How To Open and Close a Futon Sofa Bed Correctly
There are different types of futon sofa frames and each one opens and closes differently. It is important to know the type of frame you have to operate it easily. Click on the following sections to learn more.
If you are looking for a high-quality, Canadian-made futon at a price you can afford, contact us.

Learn how to operate your futon sofa easily
How to Operate a Futon Sofa Bed
1. Bifold Futon
A bifold futon has a two-part frame. One part will form the seat of your futon sofa and the other forms the backrest. The shape is similar to that of a piece of paper folded in half when it is being used as a sofa and that same piece of paper opened up and laid flat when it is being used as a bed.
Here are the steps to follow to open and close a basic bifold futon without a spring mechanism.
OPENING
Step 1:
Make sure that you have enough space between the back of the futon and the wall for it to lay out flat. If not, move your futon away from the wall.
Step 2:
If your futon has a latch, make sure that it is undone, before you try to open it.
Step 3:
Grab the frame under the seat section at the front of your futon with two hands. If you have a very large futon, you may need a second person to help you.
Step 4:
Start
lifting up the base and pull it towards you. You will need to be moving backward as you are lifting and pulling.
Step 5:
Set the base down on the floor once both it and the backrest are completely flat.

A bifold futon frame is made up of two parts
CLOSING
Step 6:
To close your futon, first, take off all of the bedding and pillows so that nothing will get caught in the frame.
Step 7:
Go around to the back of your futon sofa and start pulling up with two hands on the top bar until it is upright and secure it in that position.
Step 8:
Adjust the mattress so that it lines up properly with the seat and the backrest.
Step 9:
If your futon has a latch, make sure to secure it.

A bifold futon sofa is shaped like a piece of paper folded lengthwise
2. Bifold Futon with Spring Loaded Mechanism
OPENING
Step 1:
Make sure your
futon is pulled out far enough from your wall so that it can fold out easily.
Step 2:
Place your hand underneath the middle of the front bar of the seat section on your futon (above the stretcher rail).
Step 3:
Lift up and over in a rainbow movement (like an arc) to open the frame. You don't have to use a lot of force because the
spring-loaded mechanism does all the work for you making it very simple to operate.
CLOSING
Step 1:
Move over to the side of your futon and place one hand on the
mattress and one hand on the back of the frame. Alternately, you could place one hand on the arm and one hand on the back of the frame if you find this easier.
Step 2:
Push down on the mattress or the arm and lift the back up at the same time. The springs will also help you to lift up your
futon.
The following video will show you how to operate this type of futon sofa.
A spring-loaded mechanism helps you open up your futon sofa easily
3. Bifold Studio Frame Futon
This bifold studio frame also comes with a spring mechanism to help you operate it. It is designed with a special extension piece to the frame so that it can open up into a full-sized double bed while having a smaller footprint when it is being used as a sofa.
OPENING
Step 1:
Grab the frame at the front of your futon sofa and lift it over the stopper. This will put your futon into a lounging position.
Step 2:
From the lounge position, lift the futon frame to flip it onto its back.
Step 3:
Push the frame forward and lift it up towards the ceiling to unlock it from its
peg mechanism.
Step 4:
Push it forward again and lift and pull it forward to lay it down flat.
Step 5:
Once it is flat, pull the frame towards you to extend it out even further. Two legs will come down that you can lock into place.
Step 6:
Place the extension mattress piece onto the extended frame.
CLOSING
Step 7:
To close the frame, simply repeat these steps in the reverse order.

The above picture shows you how to flip the futon frame onto its back - Image Source: Youtube
4. A-Frame Futon
An
A-frame or trifold futon frame is made up of 3 parts. Two sections form the backrest and one section forms the seat. This style is especially good for really tight spaces.

The A-Frame frame is made up of 3 parts
OPENING
Step 1:
Move the futon sofa frame away from any walls so that you will have enough space to completely fold it out.
Step 2:
If your futon is designed with a safety latch, undo it.
Step 3:
Grab the bottom rung of the backrest frame and pull it towards you until it lays flat on the floor.
Step 4:
Unfold the mattress and stretch it out along the base.

Stretch all three layers out onto the floor
CLOSING
Step 5:
To fold up your futon, you might find it easier to remove the mattress.
Step 6:
Lift and fold the backrest of the frame until it makes an upside-down "V" shape.
Step 7:
Fold your mattress under itself and place it on the frame.
Step 8:
You can also make your A-frame futon into a longer one by simply folding only one end up and leaving your futon frame in an "L" shape as in the picture below.

You can also use your A-frame futon as a lounger
For the Best Quality and Best Priced Futons, Choose The Futon Shop
If you are looking for the best quality futons at the best price, contact The Futon Shop. At The Futon Shop, we know how amazing our futons are because we are both the manufacturer and the retailer! Since 1984 we have been manufacturing our line of high-quality futons in a wide variety of styles and sizes. If you prefer, we can also make a custom size to meet your exact requirements.
All of our futons are crafted right here in Canada at our Burlington Ontario location, so you can be sure that you are getting a quality product that will last. We are the largest futon manufacturer in Canada and we even build our line of high-quality futon mattresses. You can come to see our incredible lineup at our Burlington location or you can shop for all of our products online. We ship all across Canada.
Looking for a small futon? Here are a few options to choose from. Click here to see our full gallery.
The Futon Shop Burlington Showroom Business Hours
Tuesday - Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm | Saturday: 10:00am - 3:00pm Sunday - Monday: Closed
5205 Harvester Rd, Burlington, L7L, ON, Canada
"We purchased from here instead of getting something shipped from Amazon because we were hoping for better quality & better customer service, not to mention supporting local, and we were not disappointed. Everyone we spoke with was super kind & helpful, our order was ready quickly and they fully loaded it into our vehicle, and when we had a slight issue with our order they were extremely quick to resolve it. The futon looks great and the mattress is really comfy. We did go with the tahoe pine frame which is not the best quality wood, but that’s to be expected in our price range - opt for better if you can afford it. Overall, worth the extra drive to Burlington (or the shipping cost if you get delivery).
."
- Kathleen Pacheco




