Book mechanism for a sofa: how it works

The sofa is the master of the living room. It’s hard to imagine her without such a piece of furniture. Coziness and comfort, as well as the feeling of warmth and unity that it gives during relaxation, depend on the sofa. It is on this piece of furniture that the whole family gathers to relax together while watching TV, playing games or talking. It is also used as a sleeping place for guests, and sometimes as the main place for one of the family members. In this article we will talk about the most popular and reliable type of sofa transformation - a book. In this article you will learn how to choose and how to lay out a brand new sofa with a book transformation type and how to assemble and disassemble an old one.

Sofa book - what is it?

This type of furniture should be in every home. Due to its compactness, functionality and convenience, the Eurobook deserves respect.

The design of the Eurobook is simple. There is a movable part that extends due to special fittings. If you plan to make it yourself, then it is better to make a moving part on wheels.

During the daytime, the furniture is used as a sofa, and at night it turns into a spacious sleeping place.

When folded, this sofa can accommodate up to 6-7 people in a sitting position. This is convenient and allows you to spend time together with family and friends. And if you have guests from distant lands, you can always fold out the sofa, creating a comfortable sleeping place for two.

The most common is a sofa with a Eurobook folding mechanism.

Easy assembly process

Before connecting the main and side parts, screw the legs and loosen the screws holding the gas lift mechanism above the linen drawer. We assemble the furniture completely, starting with attaching the side frames, after which you need to connect the straight part with the dolphin mechanism and the side ottoman. Self-tapping screws will help with this.

Instructions for assembling the Atlanta corner sofa are contained in the videos, and you can also find photos with a detailed description of the process.

Sofa assembly instructions

You can swap the table and armrest by changing the angle of the Atlanta corner sofa in the same way, although the sofa itself will have to be disassembled first.

The process of assembling the Atlanta model sofa is not complicated and even a novice craftsman can do it. And the excellent quality of the materials used in its construction and upholstery guarantees that, subject to operating conditions, this piece of furniture will delight its owners for a long time.

This model also has a direct modification. This option has a smaller sleeping area and is perfect, when assembled, for small rooms. If you bought an Atlanta straight sofa and are interested in how to assemble it, watch the video tutorial, which explains in detail all the stages of work.

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantages of the Eurobook include:

• simple design;
• little time to get into sleeping form;
• sofa capacity;
• reliability of design;
• durability;
• quality of finishing materials.

It has a convenient and reliable folding mechanism, aesthetic appearance and high technical characteristics.
Before you make a Eurobook sofa with your own hands, the drawings of which you will see below, you need to familiarize yourself with all the shortcomings of this design.

1. The main disadvantage of this design is the presence of wheels. They are necessary for the smooth unfolding of the moving part. Wheels can cause damage to the floor covering. To eliminate this drawback, it is necessary to select wheels with a soft coating (for example, silicone).
2. With constant unfolding, the mechanism becomes loose. This contributes to the deterioration of the quality of the upholstery due to excessive friction of the surfaces.
3. Tall people may experience discomfort due to the limited length of the side armrests.

Modern apartments cannot be imagined without folding sofas.
Their advantage is undeniable. Buying a Eurobook sofa is a good idea. All the disadvantages are completely covered by the advantages. But what if you make such a piece of furniture with your own hands? This will save money and make the product according to your own drawings, dimensions and design.

Repair of the click-clack mechanism.

If we are talking about operation, it is worth focusing on minor repairs that are possible at home. In addition to deformation, breakage is caused by loosening of the fastening bolts and the appearance of gaps between the frame and the mechanism, which leads to bending of the structure and subsequent jamming. The spring located at the bottom of the mechanism stretches or breaks. It is worth paying attention to the condition of the rivets; we recommend immediately replacing them with bolts and nuts.

The above is more about preventing breakdowns than eliminating consequences. Therefore, pay close attention to the sounds when unfolding. In the case of a single click, be sure to check the mechanism; as a rule, one of its parts will be jammed in this case. Lubrication will improve the situation, but this happens extremely rarely, so the solution is to completely replace the mechanical parts. Be sure to replace all parts at the same time.

Remember the mechanical parts of the click clack sofa must be lubricated. By adhering to the rules, you will ensure trouble-free operation for many years.

DIY Eurobook sofa

Before you make a Eurobook with your own hands, you need to make three drawings.

1. Basic three-view drawing with all dimensions.
2. Material cutting diagram indicating dimensions, deviations for tolerances, allowances and margin for cut thickness.
3. Sketch presented with several options. This drawing shows what design will be obtained after the product is manufactured. Using the sketch, you can choose the design style of the sofa to match the current design of the room where it is planned to be installed.

It is very important that the folding mechanism is light, reliable, and the product lasts a long time.
After all the drawings have been drawn up, it is necessary to purchase the material.

If all three drawings are drawn up correctly, you do not risk buying less or more material. This saves money and also provides the required amount of building material of the desired style and article. If you have to buy additional material, the texture of the next batch will 100 percent likely be different. Therefore, purchase the required volume immediately.

Modern people prefer to make individual furniture items themselves.

It is also important to determine the order in which the product is assembled. This will save time and correctly assemble all the components. If you omit this stage, damage to the workpieces and use of fasteners for other purposes is possible.

Blueprints

The Eurobook sofa drawing includes three main elements:

• first, a sketch of the future sofa is drawn;
• then the main drawing is drawn up;
• Below is the cutting diagram.

Calling a sketch a drawing would be a stretch. The fact is that the sketch is drawn by hand, without using a ruler. It is rather a drawing depicting the future design of the finished product, its color content, range, structure, texture, size and dimensions.

This sofa consists of a seat, back and armrests. Its base can be used as a storage compartment.

The sketch is drawn up using the vanishing point method. One or two points in space are selected at which all lines will converge. First of all, squares are drawn on a sheet of paper, indicating the spatial size of the room. Next, the lines of the floor, walls and ceiling, door and window openings are drawn.

Interior elements should also be present here. Decorative objects, paintings, wall clocks - the more details you depict in the sketch, the easier it is to choose the design of the Eurobook.

It is quite possible to make an aesthetic and functional Eurobook sofa with your own hands.

At the last stage of sketching, the lines of the sofa itself are drawn. To understand the final result, you need to color the sketch with colored pencils. To successfully select a sofa design option, draw several sketches. This way you can choose the best option.

After the final result of the sketch, move on to the main drawing. It must be compiled in three forms:

• front;
• side;
• above.

To unfold such a sofa, turning it into a full-fledged sleeping place, just pull the special loop towards you and pull the seat forward, and lower the backrest to the free space.
A diagram of the frame and internal fastenings is drawn separately. To ensure the dimensions match perfectly, first draw the sofa fully assembled with upholstery.

After the main drawing, a material cutting diagram is made. This is necessary in order to determine the number of boards, chipboard sheets, plywood, and upholstery fabric needed.

By following the exact sequence, you will get the perfect sofa-book with your own hands, drawings and diagrams of which are given below.

A special feature of the Eurobook sofa is its convenient transformation mechanism.

Material and tool

To make it you will need:

• screwdriver;
• drill;
• jigsaw;
• construction stapler.

If some of the tools are not available, they can be rented.
The materials you need to have in stock are:

• wooden board;
• plywood;
• chipboard;
• foam;
• fabric upholstery (cotton or other).

When choosing lumber, preference is given to high-quality and proven raw materials.
Don’t forget to get a set of screwdrivers, drills, furniture staples, necessary fasteners (screws, dowels, furniture screws, wood glue).

Frame assembly

The frame for a book sofa can be assembled from:

• metal;
• tree.

The assembly process with wood is much simpler than with steel. The fact is that metal is more difficult to process, and it will also have to be joined by electric arc welding. This type of work at home is flammable. And a metal frame is much heavier than a wooden one.

The bottom and sides are cut from chipboard and fiberboard. You can also use plywood.

The assembly of a wooden frame occurs in three stages.

1. First, the lower frame is assembled, acting as the base.
2. Next, the sidewalls are attached. The reliability of the future product depends on this element.
3. After attaching the sides, you need to assemble the support frame under the back.

The support frame under the back is connected to the sides and bottom frame through a special folding mechanism made of metal. This main element (fastening mechanism) must be purchased at a furniture store. Pay attention to high-quality, expensive folding mechanisms. It is very easy to distinguish: heavy, massive guides with a rigid structure.

The service life and quality of operation of the product depend on the choice of fasteners.

Base

The base of the sofa book is a lower frame fixed between two sidewalls. Each element is made from a different material. It is best to assemble the frame from coniferous wood (fir tree, pine). But the sidewalls are made of chipboard or plywood, since they must be solid and massive.

The joints should be further strengthened by placing a transverse strip over the seam. Secure the edges of both parts to it with screws.

The frame boards are fastened in several ways.

• Tongue-groove connection. Additionally, such a connection is strengthened with wood glue, dowels or self-tapping screws. Making grooves and tenons requires certain skills, so this method can only be used by knowledgeable people.
• Metal connection. A more suitable mounting method for a beginner. Buy metal 90 degree angles. Using self-tapping screws, connect the frame. This method requires minimal woodworking skills. All you need is to cut the bars evenly at the ends, connecting them with self-tapping screws.

It is also better to connect the bottom frame with the sides using metal fasteners of a special style. Cut sheet plywood using an electric jigsaw with a special shaped saw. Consider the material allowance for consumption when cutting.

Particular attention should be paid to the assembly of the seat frame, since it will bear the greatest load.

The supports of the sofa must ensure its stability both when folded and unfolded. They are made of timber with a cross-section of 100*100 mm. Thanks to these dimensions, the sofa will stand steadily on the floor surface.

It is advisable to use a niche under the seat to locate linen drawers. They are made from plywood or chipboard. Additionally, the boxes are equipped with wheels. The bottom of the boxes is covered with a fiberboard sheet.

Assembling the seat and back

In order for the sofa to be as comfortable, convenient and functional as possible, the back and seat are equipped with a special lathing that gives additional elasticity. To secure the bars, special plastic brackets are used.

If you don’t want to spend money on plastic brackets, you can fasten the jumpers with ordinary self-tapping screws. The design of the sofa-book will not lose its comfort and use when used.

If the sofa upholstery is made of dense fabric that does not allow air to pass through, make holes in the plywood with a diameter of 15-20 mm to ensure air circulation.

It is better to use hard wood for elastic bridges. Birch, ash, oak, and larch are perfect here.

The sofa back is made in a similar way.

Armrest assembly

Armrests are made from sheet plywood or chipboard. To make it comfortable to sit on the sofa, the armrests are cut into oblong oval shapes. It is not difficult to attach them: attaching them with ordinary self-tapping screws will do. To prevent the wood from cracking, drill a hole with an electric drill before screwing in the hardware.

The Eurobook sofa must have two identical armrests 900 mm long, 200 mm wide and 550 mm high.

Fastening the click-clack mechanism

In order for the design of the sofa-book to perform its functions for a long time, the folding mechanism must be properly and securely fastened.

To carry out this work you need to use an electric drill. Holes are drilled in the sides, bottom and support frame. After this, the mechanism is secured to a bolted connection with a nut and washer.

To fold out the sofa, attach non-detachable hinges to the base of the back and seat.

Fastening the folding mechanism with self-tapping screws is not permissible. Such a connection will be unreliable and will fail in the near future.

Sofa finishing

Various fabrics can be used as finishing material for the sofa. To make a sofa book with your own hands, it is best to use high quality cotton fabric. The fact is that cotton lends itself most easily to the bends and twists necessary for DIY upholstery.

Before covering the sofa, you need to fix the foam. In addition to foam rubber, you can also use other soft fillers. His choice largely determines the ease of independent work.

To reduce abrasion between the foam rubber and the upholstery fabric, you need to put a special covering material between them.

Foam rubber is attached using a construction stapler to places specially prepared for this in the seats, backs, and also in the armrests. They are additionally covered with fabric.

After fixing the foam rubber, they begin reupholstering. It is important to correctly fold and fold all the fabric.

Using the drawings and instructions, you were able to make a Eurobook sofa. It will take a place in your home or serve in your country house, providing a comfortable place to relax.

In order for the sofa to be reupholstered with high quality, it is necessary to make fabric patterns. For this purpose, special stencils are made. Upholstery cuts are made in special places provided in advance.

To add an exclusive design to your book sofa, add cinching buttons on the back. It is not difficult to make such elements with your own hands. Before closing the foam rubber, stitches are made in it with a construction stapler in those places where it is planned to fasten the tightening buttons. Such interior elements will ideally decorate the interior decoration.

This model is worth choosing in cases where it is important to combine a beautiful classic appearance, comfortable seating and a comfortable sleeping place.

Look at a selection of photos of beautiful Eurobook sofas. Perhaps here you will find the option that is ideal for your living room, giving it freshness, comfort and spaciousness.

The Eurobook sofa, even when folded, is wide enough and can easily serve as a full-fledged sleeping place for one person.

Transformation of relaxation.

The third position, in addition to “lying” and “sitting,” was the “half-sitting” mode, which helps to rest the spine and relax the neck. Therefore, some sellers add the word orthopedic to the click klyak sofa, and with it a polyurethane mattress, which is advised to cover the lounger after transformation into the “half-sitting” or “lying” mode. According to them, the combination of the “half-sitting” mode and wooden slats that serve as support for the mattress create conditions for complete relaxation after a hard day. Will give your muscles a chance to rest. Unlike the “book” sofa, click-klyak transforms much easier. If in the first option both halves rise to the top, then in a click, only the seat rises, the back begins to move down and does not stop until it rests on the linen drawer. When the seat is raised, the angle between it and the backrest changes in parallel. At this moment, the first click will be heard, indicating a transition to the “relaxation” “half-sitting” mode; by releasing the seat, you will lock the sofa. If you need to get a double bed, raise the back further, the next click indicates that the sofa has left the “half-sitting” position and switched to the “lying” mode. In this case, the back of the sofa will remain lying down, and the seat will take a horizontal position, turning the sofa into a double bed.