U-Shaped Sofa Build

[bvcg1]

I thought I'd share some pics of the front U-shaped sofa I am in the process of building...

[tsunami]

Like the craftsmanship. Looks great and sturdy.

[Greg1410]

Looks great. I am planning the same type of arrangement in my 1973 Safari. Do you attach to the floor? the walls? or both? Would love to see more detailed plans if you don't mind sharing. I am still in the demo stage - so a bit far from starting this.
Greg

[Cardinal283]

Going to follow a swill be doing this at some point and would like to see your methods and ideas.

[SteveSueMac]

You do great work! Enjoy!!

[bvcg1]

Originally Posted by Greg1410

Looks great. I am planning the same type of arrangement in my 1973 Safari. Do you attach to the floor? the walls? or both? Would love to see more detailed plans if you don't mind sharing. I am still in the demo stage - so a bit far from starting this.
Greg

Boerne? I am in San Antonio, so come take a look. Private message me for my phone number.
I don't have plans. They're in my head, so to speak. To get the sturdiest possible joints I used a Kreg Jig https://www.kregtool.com/store/c13/k...reg-jigreg-k4/

I attached to the floor only so that any flexing of the frame would not affect the sofa, if that makes sense.

[KJRitchie]

With you laying the frame on the new floor are you worried about the floor expanding and contracting while the AS is in storage between the winter lows and summer highs? I know it doesn't get that cold in San Antonio but what would happen to the floor between a 0F winter low and a 100F summer high?

I'm planning on converting my 25fb queen to twins. My Classic 25fb bedroom is carpeted and would prefer to pull the carpet and install a vinyl product. Would it be better to install the bed and center nightstand framing before installing the floor? I would want to seal the subfloor under the bed frames so any future water leaks from the windows etc would drain onto a sealed subfloor.

What type of wood are you using? What are the typical dimensions of the frame pieces?

Thanks for sharing.

Kelvin

[Toolmanbt]

Looks great, I to would be interested in building this type of sofa/eating area/bed. More details would be great. Thanks

[bvcg1]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

With you laying the frame on the new floor are you worried about the floor expanding and contracting while the AS is in storage between the winter lows and summer highs? I know it doesn't get that cold in San Antonio but what would happen to the floor between a 0F winter low and a 100F summer high?

I'm planning on converting my 25fb queen to twins. My Classic 25fb bedroom is carpeted and would prefer to pull the carpet and install a vinyl product. Would it be better to install the bed and center nightstand framing before installing the floor? I would want to seal the subfloor under the bed frames so any future water leaks from the windows etc would drain onto a sealed subfloor.

What type of wood are you using? What are the typical dimensions of the frame pieces?

Thanks for sharing.

Kelvin

I'm not really worried about it. I expect to be whipping out some caulk after a season or two due to some movement, but I don't expect the sofa to release from the floor. The material used for the frame is select 2x2's (actually1.5 x1.5) pine, so since the subfloor is pine they should move at a similar rate...un-scientific, I know, but it helps me sleep at night. The only other option would be to free the sofa from the floor and leave it 'loose' and maybe use hardware to latch it in place to prevent movement during travel. That actually isn't a bad idea, now that I think about it...

Personally, I would install the floor under the bed space. I agree that it would help seal the subfloor and any water that penetrates would most likely evaporate before it would penetrate to the subfloor. If you are going to use skirting that would prevent air movement in that space, maybe install some vents in the skirting to facilitate air movement and evaporation of any water that penetrates?

[SeeMore]

To allow the vinyl floor to shrink and swell with the seasons, use washers between the couch frame and subfloor. Cut a circular hole in the vinyl that is larger in diameter (1/16"+ clearance) than the washers which will bear the weight of the couch. The height of the washer(s) merely needs to be slightly higher (a few thousandths) than the vinyl thickness. You can cinch down the screws, leaving the vinyl without compression. The washers don't need to be very wide; about 5/8ths of the frame base width or less.

[laducky]

Sweet! This is exactly what I was looking for to model mine after. I have no experience building cabinetry/furniture but this seems doable since it breaks it into box shapes. Please keep posting as you progress! Thanks

[bvcg1]

Finished the table top cut-out. The design allows for the table pedestal to be removed so that the table top can drop in place to make a bed. After further consideration, because the table top is so large (27" x 44"), I've decided to cut the table top on the left and right and fasten heavy-duty piano hinges so that it can fold in on itself on top. This will allow me to fold and store the table top in the space under the seating. The piano hinges, fastened from underneath (of course), will not travel the whole width of the table. They will stop about 4 inches from the edge so that I can install heavy-duty barrel bolts so the table does not collapse in on itself in either the pedestal configuration or the bed configuration. I will post pics when that is accomplished.

Also, there will be a 3/4 inch plywood layer added underneath (that will stop just short of the bench cleats around the perimeter) for added support

[Toolmanbt]

So why did you use pine for your sub-floor and dinette, weight factor or ? .
Just trying to learn something new. Thanks

[bvcg1]

Originally Posted by Toolmanbt

So why did you use pine for your sub-floor and dinette, weight factor or ? .
Just trying to learn something new. Thanks

Regarding the subfloor, Airstream used the pine plywood. As far as the tabletop goes, it's 2 layers of 3/4 cabinet grade high density plywood that will be laminated with Formica. I didn't see the need for an expensive hardwood. The seating structure is select pine for the same reason, except that all exposed surfaces will be painted. Keep in mind that I will have upholstered cushions on the seating surface, with throw-pillows for back support

[Toolmanbt]

Thank you so much for the info, I'm learning a lot here.

[KJRitchie]

Does the pedestal just screw onto the floor or is it bolted? Did you consider one of the pneumatic adjustable table pedestals that AS uses in some of their models. That way you don't have to worry about storing the removable tube.

Have you tried to sit around the table yet? The table looks a little large but maybe just the camera angle.

Kelvin

[bvcg1]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Does the pedestal just screw onto the floor or is it bolted? Did you consider one of the pneumatic adjustable table pedestals that AS uses in some of their models. That way you don't have to worry about storing the removable tube.

Have you tried to sit around the table yet? The table looks a little large but maybe just the camera angle.

Kelvin

The base is not yet permanently installed. Due to the finished weight of the table (it's 1 1/2 inches thick) and the likelihood of the table rocking as a result of that weight relative to the small base size, I will most likely bolt through the subfloor and through a steel or aluminum plate on the underside of the subfloor. I already have the belly skin removed for replacement, so that will not be that much more effort.

I did not any other configuration for the base and pedestal. Storage of the tube will not be a problem. There is in excess of 25 cubic feet of storage under the sofa, of which that tube will only occupy .5 cubic feet.

I agree that the table is large. So large, in fact, that access and egress can only be accomplished from the right side. But there was no getting around that because the tabletop also serves as a drop-in leaf for the bed configuration. There was no escaping that. As a result, I’m going to do some engineering/ experimentation by cutting approximately 11 inches off either end and re-connecting with heavy duty piano hinges. My thought is that the two ends fill fold on to the remaining middle section (top), which will reduce the tabletop size by 50 percent for storage (if need be) or access/ egress. To prevent the tabletop from collapsing during use as a table or as a bed leaf, I have ordered 4 heavy-duty 12 inch sliding surface bolts that will mount underneath and HOPEFULLY offer enough support. If it works, I’ll post pictures. If it doesn’t I’ll just remake the tabletop in one piece. It’s only time and money, right?

[Toolmanbt]

pneumatic adjustable table pedestals, please tell me more about this idea. Sounds great to me.

[Libbitt]

Did you follow a plan?

[bvcg1]

Plans? What are those?? I just laid it out in my head and went to work.

Originally Posted by Libbitt

Did you follow a plan?