"The Idiots Guide to Buying a Sofa Bed Mattress"
5 Easy Steps to Selecting a
Sofa Bed Mattress and Picking the Right Retailer
Sofa Bed Mattress and Picking the Right Retailer
Step 1) Determine Your Size
The most accurate way to determine the size you need to order is to measure your sofa bed frame. We don't recommend measuring your existing mattress because due to wear an tear, it's likely the dimensions of your mattress have changed over the years.
Measure the width and length of the inside of your frame and round down to the nearest inch.
For example, if the width of your frame is 52 3/4", write down 52". If the length is 72 1/2 then write down 72". In this example, your size would be 52"x72".
Listed below are all of the common sofa mattress sizes (all of which MattressInsider.com carries). Notice that most of these sizes have 2 or more options to chose from.
The most accurate way to determine the size you need to order is to measure your sofa bed frame. We don't recommend measuring your existing mattress because due to wear an tear, it's likely the dimensions of your mattress have changed over the years.
Measure the width and length of the inside of your frame and round down to the nearest inch.
For example, if the width of your frame is 52 3/4", write down 52". If the length is 72 1/2 then write down 72". In this example, your size would be 52"x72".
Taking Measurements:
Listed below are all of the common sofa mattress sizes (all of which MattressInsider.com carries). Notice that most of these sizes have 2 or more options to chose from.
Common Sofa Bed Mattress Sizes:
Queen: 60"x72" or 58"x72" or 64" x72"
Full: 52"x72" or 54"x72"
Three Quarter: 48" x 72" (this is a common rv sofa bed mattress size)
Twin: 38"x72" or 35"x72"
Single: 24"x72"
Full: 52"x72" or 54"x72"
Three Quarter: 48" x 72" (this is a common rv sofa bed mattress size)
Twin: 38"x72" or 35"x72"
Single: 24"x72"
Mattress Thickness: The standard height of a sofa mattress is 4.5". If your current mattress is between 4" to 5" thick, a 4.5" thick replacement mattress is usually not an issue. However, if it's less than 4" in thickness (3.5" or 3" for example), it may have issues folding into your sofa bed. If your mattress is less than 4", we strongly suggest that you call us for a quote on a special size (1-888-488-1468). Most companies will not take a return due to the wrong size being ordered so double check your measurements.
Note: Mattresses are soft goods. This means they are partly made by both machines and humans. If you take 10 out of stock you will see a little fluctuation in size.
If you don't have one of these sizes, call us at 1-888-488-1468 for prices on affordable custom sizes.
Note: Mattresses are soft goods. This means they are partly made by both machines and humans. If you take 10 out of stock you will see a little fluctuation in size.
If you don't have one of these sizes, call us at 1-888-488-1468 for prices on affordable custom sizes.
Step 2) Determine What Type You Want
Currently, the five
most common replacement mattresses are memory foam, natural latex, urethane foam, air over coil, and coil. We will go over them in detail throughout the next few steps.
Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress
: Because of it's cushion firm feel (not too hard...not too soft), it is by far the most popular replacement sofa bed mattress.
This is an excellent choice for every night sleeping.
For the exact same reason, it is perfect for the occasional out of town guest. Guests that usually sleep on a hard mattress or a soft mattress at home, are usually content with a medium firm.
For the exact same reason, it is perfect for the occasional out of town guest. Guests that usually sleep on a hard mattress or a soft mattress at home, are usually content with a medium firm.
Memory foam is recommended by chiropractors and physicians because of it's pressure point relieving benefits.
In fact, it was originally designed by NASA for use in the seats of the space shuttle to help cushion the impact of re-entry into the atmosphere.
It also does a great job of eliminating motion transfer between two sleeping partners. If one person gets out of bed, the other person usually won't feel it.
Memory foam sofa bed mattresses will respond based on your individual body temperature so make sure to go with a model that uses open cell technology memory foam (not closed cell) so you don't sleep warm. Also consider a model that uses soy-bean plant based memory foam as it's more eco-friendly and doesn't give off any odors like 100% petroleum based foams.
Click here to see a memory foam sofa bed mattress made with soy
What's the most important thing to look for when choosing a latex sofa bed mattress? Make sure the latex is natural as opposed to synthetic (ours in natural). Synthetic latex will tend to break down much faster and often times doesn't contain a shred of real latex (cheap foam). Synthetic latex will tend to break down and discolor when exposed to sunlight (bad if you have a sofa near a window).
Click Here to see a Latex Sofa Bed Mattress
It also does a great job of eliminating motion transfer between two sleeping partners. If one person gets out of bed, the other person usually won't feel it.
Memory foam sofa bed mattresses will respond based on your individual body temperature so make sure to go with a model that uses open cell technology memory foam (not closed cell) so you don't sleep warm. Also consider a model that uses soy-bean plant based memory foam as it's more eco-friendly and doesn't give off any odors like 100% petroleum based foams.
Click here to see a memory foam sofa bed mattress made with soy
Latex Sofa Bed Mattress
:
If you like your mattress more towards the firm side (hard), then we recommend going with a latex sofa bed mattress. Latex sofa mattresses are also the most eco-friendly being constructed partly from rubber trees and soy plants.
Click Here to see a Latex Sofa Bed Mattress
Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses:
Although this style is not as luxurious as a soy memory foam or natural latex sofa bed mattress, it is an excellent alternative to the uncomfortable coil sofa bed mattress you most likely are trying to replace.
This is an affordable alternative to the "higher end" sofa bed mattress replacements. Make sure to ask about the density of the foam. Foam sofa mattresses range in density between 1 pound to 2 pounds. The higher the density the more durable and the more supportive the foam. Low density foams are cheap but they break down very quickly. Our "Traditional Foam Sofa Bed Mattress" is about a 2 pound density. Some factories are now making a soy based foam sofa bed mattress (like our product) which is an eco-friendly alternative.
Click here to view a foam sofa bed mattress
Air Over Coils: This is an air mattress with coils in the base.
This is an affordable alternative to the "higher end" sofa bed mattress replacements. Make sure to ask about the density of the foam. Foam sofa mattresses range in density between 1 pound to 2 pounds. The higher the density the more durable and the more supportive the foam. Low density foams are cheap but they break down very quickly. Our "Traditional Foam Sofa Bed Mattress" is about a 2 pound density. Some factories are now making a soy based foam sofa bed mattress (like our product) which is an eco-friendly alternative.
Click here to view a foam sofa bed mattress
Air Over Coils: This is an air mattress with coils in the base.
You inflate this type of mattress with an electric pump before each use and deflate it for storage. Initially we were going to carrying this product in our line up. However, after getting dozens of phone calls from current owners who were tired of waking up on a deflated mattress (and who were desperately looking for a quick replacement), we decided not too.
One frustrated customer told us that after the bladder on his air-mattress started to leak, he was told to go purchase a bicycle tire repair kit and to fix it himself. Another customer told us that they had to replace the valve stem 3 times before deciding to look for something else.
Negatives: high retail cost, the necessity of having to inflate before use, having to deflate after each use so it will fit in the sofa bed, costly replacement parts, and little manufacturer support.
One frustrated customer told us that after the bladder on his air-mattress started to leak, he was told to go purchase a bicycle tire repair kit and to fix it himself. Another customer told us that they had to replace the valve stem 3 times before deciding to look for something else.
Negatives: high retail cost, the necessity of having to inflate before use, having to deflate after each use so it will fit in the sofa bed, costly replacement parts, and little manufacturer support.
Coil Sofa Bed Mattress: This is most likely the mattress that's causing all of your current problems. It's what comes standard with most sofa bed's.
Coil sofa bed mattresses have a reputation for being the least comfortable of the sofa mattress types.
That's because the average coil sofa bed mattresses has only a 1/2 inch of padding on top of a 3" steel coil. Now you know why you're waking up with back pain!
Sofa bed manufacturers use a coil sofa mattress because it significantly cuts down on the cost for the retailers carrying their lineup. Unfortunately, the consumer is the one who has to suffer.
Because the mattress must be around 4 1/2 inches thick to fit into a sleeper sofa, manufacturers can't put enough turns in the coil to give you adequate support. This is why someone of even average weight easily crushes the mattress when they sit on it. Coils were really designed for mattresses measuring 8 or more inches (like the mattress in your master bedroom).
Hydrogen embrittlement is also a concern during the manufacturing of the innerspring. When the individual coils go through a process called electroplating, the hydrogen absorbed in carbon steel can cause the coil to become extremely brittle. As a result, cracking, stressing, and ultimately failure of the coil can occur. In addition, if coils aren't electroplated, they're more susceptible to rust. The manufacturer can coat the coils in plastic to prevent this from happening but most factories don't want to spend the money.
In addition, stress can occur during the winding process of a coil. If you're going to get a coil sofa bed mattress, we suggest going with a model that uses heat treated coils to be stress relieved.
Because the mattress must be around 4 1/2 inches thick to fit into a sleeper sofa, manufacturers can't put enough turns in the coil to give you adequate support. This is why someone of even average weight easily crushes the mattress when they sit on it. Coils were really designed for mattresses measuring 8 or more inches (like the mattress in your master bedroom).
Hydrogen embrittlement is also a concern during the manufacturing of the innerspring. When the individual coils go through a process called electroplating, the hydrogen absorbed in carbon steel can cause the coil to become extremely brittle. As a result, cracking, stressing, and ultimately failure of the coil can occur. In addition, if coils aren't electroplated, they're more susceptible to rust. The manufacturer can coat the coils in plastic to prevent this from happening but most factories don't want to spend the money.
In addition, stress can occur during the winding process of a coil. If you're going to get a coil sofa bed mattress, we suggest going with a model that uses heat treated coils to be stress relieved.
Step 3) Read the Fine Print
When choosing a retailer, read through their policies. Make sure to ask the following questions:
Can I return the sofa bed mattress if I don't like it?
-You need to have peace of mind that if you don't like your mattress, you can send it back for a refund. We offer a 100 day return policy on all of our sofa mattresses. If a distributor offers a return policy, make sure to ask them to provide you with details on how you would go about returning it.
Fake 5 Star Product Reviews
-Beware, there are several sofa mattress suppliers that are posting fake 5 star product reviews for their products. One company in particular is notorious for doing this. They went from having zero reviews to 57 reviews for their memory foam sofa mattress within 24 hours. A year later, this product still has 57 reviews. They have another website with 124 five star reviews for the same product but oddly, there is no page on this website to even submit a review!
Made in the USA
Make sure that the mattress is made in the USA using USA made components. Several companies claim their product is made in the USA but they use foam and fabrics imported from Asia and then assemble the product in the USA. Many foam factories in Asia will cut corners in order to hit the low price points expected by US importers. Chinese foam may contain PDBE's, fillers, boric acid, or other toxic chemicals. The only exception would be a latex sofa mattress. Latex is sourced from rubber treas that can only be found in humid climates near the equator like Brazil and Sri Lanka.
What's the total cost including tax, shipping, handling, etc?
-Choose what you can afford. If this is your only bed, invest in one of the higher quality models. You'd rather be comfortable than have the "metal bar" poke you in the back. On the other hand, if this is for a guest room or it's for the short term, keep it affordable.
What's the average cost of shipping?
-Although a few offer free shipping, others average around $49-$79 dollars.
What about sales tax?
-Unless the retailer is based in the same state, you usually won't pay tax.
Does it have a warranty?
-Warranty's on average range between 0 to 5 Years. They are in place to protect you against any kind of manufacturer defects. You want to make sure that if your mattress is defective you can get it fixed or replaced. That's the purpose of a warranty. All of our sofa mattresses carry a minimum of a 5 year warranty. Our Deluxe Sofa Bed Mattress with Memory Foam recently became the first in the industry to have a 10 year manufactures warranty.
Also...make sure to ask if the warranty is offered through the retailer or through the manufacturer. If it's through the retailer and they go out of business, you won't have anyone to service your mattress. All our mattresses are warrantied through the manufacturer.
Is it a "manufacturers warranty" being offered or a "protection plan"? A "protection plan" is not a warranty at all. It won't protect you from manufacturer defects. It protects you against "stains and spills" on your mattress. Beware of protection plans (they are definitely out there!) as they are a sign that the mattress being sold was returned or is re-furbished.
Step 4)
Place your order
-The average manufacturer takes about 4-5 business days to make a sofa bed mattress.
While you are here, take a look at our memory foam sofa bed mattress , foam sofa bed mattress, and latex sofa bed mattress.
While you are here, take a look at our memory foam sofa bed mattress , foam sofa bed mattress, and latex sofa bed mattress.
Step 5) Enjoy!
For more information about
Latex, Memory Foam, and Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses Click Here.
Note: This article is copywrite protected. Reproduction of any part of this article is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Mattress Insider LLC.
Note: This article is copywrite protected. Reproduction of any part of this article is strictly prohibited without express written consent from Mattress Insider LLC.
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