What is a futon mattress?
Futon mattresses have their origin in the Japanese lifestyle. In Japan, a futon means bed. So basically, any bed passes for a futon.
But in America, the idea of a futon bed includes the bits of a mattress on a foldable sofa frame— it can be made into a sofa when you’re watching movies and turned into a comfortable bed when you need to sleep.
Futon mattresses can be made from different materials: wool, latex, organic cotton, and fiber.
Most futon mattresses are firmer than ordinary foam mattresses and toppers.
They make a stable bed, but side sleepers might find cotton-filled futon mattresses too firm for a comfortable night’s sleep.
A look at the benefits of a futon mattress
Futons are mostly tufted with natural fibers, and hence need more care to lengthen their lifespan.
Simple care routines can extend the life of your futon mattress and give you its worth in service time.
One simple care routine is to flip the mattress at least once per week.
Are futon frames reliably sturdy?
Futon frames are made from either wooden frames or metal frames. The frames must be sturdy enough to accommodate your weight and that of the mattress itself.
When purchasing a futon mattress with a wooden frame, ensure the frame is made of solid hardwood. The hardwood frame will make it serve you for longer than the frames made of particle boards.
Also, the padding must be supported by evenly-spaced slats to accommodate weight and give the needed support for you and the mattress itself.
If you love the elegance of wood furniture, then futon mattress with a wooden frame will meet your needs for taste and style.
Metal frames are also sturdy and can serve you for long without creaking.
The quality of the metals used in making the frames will influence how much you buy it for; cheap metals make for cheap futon frames.
High-quality metal frames come at higher price.
Still, the padding rests on the slats, and so they must be closely spaced to give sturdy support and to avoid sagging of the mattress.
The distance between the slats should be between 2.5 to 3 inches.
Advantages of futon mattress
Though futon mattresses are popular now in the United States, they have a Japanese origin, and nobody had developed an interest in them until 1982 when William Brouwer made the first sofa bed.
William loved the traditional Japanese futon mattresses, and they inspired him to make the first sofa bed.
Though many love futon mattresses for their multi-purpose functionality, here are other reasons why futon mattresses are popular.
1.Futon mattresses are affordable- If you want a futon mattress, you can have it.
The mattresses are available from as low as $100 and can cost $600 and more on the higher side.
This makes it easier for you to find a futon mattress that meets your needs at the right price.
Factors like the size of the mattress, the frames, and the design will influence how much you pay for a futon mattress.
Another reason that make them more affordable is that you get two essentials in one bargain— a bed and couch.
Futon sofa beds are good for small rooms, because you won’t need to buy a sofa that takes up floor space.
2. Multi-purpose functionality- The best thing with futon mattresses is that they give you more than just a bed to rest in.
With a futon sofa bed you can save so much space and money.
Think about the small college cubicles, it would be impossible to fit in both a sofa and bed and still find enough space to move around the house.
Futons allow you the luxury of having both the sofa and the bed at a fraction of the cost of regular beds.
You can stretch on the sofa while studying, and still have a soul-nourishing sleep on the futon when night comes.
3. They last longer- Though they might sound like it, futons are not a quick fix to a small space problem.
Futons are durable pieces of furniture that can serve for more than 10 years if you take good care of them.
When buying futons, ensure you have chosen the best frames. Investing a hardwood frame will add more years to your futon.
What to consider when buying futon mattresses
Buying a futon, just like any other household item, can be tough without a few considerations.
Though futons cost way less than regular beds, you want to get the right futon for every dollar.
Considerations to guide your futon purchase
Aesthetics of the futon mattress
Futons come in different designs and is made from varied materials that influence how they appear.
Will a metal frame futon bed sync well with your décor or would you rather have wood frames?
Also, consider the materials used in tufting the mattress because others will shrink with time and spoil the shape of the mattress.
Although coil-filled futons might be comfortable and firm, they lose shape after serving you for a while.
On the other hand, futons made from foam mattresses will hold their shape for long and add to the elegance and style of your room.
Think about your needs
Your needs will influence the kind of futon you buy.
If you want a bed to use every night, then you should opt for a coil-filled futon as it is more suitable for everyday use than foam-filled futon mattresses.
On the other hand, if you only want a futon for occasional use, then the foam-filled futon should be your choice as it is more comfortable.
It also ages well; it doesn’t get out of shape.
Size of your room
You might love to lounge on a queen-size mattress, but the space of your room will influence the size of your mattress.
You don’t want to have the nasty surprise of a pleasant futon that can’t fit in your room.
Also, for the cases when you just want to replace the mattress, you must consider the size of the bed frame you already have.
This might happen a lot if you invest in a high-quality frame.
In conclusion, futon mattresses are great pieces of furniture. Futon mattresses can save you space and money.
And if you consider the flexibility of turning it into a sofa, you get so much with less.
