Quck answer
To remove a recliner’s back, follow these steps:
1. Locate the release tabs on both sides of the recliner’s back.
2. Pull the tabs simultaneously towards you.
3. While holding the tabs, lift the back of the recliner upwards.
4. Gently rock the back from side to side to release it completely.
5. Once the back is detached, set it aside.
6. To reattach the back, align the metal brackets on the recliner’s base with the corresponding slots on the back.
7. Push the back firmly into place until you hear a click.
8. Test the recliner by leaning back to ensure the back is securely attached.
For any reason – whether you’re moving within the room, to another location in town, or even across the country – there may come a time when you need to remove the back of a recliner and then put it back on. Some recliners are part of a sofa, while others are standalone chairs. Most reclining chairs and sofas have the option to remove the back, making it easier to lift and move the furniture. Although the methods are generally the same, there may be slight differences depending on the manufacturer of the furniture. Some may have thumbscrews, locking tabs, or clips that need to be released before the back can be removed.
The Berkline Recliner
If you need to move your Berkline recliner to another room, you will have to remove the back in order to fit it through the door. Taking off the back makes it easier to carry and maneuver the chair.
- Move the chair or couch away from the wall and roll it forward onto its front lower panel.
- Peel the lower part of the upholstered fabric or leather away from the chair where it is attached with hook-and-loop tape.
- Fold it across the back of the chair to reveal the chair’s mechanism.
- Look for metal tabs or thumb screws located halfway between the arms and lower part of the chair.
- Turn the thumbscrews counterclockwise to remove them.
- For chairs equipped with metal locking tabs, firmly hold the tabs and push them forward while pulling the bottom half of the chair back to unlock the mechanism.
- Lift the back straight up and off the chair. You may need to gently rock it back and forth to slide the back off the brackets.
La-Z-Boy Back Removal
La-Z-Boy recliners have a lockable back that can be easily removed once you know the steps. The process requires a flat-headed or slotted screwdriver. Recliners with loose upholstery have hook-and-loop tape that keeps the upholstered back attached to the chair base.
- Roll the chair forward onto its front to make the back more accessible and away from the wall.
- Detach both sides of the strip at the bottom to access the back.
- Inspect the internal part of the chair to locate the brackets that lock the chair back on either side near the arms.
- Use the screwdriver to pull the levers that lock the mechanism between the back of the chair and the back of the arm – on both sides of the chair.
- Roll the chair back into its upright position.
- Grasp the top of the chair back on both sides and gently lift it off the chair.
- You may need to slightly rock the chair back from side to side to remove the brackets from their tracks.
Simmons Reclining Chair or Couch
With the Simmons reclining couch or chair in the fully upright position, creating enough space to access the back of the couch or chair, lift up the upholstered fabric from the bottom where it is attached with hook-and-loop tape.
- Take the fabric and roll it up and over the back of the chair to get it out of the way.
- Using a slotted or flat-headed screwdriver, release the tabs that are holding the back of the chair in place.
- Once the tabs are released, pull up on the chair back to remove it from the brackets. You may need to lift one side first and then the other, moving the chair back up the brackets before it can be fully removed.
- Make sure to align the brackets on the chair back with the brackets on the bottom half of the chair when reinstalling. This may require some maneuvering to ensure the brackets are evenly lined up, as one set of brackets may slide in or over the other depending on the manufacturer.
- After sliding the back into place, secure it by adding thumbscrews or adjusting levers or tabs.
