How to Replace the Legs on an IKEA Karlstad Sofa

Written By
Irene A. Blake
Irene A. Blake
Published: Nov 9, 2011
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
2 minute read

Step 1

Remove any furniture or objects from behind your Karlstad sofa. If your sofa is close to a wall, pull it far enough away from the wall so you can tilt it on to its back to work on the legs.

Step 2

Lay a large canvas or plastic drop cloth or blanket on the floor behind your sofa and then tilt the sofa back on to the cloth or blanket. If you're dealing with a large Karlstad corner sofa, tilt the sofa on to one of its two back sides.

Step 3

Look at the bottom of one of the sofa legs to see the head of the bolt that secures the leg in place. Match a hex wrench from your set to the space in the bolt.

Advertisement

Step 4

Insert the wrench head into the space and then turn the bolt counterclockwise until you’ve unscrewed it completely. Pull the bolt from the leg and then pull the leg away from your sofa. Set the leg aside and then repeat this process to remove the other legs.

Step 5

Prepare the legs as needed. For example, if you’re using a Karlstad birch replacement legs, tap the included wooden dowel pegs halfway into the peg holes at the top of the legs with a mallet. If you’re using Karlstad aluminum legs, slide the included washers on to the included bolts.

Step 6

Align the first leg with a corner of the sofa. If you’re using a birch leg, align the top of the leg with one of the corners so that the peg on the leg aligns with the peg hole at the inside of the corner and the bolt hole on the leg aligns with the outer hole on the sofa. If you’re using an aluminum leg, align the corner of the top of the leg with the corner of the sofa and the bolt hole in the top with the bolt hole near the corner. The inside corner peg hole on the sofa isn't used with aluminum legs,

Advertisement

Step 7

Attach the first leg. If you’re using a birch replacement, enure the bolt hole is properly aligned, then tap the bottom of the leg gently with a rubber mallet to push the peg into the hole. Insert an included bolt into the bolt hole at the bottom of the leg and then turn the bolt clockwise with a hex wrench until you’ve secured the leg to the sofa. If you’re using an aluminum replacement, insert a bolt through the bolt hole at the top of the leg and then turn the bolt clockwise until the leg is secured.

Step 8

Repeat the alignment and attachment processes to replace the other legs as needed. When you're finished, lift your Karlstad sofa up on its new legs. Remove the drop cloth or blanket and return your sofa and other furniture to their original positions.

Tips

If you can’t pull an old leg from your Karlstad sofa after removing the bolt because the peg is stuck in the peg hole in the sofa, tap each side of the leg gently with a rubber mallet to loosen the peg and then pull the leg free.

Irene A. Blake

Based in Southern Pennsylvania, Irene A. Blake has been writing on a wide range of topics for over a decade. Her work has appeared in projects by The National Network for Artist Placement, the-phone-book Limited and GateHouse Media. She…

Sponsored
HomeSteady Logo

HomeSteady is the ultimate guide for all your household needs, from cleaning and HVAC to electrical, DIY and maintenance.

Property of TechnologyAdvice. © 2026 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.