How To Keep Furniture From Sliding On Hardwood Floors
If there’s anything more aggravating than having to pull your pillow out from between your bed and the wall, it’s having to do it again and again.
If this sounds familiar, then you have a bed that tends to slide on the hardwood floor every time you climb into or out of it.
Besides ruining a good night’s sleep, your runaway bed is damaging your hardwood floor.
Similarly, when a couch or sofa shimmies away from the coffee table, the floor underneath it becomes damaged even if only somewhat. But if this piece of furniture is enjoyed by a large family, the damage can be five or sixfold.
When a piece of furniture slides on a wood floor, it might not necessarily leave a scuff or a scratch on your hardwood floor, but it could leave four of them.
When furniture slides on hardwood floors repeatedly, the result is a floor that’s been continually scraped and scuffed. Not pretty.
Furniture That Should Slide On Hardwood Floors
On the other hand, furniture that doesn’t slide can also damage a hardwood floor. The feet of chairs, stools, and ottomans can really do a number on a wood floor if they don’t slide easily.
Many people who encounter a chair or a stool that doesn’t slide easily, simply resort to dragging instead of lifting if off the floor to move it. Once seated, they skip and drag the chair or stool closer to the table or bar. Again, your hardwood floor takes a beating.
The solutions for these types of furniture (and these types of people) are discussed in another post.
How To Keep Furniture From Sliding On Hardwood Floors
Specifically,
• Beds
• Sofas/couches
• Reclining chairs
How to Keep Your Bed From Sliding On Hardwood Floors
1. Rugs
When wood floors were first installed in homes hundreds and hundreds of years ago, rugs were used to keep cold air from coming in through the floorboards. A rug placed under and around the bed helped to ensure that the bed’s occupants stayed warm at night.
The rug also ensured that the bed’s occupant would set his/her feet on it instead of a cold floor upon rising daily.
Very little has changed since that time except that beds now sit atop wheeled bed frames. The wheels are the part of the bed that rests on the rug. When the wheels at the foot of a bed have a rug under them, the bed is far less likely to slide.
For the non-traditionalists and the less conventional, there are other ways to keep a bed from sliding on hardwood floors.
2. Caster Cups
Caster cups are made of rubber or silicone. Most are available in black and brown. They’re usually sold in sets of four that range in price from $8.00 to $20.00.
Simply lift the corner of the bed so that the caster is up high enough from the floor to slide the caster cup underneath it.
3. Caster Stops
The manufacturers of No-Lift caster stops claim to have the patent on them. What’s unique about these is that unlike a caster cup that is placed underneath the caster, this U-shaped device is placed on the floor, around the caster, and then squeezed or pinched snug.
Because no lifting is involved, these caster stops also seem to present a good way to assemble the bed frame itself.
Available in black or brown, a set of four caster stops sells for $12.95
Here is a caster stop that we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/iPrimio-Black-Bed-Furniture-Stopper/dp/B07215FC8N/
4. Bed Risers
Bed risers are a lot like caster cups, but taller. They’re made of various different materials such as wood, abs plastic, or steel. These are available in various heights, colors, and finishes.
Bed risers equipped with electric outlets and USB ports are available as well.
It’s important to keep in mind that taller bed risers create the need for a customized bed skirt as they cause standard-length bed skirts to fall short of the floor.
However, for anyone who wants their bed to accommodate a specific headboard, bed risers are a very handy solution.
Here is a bed riser that we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Risers-Power-Outlet-Ports/dp/B0883F3DSD/
How To Keep A Couch From Sliding On a Hardwood Floor
1. Coaster Cups
Each couch foot slips into one of these rubber “boxes”. The edges of each coaster cup keeps the foot secured to the rubber pad. When measuring for size, it’s better to buy coaster cups that are a bit too large. If they’re too small, the couch foot won’t fit inside the cup at all. This solution is for sofas and couches that aren’t perched on irregularly shaped feet.
Here is a coaster cup that we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Furniture-Caster-Cups-Pcs-Anti-Sliding/dp/B08JM6KMCJ/
2. Rubber Bumpers
These pads are screwed to the underside of each couch foot. Thus, the solution is relatively obscure. The pad’s pre-drilled hoses are set up to countersink the screws that are included with the purchase. Only the rubber is exposed to the floor.
Rubber bumpers are available in various sizes. For those who don’t mind putting in the effort, these are an excellent choice to keep your couch from sliding on hardwood floors.
Here is a rubber bumper that we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Medium-Rectangular-Rubber-Feet-Bumpers/dp/B00S4E7OOO/
3. Caster Cups
If there are casters on your couch or sofa, you can remove them and set them aside, but this won’t necessarily keep your couch or sofa from sliding.
In this case, depending on whether the casters were screwed into feet or the couch’s frame, you might still want to consider coaster cups or rubber bumpers.
If you decide to keep the casters in place, your options are the same as the options for beds. But there aren’t a lot of decorator options among caster cups and if your couch or sofa isn’t skirted, the look might be unacceptable.
4. Risers
Most bed risers are appropriate for use on couches. Some are surprisingly good looking and let’s not forget that some are available with outlets and USB ports.
How To Keep A Recliner From Sliding On Hardwood Floors
Most reclining chairs rest on a pair of long rails that are braced together. This creates a platform of sorts so that the chair can recline while the rails (in theory) remain in place.
However, depending on what the rails themselves rest on, reclining chairs don’t always stay in place.
This is especially the case when the recliner is located in a room with a hardwood floor. When someone first sits in the chair and when they get up from it, the chair tends to slide backward on the hardwood floor each time.
Finally, when the chair has shimmied so far that the wall behind it prevents it from reclining; someone will drag the chair forward again. This process continues as the hardwood floor also continues to get the living daylights knocked out of it.
Ultimately, when someone decides the chair has seen better days, they discover that the hardwood floor’s better days ended a few thousand slips and slides ago.
This doesn’t have to happen!
1. Non-Adhesive Rubber Strips
Okay, so they’re a little pricey, and lining them up is tough, but these grips will work. The rubber is soft enough to give to the rails as the rails settle into it.
These strips are only available in three lengths. If your recliner’s rails are between lengths, opt for the longer and cut down to size.
Here is a non-adhesive rubber strip that we recommend: https://www.amazon.com/Stay-Furniture-Recliners-Grippers-Anti-Slip/dp/B07W68CK34/
2. Fitness Equipment Mats
Made of pure non-pvc rubber, these equipment mats are intended for all flooring types. You’ll need to cut one to size. Instead of cutting two strips for the rails, you might want to consider cutting a single, large piece so the edges fit just inside the shell of your reclining chair. It might be a little unsightly when the chair is in a reclined position, but it won’t be seen at all when the chair is closed.
The Most Important Thing To Remember
Of course, it’s important to implement solutions to keep furniture from sliding on hardwood floors. But overlooking the little things that should be routine can also take their toll.
- Lift that cardboard box of Christmas ornaments instead of dragging it.
- Wipe your shoes before entering the house
- Clip your dog’s nails
- Use a floor vacuum (or your vacuum’s flooring attachment) instead of moving dust and dirt across your wood floor with a broom or dustmop.
Compared to other flooring types, hardwood floors can be far more forgiving. With a little care and planning, yours can last for generations.
Know any cool tricks to keep furniture from sliding on wood floors? Please share. If you have pics to go with it, share these too!
