What are the options for replacing an uncomfortable sofa bed mattress?
Q: I have an old Leathercraft Chesterfield sofa bed (full size) that is in relatively good condition. I need to replace the mattress and am looking for an innerspring, definitely not foam, because innerspring provides much more support and sleeps cooler than memory foam or gel. The mattress is 52-by-71-by-5 inches — a six-inch-thick mattress will not work. Is there a way to get a replacement mattress that fits?
A: Your question seems simple, but it’s more complicated than you might think, and finding the type and size you want is just the start of it.
Online, as you’ve probably discovered, most mattresses are foam. There are innersprings, but most are far too thick for what you need. And while some innerspring manufacturers say they offer custom sizes, that typically refers to varying the length or width, not the thickness, which is set by the length of the coils they purchase. In recent years, mattresses have gotten thicker and thicker, and foam has become more and more popular. So finding a five-inch-thick innerspring mattress in the size you need is a challenge.
A representative for Leathercraft, the manufacturer of your sofa, said the company is not set up to deal with inquiries from consumers and suggested calling the sales rep for your area. He suggested calling McLean Furniture Gallery in Fairfax, Va. A sales rep there said that in seven years of work, he’s never dealt with a request for a replacement mattress. He suggested calling the store where you bought the sofa. If you don’t know where you bought it, his company could try to help but they would need the model number and any other details on a label that’s usually under the cushions, near the center of the sofa. Then they could try to trace that number to figure out who made the mattress. “Leathercraft isn’t making the mattress,” he said; it’s a vendor. Once the vendor is identified, the next question would be whether the company is still making the mattress you need.
Advertisement
Or you might go directly to one company that sells 5-inch-thick innerspring mattresses for sofa beds, the Wallace Flynn Collective in High Point, N.C., the center for furniture manufacturing in the United States. The company’s website lists a 5-inch-thick innerspring “hospitality bed” mattress for $549.99 in full size, but it defines that as 52-by-72 inches, one inch longer than you need. Does that inch matter? It might, said a company representative. She said that before someone orders the mattress, Wallace Flynn asks them to find a sticker on the metal frame that identifies the model — not for the sofa overall, but for the mechanism. It’s often Leggett & Platt or Hickory Springs.
If you can’t find the sticker, Wallace Flynn will help you figure out the mattress you need, because it’s not just a matter of overall dimensions. The attachment points and shape — square corners or round? — also matter. The company can email you directions with illustrations, but basically you need to measure the distance between the mounting brackets where the mattress attaches to the sofa; the depth inside the sofa from front to back; and the height when the mattress is folded into the sofa.
You don’t say why you need to replace the mattress. If it’s become uncomfortable, there are a few things you might want to try, short of getting a new mattress. Often, the problem is a sagging support system, which makes the support bars dig into sleepers’ backs or hips. Try slipping pieces of ⅜- or ½-inch-thick plywood under the mattress when the bed is pulled out. You don’t need one big piece, which would be difficult to maneuver and store. Pieces about 16 inches wide — what you’d get by cutting a 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood into strips — would work. They don’t necessarily need to reach the full length of the mattress, but they do need to be long enough to bridge the bed’s bars. Connect them with hinges made of duct tape, so they stay aligned and fold up for storage.
Advertisement
Or buy a ready-made solution. The Sleeper Helper ($119.99) has connected plastic panels that fold out to be 48 by 48 inches, suitable for full- and queen-size sofa sleepers. Folded, the panels are ⅝-inch thick, so you can tuck the package into the mattress when you put away the bed. (The folds run across the sofa for storage but lengthwise under the mattress for sleep.)
Using a board under the cushions can also make a sleeper sofa more comfortable to sit on when it’s in sofa mode. Shop online for “sofa support board” to find products such as Laveve’s heavy duty couch cushion support, which lists for $49.99 on Amazon.
Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com. Put “How To” in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLWwucRoaWlqY2R%2Bc3uRa2atoaCoerOxz6WYnJ1dqLynrYybnJ1lnZbBtb7ErKpo