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Why is my sofa creaking when I sit down?

By Jeff Frank

Question:

I bought a Febe sofa from the Brick but had to return it twice. The frame creaked when I sat down. Why is my sofa creaking? How do I know what to look for to get a couch that won’t break in two days?

Mar. 25, 2021

Answer:

Sofa creaking is not usually a problem, even with inexpensive sofas.

You did not specify whether you received the same sofa twice or two different sofas. Febe is a Canadian brand. It is basically generic furniture, similar to many low cost sofas imported from China. There are many more common complaints with this type of seating than sofa creaking.

  • The biggest complaint about this type of furniture is that the cushions get noticeably softer within one year and may be completely worn out within 3 – 5 years.
  • The other problem with this particular brand is that the frame is made from OSB (Oriented Strand Board). This the lowest cost type of engineered wood it is possible to use, significantly cheaper than plywood.
OSB does not hold staples or other fasteners very well. Normal use can cause staples to come loose or the OSB board can simply break. Staples can also loosen due to rough handling during shipping. Loose frame joints can cause creaking noises.
  • OSB board is available in various thicknesses and qualities. My suspicion is that the OSB used in this sofa is at the lower end. Also, there is very little (or no) reinforcement for the joints. The reason for this suspicion is that you have a 100 inch sofa that weighs 95 lbs.
  • Similarly styled sofas, made with 7/8″ thick plywood frames (the basic standard for furniture in this price category,) with supporting corner blocks or other frame reinforcement, will weigh 115 – 130 lbs.

As an example, another sofa sold by the Brick, The Designed2Be Felix sofa is a similar style and similar price. It is only 93″ long but weighs 127 lbs. That is more in line with what should be expected in this price range.

The Brick does have an excellent reputation for customer service. They are better than most large retail chains at accepting returns for defective or damaged furniture.

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