Before you go out and buy a futon bed and mattress make sure you buy a futon bed mattress that best suits your needs. Buying a futon bed can be a cheap alternative to buying a sofa bed, but if you don't know exactly what futon you want, you may live to regret it.
Futon beds have become increasingly popular. These dual purpose pieces of furniture are great when you don't have much space, or if you want a sofa that can be occasionally used as a bed for guests. Futon beds also tend to cost less than the more traditional sofa beds. However before buying a futon bed and mattress you should decide exactly what function the futon bed will be put to use.
First, futon beds tend to come in two varieties; a bi-fold frame or tri-fold frame. A bi-fold futon bed is where the frame folds the mattress in half; down the middle, lengthways. A tri-fold futon bed is where the frame folds the mattress into thirds, widthways; one third forms the seat, one third the back, and the final third folding over the back or underneath the seat. When folded, the bi-fold futon bed mattress has a wider seating area than does the tri-fold futon bed mattress. The bi-fold futon looks much more like a traditional sofa, whereas the tri-fold futon looks more like a two seat sofa. If space is very limited you may want to consider buying a tri-fold futon bed mattress, but if not, the bi-fold futon bed mattress usually looks far more pleasing to the eye.
Secondly, it should be borne in mind that it is not the futon frame that provides the comfort when either sitting or sleeping on a futon: it is the futon mattress that provides the comfort. A futon bed mattress made for a tri-fold futon frame is not as thick as that for a bi-fold futon bed frame. Therefore, if you intend to sleep on your futon regularly you might be best to buy a bi-fold futon bed mattress: a thicker mattress tends to provide more support. But if space is at a premium and you will only occasionally sleep on your futon best, than the tri-fold will certainly suffice.
The best futon bed mattress is the one that best suits your requirements. Consider the space you have available, and what will be the main function of the futon bed mattress. If the futon is going to be used regularly for sleeping on, then most consumer reviews of futon beds tend to favor the bi-fold futon frame and mattress. Finally, always buy the best you can afford. There are many top rated futon bed mattresses to choose from. You can find them in many department stores these days, or you can find many makes and models of futon beds on the internet. Remember, know exactly what type of futon bed mattress you require before you go out and buy one.