Uh oh! Is your sofa bed stuck in bed mode and refusing to turn back into a couch?
No worries, this happens sometimes!
I’ve definitely been there, grunting and straining trying to force the sofa bed to cooperate, only to end up sweaty and tired with an apartment that looks like a war zone.
But before you give up, read this post.
I’ll explain why your sofa bed won’t fold and how to (hopefully) get it functioning properly again.
Let’s take a look at why your sofa bed refuses to fold up and fix it accordingly:
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One potential issue could be the mattress itself.
Thinner cotton mattresses can usually bend and fold without too much fuss.
But thicker foam or innerspring mattresses need to be specifically designed as bi-fold or tri-fold mattresses that are segmented and can bend properly in the middle.
It’s also possible the mattress is oriented the wrong way on the frame.
Those segmented mattresses have a specific up and down, and if you’ve got it flipped over backwards, you’re essentially trying to fold it the opposite way of how it’s designed.
So give the mattress a flip and see if that helps allow it to bend correctly into couch mode.
If it isn’t any of those two, then I’m pretty sure the folding frame mechanism is jammed, bent, or misaligned somehow.
There are a few key things to check here:
Those hinges, connectors, and rollers that allow the frame to fold all need to be tightly secured.
If any screws, bolts, or other fasteners have come loose, it will interfere with the folding process.
So tighten anything loose, but be careful not to overtighten pieces that need to be able to move and slide against each other.
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Similarly, if there’s any debris, threads, toys, or other objects jamming the folding mechanism, that can obviously prevent the frame from closing properly.
You may need to lift the mattress and really inspect all the nooks and crannies of the frame to locate anything stuck in there.
Many sofa beds have clevis or lock pins that connect the two main side panels and allow them to pivot open and closed.
Make sure those pins and any washers are in place and not bent or stuck.
The side rollers that the panels slide along also need to be clear of obstructions and spinning smoothly.
If you don’t see any obvious loose pieces or stuck objects, the issue could simply be that the metal folding components have gotten rusty, sticky, and stiff over time and lack of use.
Also Read: why is my new sofa creaking
In that case, your savior may be a can of WD-40 or other penetrating lubricant.
Spray that lubricant on all the pivoting hinges, sliding surfaces, and folding joints to help bust through any rust or grime that’s freezing the mechanisms in place.
You may need an extra set of hands for this – have one person hold the frame steady while the other works the lubricant into the components, then both of you can try rocking and pushing to snap everything back into smooth operation.
In very rare cases, there may actually be a locking mechanism engaged to prevent the sofa bed from opening during shipping and handling.
This would be intentionally built into the design by the manufacturer as a safety feature.
If you’ve tried everything else and the sofa bed still won’t fold, check with the manufacturer to see if there’s some kind of locking system that needs to be disengaged
They should be able to provide instructions on unlocking it properly.
Remove the seat cushions. This will reveal the base of the sofa bed. Now look underneath the front of the base for a metal lever or handle.
Use this to unlock the bed frame.
If your sofa bed has box cushions that stay put, the lever might be underneath the front of the sofa itself, not the cushions.
And if you have a futon, the lever is likely on the side where the back meets the base.
Pull it out and push the back forward a bit to unlock.
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