Sleeper Sofas & Futons

[GoodScout]

Anyone have any success with durable sleeper sofas and/or futons?
We have two suites that use them (they're among our most popular with families), but we keep having them break down from wear and use.
We had a sleeper sofa in one suite that lasted several years, but the constant opening and closing took their toll on the hardware.
We replaced it last year with a heavy wood futon, but it's just cracked from having three people sit on it in sofa mode.
Any suggestions?

 

[Morticia]

Do you need them for one extra person or more? We found just having a twin bed in the room worked well. It can be set up as a daybed if not needed for sleeping.

 

[Arks]

I had 2 sofa beds and the opening/closing hardware on both wore out after about 5 years, with broken joints that kept them from closing back up. They were each used about once/month, so not all that much wear. And they weren't cheap!

I replaced them a couple of years ago with heavy duty air mattresses that ARE cheap, and have had no problems or complaints. And the air mattresses are thick enough to work well with my sheets, unlike the sofa beds that had really thin mattresses. Also, with the sofa beds, my sheets were always getting little cuts where they would get pinched in the hinges or hung up on the metal parts of the sofa beds.

The air mattresses are more comfortable than a sofa bed, the only drawback being that they're on the floor, so not suitable for someone who can't get out of the floor. But generally it's the older folks in the bed and the younger ones on the air mattress, so it works fine.

I have 2 queen size air mattresses, 1 full size, and 2 twin size, so have a nice combination for different numbers/ages of guests and different rooms to fit them into. For instance, my smallest room doesn't have room for a full size on the floor, but I can get in 2 twin sized ones.

 

[Anon Inn]

I would like to replace my sleeper sofa with a Murphy bed. Has anyone tried that?

 

[Arks]

I would like to replace my sleeper sofa with a Murphy bed. Has anyone tried that?

Seems like a great solution. The ones I've looked at are awfully expensive, though.

 

[user 26]

I had a trundle bed .. it was great. The mattress and support slides out from underneath. Of course, those sleeping in the upper bed have to be careful not to step on those on the lower so I made sure there was room to get out of bed on the opposite side …. and I got an extra nice mattress for the lower bed so they would be comfortable. I hated a rolling cot type bed I had that folded up in the middle. I always worried about someone getting pinched fingers or something in it.

 

[Generic]

We have an IKEA daybed in two rooms... it can open to a short king, but we don't tell anyone... we use it as a single. And we have a futon in one room that is a double bed. We got a spring futon, which provides a better rest.

 

[GoodScout]

I would like to replace my sleeper sofa with a Murphy bed. Has anyone tried that?

We have a small room off the dining room that I've wanted to convert into an overflow guest room, using a Murphy Bed, but for nine years my significant other has vetoed the idea.

 

[Generic]

I would like to replace my sleeper sofa with a Murphy bed. Has anyone tried that?

Haven't tried it, but Murphy beds are extremely popular here, even the cost club sells them. They sometimes call them wallbeds. A few look like furniture. They have a twin that looks like a credenza that swings out.

 

[Arks]

Haven't tried it, but Murphy beds are extremely popular here...

I think they would have several advantages over a sofa bed. Those sofa bed mattresses are about 2 inches/5 cm thick. Ridiculously uncomfortable. I think the Murphy beds can have a real mattress. And I assume their opening/closing mechanism is much more simple and durable than a sofa bed.

 

[Tom]

We have a queen sleeper in a large room that also has our usual California king. Having that extra bed has been helpful for bookings. The sleeper was expensive but after about five years the mattress and the springs gave out. Replacing the mattress portion was not practical but by adding a sturdy plywood board and an expensive foam topper that we put on after we fold out the original mechanism, people are quite happy with it.