Are you caught up in a situation where you have little choice but to strap a couch to the top of a car, maybe on a moving day, yes? If you don’t know how to go about it then this post is for you. We are going to be addressing how ideal it is to strap a couch on your car and how to go about it.
Steps on how to strap a couch to the roof of your car
Here is how you should strap a couch to the roof of a car.
Cover the car roof with blankets
The very first step to do when placing a couch or any furniture on your car rooftop is to cover the roof with blankets so that it prevents scratches on the car roof.
Get enough blanket and lay down on top of the roof si that when the couch or the furniture moves around during transit, and it bumps, it will be against the blanket instead of the car itself.
I often wonder why people have to worry about an auto body paint job as a result of moving furniture on top of your car when they can get a rough and sturdy blanket that is also affordable.
Some high-quality roof bags come with these blankets just like this impressive Car Top Carrier Roof Bag, It is 15 or 20 Cubic ft and comes with a Protective Mat.
Such sturdy and rough mats can be used and much preferred to regular comforter as they might be too slippery.
Get one or two persons to help you lift the couch
This involves more of a practical approach. Like I said earlier, you may need one or two persons who will assist you in getting the couch up there.
And it will help if this person is experienced in cargo carrying. You want to make sure that the couch is positioned evenly and balanced on the rooftop and in a way that it will not be stress to strap it down with durable tie-downs.
Tie the couch down on the roof using a rope
I have seen quite a number of people use rope in tying down furniture and couch, this has made me conclude that most people prefer to use rope in this process. Well just make sure that you have bought a really strong rope before that day.
There are some people who do not pay too much attention to what they use in tying down furniture and couch. Ranging from long telephone cables to twine, fabric, bungee cords, and tape, they all seem to be a possible option.
To be honest, you can see a very strong rope for a very cheap rate and that is if you are going to choose to use a rope.
Use a good quality rope to tie down the couch to the rook rack, if there is, or the windows of the car, but definitely not the driver’s window.
Make sure you tie the right knots properly
In connection to tying the couch down with ropes, you need to learn how to tie good knots. If you are not good with this then it is advised to make use of ratchet straps as you will see in the next step.
Securing a couch on the top of your car with a rope requires you to tie multiple knots, and it may take as many as five times.
If you are not ready to rent a truck to convey your couch and furniture then you just have to secure your furniture well.
You can use Ratchet Straps
This is the one I totally recommend. Instead of using rope, you can choose to buy a durable ratchet strap instead.
This is strongly recommended when you have a roof rack on the top of your car. And you can in addition choose to invest in roof racks as it might also come in handy in the future to move other bulky items and not just your couch this time.
Using a roof rack and ratchet strap is a very safe method for strapping your couch on your car. You can try the Ohuhu Ratchet Tie Down Straps. I feature it about three times in some of my recent articles on tie-downs for bulky items and cargo carriers.
It is 15FT and features 500 Lbs Load Capacity. It is an ideal ratchet strap for furniture, sofa, and couch.
Drive within the speed limit
Now, depending on the size of your couch, putting heavier things on your roof rack will require you to drive slower because the added weight to your roof can negatively affect your car’s handling and aerodynamics.
If you are covering a very long distance with a couch on your rooftop, then it is better you hire a professional mover because, with this, you will need to drive slower than normal.
Constantly check the couch while you drive
As a general rule, you should slightly push and pull the couch after strapping it on your car before hitting the road and start driving to detect if one side has not been strapped well.
You want to make sure that the couch is now snugly in place.
If it is a trip, that is, you will be having the couch on your rooftop for a long time while driving, then there will be a need to plan your trip accordingly, where after driving some miles, you will stop to double-check everything to makes sure its all good.
Things to consider before you strap a couch on your car
Before moving straight to the steps involved in strapping furniture or a couch on a car, it is important that I spell out here some important factors to consider.
Check the maximum weight allowed
The first thing you want to do when you have the intention of strapping that couch to your car is to check the max weight allowed. There are indeed some cars that have 50-100kg or so roof load limit, even the bars themselves.
Take advantage of roof racks
Roof racks help provide stability to your couch. When you place your couch on a roof rack, rather than directly on the top of your car, it can help balance your couch properly and also prevent the couch from scratching your car paint.
Strap your load with tie-downs
And needless to say, making sure that the couch is well strapped down with durable tie-downs is very key before hitting the road. If your car has any height restrictions, you want to make sure you are not going against it.
Get someone to support you in fastening the bag to the roof of car
In addition, another reasonable consideration will be to have someone who really understands how to secure it properly, such a person will serve as a helping hand because it is quick to doubt that one can haul a couch to a car rooftop by oneself.
To be honest, if you have no experience, you will probably get it quite wrong. And that is why you should not stop reading here.
Get that experience and knowledge by reading below the step-by-step guide on how to strap a couch on your car.
These examples of equipment are durable and ideal for strapping a couch on your car. After ensuring that you have the necessary accessories for securing the furniture, then we can move on to the steps involved.
Strapping a couch to your car will not work well for long-distance moves. And it is not advised when you plan to travel on the highway much. If you are planning to cover a really long distance, then you had better rented a truck.
I will also recommend durable accessories and equipment used in explaining the step that makes the process easy and I will also make reference to where you can get them affordably.
Materials you can use to strap a couch on your car
Roof Rack
This is referring to a set of bars secured to the roof of a motor car. Roof rack becomes your buddy when you want to carry bulky items such as luggage, couch, bicycles, canoes, kayaks, skis, or various carriers and containers.
There are some roof racks that are designed for specific cargo like luggage, furniture, and skis. So If you are constantly hauling these types of items of which a couch is included then you should consider purchasing a specific rack for these items.
A very good roof rack you can trust on where to strap your couch on is this impressive Rhino-Rack USA Y02-480B Cap Topper Roof Rack. It is widely used by people to transport bulky items of furniture as it comes with Aero Load Bars that can be adjusted to fit your gear-toting needs.
Ratchet Straps or Cam Straps
We are talking about strapping your couch on a car so definitely, we will mention the need to have a very durable ratchet strap or cam strap.
This should not be mistaken for ropes. Some people use rope though but I guess those are people that are familiar with basic knotting techniques.
You should have one that is rock solid, with no risk of slipping or loosening with vibrations.
When choosing straps to use for the couch on your car, ensure the straps are rated with a holding strength at least twice the weight of the couch you want to carry just like this workhorse RHINO USA Ratchet Straps (4PK) as it features 1,823lb Guaranteed Max Break Strength!
It is totally recommended as it Includes (4) Premium 1in x 15ft Ratchet Tie Downs with Padded Handles. It is considered one of the best for Moving, Securing Cargo. Ideal ratchet strap for strapping couch on the car should feature Anodized Ratchet, Ergonomic Padded Handle, and Coated Full Bend S Hooks like this one.
Cargo (Spider) Netting and/or Tarp
This may not be really applicable when strapping a couch, but it depends on the size, if it is a size that a cargo netting can cover, then I advise you to cover everything with a sturdy net after you have finished strapping your couch down.
Among the myriads of nets on the market, this Angooni 4′ x 6′ Heavy Duty Truck Bed Cargo Nets has proven to be among the best when it comes to strapping couch as it stretches to 8′ x12′, 4″x4″ and comes with Premium Carabiners Clips.
It is most people’s favorite because of its Compact storage net & no-fly out and how easy it is to use and store. Since the Angooni bungee net is ideal for small and large cargo items, it means you will not just be buying and using it for strapped couch only.
Final thoughts
So we have discovered whether or not you can strap a couch on your car and how possible it is.
In addition, you have also seen, not just how to strap a couch on your car but also the necessary and recommended tools needed to secure a couch efficiently on your car with reference to where these impressive tools can be gotten.
If it is your first try, it is normal to have one or two things unclear, feel free to hit the comment section on any difficulty you face while hauling your furniture, cargo, luggage, or couch and we may be able to help you.