Bought a futon, what do we do with it?.

[Weirdconditionaltense]

Having hummed and ha'd about getting a sofabed for the sitting room, we saw a futon on Facebook marketplace and bought it.. Arrived yesterday. Looks nice. But that cushioning is so firm . It won't be used as a sofa very often....

The mattress/ cover has a zip so I'll give it a wash..

But how to use it as a bed as in do people tend to buy an extra topper which you keep up with bedding?

Hope this makes sense.. Basically how to make it comfy as a bad because the mattress it came with seems really tough..

Many thanks

Spelling - how to make it comfy as a bed.

I’m guessing you must be a genxer or younger. No one my age would buy a futon and expect it to be comfortable. If you want someone to sleep on it, definitely a topper of some kind. A duvet underneath the sleeper works at a pinch.

I loved my futon and used it as a bed for a few years. It would be too low for me know but I find them really confortable.
I would add a topper probably but mine didn’t need it.

Futons are famously very firm. I had one for about 20 years, slept on it very happily. No topper, just mattress protector and sheets. (Flat sheets work better, as fitted sheets dont really fit.)

Never used one as a sofa bed, too unwieldy and heavy for me to manoeuvre.

Ah futons, the very height of exotic sophistication from Habitat when I was a child in the 1980s. Not remotely comfy tho. I think they're for putting up overnight guests that you want to put off ever visiting you again.

It would be too low for me know but I find them really confortable.

Futons dont have to be on the floor. I have a wooden base with legs, although these days I have a sprung mattress on it.

The other thing I loved about my futon was that it didn't bounce.

Had the worst night’s sleep of my life on a futon once. Can’t imagine a topper would have made that much difference.

Oh dear. Might have been a mistake..

It would be about 9 inches off the ground..it's only for very occasional use but it would be nice if it didn't put people off coming back. Will Google some thick mattress toppers

We have an oak Futon Company double sofa bed, I changed the original mattress which weighed a ton to a newer, lighter one. It’s a tiny bit more comfortable but we have added an IKEA topper for good measure. It lives in the spare room as a sofa but is converted for visitors. Those used to firm beds find it comfortable.

I wouldn’t buy another I’m afraid, It’s very heavy and awkward to convert and it creaks like mad. No shenanigans or the whole house knows about it.

Try it. If you don't like it put it back on marketplace, people buy and sell things on all the time. I've done it myself, bought something used it for a couple of months then sold it once I've realised it's not suitable (or I've bought a newer super-duper model with a reverse turbo flanger attachment that won't get used either but looks good). Sometimes you can even make a small profit, but tbh I normally just attempt to break even

Haha 😂 Good to know about shenanigans 😜. Luckily the walls are so thick I wouldn't have thought the creaking would disturb me..

So did you get the new mattress from the proper company? I've seen some on Amazon..wonder if a cheapie would be ok if combined with a mattress topper

Unless a bed needs a step stool to get onto it, Im not interested!!

Yes, we bought this one https://www.futoncompany.co.uk/shop-by-product/futons-and-mattresses/sofa-bed-futons/two-seat/uiltimate-double-futon-mattress.html

I think you’d need one that folded in the right places iyswim.

You also need a cover, which we got in their sale.

edited to reorder sentence for clarity

@Ohpleeeease thanks for the link, yes I do see what you mean about them needing to fold in the right place ..I wonder why I can't see any on Amazon that are pictured on an actual futon. They are all pictured on a floor
.

I can't believe the futon company have got a monopoly on these mattresses..seems odd to me.

The other manufacturers gave up and focused on the real life purpose of such things. Pet beds.

After all, once you've bought your futon, the bamboo roller blind and the coconut palm and the lantern and the big bag of tealights in 1999 IKEA, what happens to the futon within two years? It goes into the spare room for the cat to sleep on when you're at work.

Just to say, I've got the gist of the subject now so if anyone wants to tell me off for my mistake, don't worry. I'll be fine.

I definitely wasn't having a go OP, I'd still be tempted 😁

@thedevilinablackdress oh no, it's fine..I know what you meant, don't worry 😊

Taking stuff a bit too seriously today

There's no way the cat will sleep in the spare room. Even next doors' cat won't consider it when she comes in for a kip because her own home is too busy.

I have one as a sofa and as a bed in the spare bedroom.
The bed is firm but comfortable.
I don't sit on the 'sofa' but guests do. I don't think they find it particularly comfortable.

If you don't like it re-sell it.

You could try replacing the mattress with 2 narrow single bed memory foam mattresses.

We had a futon in our 20s. You have to sleep on your back.