Forward-folding sofas: types, sizes and selection rules

Today on the market there are a great many sofas of various designs and sizes, differing not only in their shape, but also in the materials of manufacture, as well as their purpose. In our today's article, we will talk about sofas that fold forward, analyze their types and dwell in more detail on how not to make a mistake when choosing this important piece of home interior.

The advantages of a sofa bed are obvious. During the day, this piece of upholstered furniture is folded, so it takes up a minimum of space, saving free space and allowing you to use the room ergonomically. Due to the compactness of such furniture and a huge number of different models, you can choose a comfortable sofa bed by the size of the room, which will easily fit into both a large hall and a small room.

At the moment, the greatest demand is for forward-folding sofas, since their transformation mechanism is reliable and easy to operate. In addition, these sofas are often equipped with an orthopedic mattress to ensure a healthy night's rest. Among the disadvantages of such designs can be called an insufficiently flat berth, consisting of several segments in some sofa models.

Another important disadvantage of forward-folding sofas is this is the possibility of damage to the parquet or the formation of rolled tracks on the carpet when the moving part is pulled out... In addition, such designs provide for the presence of a large free space in front of them.

All transformation mechanisms differ among themselves both in terms of user indicators and the degree of reliability. This is an important parameter that you must pay attention to when choosing a suitable model, because the durability of upholstered furniture depends on the correct operation of all parts. So, here are the main types of sofa transformation mechanisms:

• folding;

• rolling out (sliding out);

• unfolding (swivel).

Folding models are considered the most simple and practical. Among them are such popular types:

This model does not lose its relevance, despite the solid experience of its service. "Book" has a simple mechanism that can be mounted on straight and corner types of sofas. To lay such a sofa into bed, you need to lift the seat up until it clicks and lower it - in front of you is a completely comfortable bed. Due to their compactness and simple transformation mechanism, “book” sofas are very popular among owners of small apartments.

The main disadvantages of this model are the need to move the furniture away from the wall during its unfolding, as well as the fact that the sleeping bed has a joint in the middle between the unfolded seat and backrest. However, the last drawback can be easily corrected by laying a thick blanket or blanket on the surface of the sofa. All "books" are equipped with a spacious box for storing bedding; models with and without armrests are also available.

This is a more modern and improved version of the "book". You will have to tinker a little with its unfolding, because the design provides additional possibilities: the back of the sofa can take not only vertical and horizontal positions, but also intermediate "reclining", sometimes even in two versions, which makes such a sofa much more comfortable and convenient. In addition, the back has sidewalls that can change position and serve as a comfortable head support when resting. The armrests of these sofas can also be lowered and raised.

Such a mini-sofa has only one armrest, due to which this thing can be placed where even an ordinary "book" sofa will not fit. Due to its compactness, very often couch sofas are placed in children's rooms, making it possible to maximize the space for the child's active games. Roll-out or sliding models are highly reliable and provide a comfortable night's rest. Among these models, there are both simple and more complex designs.

Refers to the simplest options for roll-out sofas. Its mechanism is highly reliable and easy to use. In order to transform this sofa into a sleeping place, it is enough to pull the seat towards you using a special loop, and it will roll forward using the rollers installed on the underside of the seat. After that, you need to lower the backrest into the resulting empty space, and the spacious bed is ready for use.

Eurobooks are especially popular due to their simplicity and reliable transformation mechanism, thanks to which these sofas practically do not fail. Among the disadvantages is the existence of a joint on the sleeping surface, like in folding models, as well as the danger of damage to the parquet or laminate, or the formation of rolled tracks on the carpet by the wheels due to the seat being pulled forward.

It is an improved version of the "Eurobook". Its difference lies in the fact that when unfolding, the sliding part does not roll on the floor, but rises, makes a kind of walking movement and drops to the required distance, while avoiding damage to the floor covering. Like the Eurobook model, the seat depth of the teak-tock sofas is quite large, which makes the model not entirely comfortable when seated. However, this drawback is solved by the pillows included in the product kit.

This type of transformation mechanism is usually installed on corner models of upholstered furniture. Such sofas tend to ennoble any room., from the respectable receptionist of the director of the enterprise to the usual living room in a small apartment. The design of these sofas is very diverse.

In order to unfold the sofa with the dolphin mechanism, you need to push forward the movable block hidden under the seat, which then itself is set flush with the main surface of the seat, and then unfold the soft part of the sofa in the same way as we did with the sofa-book. The sleeping place turns out to be very wide and comfortable, the layout is easy, no effort is needed.

The only point that you should pay close attention to when buying such a model is the frame - it must be made of hardwood. Otherwise, due to the heavy load during daily use, this thing will not last long.

The advantage of the model is its compactness when assembled. Sofas do not require a lot of free space, but in the unfolded position they form a perfectly flat wide surface, often equipped with an orthopedic mattress.

The transformation mechanism of such upholstered furniture works according to the principle of accordion furs - As soon as the seat is pulled towards you by the special strap, it moves forward, dragging the two-piece back of the sofa, which unfolds and forms a comfortable place to sleep. The positive aspect of the "Accordion" model is ease and ease of use, as well as good orthopedic properties of the sleeping surface.

This mechanism is usually installed on premium products, the transformation is easy and simple: the seat rises and moves forward along the path of an arc, after which it is installed on special supports. The mechanism is durable and reliable, therefore this high quality upholstered furniture is very popular... When folded, these models are very compact, and when unfolded they form a wide flat bed without noticeable joints. This transformation mechanism is installed on corner and straight sofa models.

Let's finish our review of folding and roll-out sofas models with popular types of transformation mechanisms under the general name "folding bed". In this series, there are several varieties, the most famous of which are:

• "French clamshell";

• "American clamshell" ("sedaflex");

• "Italian clamshell".

The simplest model is a "French clamshell" which consists of three sections and unfolds by unfolding the parts hidden in the seat forwards. This model is not intended for everyday use, as its mechanism is rather unreliable. "American folding bed" is more durable and reliable and has a thick mattress. Such a sofa consists of two sections and, when unfolded, forms a rather comfortable and even bed. "Italian clamshell" is installed on expensive models, is reliable and comfortable, suitable for daily use.

An important role when choosing a sofa is played by the quality of materials used to make it. Here, separately, you need to pay attention to the frame of the purchased item, its filler and upholstery.

Frames for sofas can be:

• metal;

• wooden;

• combined;

• from chipboard or plywood.

The most durable are metal frames.Also the quality furniture comes with a solid wood frame. Combined frames are a good option. The only drawback of the above materials is their high price. As a compromise, you can choose a model with a plywood frame. Sofas with a chipboard frame are distinguished by their fragility - such furniture will last a maximum of several years.

The filler material is also very important - both in terms of the durability of the structure and in terms of its effect on human health. The most useful filler material is the independent spring blocks, which have excellent orthopedic properties. Dependent spring blocks are quite reliable and durable, however, sleeping on such a sofa can provoke spinal problems. The interconnected springs tend to stretch and form a kind of hammock in the middle of the sleeping surface.

The polyurethane foam filler has orthopedic properties, however, sleeping on such a sofa may not seem comfortable to everyone because of the rigidity of this material. The most budget models are equipped with foam or padding polyester filler, however, these materials tend to deform quickly, so such sofas are fragile. The upholstery of sofas is made of various materials, such as:

• leather;

• leatherette;

• matting;

• chenille;

• tapestry;

• flock;

• velours.

The most expensive and valuable material is, of course, leather, however, these sofas are not suitable for every room. Matting - dense and durable material, most suitable for sofas with an optimal quality-price ratio. Velor and flock - very popular upholstery fabrics, they are pleasant to the touch and have a wealth of colors, however, they are prone to abrasion in a fairly short time. Tapestry and chenille - the most durable and reliable materials with a fairly high price.

Sofas are now available in a wide variety of sizes. Product dimensions vary by model. The length of standard straight two-seater sofas is usually 250 cm. One-and-a-half sofas are produced in lengths from 200 cm.The width of the berth can be very different, but more often there are models with a width of 130 cm to 150 cm for compact models, standard sofas can have a width of 170 cm or 180 see Large sofa is available from 200 cm wide. Children's mini-sofas can be 120 cm and even 110 cm wide.

In order to correctly choose this necessary and rather expensive piece of furniture, you need to make measurements of your room, as well as the entrance and interior doors... In order for a thing to serve its owners for many years, pay attention to the quality of the product. Examine the seams; they should be smooth and strong. The easiest way to do this is on the armrests, of course, if the armrests are covered with fabric or leather.

Ask the sellers what materials the frame and filling of the sofa is made of. Sit on the couch - the seat should be fairly comfortable, and after you get off the couch, quickly return to its previous shape. This fact speaks about the quality of the filler. Upholstery should match your room's décor, be durable enough and be easy to clean.

Unfold and fold the sofa several times - the transformation mechanism should work smoothly and easily. Otherwise, refrain from purchasing this model.

For information on the mechanisms for transforming sofas, see the video.