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Sofa beds and sleeper sofas often use mattresses, but that doesn’t mean they always include them. Sofa beds are technically futons or couches that fold into a mattress. On the other hand, a sleeper sofa hides a mattress under a few couch cushions.
Sofa beds come with a mattress that’s typically a full, queen, or king mattress. The mattress is often a few inches shorter than the sofa to fit under the cushions. Without the mattress, the cushions would sink too far. You can replace the bed with another sofa mattress, but not a regular one.
Sleeper sofas and sofa beds that come with a mattress often use spring-style mattresses or memory foam pads. If you replace the mattress, make sure you use the same width, length, and thickness to fit the sofa or couch.
What Size Mattress Is on a Sofa Bed?
A full, queen, short queen, or king-size mattress is on a sofa bed. The mattress size depends on the sofa’s length and width. It matches the canvas or polyester frame, so you can’t increase or decrease the size. Furthermore, getting a different mattress size will affect the couch cushion height.
Here’s what you should know about sofa bed mattress sizes:
- The mattress size affects a sofa bed’s weight limit. Bigger mattresses typically have higher weight capacities. If your sofa bed comes with a mattress that’s queen or king-size and it’s five inches thick, it’ll support more weight than a full-size mattress that’s only three inches thick.
- The Spruce claims the sofa bed’s size directly impacts the mattress’s dimensions. Three-cushion sectional couches have bigger mattresses than loveseat sleeper sofas. This means they can support more weight, thus providing room for more people.
- Many sofa beds use modified mattress sizes. You’ll often notice sofa beds come with mattresses that are labeled as short queen, short king, wide full, and so on. These altered mattress sizes keep the same length or width with modified dimensions.
- Adding a topper will make the sofa bed slightly thicker. Mattress toppers on adjustable beds, sleeper sofas, sofa beds, and other couch beds make the cushions much more comfortable. I suggest using a one-inch or two-inch memory foam topper.
It’s almost always better to stick to the mattress size that comes with the sofa bed. In other words, don’t switch from a thin queen-size mattress to a thick king-size mattress, even if it seems more accommodating. You’ll end up making the sofa bed harder to fold.
What Mattress Can You Use on a Sofa Bed?
You can use gel foam, memory foam, innerspring, or an inflatable mattress on a sofa bed. Many futon sofa beds are made of cotton surrounded by canvas that unfolds into a bed. Make sure you use the same material dimensions and materials if you have to get rid of the old mattress.
So, what kind of mattress should you choose for your sofa bed?
Memory Foam or Gel Foam
Memory foam works great in a sofa bed because it folds and doesn’t take up too much space. However, gel foam and memory foam typically work better as toppers for sleeper sofas rather than the whole mattress.
I have the Linenspa Memory Foam Topper. This gel-infused topper adds cooling comfort that forms to the size of your sofa bed. It can be folded or rolled, depending on the style of sofa you have. It also comes in modified sizes, such as short queen or cot.
Innerspring Mattress
Mattress Insider talks about how innerspring mattresses are some of the most common sofa bed mattresses available. Not only do they fold to the shape and size of a sleeper sofa, but they also maintain their shape under the pressure of people sitting on the couch cushions when the mattress is folded.
Inflatable Beds
Air mattresses stay inflated on sofa beds, but they can be deflated when you fold the couch to its original position. You can use them as mattress toppers or place them under a memory foam pad to add extra comfort when you’re sleeping on a sofa bed.
Can You Take the Mattress Out of a Sleeper Sofa?
You can take the mattress out of a sleeper sofa, but not a futon sofa. The futon of a futon sofa also acts as the couch cushions, so you’d be removing the whole couch. When you remove the mattress from a sleeper sofa, you’ll need to put another mattress to support the cushions.
Keep these things in mind before removing a mattress from a sleeper sofa:
- You usually can’t sit on the couch until you put the mattress back into the sofa bed. Sofa beds are built a bit differently than regular couches. They have springs, coils, and other parts that can poke through the fabric under a couch, damaging the furniture.
- Most sleeper sofa beds are designed to fold, which means you can’t use a regular mattress. Traditional mattresses are made to stay flat, so folding them in a sofa bed will create permanent creases. It’ll also elevate the cushions, making the couch look strange.
- Sofa beds come with a mattress that’s usually around 3 to 5 inches thick. These mattresses are designed to support the couch cushions when the sofa is folded. However, it also needs to be thick enough to provide optimal comfort throughout the night when you sleep on the bed.
- You can put a memory foam pad where the mattress goes to keep the cushions elevated on the sofa bed. These pads don’t last as long as the mattresses that sofa beds come with, but they work very well in a pinch. They also make the couch cushions more relaxing to sit on.
As you can see, you’re more than welcome to remove the mattress from a sleeper sofa. That being said, it could affect the couch’s comfort and overall quality. I recommend replacing the mattress rather than getting rid of it and leaving a gap between the cushions and the coils or canvas frame.