Stupid Futon problem

September 22, 2008 10:56 AM

Help me with my stupid futon mattress. When in 'sofa' mode, the futon mattress keeps slipping down. People who come to visit end up having their legs sticking out like little children when they sit down because the mattress extends out pas the edge of the frame. Very embarrassing. How do i stop the mattress from slipping so that people can once again put their feet on the ground?

Also, I don't want a new futon. This one is the right size and everything. It's just the slipping thing....Thanks for any advice.

posted by storybored to home & garden (15 comments total)

'past' the edge of the frame....
posted by storybored at 10:57 AM on September 22, 2008

I think my parents bought some of that sew on (or stick on) velcro stuff, to more firmly attach the cushions to the frame and prevent them from sliding down. It would depend on what kind of futon it is as to whether or not this would work for you....
posted by Grither at 11:04 AM on September 22, 2008

I have the same problem. I have thought about purchasing some of the anti-slip pads that go under rugs to see if that would help, but so far I've been too lazy and/or cheap to try.
posted by sevenyearlurk at 11:05 AM on September 22, 2008

I would try sticking some strips of traction tape/grip tape (just google search it) to your futon frame. The sandpaper kind might wear on your mattress, so I'd go for the vinyl stuff.
posted by phunniemee at 11:09 AM on September 22, 2008

My wife stapled onto the wooden futon frame some of that rubbery stuff used to keep rugs in place.

A bit more thought and some Googling shows that it is called Rug Grip, and here's just one example.

The futon still slips down over time, but we can go a few weeks without having to lift it back in to place.
posted by valleys at 11:09 AM on September 22, 2008

Try putting cardboard between the frame and the mattress.
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 11:25 AM on September 22, 2008

We use the rubberized stuff sold to keep rugs in place for just this problem. Works like a champ. On closer examination, what valleys said, but we didn't even need to staple it down.
posted by mzurer at 11:26 AM on September 22, 2008

I use the Rug Grip stuff for my futon as well (just laid on the bottom slats, no stapling). It works great for me; I haven't had to shift the mattress since I moved into my current place (just about a year ago).
posted by ashirys at 11:31 AM on September 22, 2008

I would double-check that your frame is assembled correctly. I bought my old futon used, and discovered that it was put together wrong. There were little "ledges" that stick out to keep the mattress from slipping, but it was set up so that they were on the top and weren't helpful at all. We were able to fix this and the mattress stayed much better.

Alternately, if it's a wooden futon, you could glue or nail some small wood blocks to keep the mattress from slipping.
posted by radioamy at 12:01 PM on September 22, 2008

The search term you want here is "futon grip." I sold those damn things for five years. Hilariously, some websites want $25 for them. We sold them for $8.99. Shop around.
posted by Skot at 12:05 PM on September 22, 2008

You might also want to make sure the sort of "ass" part of the futon stays where it's supposed to be by sewing little rings to the bottom of the futon where it's supposed to crease. You can clip/tie these to the bar on the futon where it's supposed to bend and this way at least that part will stay attached which will affix the whole futon better in place in both directions. You could use cloth ties if you're worried about flipping the futon and people feeling it when they're sleeping on it.
posted by jessamyn at 12:05 PM on September 22, 2008

Cheap weatherstripping from any hardware store, applied to the wooden slats of the 'seat' portion will fix this problem - easy and cheap.
posted by kristin at 12:42 PM on September 22, 2008

Cloth on wood does not create a lot of friction, so there's bound to be some slippage over time. But no matter what solution you decide on, you'll probably have to pull up the mattress from time to time.

As a former futon sales, service and delivery professional, I can vouch for the rubberized mats that go under rugs on hardwood floors. They're pretty cheap and always seemed to work well. Alternately, in the self-paper aisle of your local big box retailer, there's probably rubberized grip mat material that people use to put under the glasses and coffee cups in their cupboards. It's about 12 inches wide and comes in rolls several yards long, so it works really well.

You can roll out a length appropriate to the seat (or "ass") section of the frame, and cut it to fit. If you're feeling handy, you can even staple it to the slats. If you're still getting slippage, you can repeat the process on the back section of the frame.

And, as a reminder to all futon owners- remember to use your hex wrench and tighten the bolts on your frame once every six months.
posted by elmer benson at 12:44 PM on September 22, 2008 [1 favorite]

I started getting that problem when the futon mattress started getting old. Flipping it upside down and reverse seemed to solve the problem.

For a while.
posted by porpoise at 4:37 PM on September 22, 2008

You guys rock! I went to the futon store and asked for a "futon grip" he showed me a mat of soft grippy rubber. It's size is such that i didn't even need to cut it. It lies over the slats, covers the width of the futon, and is long enough to cover about 2/3 of the bottom length. It looks like it's doing its job. Cost $10 CDN (much cheaper than website futon grips).
posted by storybored at 4:54 PM on September 22, 2008