How to Open and Close a Sofa Bed: Step-by-Step Guide

A sofa bed only has to do one tricky thing: turn from a sofa into a bed and back again without a fight. In practice, how it works depends entirely on the underlying mechanism. A chaise-fold opens differently from a pull-out design or click-clack, and most of the frustration people run into comes from treating one like the other, or forcing a motion that just needs bedding cleared out of the way first.

This guide walks through how to open a sofa bed for each type of step by step, plus what to check if yours isn't opening the way you'd expect.

Before you start opening a sofa bed: a few quick checks

A minute of prep saves most of the hassle further down.

• Clear the floor in front of the sofa. All mechanisms need space to extend into, so move coffee tables, rugs that bunch up, or anything else in the way first.
• Remove cushions, throws and anything loose. Loose cushions are the most common items that get caught in a frame or wedged under a mattress base.
• Check nothing's been left inside from last time. Bedding, a phone charger, or a stray sock tucked down the side is a common reason a mechanism won't sit flush.

1. Pull-out sofa bed 

The most common mechanism on the market is a pull-out sofa bed, sometimes called a traditional pull-out sleeper. A metal bed frame sits folded away underneath the seat cushions, completely hidden until you pull it out. 

How to pull out a sofa bed: 

1. Remove all the seat cushions and set them somewhere out of the way.
2. Look for the fabric strap or handle at the front edge of the seat deck, usually in the centre.
3. Pull the frame towards you evenly, using both hands if you can, rather than pulling from one side first.
4. Keep pulling until the frame is fully extended and the legs (if fitted) have dropped into place underneath.
5. Unfold the mattress if it's hinged in sections, smoothing it flat before adding bedding.

How to close a pull-out sofa bed:

1. Strip off any bedding, including a fitted sheet, so nothing catches as the frame retracts.
2. Fold the mattress back along its original hinge points if it splits into sections.
3. Lift the frame slightly to clear the legs, then push it back in, keeping both sides level as you go.
4. Push firmly but evenly until the front edge sits flush with the rest of the seat deck.
5. Replace the cushions once the frame is fully retracted.

2. Click-clack sofa beds

A click-clack sofa bed uses a reclining backrest that moves through a few fixed positions, upright, reclined and fully flat, locking solidly at each one. There's no separate frame to pull out or lift, just the backrest itself moving through its range. 

How to open a click-clack sofa bed:

1. Remove the back cushions.
2. Push the backrest down from upright, feeling for the click as it passes each locking position.
3. Continue until it lies flat and locks into the sleeping position.

How to close a click-clack sofa bed:

1. Lift the backrest slightly to release the lock.
2. Guide it back up through the same fixed positions until it's upright again.
3. Replace the cushions once it locks into the sofa position.

3. Chaise-fold corner sofa beds

Chaise-fold is the mechanism on our corner sofa beds. The chaise end lifts as one motion to reveal a storage compartment underneath, then folds down flat to form the bed. Some sofa beds group this in with drawer or slide-out designs, since it also involves pulling a section forward before it lifts, but the built-in storage and single-motion lift set it apart from a plain drawer mechanism.

How to unfold a chaise sofa bed:

1. Remove the seat cushions from the chaise section and set them aside.
2. Lift the chaise seat base from the front edge. It's hinged, so it should lift smoothly without much force.
3. With the base lifted, you'll see the storage compartment. Move any bedding or throws you're storing there out of the way.
4. Continue lifting and guiding the base down and forward until it lies flat, extending the sleeping area.
5. Check both corners of the frame are sitting level before adding a mattress topper or bedding.

How to close a chaise-fold corner bed:

1. Remove all bedding, including any fitted sheet, so the frame closes without fabric catching in the hinge.
2. Lift the flat section from the front edge, reversing the motion you used to open it.
3. Guide it back up and over until the chaise seat base drops back into its closed position.
4. Store spare bedding in the compartment underneath before lowering the base fully, if you're using the storage space.
5. Replace the seat cushions once the base sits flush with the rest of the sofa.

Want to know more about our collection? Read our corner sofa bed buying guide.

4. Drawer or slide-out sofa beds

A drawer or slide-out sofa bed hides a lower bed section that slides horizontally out from under the main frame, rather than lifting or folding. It's mechanically simpler than a chaise-fold design, with no storage compartment or lift action involved. 

How to open a slide-out sofa bed:

1. Clear the floor in front of the base so the drawer has room to extend fully.
2. Pull the lower section out by its handle or frame edge, keeping it straight rather than at an angle.
3. Unfold or raise the lower section if it's hinged, until it sits flush with the main seat cushions.

How to close a slide-out sofa bed:

1. Remove bedding from the lower section.
2. Fold or lower it back down first, if it's hinged.
3. Push it back in evenly, keeping the angle straight so it doesn't catch on the runners.

If storage is a priority, our sofa beds with storage collection is worth a look. 

5. Futon-style sofa beds

A futon-style sofa bed uses one continuous cushion that runs across both the seat and backrest, rather than folding out a separate mattress. Opening it means lowering the backrest to the same level as the seat, forming one flat sleeping surface.

How to open a futon:

1. Remove any scatter cushions or throws.
2. Lift the backrest slightly to release it, then lower it until it's level with the seat base.
3. Straighten the cushion across the join so there's no gap or overlap at the fold.

How to close a futon:

1. Lift the backrest from its flat position.
2. Guide it back up to upright, keeping the frame level as you go.
3. Replace the cushions once it's upright and stable.

6. Modular or sectional sofa beds

A modular or sectional sleeper is made up of separate pieces, such as a chaise or ottoman, that reconnect to form a sofa layout by day and a bed by night, rather than a single frame folding in one motion. 

How to open a sectional sofa bed:

1. Remove cushions from the sections you're reconfiguring.
2. Slide or lift the chaise or ottoman section away from the main sofa, following the layout for bed mode.
3. Reposition the loose section against the main sofa to create one continuous flat surface.

How to close a sectional sofa bed:

1. Clear bedding from all sections.
2. Slide or lift the loose section back into its original sofa position.
3. Realign the cushions so the seams sit flush across the whole sofa.

We don't stock any sofa beds in this style, but we do offer modular sofas.

Tips for opening a sofa bed by yourself

All mechanisms are designed to be a one-person job, but a few habits make it easier:

• Keep the movement even on both sides. Most sticking points come from one side extending faster than the other, not from the mechanism itself being heavy.
• Don't rush the last few centimetres. Both mechanisms have a point at which the frame or base needs to drop or lock into place, and forcing it before that point is more likely to cause a jam than to solve one.
• Leave proper clearance in front of the sofa when you're arranging the room, not just when you're about to use the bed. As a rough guide, 50-60cm of clear floor space at the foot of the bed is enough to walk around it once it's open. Our sofa measuring guide covers this in more detail.
• If you're doing it solo and the sofa's against a wall, angling it slightly before you start gives you room to lift and guide the frame without your arms getting in the way.

What not to do when opening or closing a sofa bed

Don't force the frame if it stops moving. Resistance is almost always a sign that something's caught, not a sign to push harder. It's also worth stripping the bed properly before you close it: leaving thick duvets, bulky pillows, a mattress topper, or even just a fitted sheet inside a pull-out frame stops it from retracting fully and puts strain on the mechanism, and loose sheets in particular are a common reason a bed doesn't sit flush once it's closed.

Try to avoid pulling or lifting only one side of the frame, since uneven pressure is the most common reason a mechanism jams or feels stuck, and don't ignore any grinding, twisting or scraping sounds. Stop and check the frame rather than continuing to open or close it. Finally, don't sit on or lean on the frame while someone else is opening or closing it, since that adds weight, the mechanism isn't designed to move against.

Why won't my sofa bed open? Common issues and fixes

Most problems come down to something small rather than a fault with the mechanism itself.

• The frame stops halfway: check for bedding, a cushion or anything else caught near the hinge or track, then try again.
  
• One side moves and the other doesn't: stop, push the moving side back slightly to level it up, then pull or lift both sides together.
• It feels unusually heavy or stiff: check the legs or supports haven't caught on carpet or a rug edge, since this adds resistance that can feel like the mechanism is jammed.
• You hear squeaking or grinding: this is usually dust or debris in the track or hinge rather than damage. Wipe it down and add a small amount of lubricant before trying again, rather than continuing to force it through.
• It feels harder to close since a house move: check the sofa is sitting level on the new floor. Even a slight tilt can throw the frame out of alignment enough to make it catch, and it's often solved by adjusting the feet rather than anything to do with the mechanism itself.
• It's never sat quite flush since delivery: this is worth raising with our team rather than continuing to force it, since it may be a fitting issue rather than something you're doing wrong.
• The mattress bunches up when you try to close it: refold it along its original crease rather than pushing it in flat, since most sofa bed mattresses are built to fold at specific points.

How to make a sofa bed more comfortable once it's open

The mechanism gets the bed into position; a few small things make it comfortable to actually sleep on:

• Add a mattress topper if the bed gets regular use rather than the odd guest. It sits between you and the frame and makes a noticeable difference to how firm the sleeping surface feels.
  
• Use a fitted sheet sized to the sleeping area rather than the sofa's seat count. Our guide to sofa bed sizes covers how sofa bed mattress sizes compare to standard bed sheets.
  
• Let the mattress air out for a few minutes before making it up, especially if the bed's been folded away for a while. It stops the sleeping surface from feeling flat or slightly damp.
  
• Store spare bedding in the chaise storage compartment if your model has one, so it's ready to go rather than being fetched from another room at bedtime.

How to keep the mechanism working smoothly

A sofa bed mechanism is built to be opened and closed regularly, but a little maintenance keeps it moving the way it did on day one. Apply a small amount of silicone-based lubricant to visible hinges and joints every few months, or as soon as you notice any stiffness. A little goes a long way; too much just attracts dust.

On a chaise-fold model, avoid overloading the storage compartment, since it's built for bedding and throws rather than anything so heavy or bulky that it stops the base from folding down flat. It's also worth wiping down or vacuuming the frame and track area occasionally, since dust buildup in the mechanism is a common cause of stiffness that's mistaken for a fault.

For more information, our fabric care guide and sofa maintenance and care guide will help keep your sofa bed looking and working like new.

FAQs on how to open and close a sofa bed

How much space do I need to open a sofa bed?

Leave at least 50-60cm of clear floor space in front of the sofa and at the foot of the bed, so the frame has room to extend, and you can walk around it once it's open. Note that a drawer or slide-out design also needs a little clearance to the side if it doesn't slide out perfectly straight. 

Can I leave the sheets on when I close a sofa bed?

It's better not to. A fitted sheet left on can bunch up or catch in the hinge or track as the frame folds away, which is a common cause of the bed not sitting flush once it's closed. Stripping the bed first takes a moment and avoids the problem entirely.

How do you turn your sofa into a sofa bed?

On a chaise-fold model, lift the chaise seat base from the front edge and guide it down until it lies flat. On a pull-out model, remove the cushions and pull the hidden frame forward until it's fully extended. Click-clack and futon-style sofa beds work differently again: the backrest reclines down to meet the seat rather than a separate frame being pulled out, and a drawer or slide-out design pulls a lower section out horizontally instead. Whichever mechanism you have, it's a single, continuous motion rather than several separate steps.

How do I close a folding sofa bed?

It depends on the mechanism. Remove all bedding first in every case, then reverse whatever motion opened it: fold a chaise-fold base back up and over, push a pull-out frame back in evenly on both sides, lift a click-clack backrest back up through its locking positions, or lift a futon-style backrest back to the upright position. Forcing any of them before bedding and cushions are clear is the most common reason a folding sofa bed won't close properly.

How often should I lubricate a sofa bed mechanism?

Every few months, or as soon as you notice any stiffness. A small amount of silicone-based lubricant on visible hinges and joints works better than a lot at once, which can attract more dust. 

Need help or looking for a sofa bed?

If you have any questions or need any further help, get in touch with our team. We can help you identify which mechanism your sofa bed has and how to open or close it. Our full sofa beds range covers both chaise-fold and pull-out mechanisms. For help choosing before you buy, our sofa bed buying guide covers sizing, mechanisms and storage in more detail.