When shopping for your futon sofa, it’s important to understand the 3 components that make up the furniture piece. The futon frame, futon mattress, and futon cover all work together to create the perfect sleep solution. Taking some time to choose the right components will result in getting something you will be happy with for many years to come.
The Futon Sofa Frame
The futon frame is the underlying structure for your futon sofa. It provides the conversion mechanism necessary to convert the sofa into a bed. It also provides support for you and acts as the foundation for the futon mattress.
The frame can be made of wood or metal and sometimes even a hybrid of both. Usually the arm design is what gives each style of frame its visual uniqueness. The two stretcher rails connect the two arms together and create the base for which the seat decks rest. You can think of them as the bed rails in a conventional bed setup where the box spring rest.
The back and seat decks of the futon frame is what supports the mattress. It contains wooden slats that work to provide proper support throughout the entire futon mattress area. In the up position, it provides the back and seating area for the futon sofa. In the down position, the two decks collapse flat to create the bed surface.
The Futon Sofa Mattress
The futon mattress is one of the most critical choices to make in getting a comfortable futon sofa. If budget is a concern, it’s wise to spend more on the mattress and spend less on the frame and futon cover.
Different mattress types are available for all types of budget and personal preference for firmness. You can choose from having soft support to firm support with anything in between. The ingredients used in creating the mattress are what changes how each futon feel. A combination of cotton, foam, springs, or wool can be used to create different types of futon mattresses.
Generally, a 6 inch thick futon mattress is consider a standard entry level futon. If you can spend just a bit more, I would recommend getting an 8 inch thick futon which will contain more cotton and layers of foam. This provides some extra reassurance that you will be happy with the comfort level as it will give it more cushion from the frame slats. The most common issue with complaints that a futon sofa is uncomfortable is the result of purchasing a cheap mattress which is too thin (they do come in 4 to 5 inches).
The Futon Sofa Cover
The final component to your futon sofa is the futon cover. This gives your furniture piece personality and makes it unique. When choosing a futon cover, I personally look at my room surroundings to see what goes well. The wall color, carpet, and wall art can be used to determine what colors should be on the futon cover to go well with your existing décor.
Besides just good looks, the cover does provide some functional purpose for your futon sofa. It acts as protection for the mattress from dirt, stains, and spills. It’s much easier to clean a futon cover than it is to clean the mattress itself. The cover has a zipper to go around all three sides of the mattress to make installation or removal of the cover easy. Usually, the zipper is hidden under a flap so it’s not noticeable and doesn’t take away from the aesthetics of the futon cover.
Futon Sofa – Frame, Mattress, and Cover
As you can see, all three components are important in the final makeup of the futon sofa. Take some time to decide on purchasing each of the three and you will be much more likely to have a futon sofa that’s comfortable and enjoyable for many years.