legs, couch legs, and other footed pieces of furniture. They’re an inexpensive and clever way to keep your stuff from sliding around a wood floor. However, they do take away from the appearance of the furniture. But if that’s not an important consideration, you might want to give them a try.
Stop Blocks
Thick blocks of material such as plastic or wood can help prevent furniture from sliding. These blocks are best utilized on sitting furniture that backs up to a wall. It can help protect your floor and the wall from scratches, dents, and scuffs.
Broadway Furniture in Tigard OR
Well, now that you know how to keep furniture from sliding on wood floors, maybe it’s time to think about upgrading your furniture!
Broadway Furniture has a wide selection of exceptional furniture from top manufacturers. We’re happy to help you find that perfect piece to round out your living room ensemble — or the perfect pieces to build an ensemble from scratch.
Just let us know how we can help you. We’re here when you need us, and we look forward to seeing you.
