Can You Replace a Sofa Bed Mattress?

GUIDES · SOFA BEDS

Yes, you can usually replace a sofa bed mattress. Whether you should depends on the frame underneath it.

Most people who search for a new sofa bed mattress have the same problem. Guests wake up sore, you can feel the frame through the mattress, and it sags in the middle. A new mattress can help. But it's no good having an amazing mattress if the frame it sits on does a poor job. This guide covers both, so you spend your money once.

Can You Replace a Sofa Bed Mattress?

Usually, yes. Most pull-out sofa beds take a separate mattress that lifts out. The catch is that it has to fold with the mechanism. Too thick and the sofa won't close. Too thin and you're back where you started.

Before you buy, measure three things: the width and length of the mattress you have now, and its depth. Then check the depth the mechanism will take when it folds. If the maker lists a maximum mattress depth, stick to it.

What Mattress Should You Buy?

Depth matters more than anything else on the label, as long as the mechanism still folds. For the detail on foam, pocket springs and the rest, see our guides to the different types of sofa bed mattress and foam vs spring.

Why Your Sofa Bed Mattress Sags

Sagging is usually the frame, not the mattress. If the base is a sheet of webbing or a few thin slats, a new mattress will sag into it in exactly the same place. Press down on the base with the mattress out. If it gives a lot, or you can feel a bar or a gap, that's your problem.

Signs it's the frame, not the mattress:

• You can feel a bar or a ridge across your back
• The dip is in the same place whichever way round the mattress goes
• The mechanism creaks or doesn't sit level when it's open

Is a New Mattress the Answer?

Only if the frame is sound. If the mattress is just thin or hard, a topper may be enough, and it's much cheaper. Our guide on putting a topper on a sofa bed covers how. If the base dips, neither will fix it.

How Long Does a Sofa Bed Mattress Last?

It depends on how often it's slept on. A spare-room bed used a few times a year can last many years. One used every night wears like any everyday mattress. If it sags, smells or you can feel the springs, it's time.

When It's Time for a Better Sofa Bed

If the frame is the problem, no mattress will fix it. That's when it's worth looking at a sofa bed that's designed as a bed first.

We've made sofa beds in Nottingham since 2007, and the sleep is the reason most people choose ours. On most models the mattress is 18cm deep and 2m long, in real bed sizes up to super king. They sit on a base designed to behave like a proper bed base, so you can sleep on one every night if you need to. You'll sleep longer and better, and you'll have much happier guests.

The best way to know is to lie on one. Our showrooms in Swiss Cottage and Chelsea are walk-in, no appointment needed, although you can book one if you want. If you can't get to London, our sofa beds come with a 60-day home trial.

Browse our sofa beds · Visit a showroom

Already Have a Furl Sofa Bed?

We sell replacement mattresses for every Furl sofa bed we make. They're made to fit our frames, so they won't fit other brands. Call us on 0208 4516 999 and we'll find the right one for your model.

Quick Answers

Can I put a normal mattress on a sofa bed?
Not usually. A normal mattress is too thick and too stiff to fold with the mechanism.

Can I buy a Furl mattress for another brand's sofa bed?
No. Ours are made for our own frames and won't fit other sofa beds.

Can you sleep on a sofa bed every night?
Only if it's designed for it. Ours are designed as proper beds first.