Edit ArticleHow to Buy a Sofa Bed Confused by all the choices? Here's a basic guide to help you navigate the world of "convertible furniture." The first thing to determine is how you're going to use it. Have an idea of what you're willing to pay before you go shopping. There are numerous systems for converting a sofa to a bed on the market, but the three most popular are the traditional pull-out sofa bed, futon furniture, and davenports. Traditional pull-out sofa beds are sold in most department and full-line furniture stores. Futon furniture first broke into the mainstream back in the early eighties as an alternative to the traditional pull-out sofa bed. Davenports have been around since the 1940s, maybe longer. There are several other kinds of convertible products available (flip flop, daybed, trundle bed, etc. And consider the importance of a fitted sheet and mattress pad. Try moving and lifting it in the store. If you can't, you'll have the same problem at home.
If the salesperson is reluctant to demonstrate the opening/closing operation of the product, that's a good sign it's not easy. Make sure you try it yourself. When the rep asks you to get up right after you lie down, he or she is probably hoping you won't stay there long enough to discover what's wrong with the mattress. Measure the mattress with a tape measure before you buy it. If if doesn't measure 39"x75" or 54"x75" or 60"x80", you won't be getting a standard size twin, full or queen mattress...which means fitted sheets won't fit.You can turn any room into a bedroom or guest room by furnishing it with a quality sofa bed. A sofa bed by any name -- sleeper, sleeper sofa, sleep sofa -- is one of the most versatile and hard-working pieces of furniture you could own. It has come a long way from being the uncomfortable, insomnia-inducing nightmare it used to be. As a matter of fact, some sofa beds are as comfortable as a regular bed. When shopping for a sofa bed, it helps to remember that it will most often be primarily used as seating.
So, it makes sense to look for the same features you would in a regular sofa, such as a design that fits your needs and style preferences. The only difference is that you will be looking for a comfortable mattress and efficient operating mechanism as well.The strongest and most durable frames for any type of sofa, including sofa beds, are those made of kiln-dried hardwood or a combination of kiln-dried hardwood and furniture-grade plywoods. Avoid buying frames made of softer woods such as pine.The mechanism in a good sleeper should lift up and out in one smooth motion without squeaking or sticking. Look for units designed with a lock-down bar to ensure proper closure as well as easy opening. Inspect closely to make sure the opening mechanism is put together well, and parts will not break or come loose easily. All parts of a sofa bed’s inner mechanism should have smooth edges so that sheets and blankets don’t snag or catch and rip as a result. When you are using a sofa bed in your own home, and even on ones with the best operating mechanisms, it’s always a good idea to remove sheets and blankets before closing the unit.
That way it will not cause the alignment on different parts to shift.A quality mattress makes for a good night’s sleep and will comfortably support the body at the shoulders, hips, and lower back. A thicker mattress is not necessarily better; a thinner, better-built one might offer better support. You can also consider using a comfortable mattress pad on top when you use the sofa bed for sleeping.It’s always a good idea to test a sofa bed before you buy it. Try opening and closing it to see how it feels. It should be easy to operate, and you shouldn't have to strain to open it. Open it and lie down to see how the mattress feels.Always make sure that you measure your sofa bed before you commit to buying. Don't neglect to find out what the measurements will be when it's opened all the way. Remember that it needs as much room as a bed or more when fully opened. If you are planning to place any pieces of furniture in front of it, be sure they are light and easy to move so that you can easily lift them out of the way before opening the sofa bed.
Choose An Air Mattress That Your Guests Will Love Is it OK for Kids to Share a Room While Sleeping? Sleeper Sofas: How to Buy the Best One Giving your guests a comfortable place to sleep has never been easier.In an ideal world, homes would always have full guest rooms, complete with a spare bed for friends and family who are visiting. But in the real world, that isn’t always the case. And that’s when a sleeper sofa or air mattress comes in handy.There are many reasons to pick a sleeper sofa. They tend to be more supportive than air mattresses (although they are also more expensive—anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars—which is why air mattresses have their place, too ). How a sleeper sofa works: During everyday life, it’s a comfortable couch that’s perfect for reading or watching TV. When guests arrive, the cushions come off, and it transforms into a place for people to sleep.If your memories of sleeper sofa mattresses are thin cushions over iron bars, then you haven’t seen the latest offerings.
They’ve come a long way since then, and knowing what options are available can help you get the best one for your home. Follow these tips, below.Check Out Different Mattress Styles. While they used to mostly contain spring mattresses (which can result in getting poked or creaky springs waking you up when you roll over), sleeper sofas now come with memory foam options and air/innerspring hybrids, where there is some air inflated above the traditional spring-style mattress to make it much thicker. These styles can add between $100 and $250 to the cost of the sofa, so make sure that you test each one out in the store beforehand (just like you would when shopping for a normal mattress).Look For Foam Toppers. Manufacturers now make sleeper sofa mattresses that have comfortable padding added to the top, which makes them much more comfortable to sleep on.Get The Right Size. Measure how much space you have available for the fully extended sleeper sofa. After all, you don’t want to have to move a lot of furniture around to get it open.
Sleeper sofas don’t just come in one size—they usually come with queen or full mattress options (but there are even ones available with twin or king mattresses).See if there are any sharp points that might snag your sheets as you’re putting them on. You want the mechanism to be smooth when you’re pulling the mattress out and putting it back in.A sleeper sofa is essentially a mattress inside a sofa, which can make the entire product quite heavy. So you may want to consider an instead of a sleeper sofa if you have to haul your purchase up several flights of stairs.Ask What the Frame is Made of. One way to avoid metal bars digging into your guests is to get a sleeper sofa with a kiln-dried hardwood frame. It takes the moisture out of the wood, which keeps it from cracking or warping over time.Sit on it While it’s Folded. Most of the time, you’re going to be using this piece of furniture as a sofa, so don’t forget to check that the cushions are comfortable and high-quality.