Whether you are living in a too small apartment or simply entertain overnight guests regularly, adding one or more futon sofa beds to your furniture collection can be an excellent way to make do with the space you have, as well as ensure that you are always ready should a guest (expected or not) arrive.  Unlike flimsy, unattractive and uncomfortable futon sofa beds of the past, newer models are trendy, attractive, and often far more affordable and convenient to use than traditional sofa beds.  Best of all, these futon beds are generally available from department stores as well as larger furniture retailers, meaning they are often very reasonably priced.

What Makes Them Special?

If you are wondering what makes futon sofa beds and more special than traditional sofa beds, the fact of the matter is that the difference is all in the design.  Futons are designed to be light, functional, easy to use and comfortable.  Since they are primarily used by college students and young adults that have yet to move into their own home, they are generally easy to move from one location to the next, and function as both a sofa and a bed, depending on the position they are in.

Adjustable

Futon sofa beds are fully adjustable, from a standard sitting position to a completely flat bed.  And, depending upon the model, they may even be able to be adjusted to several reclining positions in between.  Newer models often have foldable padded arm rests for extra comfort when in a seated position.  These arm rests fold fully into the bed when the futon is laid flat.  This gives the owner ultimate discretion when finding a place to store their futon in their home, and because they are generally made of light-weight materials, they are easy to move around or pull away from the wall, meaning that they do not take up any more space than absolutely necessary.

Comfort

Anyone who has ever slept on the older model metal-tube framed futon sofa beds with the paper thin foam mattress pad can tell you that they were designed more out of function and necessity than for the sake of comfort.  Fortunately, newer futon models can be equipped with thick, plush, inner-spring and even memory foam mattresses.  That means that you and your guests never have to sacrifice comfort for function.
And these higher quality mattresses mean that your futon is that much more comfortable when converted to a sofa as well, which is something that you and your guests can all enjoy.

By far the most common size of futon mattress is the full sized.  Unfortunately, as many people can attest, finding bedding and linens for your futon mattress full can be a bit tricky.  Queen and Twin sized mattresses are by far the most commonly sold sizes, with full sized trailing behind.  This can limit the styles and designs of sheets, comforters and other bedding that you may be able to find to outfit your futon.  Of course, if your futon is adorning a living room rather than a bedroom, you will have no trouble finding a full sized futon mattress cover, which can be a plus.

Why Full?

You may be wondering why a futon mattress full size is generally your best bet when shopping for a futon.  The fact is that the full sized futon has been the standard size futon for many years, partially because it allows the futon to fold into an average size sofa and down into a comfortable size bed.  While twin beds tend to be more common, they are generally too small to comfortably sleep more than one person at a time.  And because houseguests and other visitors usually come in pairs, it is much more convenient to have an extra bed comfortable enough to sleep a couple.

Bedding

It can be a bit tricky to find the appropriate bedding for your futon mattress full sized, especially if you are using a futon pad or mattress that is much thinner than a standard sized mattress.  This can mean that fitted sheets slide off, making for an unattractive bed and an uncomfortable night’s sleep. Alternatively, if you have a super thick full sized futon mattress, you may find that full sized bedding is not large enough to tuck around the mattress, while queen sized bedding is awkwardly too large.

Where to Shop

When looking for a futon mattress full, your best bet is to hit retail department stores first.  You can often find very good deals on futon mattresses at these locations, albeit on a generally limited selection.  If you are looking for a wider variety of futon mattresses to choose from, chances are your best bet is to hit up a larger furniture store, or even a bed and mattress specialty shop.
Regardless of where you opt to purchase your futon mattress full sized, you are going to want to purchase a mattress that includes a mattress cover, as your futon will be used as a sofa as well.

Let’s face it; if you have a futon it is probably taking a beating.  Doing double duty as both a bed and a couch can add up to a lot of wear and tear and the futon covers required to keep your futon mattress looking new can be quite expensive in and of themselves.  Whether you are a college student on a limited income or simply a homeowner trying to extend the life of your furniture investment, finding a resource for cheap futon covers can be a lifesaver.  Fortunately, there are numerous resources available for people in the market for such accessories.

Where to Find Them

You can find futon covers at almost any location that sells futons themselves, although the selection will vary from place to place.  Of course, taking this tactic doesn’t guarantee that you will find any cheap futon covers in your price range.  One of the single best avenues for locating cheap futon covers is to hit up your local outlet stores, which sell overstock, remainder, and irregular clothing and linens.  If you do opt for this route, chances are you can find higher end futon covers for better prices than you ever imagined possible.  Of course, whenever you purchase linens or clothing from an outlet store rather than from a retailer, you are taking the chance that you are getting an irregular item.

Any item that is irregular or otherwise defective is required to be marked as such somewhere on the packaging, although this distinction is not always prominent.  You will also want to be careful of the return policies at outlet stores, as they are generally more restrictive than a regular retailer.

Still Out of Luck?

If you do not have luck finding cheap futon covers at an outlet store, or if you do not have such a store in your area, there are other options.  For example, many big box retailers sell futon and other furniture covers.  Their selections may be limited, but their inventory is generally reasonably priced.
Another alternative is to cruise the internet.  There are a variety of websites and other etailers that cater exclusively to futons and their accessories.

This allows you access to the widest variety of cheap futon covers possible from the comfort of your own home.  Of course, this will mean waiting for delivery and potentially paying shipping fees.  However, even with the delay in arrival and potential extra costs, the selection is often worth it.