Moving brings with it all kinds of hassles and challenges, especially when it comes to furniture—like sofa beds. Whether you've hired professional movers or convinced your childhood buddy to help, the disassembly, moving, and reassembly process can feel daunting.
However, with the right preparatory steps and necessary tools, you can move your sofa bed without stress or hassle. Avoid all the unpleasantness of damaged or broken parts by taking the sofa bed apart before moving it onto the truck and into your new home. Short of hiring a professional furniture assembly specialist to do the work for you, disassembling the sofa bed is a necessary part of the process requiring attention to detail and organization.
Ultimately, disassembled parts don't need to be daunting. You can do this and we're here to help! We've created this step-by-step guide to help you properly disassemble and reassemble your sofa bed so that when it arrives at your new home, it's just as safe and functional as the day you bought it.
Understanding Sofa Beds: From Frame to Sofa Cushions
The first step in properly taking apart your sofa bed is understanding it's construction, so you can stay mindful and avoid errors. High-quality sofa beds, like those crafted by SPAZE, include:
- The Frame: Sturdy wooden and metal frames support both seating and sleeping needs.
- The Mechanism: Secure and carefully constructed fold-out legs and pull systems allow the bed to extend and retract with ease.
- The Mattress: A high-density foam mattress is typically found on the inside of the sofa bed, and easy to remove.
- The Sofa Cushions: Even with the mattress removed, additional seat cushions act as both the seating surface and part of the bed base when folded away.
All of these components also include screws or bolts that you should keep track of during the moving process.
What You Need To Prepare a Sleeper Sofa for Moving
Before we dive into our easy-to-follow steps, it's important to know what you need for the task. We recommend:
- Screwdriver
- Wrench or socket set
- Pliers
- Bags or boxes (for screws and other small parts)
- Furniture sliders (for moving the frame without damage to your sofa bed, floors, or back)
Step 1: Be Very Careful
It might seem obvious, but the first crucial step is knowing how to be careful. From making sure you don't get your fingers pinched to holding onto or replacing all the screws, parts, and components you're about to remove in the disassembly process—a little care goes a long way.
There are a lot of nuts, bolts, and hardware you will need to remove and replace, and losing one or two of them in the move is not an option. Store screws and any other components in a safe place while you move, and keep children and pets away from choking hazards. You should also place under the frame to avoid any sharp points or edges that could injure you.
Step 2: Take Photos
Snap some pictures of the sleeper sofa mechanism and components before you start taking them apart. These photos can be a useful, handy guide for reassembling it all when you get to your new location. Hinges and arms are going to get dismantled and if you aren't already acutely aware of where they go later on, you're going to have a difficult time remembering.
Tip: If you kept the assembly instructions from when you originally assembled the sofa bed, locate and retrieve this document and put it someplace handy. If it's been years since you assembled your sofa bed and the instructions were thrown away with the original packaging, you can check the product page of the sofa bed you purchased or email customer service for a replacement.
Step 3: Get Organized
Set aside baggies, boxes, and any other reliable containers for storing all the sofa bed pieces you'll need for reassembly. It's far too easy to lose a screw or misplace a bolt and when that happens, you can't put your sofa bed back together exactly as it was before.
Tip:Organized also means having the right tools for the job. Check your assembly instructions to find out which screwdrivers, pliers, and Allen wrenches are required for taking apart the sofa bed product that you own.
Step 4: Remove the Cushions
To safely transport every part of the sofa bed, the next step is removing any cushions, blankets, or decor. You don't want fabric to touch the floor, so be mindful when carrying and packing these parts.
Step 5: Open the Sofa Bed
Pay special attention to how your sofa bed opens, as each model has its own mechanisms and specific instructions.
For SPAZE sofa beds, grab the loop or handle that allows you to open the sofa bed but don't pull it out all the way. Instead, lift it just enough so you can identify the retaining bolts or screws that keep the frame and mechanisms in place. Using a socket set or a wrench, unscrew and remove the bolts while keeping the frame supported.
Step 6: Detach the Mechanism Components
Referring to your sofa bed's specific assembly instructions and using a Phillips head screwdriver, wrench or socket, start by detaching the arms, mid-ottoman, footrest, springs, and rails. Use care not to damage any of these components, and always carefully remove and organize all the hardware in separate bags or boxes.
Step 7: Remove the Legs
This part is often forgotten, and yet it's a critical part of the disassembly process. That's because the sofa legs can make it hard to maneuver through doorways and other tight spaces. Luckily, the legs are usually very easy to detach with just a few twists of a screwdriver or wrench.
Reassembling your Sofa Bed
Once the move is complete, you can gather all of your hardware and components to reassemble your sofa bed. Refer to those photos you took and follow the assembly instructions to be sure that your sofa bed looks and operates exactly as it did before the move.
If you have any questions, concerns, or need additional advice, don't hesitate to reach out to Spaze customer service and we can help.
