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Apologies to those who have answered my private messages--thank you so much, but i still am a bit confused! We're going to buy a platform bed, but haven't decided on a mattress yet. From what i can tell, slats are only needed if the mattress is latex and the air is humid. Correct? I'm looking at a lot of platform beds online, and most say that they "come with slats"...Does this mean there is not a solid platform? Is there a way to find a bed with a solid platform and no slats? And, are certain beds more 'stable' than others? My primary goal is no motion; I'm looking only at beds made from hardwoods (supposedly the most stable), and they all LOOK nice online, but is there anything i need to be wary of? Also, most beds need assembly...Is this just the way platform beds arrive? Thank you SO much for any advice! |
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I purchased 3 Rablin Wood platform beds (king, double, twin) over a year ago and is very satisfied. I opted for the double poplar slats to provide an almost solid foundation with small gaps for airflow. The gaps between the slats are about 1/4" or less. A bonus is that it is made in the USA! The king is supporting my 8" all natural Talalay latex mattress, the double is supporting a Sleep Innovations NovaForm foam mattress, and the twin is supporting a futon mattress. All three feels like the mattresses are on the floor. Here is the URL: http://www.platformbeds.com/index.php3?category=0000000003&cart_id=720190153011589225 For shipping purposes, assembly was required, but I did not think it was too bad. I completed all beds and even a few nightstands in one afternoon. I would think a solid platform would be to costly to ship. You can always go to Lowes or Home Depot to buy a solid piece of poplar or plywood and cut it to size. Actually, the poplar slats are sold at Lowes and it may have been less expensive if I did not order the double slats option and just buy the poplar boards from Lowes. They are identical, except Lowes has various widths. |
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Welcome to the world of platform bed research. I spent about six months searching every website and retail store before ordering. Between researching beds and the various latex options, I drove myself crazy. There's a difference of opinion on the latex/slats/solid platform issue. Some people feel latex should never be placed on a solid foundation, while others are not concerned about humidity and mold. It depends on where you live and conditions in your home. Platform beds that come with slats generally don't have a solid platform, but you should find out more about the spacing of the slats before ordering. Slats should not be spaced more than 2 to 2.5 inches apart; the closer the better. During my online research, I noticed that many websites include assembly instructions that can be downloaded; this will show you the various parts, dimensions of slats and other specifications. With platform beds ranging in price from $99 to thousands, some are definitely more stable than others. The cheaper beds will be made of particle board. Sometmes mdf is used (medium density fiberboard), which is similar to particle board, but a better, more stable product. Photo-veneer is often glued to these materials to give the appearance of wood. Read a dozen reviews on overstock or some of the other websites and you'll get an idea of variations in quality and difficulty of assembly. One recurring problem is that predrilled holes are sometimes *off* and redrilling is required during assembly. Most, if not all, beds require assembly onsite (not just platform beds), but some companies offer "white glove" shipping which means they will assemble a bed for you at your home for an extra fee. Some online companies have contracts with regional contractors to provide this service. I purchased a platform bed from Charles Rogers in NY. It was much more expensive than I originally planned to spend, but they had an online sale and free shipping offer. (It was still expensive which is one reason I bought my latex mattress from FBM.) The bed does not have slats; it has a solid platform but it is not one piece. For shipping purposes and ease of handling, the platform is made up of four solid pieces of hardwood, each covered in a thin fabric with a slight amount of padding. The bed components were packed amazingly well and all of the necessary hardware and tools were included with the shipment. Assembly required two people. Instructions were okay but not great and we had to make a few adjustments along the way because I didn't read the instructions carefully. By then, the bed was almost fully assembled and very heavy so the adjustments were not easy. But it came out great and I am very happy with the purchase. Finally, the Rambling Wood beds at platformbed.com mentioned by the previous poster were among those I considered during my research. They are made in the USA, are real wood, and appear to be a good value. They can be ordered with various design and slat options. Detailed specifications, assembly instructions and assembly videos are available on the web site (click on a specific model of bed and the next page will have a link.) I hope this helps. Good luck in your search.
This message was modified Jun 16, 2009 by Beanie
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| Thanks so much for the advice. I just checked out the platformbeds.com site, and also talked to someone there who was very helpful and knowledgeable. He recommended the Rambling Woods beds, too--said they're more stable and use good wood (and made in USA!). I'll probably buy one of those. Do you find them to be very stable (i.e. no movement when in bed)? |
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The three Rablin Wood beds I purchased are very sturdy. Once assembled, the bed frames are sturdy and solid. As far as I can remember, all pieces fit perfectly and if the holes didn't aligned, it usually means you have the pieces backward or reversed. Just to think of it, since my latex mattress is by Latex International, my entire bed was made in the USA and it is solid like a rock! |
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Hello can i start by asking why you are sure it is a platform bed you are looking for? you will be asking your mattress to do a lot more work if there is no added support from beneath it. i agree that a solid platform is better than a slat made from a cheap and thin wood but there are many other options that will give a far better combination. the first and best choice (for your needs) would be a sprung slat system. this allows each person in the bed to have there own section of support that does not affect the other side, often available with variable tention movable slats so if you prefer the firmer feel you can move it to suit. these are normally made of several peices of beech wood glued together in a bridge or leaf style suspention, see pic in link below. http://www.natural-beds-pillows.com/images/FOUNDSLATHANDSONlarge.jpg second i would advise a pocketed sprung box divan with a north to south split, this give all the benifts of a divan base (and there are a LOT) and the support of a pocket spring but if you use a split base it will have NO movement between sides, this will make it a softer feel but i have to stress that is not a bad thing. this is my personal prefrence of base unit and what i would advise for the majority of people but if you are after a bedframe it it usually easer to go for the above slatted system. i couldnt find a good pic but the link below shows the idea but the base would be split from head to toe down the middle. http://www.obc-uk.net/beds/bed-frames/support-bed-frame.htm as far as the thought slats are only needed if you have a latex mattress, this is not true. it does not matter what your matt is made of it does need to breathe you loose a lot of liquid per night and the more air that can get into your matt the better, it will also give a cooler feel to your bed and make it more hygenic (it is also advised to turn down your duvet on your bed each day to allow the moisture to evaporate. im new to the site and from the UK and im not fully sure if we both share the same type of products available to us, if theres anything you need more info with just ask. |
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hmmm...i'm not familiar with some of your UK terms, but i believe 'divan' is another name for 'box spring'? If so, you recommend a split foundation...Do you think that provides less movement than a single, solid platform? And the sprung slats system...I'm not familiar with it, but i'll try to check it out (your link didn't lead to a web page). thanks for the advice...Anyone wish to comment on it further? I'm not too familiar with this stuff, and i'm a bit confused! ;) |
| electracat ... if you google "Euro Slat" bed, you'll find numerous web sites showing different variations of it. I wish these were readily available in retail stores in this country because I was interested in one before I purchased the platform bed but I didn't want to buy one sight unseen. These support systems and latex mattresses have been used for decades in Europe. If you do a search on this forum I think you'll find some more information. Maybe someone who has one can chime in and give an update. |
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sorry i should have known the terms wouldnt be constant, as above the euro slat is what i was meaning if you copy and past the above links into your browser you should see the pics, it works this end anyway. i belive the box spring and divan are the same thing, wooden box covered with fabric often with a sprung top and sometimes storage? i am sure there would be an similar product you could get, they are seen as a traditional product over here and turns people away from them even though (again in my opinion) they are one of the best bases to any mattress. and going with the split in it not only allows easer access to the room but also it means each person has a totally seperate base so movement is only transfered by the mattress. even a solid base will flex when you add the weight of two people to it. |