About Futon Frames

Some History & Details

The American version of the futon mattress started out on the floor. As time passed many futon makers began to see the potential of the futon frame as a new design alternative to the conventional, dual-purpose sofa-bed. Although a multitude of frames now exist, in the futon industry's early days it was the team of Irv Wieder (of Arise) and William Brouwer who developed the first convertible futon frames. Brouwer won the 1983 Daphne Award (sponsored by the Hardwood Institute) for his Brouwer Bed as the best new design in the Bedroom/Retail Category.

Bi-Fold and Tri-Fold: The New Sofa-beds of The New Millennium

There are two major differences between the bi-fold and tri-fold frame types. The first difference is the number of times the futon mattress must fold when converting from the sitting to sleeping position. The tri-fold requires the futon mattress to be folded twice while the bi-fold requires that the mattress fold only once. The second major difference between the two frame designs is that the tri-fold utilizes the shorter "width" of the mattress for seating while the bi-fold utilizes the longer "length". This gives the inherent advantage to the bi-fold because it looks much more like a conventional sofa-bed than does the tri-fold. It also provides a larger seating area for the consumer.

And Then Came the Bi-Fold

The bi-fold is now the industry standard and the more popular of the two basic styles. These sofa-bed lookalikes also come in two basic categories, those with arms and legs and those that sit directly on the floor.

Easier to Operate More Functional Positions Beautiful Styles
Space Saving Utility Easier to Assemble Matching Accessories & Covers
More SIZES! More Choices!

Frames that will sleep two can be under 5 feet wide or over 7 feet wide.
Many convert into a lounge position for watching TV or reading.
Frames are available in oak, mahogany, cherry, pine, maple, teak, and metal. Finishes and colors abound from contemporary to traditional, and some frames can even be upholstered in your choice of fabric.

Easily delivered into the smallest of rooms, efficiently assembled with as few as 8 screws, set up and ready to use before the company arrives. Futon Furniture is a versatile, functional, dual-purpose value.

You can buy an entire matching living room set in the same finish.
It's all about making the right choices for YOU, your home and your sleeping needs.

An FAI retailer is a specialist in the futon business, find one in your area and give them a call to find out more.

Futon Frame Terminology

The following definitions are the commonly accepted terminology associated with the futon furniture and sofa-bed industry.

Slat Rack:
Slat racks are the platforms on which the futon rests for both convertible futon sofa-bed frames and stationary platform beds.

Seat Rack:
The seat rack is the slat rack on which the user sits when a futon sofa-bed is in the sitting position.

Back Rest:
The back rest is the slat rack which the user leans back on when a futon sofa-bed is in the sitting position.

Tri-fold:
A convertible futon sofa-bed frame that utilizes three slat racks. The futon mattress can hang over the back of the frame, be folded under itself on the seat rack, or lay flat as a chaise lounge style seat. The tri-fold allows the futon mattress to fold twice along its usually shorter width.

Bi-fold:
A convertible futon sofa-bed frame that utilizes two slat racks. The bi-fold allows the futon mattress to fold once along its length.

Kicker:
The kicker is usually a small piece of wood or plastic that wedges itself between the seat rack and the back rest so the frame can be returned from a sleeper to a sofa in a simple, fluid motion. Several industry patents have been granted for the kicker.

Wall-Hugger:
A wall-hugger is a frame that can open to a sofa-bed without moving the base of the frame away from the wall. We categorize wall-huggers by their tolerance. A zero tolerance wall-hugger can be placed directly against the wall and still not touch the wall when converting. Other wall-huggers must be placed a short distance from the wall. These are called two, three, four etc. inch tolerance wall-huggers. Be sure to ask your manufacturer about the tolerance of their wall-hugger.

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