Find the holes that go through the blocks at the ends of the front rail and the back. Insert an eye bolt with washer into each of those holes, so that the threaded end of the bolt extends toward the end of the back or front rail.

Then push the bolts into the matching holes in the side. Try to screw the bolts into the nuts inside these holes, normally the upper bolts first (it may be necessary to lift the end of the rail slightly and/or move it back and forth to align the bolts with the centers of the nuts.) Once the bolts have engaged securely in the nuts, do not tighten them more than a turn or two, yet. If it’s hard to start the bolt (or to turn it later), make sure the side and back are coming together squarely (90 degrees). Now attach the opposite side to the back rail in the same manner; again, don’t tighten yet.

Position the front rail between the sides, with the rounded edge up (and finished side facing outward). Just point the bolt end and the steel dowel below it into the matching holes in one side, then the other, then screw the bolt in just one turn at each end. Check the frame for squareness (just by eye is usually good enough), looking down on it from above at the corners, adjusting it if necessary.

Then tighten all bolts until snug, but not too hard. If your fingers aren’t strong enough to turn the bolts: (1) Lift the rail a little and shift it back and forth as you turn the bolt; and/or (2) slip another bolt or a screwdriver into the eye of the bolt to provide additional leverage. Once you have snugged up the bolt enough to close up the corner joint as viewed from outside the frame), go no more than one half turn tighter than that. (The joints should close up only as viewed from the outside.)

Then lower the seat deck(s) or webbing suspension(s) into place, with the protruding pieces of oak on the underside extending off toward the rear as follows: First lay the deck onto the ledge at the bottom of the back, then lower it onto the front rail. The seat decks should nest into place about 1” below the top of the front rail. One deck piece should go to about a thumb’s width from the rail at each end of a sofa, and a middle deck piece on a three-seat sofa should be about centered in between. Now grip a back cushion support so that an angled cut in a corner is at the top, with the fabric covering facing forward. There should be a support panel with an angled corner at each end of the back, with the top edge tucked in under the ledge at the top of the back. Push the bottom of this panel toward the rear until it becomes snug, ending up a few inches farther forward than the top edge. It could be placed a little farther forward for a loungier angle of support. For three-seat sofas, there should be a support panel without angled corners, which goes in the middle.

Once all seat decks and back cushion supports are in place, the cushions can go on. The seat cushions are the larger cushions, which should be put on with the zippers at the rear. Line up the fronts of the seat cushions just slightly forward from the front of the rail. (The seats don’t have to push back against the back cushion supports.)

Comfort adjustments: Your cushions might feel too firm at first. Like a new shoe, they will break in with use. But you can speed up the breaking in greatly by having the heaviest available person sit up and down on the cushions vigorously (including putting the back cushions down on the seats and sitting on them). Also, if you put one or both hands behind your back at any place where you feel too much pressure, then lean back for a slow count of ten or fifteen, then bring your hand(s) out from behind, you will probably feel more even, comfortable support right away. Would you like the seat to be deeper (more sitting space front-to-back)? (1) Thoroughly soften the back cushion(s) by putting them on the seat and sitting on them; this will allow you to sit back farther; (2) Pull the seat cushion(s) forward an inch or two.

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