Accordion sofa: transformation mechanism, photos, pros and cons

How does it work?

Accordion is a sofa transformation mechanism that is completely different from other models. Its name comes from the similarity with the principle of stretching the bellows of a musical instrument. The sofa consists of 3 parts that fold in a zigzag pattern. At the same time, when assembled, the backrest is ⅔ of the berth folded in half, and the third part - the seat - when unfolded, turns out to be in the legs, serves as an extension for the sleeping place.

The most visible difference that affects the operation is that the sofa moves forward, so you will not sleep along, but across the back of the sofa. Therefore, there should be 1.5-2 m of free space in front of the seat.

The accordion mechanism for the sofa is found in furniture of various sizes, shapes:

• an armchair-bed 90-100 cm wide is convenient for one person to sleep, for example, in a children's room or as an additional bed in the living room;
• a straight sofa 140-200 cm is suitable for permanent relaxation of a married couple, if there is simply not enough space for a sofa + bed separately;
• The angular modular design differs from the straight one only in the stationary angle - it increases the seat without affecting sleep.

The advantage of this type is that it comes with and without armrests. If you want a wide mattress, but the width of the room is only 1.8 meters, take a model that is the width of the room, without the armrests.

Another element that may or may not be present in the design of the sofa is an additional backrest. It is a stationary unit that acts as a headboard when unfolded. Convenient if the apartment does not have enough space for a full bed and sofa, but you do not want to sacrifice beauty. With an additional backrest, the structure looks like an ordinary bed, the headboard is made of wood, metal, with a carriage-type brace, in leather upholstery.

Tip: if your product does not have a backrest, fix it to the wall separately - the effect will be the same.

Pros and cons

This mechanism, like any other, has a number of advantages and disadvantages.

The appearance of an accordion is a purely individual matter, some people like it, but some seem unaesthetic.

Step-by-step instruction

How to assemble an accordion sofa in the morning and lay it out in the evening? This process can be confusing, but repeating the procedure a couple of times, you can easily do it every day.

At the sight of an accordion sofa, how it unfolds is the first question that arises in the head of many. Let's start with unfolding:

1. Grasp the bottom of the seat with both hands, lift it up until the safety mechanism clicks.
2. Pull the system towards you while stepping backward. The back will expand, the blocks will become a single flat surface.

How to fold the accordion sofa back:

1. Grasp the bottom edge of the seat, push it in or roll it towards the backrest so that the transformation mechanism folds into its original position.
2. Raise the seat until it clicks so that the fuse snaps into place and the sofa does not come apart on its own.

Important! Learn to fold the structure correctly to avoid operational problems.

It will be difficult to lift and drag a wide sofa, so when buying, pay attention to the presence of wheels on the seat. Then it will be enough to snap off the first module, put it on the floor, rolling it out until it is fully laid out.

In the photo, a diagram of the transformation of the sofa mechanism

Important! Poor-quality hard wheels scratch parquet and laminate - replace them with silicone or rubberized counterparts so as not to spoil the floor covering every time you unfold the sofa. Also, on the way of the unfolding accordion, it is better to remove carpets, rugs.

If the mechanism is working properly, disassembling and assembling the accordion sofa should be straightforward. Any jamming, difficulties indicate improper assembly, or problems in the design. Most often they suffer:

• Wheels. Have you noticed that over time the device began to drive badly? Check it out, change the little wheels, that should help.
• Slat fittings. The fasteners of the armor do not affect the ability to pull out the sofa, but they cause inconvenience during sleep. Replacing them is easy, just buy the right amount from a furniture store, replace the damaged ones.
• Frame hinges. They are the most mobile element. Often it is enough to tighten the bolts, quickly lubricate (repeat this every 6-12 months) to make the structure usable again. A broken loop that no longer works will have to be bought and replaced completely.
• Frame. Poor-quality welds, the use of low-grade material leads to bends, cracks, and other breakdowns. The element can be welded, or a new one can be ordered.

Assembly video

The process of assembling an accordion sofa according to the instructions is not always clear. If you were brought a disassembled purchase and now you need to assemble a single whole from separate parts - watch the video.

We gave a detailed description, talked about the design features, showed how to assemble an accordion sofa, an assembly diagram. We hope you can now choose your ideal one!