Element connectors, the different ways to connect furniture elements

Sectional connectors, also known as furniture connectors

If you have a sofa made of separate elements, these can be connected with sectional connectors. These are special furniture connectors, mounted on or under the elements of a (corner) sofa, to prevent the sofa from sliding apart every time you sit down. We write 'on or under' because, despite the reasonable variety, furniture connectors generally fall into two categories: those attached to the side of a piece of furniture, and those attached to the underside.

Side attachment

Our Uni sectional connectors are an example of side-attachment connectors. An important condition for side attachment is that the furniture frame has sturdy side beams or plywood side panels to which they can be attached. They can also be mounted on chipboard side panels, but if this sheet material is not thick or compressed enough, the screws may crack out of the wood if too much force is applied. They are uniform in shape, and when mounted, one sofa element forms the eyelets, and the other element forms the hooks that engage with the eyelets. Generally, two sets are used per connection: one set 5 to 10cm from the back and one set 5 to 10cm from the front.

For the Uni sectional connector, the plastic protector shown above is also available. This is mounted with the connecting plates and is intended to protect the underlying fabric of the hooked-in furniture. This is especially recommended if furniture elements are often connected and disconnected.

Under-attachment

Our other sectional connector, the sectional connector 5000, is a variant for under-attachment. While this type comes in variants that are entirely or partially plastic, this is an all-metal variant. These are suitable when a sofa needs to be connected, but does not have sufficient grip in the side panels. Of course, there must be sufficient grip on the underside. Unlike the Uni, the sectional connector 5000 consists of two separate parts: a fork and a tang. The tang is a small triangular metal block, mounted with one of its three corners facing outwards. The fork looks like a kind of crocodile jaw and is mounted under the other piece of furniture. The 'jaws' can spread slightly, so that the furniture with the fork blindly grips the furniture with the tang. The closer the furniture pieces are pressed together, the more secure the connection. To disconnect the furniture, you only need to lift the element with the tang, and you can easily lift the tang out of the fork.
Normally, one set of this connector is used per connection, mounted in the middle.

This sectional connector is also available in a more affordable variant, the sectional connector 2500.
 

This variant is similar in concept and use to the Sectional Connector 5000, but has a plastic fork. They are somewhat more affordable in terms of price, but the teeth in the fork wear out faster, and the fork breaks more often. Due to this lower quality, we have not included it in our range.

Other sectional connectors

In addition to the standard sectional connectors we carry, other variants are also available. These variants are generally side-mounting variants and are mainly used in the bed industry. However, some furniture designers also occasionally find a purpose for them in seating furniture, especially larger sofas and sofa combinations. Some examples of these can be seen here:

Because they are relatively uncommon in the seating furniture industry, we do not stock them as standard. Of course, you can inquire about availability if you are interested.