In many ways, the humble sofa bed is a woefully underappreciated piece of furniture. It has the ability to turn any space into an extra bedroom, yet most homeowners rarely clean or properly care for their own. There are certainly advantages to be had from carefully maintaining a sleeper, sleeper sofa, or pull out.

For a start, high quality sofa beds will last a very long time if given the chance. As they are designed for temporary use, they do not undergo the same amount of wear as regular beds and can be kept for a long time without needing to be replaced. Plus, modern sofa beds are extremely comfortable things; long gone are the days when ‘pull out bed’ meant a sore back and a poor sleep.
These handy tips and tricks for buying a great sofa bed will help you know what to look for when browsing in your local furniture shop in Cambridge.

Invest in a Hardwood Frame

The toughest and most durable frame type for any kind of sofa is hardwood. This includes sofa beds, so it is a good idea to invest in a sturdy, long lasting product. It can be made out of kiln dried hardwood or a combination of hardwood and plywood. However, pine frames may be a little soft for a bed which needs to be moved around a lot.

Look for Top Notch Mechanisms

The mechanism in a top quality sofa bed will lift up and outwards with one smooth movement. It will not stick or make any kind of squeaking sounds. When you are shopping at your nearest furniture store in Cambridge, ask the sales representative if their sofa beds come with lock down bars. Essentially, this is just a metal bar at the front of the opening mechanism, which slots inside the sofa bed and locks the rest into place.

Search for a Comfy Mattress

Ultimately, the mattress on a sofa bed cannot really be of the same quality as a standard mattress, because it needs to fold and bend in a completely different way. However, there are mattresses which come close. Either way, it makes sense to look for one which is comfortable, provides plenty of back support, and will keep guests happy. If you get your sofa bed home and still find the mattress too comfy, you could pick up a specially designed sleeping mat, pad, or roll for added softness.

Give it a Test Drive

If you are heading out to a furniture shop in Cambridge, you should have no problem testing out a few of the best sofa beds. It is generally better to shop for this kind of furniture in person, just because it is easier to judge quality. However, all reliable retailers operate fair and practical returns policies. It is worth asking about the details, no matter whether you are buying online or in store. If possible, test the opening mechanism; make sure that it works smoothly.

Take the Measurements

This is something which many people forget when shopping for a sofa bed, but it is essential. What happens if you get the furniture home and find that it is too wide or too long for the room? To avoid this, make sure that you know for certain whether the sofa bed will fit comfortably in the space before you buy it. You can do this by measuring the size of the room, jotting it down on paper, and taking it with you to the furniture shop in Cambridge. Once there, the sales reps will be able to give you the measurements for different products.

To find out more about shopping for the perfect sofa bed or to locate your nearest furniture shop in Cambridge.