IKEA Hack: Join Two Poäng Chairs into a Sofa

DIY IKEA hacks have skyrocketed in popularity. These furniture ideas are often relatively simple, so they suit even novice DIY and upholstery crafters. While many hacks focus on storage units, the straightforward construction of IKEA furniture makes their armchairs and seats ideal to re-craft and upcycle. The IKEA Poäng chair, for example, can easily be reupholstered to suit your taste, or joined to another to make a small sofa or large armchair. If you'd like a matching project, see our Kura bed and Kallax platform bed hacks.

Why the Poäng chair?

Thanks to its unusual composition, the Poäng can be deconstructed and rebuilt. The design has been a success for IKEA for over forty years, and its classic look makes it a firm favourite – but in the DIY hack world its popularity comes from how easily customisable it is.

How to join two Poäng chairs

To extend the chair you'll need two Poängs.

1. Remove the seats from both. If you're reupholstering (a common step), you needn't worry about pulling the seat firmly from the frame – it's stuck on with adhesive, which a solvent can carefully remove if needed, but don't soak the foam if you're keeping it.
2. Place the two chairs side by side and unscrew the inner arms of both, removing them entirely to open up one side of each base.
3. Line up the two horizontal front support pieces and seal them with a strong wood adhesive, using a clamp to aid drying. Do the same with the bottom rear floor support, then the inner seat support pieces, which should align nicely.
4. Let the chair dry completely, then reinforce the glued areas with long screws for added support.

Reupholstering with foam

Now is the perfect time to reupholster, as the Poäng's original foam is quite thin. For a more luxurious, comfier chair, use eFoam's cut to size tool to choose upholstery foam around three to four inches deep. Alternatively, combine foams – for example a two-inch very high-density polyurethane topped with two inches of memory foam to soften. Whatever you choose, order it to fit two Poäng chairs: 100cm (W) by 82cm (D) for the seat, plus backrest pieces of 68 by 100cm and 136cm (W) by 100cm (H). Then cover the cushions in your chosen fabric and secure them to the frame with a strong adhesive. For other reupholstery projects, see our guide to reusing an old sofa.

If you need any help with foam components for your DIY IKEA hack projects, please contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Can you turn IKEA Poäng chairs into a sofa?

Yes. Because of its unusual construction, the Poäng can be deconstructed and rebuilt. By removing the inner arms of two chairs and gluing and screwing the support pieces together, you can make a small sofa or large armchair.

What foam should I use to reupholster a Poäng?

The original Poäng foam is quite thin, so for a more luxurious, comfier chair we recommend an upholstery foam around three to four inches deep, or a combination such as two inches of very high-density polyurethane topped with two inches of memory foam.

What size foam do I need for two joined Poäng chairs?

You'll need 100cm (W) by 82cm (D) for the seat, plus backrest pieces of 68 by 100cm and 136cm (W) by 100cm (H). Order the foam in these dimensions to fit the two chairs.