How to Move a Recliner by Yourself?

Contents

1 How to Move Heavy Furniture?
2 How to Move a Reclining Chair Upstairs?
3 How to Move a Recliner Chair Through a Narrow Door?
- 3.1 Here is how you can move an assembled recliner

Whether you are rearranging or relocating, moving a recliner chair by yourself can be a little tricky.

The first thing to do is being honest with yourself about your own limits. While it may look simple to just drag your sofa or other big piece of furniture to its new place, this might not be the case.

Often, the best thing to do is to hire professional movers or at least ask a friend of family member for help. If, however, you decide to still go at it alone, planning is your best friend.

You have three priorities. Not to injure yourself, not to damage the recliner, and not to scratch any surfaces along the way. With this in mind, scout the entire route from where the chair is now all the way to the new location.

Related: The Best Recliners Reviewed

Make sure there are no slippery surfaces you can lose your balance on. The last thing you want is slipping and having a huge furniture landing on you while alone. Remove small rugs or carpets that can slide along the way.

Measure the doorways or narrow turns to make sure your recliner fits through in one piece. If its too wide you will have to take it apart before moving it.

Wrap the legs of the recliner in paper or rugs and secure them with tape. You might also want to cover sensitive surfaces such as leather upholstery to avoid stains and scratches.

Related: The Top Power Recliners

If you do need to take the recliner apart, make sure you document the process with your phone and follow the steps we have detailed in this article. It should be much easier to move big furniture items in pieces.

If you opt to move the recliner in one piece, use one of the recommended methods from the next section.

How to Move Heavy Furniture?

Moving heavy furniture from point A to point B can be sweaty business with a real chance of foot, hand, or back injury. Unless you use one of the methods we have collected from professional movers.

Make use of furniture sliders

You can use furniture sliders and they are readily available in the market. They come in many different sizes and materials based on the surface you need to use it on. For example, if you are moving heavy items through a carpeted area you will need a different slider than if you need to move it across grass to the garden shed.

Ask the specialist in the store to recommend you the right kind of slider.

Use shoulder dollies

Dollies are lifting straps that are connected to your shoulders. They are great because they help take-off weight from your back. Besides, the straps leave your hands free so that you can handle awkward items.

It’s not advisable to use dollies when moving heavy furniture up or down the stairs. This is because the weight of the item usually shifts to the person on the bottom.

Use moving blankets

Feel free to use moving blankets instead of sliders to safeguard your furniture during a move. Blankets work the same way as sliders, but you have to place the blanket under the furniture. Once everything is set, you just need to pull the blanket towards the direction you want. This technique is better than lifting up the whole thing.

Hoisting

Hoisting is definitely not a good idea if doing it with your buddies. Lifting your heavy furniture with ropes through the balcony can lead to serious injuries or damages to your property. This technique should always be done by professionals who have the skills and the right tools. Hoisting is usually done by an experienced operator with the help of a crane.

How to Move a Reclining Chair Upstairs?

Moving your recliner chair upstairs will require quite some effort as well as a set of extra hands. Also, you will need advance planning since the reclining chair is large and bulky. You will want to move the chair safely without damaging anything along the way.

Find one or two friends to help you and plan every action prior to moving to avoid delay or confusion especially if going through a corner. Follow the steps below if planning to move your recliner chair upstairs:

Step 1: The first thing you should do is to measure the width of your chair, staircases, and doorways. The width of the chair should be smaller than that of the staircase and doorways.
Step 2: Plan your intended route and then remove any obstruction such as shoes, toys, or any other item.
Step 3: If your recliner is very heavy and bulky, remove the back of the recliner to reduce its weight. Place the screws and bolts in different bags to avoid confusion when reassembling. Transfer the pieces upstairs.
Step 4: If your recliner cannot be dismantled, first lock it in the upright position and then wrap it with a plastic furniture wrap or blanket. If you wrap with a blanket, secure it with a rope to prevent it from popping out.
Step 5: Move a hand truck under the chair’s back and then tilt the chair. Request your helper to lift the front. Walk slowly towards the staircase and then lift the truck up while your helper pushes the front. Take one step at a time as your wheel your chair backwards.
Step 6: Once you reach your desired location, tilt the recliner to an upright position and then slide out the truck. Unwrap the recliner.

How to Move a Recliner Chair Through a Narrow Door?

Narrow doorways can post a major challenge while moving furniture around. Recliners have the added challenge of being heavy due to the reclining mechanism inside.

If you can, opt for taking the recliner apart and move it through the narrow door in pieces. Follow the steps below to move a recliner in one piece.

Moving a recliner chair through a narrow door

Here is how you can move an assembled recliner

Step 1: Start by removing the hinges and the door to create more space. Wrap the chair with a large blanket and secure it with a rope.
Step 2: Take a ratchet strap and slide it under the moving parts of the chair. Use the strap to wrap around the back and front of the recliner. Make sure it is tight to prevent the chair from reclining.
Step 3: Take measurements of the length, width, and height of the recliner chair.
Step 4: Take measurements of the doorway and compare them with the dimensions of the recliner. Try different angles when moving through the doorway until the chair can easily squeeze through without the use of excessive force. Take care not to rip off the fabric or damage the door jamb.

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Grant Moore

Grant is the main voice behind Massage Chair Hero, an avid tester and user of all massage and health-related home devices. In his spare time, he enjoys reading and baking healthy desserts. You can find out more about him here.