bed making question

22 years ago I did that

Mike L

but for a set of bunk beds. I used slats with a sheet of 1/2 ply on top of them. Grand kids are still using them except not as bunk beds anymore.

I figure the ply kept the mattress from sagging.

Re: bed making question

Sgian Dubh

Yes. I've done it for king size beds. There's no reason why it can't work for a single bed. I've used poplar milled out of 4/4 X prior to me buying it to about 7/8" X about 3-3/4". After purchase I just routed a round on each edge and

set the slats out on the frame with a stop at the last slat at each end to hold those in place at the foot board and headboard and stapled two strips of webbing to each slat. That way they all keep together if ever the bed needs to be moved. Slainte.

The shop I worked for...

John in NM

Used to just do slats for a box spring support and plywood for just the mattress - that was maybe 20% of the customers who just wanted their mattress with no box spring.

Based on what Mike and Richard have said, I think slats alone will be fine, especially if its a conventional mattress. Usually the ones where we did plywood were a latex or memory foam mattress.

I like Richard's strap stapled to the slats. That is a good idea.

Re: bed making question

Bruce, a MN Galoot

I’ve made a half dozen or so queen size beds using the construction you describe. Never a problem. In 43 years, we’ve never had a box spring, only a mattress on slats or plywood, never needed it.

+1

Barry Irby

I agree with all of the above.

I have made a number of beds of various sizes with only slats. I used a lot of slats. I found I could buy 1 x 3's at the big box store cheaper than I could make them myself. (That may no longer be true.) It took some sorting and picking but they turned out fine. I left about a 3 1/2" or 4" space between them.

I made slots in the support of each one to sit in so they would not rotate and fall out. Later I made the rails out of two layers laminated together, leaving a slot or rebate down the inner side for the slats. On these I used the strap Idea to keep them spaced. One of my son's is in the military and moves often. The straps make it so they can remove the slats and roll them up for the move and they don't get lost.

As an aside, at Fastenal I found some square "nuts" that accept a 3/8" bolt. I cut a Mortice in the rail to accept them and drill into the end of the rail for the bolt. I drill in a 1/2" hole. Use a class 8 bolt. The "nut' is about 1 1/4" square. The 10mm bit in your Domino on the wide setting will do a fine job of cutting the mortice. More details available if you care.

Re: bed making question

Jim Dillon

No problem whatsoever on a queen-sized bed. I chose to just buy 1x4s (actual 3/4 x 3-1/2) from the local borg, round the edges, and cut a notch in each end to fit around a short dowel to hold the slat in place. I spaced the slats an inch or so apart to provide ventilation. I bought a "bed-in-a-box" for the mattress. Kinda amazing to see the mattress expand out of the box. Go for it.

two ways I've ..

David Weaver

..slept on or done.

One is to build a frame around a sheet of plywood (I slept on a bed like that until I was 22 and didn't even know what a box spring was. As a kid and even as a young adult (it was twin), it was only a 1/2" sheet of ply. Never an issue, but it could be bolstered.

Other is to source a bunk bed box spring (they're about 2 inches high or a little less).

When making daughter's bunk bed last year, I put slats below a "bunkie bed" - the brand or listing name of the low profile box that I got (call it belt and suspenders, but I know she'll be up there and either I will be once in a while and maybe friends as she gets older. It's built for war. The low height box spring allowed the mattress to stay down lower in the rails and lower ceiling height.

Re: bed making question

David Yoho

Yes, just slats would work.

You could also go to a bed store and purchase what they call a "bunkie board". This is what I've used on several beds I built and one we purchased to reduce the overall height a traditional box spring causes. It's basically a wood frame wrapped with some foam and material. The material prevents wear on the under side of the mattress.

When we bought the king size mattress for our new bed years ago, (purchased bed frame from a different store) it required two bunkie boards that I placed on top of the 2x4 slats I used. This added less height than any box spring we found. Our mattress is 15-inches thick and the headboard would have been unseen otherwise.

Re: bed making question

Sgian Dubh

As an addendum I should have added this image to my post. It shows the arrangement of the slats, plus webbing. I remember now that there are two sets of slats that roll up. One set rolls from the footboard to the centre point, and the other rolls from the headboard to the centre point. Basically, the end two slats of a set (headboard end or foot board end) sit behind a block of wood glued and screwed on the top surface of each side rail bearer to hold them in the right place, the slats in between the end two slats are spaced using short blocks of wood placed (not screwed) between each slat to create an even gap, and webbing stapled on. Lastly the loose spacer blocks were removed and disposed of; they're not needed again after their use as spacers.

The reason for doing this in two sets of slats was to keep weight down a bit and to make each rolled up bundle of slats easy enough for one person to handle and to set in place. Slainte.

Re: bed making question

Howard Rosenberg

The type of slat structure in the pic is commonplace.

Depending on who's using the bed, I always figure the slats should be made of a springy type of wood.

And if not, I'd still orient the piece down the centre "vertically" on its edge rather than on its face - I'd rather try and gain some beam strength rather than rely on the slat's tensile strength alone.

Possibly needless over-engineering but it's something that would help set my mind at ease.

Excellent

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

That is what I will do.

Re: bed making question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

project has begun. She picked a design from some examples and we modified it to suit the need. 4 posts with a lattice head board, walnut. Next up mortising.

Re: Excellent

Sgian Dubh

Bill, I forgot to mention that the first and last slat in a set has a screw inserted at each end of the slat into the bearer. The screws aren't strictly necessary, but they're there. I suppose it's self-evident, but before fitting the slats just make sure the headboard/footboard/two side rails arrangement is square. Make the slats a slightly loose fit lengthways between the side rails, perhaps 1/4 - 3/8" short ... you'll work it out for yourself, I imagine. Slainte.

OK thanks

Re: bed making question

dlwurscher

Had the same problem, had to lower the top of the mattress, removed the box spring, laid 3/4" plywood down on top of the slates, worked just great.

Re: bed making question

Clint Searl

What is she gonna do with that Arkansas toothpick?

post mortises

Re: bed making question

Keith Mealy

I have made 3 sets of bunks and four platform beds for grandkids. I have used the slats from IKEA instead of making my own. They are oriented laminations with a crown and have a strap to keep them spaced right. Much better and easier than big box 1x4s IMO.

Re: bed making question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I have no idea where an IKEA store might be, but I don have lots of hardwood inventory so I will be making my own slats.

Re: OK thanks

Sgian Dubh

Also, Bill, whenever I've done slatted supports the mattress sits directly on the slats, no board material on top of the slats. I'm guessing you probably realised that. I can't say I've ever seen a mattress come to harm for sitting on slats instead of a completely flat surface. Slainte.

Re: OK thanks

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I don't buy the baloney peddled by mattress sellers either. "Buy this $500 box spring. It will "save" your $1000 mattress. " Doubtful.

same...

David Weaver

the "bunkie" bed type low profile boxes (which are just a purchased version of what you show, more or less (except two sided) have the mattress sitting directly on slats. Many slats, not that far apart.

It never occurred to me that they could possibly hurt a mattress.

Re: bed making question

William Duffield

With ropes, you will need a bed wrench:

Sleep tight.