Futon Styles

A few tips

Three frame styles

The most popular futon frame is the bi-fold futon frame. The futon mattress folds in half horizontally, making the bi-fold perfect if you frequently convert the sofa to a bed. You can find bi-fold futon frames in chair, full and queen sizes.

A loveseat futon frame uses two smaller futon mattresses to fit a twin or full size bed into a compact space. Designed for smaller rooms, loveseats work fabulously in guest rooms, home offices, or lofts. You'll find loveseat frames in twin and full sizes.

A tri-fold futon frame folds the mattress twice on the frame. Unlike the bi-fold futon frame, the tri-fold uses the shorter width of the mattress for seating while the bi-fold uses the longer length. Because the mattress must be flexible enough to fold twice, you should only use thin mattresses on tri-fold futon frames. Although more difficult to convert to a bed than a bi-fold futon, the tri-fold frame works excellently in tight spaces. The tri-fold futon frame's variety of lounge settings and small size make it a popular style with college students.

Wood types

A high-quality futon frame should be crafted from durable, superior wood. Dense woods like ash, beech, cherry, maple, oak or southern yellow pine all work well for futon frames.  Weaker woods including alder, aspen, poplar, white pine or imported wood are not sturdy enough to withstand the heavy, daily use of a convertible futon frame.

Metal types

Metal futon frames range from classic to contemporary in style. Naturally durable, metal futon frames are simple to assemble and move. The metal futon, traditionally more affordable than wood, enjoys popularity with cash-strapped college students.

More information on futons