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In this video post we discuss the differences between futons (not at all made you like you thought they were) versus sofa beds and daybeds.
Today the futons we offer at Gardner’s Mattress & More come in a variety of styles, comforts and even fabric choices. To begin with a complete futon package is comprised of three different components. Your frame, your mattress and the finished fabric.
Frames we offer are all wood frames for durability and style. Sure, there are cheaper metal frames out there, but they are cheaper. As such we wouldn’t put those items in our home so we won’t sell them to you for your home. We offer two different types of wood frames - solid hardwoods and solid oak frames with different arm styles to meet your design and style preferences.
When it comes to mattresses this is where our expertise to help you find the right fit in a mattress is immensely helpful. First consider will your futon be used for mostly sitting or mostly sleeping? Or will the time be split between both sitting and sleeping, and if so how often will you open and close your frame? All of these questions are best answered in person when you visit our store so we can help you find the right blend of comfort and support in your futon mattress as well as how your comfort choice fits the frame you choose for ease of use.
Lastly, when it comes to fabric there are no shortage of futon cover options available to you. However, we have found that most prefer a fabric cover that is tufted to the mattress so it presents as a crisp and finished piece of furniture. We have about 20 different solid color fabric options to choose from. We suggest selecting a color that fits your base decor and then if you want to spice up the style choose a futon cover that ties into a season, holiday spirit or other design choice you may like.
Compared to sofa beds futons are bar none far more comfortable simply because there is no metal bar in your back as is found in every sofa sleeper ever made. A quality futon mattress will be at least 8” in profile, sometimes up to 12” in profile and has many attributes you might find in premium mattresses. Additionally, a futon will fit easily in a basement or upper floor where turning corners in hallways and stairwells would present a problem for a traditional sofa sleeper.
Daybeds can certainly be great solutions for guest rooms with tight spaces but really only work well as a sleeping surface. To sit on them comfortably is not an option as you would need to sit over 40” back, or deep, into the daybed to rest against the back rest of the daybed. Compare this to most premium sofas or futons that sit about 25” - 28” in depth to the back cushion.
And while the premise of daybeds with a rollout pop up trundle & mattress in theory are nice, the reality is that the trundle mattress often needs to be less than 7” in profile. This means to have a usable “king size” mattress once the daybed is used with the pop up trundle & mattress combo you need to have both mattresses be 7” in profile which isn’t comfortable at all to sleep on or sit on. The alternative would be to have a nice quality mattress on the daybed side but this leaves you with an uneven combination when used as a “king size” set up.
In the end futons are far more versatile, comfortable and cost effective - plus, if one piece wears out, for example the mattress, you can simply replace the mattress. And should your style choice change, keep your mattress but replace the frame.