Futon Bed in the CJ or not?

[Yecats 001]

How's it?

So- here we are just about 1 week into the redo on the CJ.
We have no lights, reflectors, top, windows - its a completly NAKED shell!
All ready to be primed and painted! THIS WEEKEND, If we can swing it!

So- here we are sitting in our computer room with this miniture size replica of the CJ all mocked up out of cardboard and we are playing with floorplans and fun sky is the limit ideas.

So- here is our question?
Has anyone ever put a futon in their trailer? Meaning the whole frame?
We have this cool idea about custom fitting the frame into the shell and then we'd have access to the storage boxes underneath!

Thoughts?

[Frederick L. Simson]

Has anyone ever put a futon in their trailer? Meaning the whole frame?

Got a picture of the frame you are thinking about? Separate from the trailer?

[Bobbie Mayer]

Hmm..
I'm not sure of the advantage of a futon bed over the traditional dinette/bed. I guess maybe more comfort when it is not a bed? I don't know why you couldn't construct a futon bed to fit, but I always thought futon mattresses were less comfortable than other mattresses.

And how would it give you any more access to storage?

Bobbie

[Yecats 001]

Hmm..
I'm not sure of the advantage of a futon bed over the traditional dinette/bed. I guess maybe more comfort when it is not a bed? I don't know why you couldn't construct a futon bed to fit, but I always thought futon mattresses were less comfortable than other mattresses.

And how would it give you any more access to storage?

Bobbie

Um- it folks up and from our measurements it would open access to the box underneath.
The matteresses we are looking at are SUPER DUPER nice. like 12 inches deep and they are soooo nice!

[Yecats 001]

Got a picture of the frame you are thinking about? Separate from the trailer?

Nope- no pic
Just our own replica made of cardboard here on the table

[Lainey]

Hi Stacey,

Just a couple thoughts for your planning...

The style of futons I have in the rec room cannot be placed directly against a wall if I want to move them from sofa into bed, they need clearance behind them.

Also, when doing the switch from sofa to bed the range of motion that my futons go through would mean having to remove whatever is stored underneath while making the switch.

They may not all be made that way, but just some things to watch for...

If it were me, I might consider building a conventional frame with storage underneath for the futon to sit on as a sofa, with a pull out on the frame to extend the base into the bed position, then you could use the futon mattress for a sofa & bed, but avoid the problems the futon frame may cause.

[Loren G. Hedahl]

Many moons ago I removed the original equipment sofa/bed unit in the front of our 25 ft Avion and tried a Hide-a-Bed unit that we already had.

It was much heavier, marginally more comfortable in sleeping, about the same sitting, but we lost the space for the factory installed water tank (which leaked).

I ended up going back to the original setup, repairing the tank, beefing up the base of the sofa/bed and making better cushions.

The Compact Jr., to my recollection, had an queen sized bed, which seemed to take up more real estate than it deserved. When we had one, our plan was to enlarge the kitchen and make the bed smaller, since we aren't especially tall people.

My advice is don't burn your bridges behind you. Most times the factory setup works out the best. If your mod is better, then fine. Otherwise do your mod, as much as possible so you can return to the original.

[Brian B-P]

Many larger trailers have what they call "jackknife" sofas, which work like a typical futon, but have better mattresses and work right up against a wall. Like a futon, they use the cushions as both bed mattress and seat base/back, and seem better to me than a typical hide-a-bed, which has a cruelly thin mattress folded up under the seat. Typically, they will have both a dinette and a sofa, to meet the range of furniture needs - I've never seen one of these sofas used with a table instead of a dinette, but have considered it myself.

Effectively, this is a different way to achieve the same effect as the pull-out gaucho in the rear of my B1700 (and the side of some other B1700's, and in various other similarly-sized eggs).

Advantages over the classic dinette could include not needing to suit the table to double-duty as a bed support, and not requiring two facing seats at a spacing matched to the table width.

[Gwenn]

We brought home our Cadet a few weeks ago & DH gutted it in prep for a rebuild. We are keeping the floor plan essentially the same (part of what drew us to the Cadet), but the rear dinette will become a futon/folding couch... when we travel we use Rubbermaid bins, you can unload them into a stack outside the door & not worry about rain, use them for bath tubs, laundry bins, etc, but they don't fit easily anywhere in a regualr trailer. We are measureing two medium sized bins stacked & that is how high the bed will be. The frame will be around the outside with cross bars and a slatted under bed system to loose some of the wood weight. Reinforcing braces will be fibreglassed into the trailer for the frame to sit on, with uprights to support. It will either fold at the lenghtwise centreline into an inverted "V", or the front lengthwise board will push "back" under the back and the cushions will "prop" and be joined by pillows.
We'll probably go to the futon store in town & have them custom size the mattress, with a slightly larger "seat" side near the "outside" of the bed, and the "back" of the couch slightly narrower & fitting at the "back" of the bed, rather than a straight, equal lengthwise split ...
Hope that makes any kind of sense, we've talked about it but he hasn't drafted it up yet... praying we're ready by April!!

[Brian B-P]

Gwenn, that sounds like a great plan to me.

It will either fold at the lenghtwise centreline into an inverted "V"...

If I'm picturing correctly, that's the jackknife design...

... or the front lengthwise board will push "back" under the back and the cushions will "prop" and be joined by pillows.

... and this is the Boler etc "gaucho".

[Yecats 001]

Gwenn, that sounds like a great plan to me.
If I'm picturing correctly, that's the jackknife design...
... and this is the Boler etc "gaucho".

This is GOOD STUFF! Thanks!
Keep it coming!

[Dave and Kathie]

Here's a website that sells RV and boat furniture - most is pretty spendy but it will give you some ideas about what's out there...RV Furniture
Good luck and have fun!

Kathie