How to Make a Sleeper Sofa More Comfortable | The Strategist

Jun 26, 2025

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Sleeper sofas, with their thin mattresses and poke-you-in-the-back metal bars, are famously uncomfortable. Sure, of course, Not All Sleeper Sofas — there are lots of good ones out there. But if you already own one that’s not so great, there are a few simple fixes to try before going the full replacement route, so your overnight guests can rest easy.

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The most obvious solution is to add a mattress topper, just as you might with a regular mattress that’s less comfortable than you want it to be. Foam toppers, like this one from ViscoSoft, will generally add the most cushioning and thickness. But before you buy one, consider where you’ll store it when it isn’t in use. If it’s thin enough, you may be able to fold it up with the mattress — though being compressed and creased may affect its comfort and durability in the long run. I’d go with one that’s three inches thick or fewer so that it doesn’t become a huge inconvenience when it’s time to put it away.

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If you have enough closet or other storage space, I recommend getting a foam topper and storing it rolled up. Whenever I have to move or store a foam topper, I use bungee cords to secure it, so that I can stand it upright like a column or lay it lengthwise without it expanding to fit whatever space I’ve shoved it into.

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If you can’t wrap it into the couch or store it separately, the next-best option is to pick a topper that can be folded more easily. Look for toppers that are similar in construction to a duvet: A fabric shell stuffed with a soft filling like down, wool, or synthetic down alternatives. (If you have a spare duvet that’s plush enough, it could even double as a topper underneath a fitted sheet.) While these styles won’t be as supportive as foam, they can still add a lot of plushness and comfort to an otherwise uncomfortable mattress. And many come with a carrying case or tote bag, which is how Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst easily fits her sleeper sofa’s topper in a cabinet.

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You may also be able to vacuum-seal a more compressible topper in space-saver bags, as long as you fluff it back up once you open it again.

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Whenever she stays on the sleeper sofa at her mom’s house, Strategist deals editor Sam Daly uses a wool mattress topper, similar to this one from Legends Hotel, with a quilted down-alternative mattress pad on top of it. Both pieces can be easily folded for storage; Daly’s mom keeps them in the special compartment built into the sofa’s chaise section, but they could also fit in a linen closet or in a storage box underneath a bed.

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If your sleeper sofa’s mattress is removable from the frame, you may be able to fully replace it with a more comfortable upgrade. Be sure to check the specifications of your sleeper sofa, but so long as it’s a standard size, there are plenty of options at retailers like Amazon, Wayfair, and Target. Some mattress brands also sell sleeper-sofa mattresses directly, though it’s more rare.

I’d also recommend using only mattresses that are designed for use in sleeper sofas, unless the instructions for your specific sofa say you can do otherwise. Most “regular” mattresses are designed to be folded for long periods of time, and the dimensions may not match up — a queen-size sofa bed won’t always have the same mattress dimensions as a standard queen mattress.

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If your sleeper sofa has nonstandard dimensions, or you are looking for something very particular, a custom mattress-maker like North Carolina–based Custom Mattress Factory can create a product to your exact specifications. You can call or send a message through its website to get a quote on a variety of custom mattresses, including sleeper-sofa replacement mattresses, which can be made with pocketed coils, memory foam, latex, or the brand’s plant-based CustomFoam. According to the company representative I spoke to, Custom Mattress Factory’s sleeper-sofa mattresses usually cost between $500 and $1,000, depending on the size and materials used.

If you can feel your sleeper sofa’s metal bars through the mattress, or if the mattress is sinking too much, try adding a sleeper-sofa support board that will still fold up for easy storage under a bed or within the sleeper sofa itself. (The old-school version of this trick is to add a piece of plywood underneath the mattress, but plywood can splinter easily and is more difficult to move and store.)

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I was curious how well a sleeper-sofa support board could actually work, so I asked Strategist writer Arielle Avila to test this one from Meliusly, which can be folded up with the mattress when you convert the sleeper sofa back to couch mode. Avila says it was easy to install the board by herself; it took her about ten minutes to remove the couch cushions and mattress, lay the board in place, and secure it to the sofa-bed frame with the attached Velcro straps. Avila appreciated that there are labels on the board that indicate which direction to place it in, and she reports that it did improve the overall feel of the mattress. “Before installing it, I noticed the bed was starting to sink, especially in the middle, and now it seems to be more leveled out,” she says.

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This slightly cheaper version of the Meliusly support board can’t be left permanently installed, but still folds up for storage.

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As a finishing touch, be sure to give your guests nice bedding. Even if your sleeper sofa doesn’t have a “luxury mattress” feel, high-quality sheets, a comfortable and supportive pillow, and a cozy quilt or duvet will go a long way.

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