Sprung Bed Slats Problems
From Box Springs to Bed slats, there is a lot of thought to be put into the best products to help you sleep. Before we jump into the heart of the matter, we’ll take a brief look at what bed slats actually are and how they may be able to help you ge121t a better night’s rest. If you want to jump into the sprung bed slats problems, follow the link.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- What Are Bed Slats
- Amazon Best Selling Bowed Bed Slats
- What Are Box Springs
- Bed Slats vs Box Springs: What should you buy
- Steel bed slats
- What are Flat Bed Slats
- What are Sprung Bed Slats
- Benefits of Sprung Bed Slats vs Flat Slats
- Sprung Bed Slats Problems
- Size
- Sliding on the Bed frame
- Connector Problems
- Beds Sagging
- Mattress fabric gets Ripped
- The Market is not Competitive
- How to Prevent Sprung Bed Slats Problems
- Bowed Bed Slats
- Queen Size Slatted Bed Base
What Are Bed Slats
Bed Slats are a feature of platform beds. Beds that are made of a wooden or metal frame with an empty space in the middle where support is provided by the bed slats.
Bed Slats are wooden strips of wood, sometimes metal, that act as support for your mattress and are fitted below it, directly onto the bed frame. Depending on the manufacturer, they either have a connector screwed on top of the bed frame that acts as a holder for them or a ridge on the inner side of the bed frame that acts as a support for them.
Now before going further here is list of Amazon best selling Bed Slats.
Amazon Best Selling Bowed Bed Slats
After comparing tons of reviews we have shortlisted only three bowed bed slats
- Univeral Strong Center Support Base for all size beds
- Zinus Adrianne Solid Wood Vertical Bed Support Slats
- Zinus Deepak Bed Slat Replacement
What Are Box Springs
Box Springs is the name for a kind of bed base. It is made of a sturdy wooden frame in most cases. It is filled with vertical springs, hence the name box springs, which provide it with some much needed structural integrity in the long term. It resembles a mattress but is much harder, and is not really mean to be used as a bed by itself. Rather it supports the mattress that lays on top of it and provides it with support and gives it height. A Box spring and mattress together form a bed.
Most people nowadays use box springs as support for their mattresses. Some mattress manufacturers require you to have these installed in your bedroom as support for your mattress in order for the warranty on the mattress to be valid. This is unfortunate since box springs are not for everybody. Some people prefer other means of keeping the mattress off the ground like bed slats for example.
Bed Slats vs Box Springs: What should you buy
If you are not willing to spend a boatload of money on a good and sturdy box spring that can last a lifetime, then you are much better off sticking with buying bed slats, either flat or sprung. Rather than going for a cheaper box spring that has a high probability of not lasting a very long time, a cheap purchase of bed slats is a better alternative because even if you are disappointed in the end and don’t like what you get at least you didn’t spend a fortune on it.
When it comes to buying, it is all about preference. Would you rather spend good money that could be spent elsewhere in order to get a good night’s rest? If so, then go for box springs. Or are you not a picky sleeper and cost-conscious about your spending? If so, go for slats.
Steel bed slats
Steel bed slats are no doubt highly suggested because of following reasons
- Steel slats can bare as much height.
- Steel bed slats have strength and they also look beautiful.
- Available n variety of colors and totally rust free.
- Adjustable and universal steel bed slats are available which can fit any bed.
- Steel slats won’t bend, warp or deform and won’t cause any spinal issues or back pain.
- Steel bed slats gives proper support to your mattress and increases its life span.
- If you own a platform bed and you need its replacement slats then steel slats are one time investment.
Here are our top three steel bed slats available in king, queen,full,twin and all other sizes
- Glideaway Univeral Strong Center Bed Frame Support System
- Olee Sleep Steel Slat, No Box Spring Needed
- Zinus Steel platform bed replacement slats
What are Flat Bed Slats
These are flat bed slats that don’t curve and don’t provide extra support for the mattress above them. They do the job of keeping the mattress atop the bed frame but not much else.
That is not to say they are entirely useless. They are sold cheap and are sturdy. They don’t erode quickly and can last a lifetime given the right conditions. If you are not particularly picky about how you sleep and what exactly helps you do it, then these are a definite option to consider.
What are Sprung Bed Slats
Sprung bed slats are a different breed altogether. They are usually made of beech wood. They are curved pieces of beech wood that serve the same function as flat bed slats but with a different spin on it altogether.
A bed with sprung bed slats installed will have a completely different feeling to it when sleeping on it than a bed with box springs or a bed with flat slats. The idea is to two-pronged. Not only are sprung bed slats better to sleep on from an objective standpoint, they also add to the longevity of the mattress since they take off the pressure from it and allow it to breathe in a more natural manner. Though sagging is still an issue it is much less commonplace than it would be if you were using box springs or flat slats instead.
Benefits of Sprung Bed Slats vs Flat Slats
Sprung Slats |
Flat Slats |
Better for Mattresses |
Worse for Mattresses |
Better Sleeping conditions, more ‘springy’ |
Standard sleeping conditions, no extra features |
Harder to set up |
Easier to set up |
Sprung Bed Slats Problems
Size
Size of the wooden beams is one of the aspects of this purchase you should be most careful about. If you have a standard sized bed you must be very careful that the manufacturer didn’t lengthen or shorten the bed size by a small inch or two to accommodate aesthetic features of some sort. A good rule of thumb is to always do the measurements of the bed frame yourself and not rely on what it says on the box to do the measurements for you. Sure it’s a bit of a headache but it saves you an even bigger headache of having to return your bed slate after you have made the purchase simply because it doesn’t fit.
And all that goes out the window if you have a custom-made bed that doesn’t fall into the category of twin, full, king and queen. Most sprung bed slate manufacturers don’t really make them on custom orders but you’ll have to find someone who does. Luckily, we found this nifty little site that does the job. Its based in the UK though, so be mindful of that.
Sliding on the Bed frame
Another problem that some people have reported are bed slats sliding on the bed frame. This occurs when these slats are not securely fastened to the bed frame. This is, unfortunately, one of the chief sprung bed slats problems that you might face if you go for a set.
The solution to this is fairly simple – Connectors. They are wooden, sometimes metal sockets of sorts that serve as a firm holder for each individual slat. You can buy them off the internet given the right dimension at a fairly cheap price. Or even go to a local wood worker to make them for you. A rule of thumb when looking for connectors, err on the side of bigger if you are unsure.
That is not to say that connectors are the end all be all solution for this problem but they are the most easily accessible for the average user. You could look up DIY videos on the internet that deal with this sort of issue. But if you don’t have prior experience in wood-working we would not recommend it.
Now this seems like a lot of hassle for setting up a simple set of sprung bed slats. This is true. And if you are unwilling to go through all of that you can skip all of it and go straight for a bed frame with built-in sprung bed slats. Here is one we think might suit your needs.
Connector Problems
Another problem that may arise after you purchase connectors for your sprung bed slats, you might find that they off by a slight margin. Normally this is not a problem since connectors need not be absolutely perfect to make them workable but this is not always the case and you need to able to identify when that is.
You need to make sure that the connectors are made of sturdy stuff and are connected to the bed frame correctly. Many a bed slat have been damaged by someone forcing them into a connector that was not set up correctly.
Beds Sagging
Now, this is not a sprung bed slats problem specifically. It happens to Box springs as well. But the reason behind the problem might differ depending on your specific issue.
If your slats are made of beech wood it is highly unlikely that they are the reason for this problem. Rather it is much for likely that your mattress itself has given out on you. Try to replace it if that is the issue.
If on the other hand, you find the slats to be the core of the problem then this might be seasonal if they are made from wood. As you might know, wooden products suffer from the whims of harsh seasons and they may contract or expand depending on the weather if they are left out and not used for an extended period of time. If this is the case, then the more you use them the more the problem will go away.
Mattress fabric gets Ripped
Now this is a rare issue as it only happens in custom made sprung slats made by an amateur wood worker. What happens is that the wooden surface of the slat is not sufficiently polished so it catches on to the fabric of the mattress above it and rips it during the night due the constant shifting. You can polish the surface yourself, it is a fairly easy process that won’t take too long. But the easiest way to avoid this is to just look at the slats before you buy them and buy them from a reputed source.
If you are following a DIY guide then the problem might be that there are not enough finishing touches on the product and you are rushing the job in order to finish it. Take your time and give the project all the attention it deserves and don’t skimp on the last few steps.
The Market is not Competitive
One of the more understated sprung bed slats problems that people face is that there is barely any competition in the market for this product. Manufacturers are few and far between. And ones with fair prices are rarer still. That is not to say there are no quality products out there for sale, just that the prices might be higher than you are willing to pay.
But since this is a niche it is to be expected that quality products cost more. But in the end, it is better to spend money on a slat you will be satisfied with rather than settling on something that is not entirely up to standard.
Though here is a list of sprung bed slats we found to be not only quality material but cheap as well.
- HOMCOM Queen Size Torsion Arched Wood Slat Steel Platform Bed Mattress Frame – Black
- Replacement Bed Slats by MidWest
- Ikea Sultan Luroy Full Slatted Bed Base
- Zinus Deepak Easy Assembly Wood Slat
How to Prevent Sprung Bed Slats Problems
To prevent most sprung bed slats problems and nip them in the bud try to buy these with an attached bed frame. In most cases, this is the easiest and least confusing way to ensure that your bed slats actually fit into the bed frame and not slide off. It is hard enough to find good flat bed slats but when you are searching for even more niche sprung bed slats it becomes even harder to find a good fit. A good idea is to give IKEA’s catalog a once over, even if you are not the biggest fan of Ikea and don’t plan on buying from them, they provide a template of what you can expect to get from the wider market.
Bowed Bed Slats
Bowed bed slats are special because they have a little curve or bending inside them. Most of time this bend is not visible to naked eye. The reason this bend is crafted is that when pressure of human body is applied on wood it doesn’t break instead it becomes straight and it increases life of the furniture. Here is one of the best bed slats i found on amazon with bowed nature.
[amazon box=”B07GRRM79Z”]
Queen Size Slatted Bed Base
This Zinus Queen size slatted bed base has been declared Amazon best seller due to most positive reviews and great quality. All the slats are numbered and with arrows marked so you can remember how to fir the slats in the base. The adhesive tape added on the wooden slats prevent the slipping of the mattress. 10 wooden slats are very strong and high quality wood and present sagging of mattress and also increases its life. Frame is made up of steel while slats are made up of wood. This combination is very ideal for a long lasting bed base.