(inspired by Triumph's thread) People, help me mod my futon!

[Schadenfreude]

Alright, ths situation is, I got a used futon to use as my bed for this upcoming school year.

The problem is, the thing's a metal framed one, you know, with the black bars . . .. And the mattress has been in use for two years so I can feel the bars digging into me when I sleep - any way I can mod the damn thing so I don't feel the bars?

Now keep in mind that I'm using this futon as a bed for a reason:

-I don't have that much space in the room, and;

-I'm dirt broke.

Now the two options I can think of are to either:

A.) get a thicker mattress so I can't feel the bars, or,

B.) get something else inbetween the bars and the mattress (something like plywood)

I'd prefer method B, since I could probably still feel the bars regardless of how thick the damn thing is - but at the same time, I don't want to screw in pieces of plywood . . . I can go ghetto, but not that ghetto.

Any suggestions?

 

[Rallispec]

get a big cardboard box-- like from a refridgerator-- and put that between the matress and bars (duct tape into place)

too ghetto?


my roomate did this - worked great

 

[nater]

maybe get some foam ..
and uhh....put the foam on the cardboard

 

Just get a square of plywood cut to the dimensions of the base of the bed. Problem solved.

EDIT: you don't have to screw anything in...just put it beneath the matress.

 

[imported_Mike]

your bad, you meant bed

 

[aircooled]

Plywood will prevent you from feeling the bars, but then you have a very stiff bed (some people sleep better that way though, so to each his own).

Personally, as far as cheap or free goes, the cardboard idea is the best, but get some nice think stuff.

My most comfortable futon had an 8" mattress pad and i put a sleeping bag between the spring steel and the mattress. If your mattress is under 8" I have no idea how well it will feel, but you can pick up a wal-mart sleeping bag real cheap (or used even cheaper), and if it doesn't work, it'll make a nice comforter this winter.

 

[Schadenfreude]

Originally posted by: CheapArse
your bad, you meant bed

Yeah - ther cardboard idea sounds like the best option - I'll just double it so that I can't feel it for sure . . ..

 

[Kev]

i tried plywood but it seriously hurt my back. i went to a fabric store and bought a 6 foot piece of 4" foam padding and it works great and fits perfectly

 

[her209]

Sleeping bag.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Wrap each of the pipes in some think pipe insulation. Then I would get a nice piece of medium firmness foam. That should do it.

You might also want to consider a new mattress, since the one you have sounds shot.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: DevilsAdvocate
Wrap each of the pipes in some think pipe insulation.

That's a great idea. Thanks!

 

[NewSc2]

My friend bought a couple layers of those egg crate cushions and sleeps on them. Says they're very comfortable.