Sofa Bed Mattress Replacements The Ultimate Guide (2024)
Let’s face it.
By the time you’re done reading this guide, you’re going to be armed with everything you need to find the best sofa bed mattress.
Need a Sofa Bed Mattress? Call 888-488-1468
What's in this Guide?
How to Determine Your Hide A Bed Mattress Size[3 Minutes]
If you prefer video, click the play button below to see how to measure your sofa bed mattress.
Warning! This video is 10 years old. I haven’t had a chance to update it yet. 🙂
Measuring The Mechanism
Common Hide-a-Bed Mattress Sizes
Queen Wide: 64″ x 72″
Queen: 60″ x 72″ & 58″ x 72″
Full: 54″ x 72″ & 52″ x 72″
Three Quarter: 48″ x 72″
Twin: 38″ x 72″ & 35″ x 72″
Single: 24″ x 72
Queen Wide
64 x 72
Queen
60 x 72
58 x 72
Full
52 x 72
54 x 72
Three Quarter
48 x 72
Common RV Sofa Bed
Mattress Size
Twin
38 x 72
35 x 72
Single
24 x 74
Mattress Thickness
The standard height of a sofa mattress is 4.5″. If your current mattress is between 4″ to 5″ thick, ordering a 4.5″ thick replacement mattress will usually fit without any issues.
However, if your current mattress is less than 4″ in thickness (3.5″ or 3″ for example), a 4.5″ mattress 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 (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 and look at them side-by-side you will see minor fluctuations in size.
Options: The 6 Sofa Bed Mattress Types
Currently, the 6 most common replacement mattresses are:
- Gel Memory Foam
- Latex
- Polyurethane Foam
- Traditional Memory Foam
- Air over coil
- Innerspring
We will go over them in detail throughout the next few steps.
Gel Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses
Gel Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses are the best option for a replacement right now.
They have a cushion firm feel (not too hard…not too soft) and they’re an excellent choice for both every night sleeping and “out of town” guests.
What makes them unique, is their phase change gel which is mixed in with the memory foam formulation. This draws heat away from your body and it generally sleeps about 1-2 degrees cooler than traditional memory foam.
In a mattress, gel memory foam 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.
Replacements are recommended by chiropractors and physicians because of it’s pressure point relieving benefits.
Tip: Look for a model that is double sided. One side medium feel and one side firmer. That gives the ability to change the feel if you have a guest that prefers one over the other. The model we offer at MattressInsider.com is called the Deluxe Sofa Bed Mattress w/Memory Foam.
Latex Sofa Bed Mattress
Latex Sofa Bed Mattress: If you like your mattress more towards the firm side (hard), then we recommend going with this option. Latex hide-a-bed mattresses are also the most eco-friendly being constructed partly from rubber trees and soy plants.
What’s the most important thing to look for when choosing a latex sofa bed mattress?
Make sure the latex is blended or natural as opposed to 100% synthetic. Synthetic latex will tend to break down faster. It also discolors when exposed to sunlight (bad if you have a sofa near a window).
Also, depending on the company you choose to buy from, the term “synthetic latex” often is used to refer to material which is simply cheap foam (and contains NO latex).
Polyurethane Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses
Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses: This style is somewhat less luxurious when compared with a gel memory foam or natural latex sofa bed mattress.
However, high density foam is an affordable alternative that is very effective at eliminating the feel of the sofa bed mechanism.
When shopping for a for a foam based replacement, be sure to look into the density of the foam. Common densities range between 1.2 lbs to 2.5 lbs.
Through our testing, we’ve found that densities in the 1.2 to 1.5 lb range tend to break down much quicker and they can form a “set” or crease in the foam when the mattress is stored for longer periods of time. We’ve found that densities between 2 to 2.5 lbs put more stress on the sleeper mechanism and they also cause the mattress to retain heat.
In our testing, the best option is 1.8 LB density. It’s durable, it doesn’t hold a “set”, it doesn’t retain heat, and it won’t put undue stress on your sofa mechanism.
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 “Ovation Sofa Bed Mattress with Baby Soft Cotton” uses only 1.8 pound density foams. Some factories (like ours) are now making a soy based foam sofa bed mattress. This is an eco-friendly and more breathable alternative to a traditional foam mattress which is 100% petroleum based.
Traditional Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses
This is the mattress that Gel Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattresses replaced. They’re excellent for pressure point relief, but they tend to sleep hotter.
They 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.
For the exact same reason, it is perfect for the occasional out of town guest. A variety of sleeping preferences (guests that usually sleep on a hard mattress or a soft mattress at home) are usually content with a medium firm sofa mattress.
Did you know? Memory foam technology was originally designed by NASA for use in the seats of the space shuttle. It was designed to help cushion the impact of re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Inflatable Sofa Bed Mattress
Air Over Coil Sofa Bed Mattress: This is an air mattress with coils in the base.
POSITIVES:
Adjust comfort. The benefit is the ability to adjust the firmness of the mattress using a hand- held inflator.
Further away from mechanism. When inflated, the mattress expands to approximately 10″ in depth getting you further away from the dreadful sofa bed mechanism. This technology is patented and there is currently only one model out on the market that goes by 2 different names.
NEGATIVES:
Why we don’t offer it? We’ve been approached by the manufacturer to offer this mattress, but have declined due to our concerns about the design, quality of components, and warranty.
Negative feedback from consumers. Several times a week, we receive calls from frustrated owners who have been put through numerous warranty exchanges with this product. Most of the issues are a result of faulty valve stems, burned out air pumps, or faulty air bladders. Many callers have stated that they initially work just as promised but after only a few months (even weeks) of use, the mattress just won’t hold air pressure.
One frustrated customer told us that after the bladder on his air-mattress started to leak, the retailer he purchased it from told him 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 separate times before deciding to look for something else.
Innerspring Sofa Bed Mattress Replacements
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.
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.
What's The Best Sofa Bed Mattress of 2020?
I’m biased because I designed it, but without hesitation, I’d recommend the Deluxe Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress.
Here’s why I think it blows away everything else on the market.
- It’s Double Sided. 99% of the sofa bed mattresses out there are single sided to save on fabric and foam costs. This is one of the few available that you can actually flip.
- One side has a medium feel to it and the other side has a firmer feel to it. Now your guests have a choice of comfort.
- Custom the length, width, and height. While there are some common sizes like a queen sofa bed mattress (60×72), a full sofa bed mattress (52×72), and a twin sofa bed mattress (35×72), many of the sleeper take unique sizes. This mattress can be made in depths ranging from 3″ to 5″ which means you’re going to get the perfect fit.
- High Quality Cooling Gel Foam. This hide a bed mattress uses a dense 4 LB Gel Visco foam designed to last and create maximum pressure relief.
- No More Metal Bar Issue. Can you feel the sleeper mechanism underneath your mattress? The Deluxe Memory Foam Sofa Bed Mattress is designed to eliminate that metal bar problem using a unique combination of foams.
- It’s made in America.
- The gel and visco memory foam, the Organic Cotton fabric, the Rayon FR barrier, and the water-based non-toxic adhesive are all made in North & South Carolina.
- It’s independently tested. It’s the only sofa mattress to be independently tested (that I’m aware of). Samples were sent to an independent lab in the midwest and they ran it through a battery of tests.
- Rollator Test: Designed to simulate every night use for 10 years. This test involves a 240 lb hexagon shaped roller that is passed 200k times across the mattress to simulate 10 years of use. This model passes with flying colors.
- Pressure Mapping Test: I wanted to create a design that provided the maximum pressure point relief while still being able to fold into a sofa bed. I tested a variety of specs and found the current build of this mattress to be far superior to other sofa bed mattresses on the market.
- Customers love it. The latest iteration of the product has over 100 5 star reviews from real customers.
- Refined Over Time To Be The Best Sleeper Sofa Mattress. It’s been on the market for over 12 years. The specs have been tweaked during that time as new mattress technologies have been introduced into the market place. Earlier versions of the mattress were not double sided, didn’t use gel foam, and did not use Cool-Max.
- The highest quality fabric. The majority of pull out mattresses being sold today have a cheap generic polyester fabric cover. This mattress is made with a premium quality Cool-Max fabric using technology developed by Dupont. It regulates temperature and wicks away moisture.
Negatives:
- Higher Cost: Because it’s made in the USA and only the highest quality materials are used, it’s going to cost more then an imported mattress from China.
- Mattress cover is not machine washable. Rather then treating the foam with toxic chemicals or using an itchy fiber glass sock to pass FR laws (like those made in China), the mattress fabric is laminated with an eco-friendly Rayon fabric. The downside is, you can’t machine wash it.Pro Tip: We’d recommend you buy a sofa bed mattress protector (sofa mattress encasement). It will protect your new mattress from spills, stains, dust mites, bed bugs, bacteria, and more.
[WARNING!] Don't Buy A Sofa Sleeper Mattress Online Until You Read This!
There is a lot of cheap low-quality hide a bed mattresses on online market places like Amazon, Ebay, Walmart, and Overstock that are made in China. Most of them are made by the same manufacturer.
Here’s why that’s concerning:
- No consistency. Chinese mattress manufacturers buy components from the lowest bidder. As a result, there is no consistency in how hard/soft the foam is or density (quality) of the foams.
- Poor quality materials. We’ve torn open many of these pull-out couch mattresses and we’ve found things like:
- Used carpet padding
- Matted down fiber fill
- Cardboard in the comfort layer (one from a TV cardboard box)
- Staples poking out of the foam keeping the fire barrier in place.
- Foam treated with toxic chemicals (formaldehyde, PBDEs, Mercury, & lead) in order to pass US FR laws (CFR 1633)
- Foam that is high VOC that off gasses, etc.
- Breaks down quickly. While the mattress might look nice on delivery, because of the quality of the components, they don’t tend to last very long. You won’t want to be replacing that love seat mattress after only a few years of use.
Sofa Bed Mattress Accessories
Sofa Bed Sheets
Did you know you can buy sofa bed sheets? They’re sewn to fit your exact mattress size! We offer them in any size and in a variety of different colors.
Sofa Bed Mattress Cover
Makes sure to protect your sofa bed mattress with a waterproof sofa bed mattress cover! There are 2 styles. Fitted and encasement. Fitted will just protect the top of the mattress and encasement style protects all 6 sides of your mattress.
Sofa Bed Mattress Topper
If you can’t afford to replace the mattress, consider adding a gel memory foam sofa bed mattress topper. You can get these with or without a cover. Aim for a 3 LB density foam that is made in the USA and is Certipurus Certified.
Synonyms: Other Names for Sofa Bed Mattresses
Depending on what part of the country you’re from, you might call these types of mattresses by different names.
Kind of like how some of us call soft drinks “soda” and others call them “pop”.
Here are some synonyms:
- sleeper sofa mattress
- hide a bed mattress
- pull out couch mattress
- convertible mattress
- chair bed mattress
- mattress for sofa
- Love seat mattress
Will Mattress Insider Sofa Bed Mattress Fit in My Sofa?
This is a question we are often asked. Click play below to see how simple this is.
11 Things To Ask/Investigate Before You Buy
When choosing a retailer, read through their policies. Make sure to ask the following questions:
Returns & Trial Periods
You need to have peace of mind that if you don’t like your mattress, you can send it back for a refund. If a distributor offers a return policy, make sure to ask them to provide you with details on their policy.
We ask that you try our sofa mattresses for at least 30 days. If after 30 days you don’t like it for any reason, you can return it to us up to the 365 days.
Double Check Your Mattress Depth
It can be confusing measuring for a new sofa bed mattress. If you have any doubt on whether or not you need a special size, ask them.
All of MattressInsider.com’s a mattresses are 4.5″ thick and are designed to fit into 99% of sofa beds. If your frame takes a special thickness, give us a call (888-488-1468) for a quote and lead time.
Check Reviews & 3rd Party Ratings
Do they have complaints filed? MattressInsider.com is an “A” rated business and we’ve won a Gold Star award from the BBB for having zero complaints filed since 2008. We are one of only a small handful of sofa mattress suppliers with no complaints on record.
Make sure you’re dealing with an honest company that is upfront about the specifications of their products. MattressInsider.com strives to be as transparent as possible on product specs and service because we believe you deserve to know what’s in your mattress.
Fake Reviews
There are several sofa mattress suppliers that are posting fake 5 star product reviews. One company in particular, is notorious for hiring foreign contractors to post dozens of reviews on their products overnight. They went from having zero reviews to 59 reviews for their memory foam sofa mattress within 24 hours. 2 years later, this product still has 59 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!
Make Sure The Site Is Secure
Make sure you’re placing an order on an SSL encrypted website that is scanned daily for security. We use McAfee Secure to test our website daily against vulnerabilities. We use a 128 bit encryption SSL through GoDaddy to ensure that your transaction is secure. For security purposes and PCI/DSS compliance, no credit card data is stored on our servers.
Verify It's Made in the USA
Ask if 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.
If you do choose to go for a mattress that’s imported or uses imported components, ask if the mattress uses foams which have been Certipurus Certified. Our Cool Meadow Sofa Mattress found in the clearance section is the imported version of our Deluxe Sofa Bed Mattress and it utilizes Certipurus certified foam. Our Natural Latex Mattress utilizes latex from rubber trees which can only be found in the humid climates of Brazil and Sri Lanka. All foam in this product is also Certipurus Certified.
Verify Certipurus Certification
All MattressInsider.com sofa mattresses use foam that passes this voluntary certification. Certipurus is an independent laboratory that tests foam for chemical composition, durability, and performance. Certipurus foams have low emission (low VOC’s), they’re made without chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s), ozone depleters, PDBE flame retardants, mercury, lead, heavy metals, formaldehyde, or prohibited pthalates. They’ve also been tested for durability and performance.
Was the Mattress Rollator Tested?
A rollator test simulates 10 years of life on a mattress. A 240-pound cylinder is rolled back and forth over the top of the mattress 100,000 cycles over the course of a week to measure durability. Firmness and loss of height are measured at the beginning, halfway through, and at the end of the test. Our Deluxe Sofa Bed Mattress with Memory Foam has placed in the top .005% of sofa mattresses tested.
Was The Mattress Pressure Map Tested?
Pressure map testing gives you a sense of where the mattress is creating pressure points. Our Deluxe Sofa Bed Mattress with Memory Foam went through this test and was also ranked in the top 1% of sofa mattresses for pressure point relief.
Buy The Best You Can Afford
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, you may want to keep it more affordable (see our Ovation Sofa Bed Mattress).
We offer free US (lower 48) shipping on all of our sofa mattress models. Although a few offer free shipping, others average around $49-$79 dollars.
Compare Warranties
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 has a 10 year manufacturers warranty.
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.
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 refurbished.
What's The Turn Around Time?
Most manufacturers average around 10 business days production time. We average between 3-5 business days depending on the model. If you’re in a hurry, ask us about expedited shipping options which would get your order out the door within 24-48 business hours!
We ship via FedEX or UPS Ground (depending on the model). Transit times can be found towards the bottom of every product page under “transit time”.
Enjoy and share!
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