Futon Perfect When Living Space Is Limited

The good looks and space-saving convenience of this futon sofa bed make it ideal for do-it-yourselfers with limited amounts of space. It serves as a casual, comfortable sofa by day and a firm bed by night, without the springs and lumps of most sofa beds.

Modeled after California Mission-style furniture, the frame holds a full-size futon mattress and is designed to sit more upright than most commercial models, making it easier to get out of. It also folds with an especially smooth motion, so one person can set it up alone.

Materials for the project include 28 board feet of oak and 17 board feet of pine (all in standard sizes), along with dowel pins, nuts and bolts, washers, screws, nails and glue.

Although not exactly simple, the sofa bed can be completed by any do-it-yourselfer willing to take a little time to cut and assemble with care. The frame is made up of four main sections: the two pieces with slats that support the mattress, and the two side pieces with arms. Most of the wood cuts are straight, and all of the curved cuts are traced from full-size patterns.

As a sofa, the unit measures 86 inches long by 33 inches tall by 36 inches deep. As a bed, it measures 86 inches long by 54 inches wide by 21 inches tall.

The Futon Sofa Bed plan, No. 850, is $7.95 and includes step-by-step directions with 15 photos, full-size traceable patterns, exploded diagrams and a shopping list and cutting schedule.

A package of two futon sofa bed plans, No. C86, is $11.95 and includes this plan and one other. A catalog picturing hundreds of projects is $3.95. Prices include postage and handling. Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery (for first-class mail, add $1 per item up to $3 maximum).

MEMO: To order by mail, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2383, Van Nuys, CA 91409-2383; (800) 828-2453. Please specify plan numbers.