Linda, I got the shovel pruning term from the rose forum. I admit it took me awhile to figure out it meant to remove the plant. Thanks, Tony, I feel very flattered. I have done a little more ruthless removal, but it has been too hot and humid to really go at it. All the common spiderwort is gone (of course it is not, but the big clumps are gone). I don't even miss it. I reread "We Made A Garden" by Marjory Fish over the weekend and was inspired to deadhead and cut back with a vengence. I did some research on a tree I had received when I was on the shade tree commisison for our city. At a Tree City USA shindig a few years back, a local company had free trees for us. We had our choice of golden rain tree or Katsura (sp). I thought I had the golden rain tree, but as it hadn't produced any thing remotely "golden" I thought I better check. I have been deceived. I have a honey locust. I have nothing against honey locust except that now I have a honey locust planted between a tulip tree and an European Larch. 3 soon to be too too big trees. Which to remove is now the question. I stand in the side yard and stare. I walk around the outside of the yard and stare and mutter to myself, coffe cup in hand, trailed by 3 cats. Hmmm. The tulip is in the middle of the side yard, my "speciman tree". It has a kink in the trunk (never buy at a big box store again), and it leans a little (I now always use a level when I plant trees or have the dh out there with his good eye). But it throws shade just exactly where I want it. Locust tree is nice, dappled shade, close to propery line, as is the Larch. Really I should take out the locust because it is too close to the Larch and the tulip because it is leaning and crooked. If I do it this year, I can probably do it myself. At least the Locust. I don't think I have the will to take out 2 trees. I dithered for years whether I wanted a speciman tree in the center of the side lot or a formal pool. I finally decided on the tree because of cost and I like shade gardening. Maybe now I will get my formal pool, though cost is still a hinderence, especially now with ds in college. What to do, what to do. I see more dithering and muttering in the side yard.

If you are ready to possibly trash it, you can turn it upside down and remove the bottom piece of gause (or whatever they stapled to the bottom to cover the inner workings) and look at the springs or whatever seat support they used and also see the frame. You can make a decision at that point. If its hand tied springs with a quality wood frame, then it might be worth fixing. If its particle board and stretch springs, then no. Sometimes you can make minor repairs to the underside yourself and it will work for years.

Hard to say without seeing the actual bed, but it sounds like something that could definitely be MacGyvered. Alternatively, have you considered simply mounting a headboard of your choice to the wall and pushing the bed right up against it? You could use a french cleat to mount it.

Without pictures, it's impossible to answer. My initial question is why you would want to convert to a daybed. I have a queen bed that I use as a bed and like previous posters, I can't see it functioning well as a couch or chaise which is essentially what a day bed is supposed to do - i.e. be seating during the day and then be used as a bed when needed for sleeping. In my experience, day beds are generally twin size - if a larger sleeping surface is needed, there is the kind of bed which slides out somehow.