Hello.
I’m looking into purchasing a 6" queen all Dunlop latex mattress and a wooden slatted bed frame.
Before I buy the bed frame, I’d just like to ask if it seems very suitable for the type of mattress I’m buying.
The slats are 1" by 3.5", and the spacing between them is 2". The legs are inset about 9" and the guy who makes them says this model is especially sturdy. There is no beam going down the center.
It’s the “harmony” model on this site http://zenplatformbeds.com/designs/
Thanks!
Hi overactive imagination,
It certainly looks strong and sturdy and the gaps between the slats are fine but for king or queen sizes I would add center support to the floor to make sure it meets the warranty criteria for most mattresses.
It’s hard to see from the picture but it looks like there is some kind of center support but it’s not clear if it reaches the floor.
You could always add center support along the lines of some of the options in post #12 here.
Phoenix
Hi overactive imagination,
I have looked at these bed frames, it very hard to see how they are assembled since they do not show the assembly process. There does not seam to be a center support bolted from head to toe, which is a week point if this is the case.
There also does not seam to be any finish on the wood of the model you are looking at. We suggest getting a no VOC stain and varnish to protect the wood from stains, and keep it looking good for a long time.
If you can fix these 2 details, you have a good quality bed frame at a good price!
You may also want to look at futon stores, as they sell this type of bed frame.
good luck!
[quote=“overactive imagination” post=37879]Hello.
I’m looking into purchasing a 6" queen all Dunlop latex mattress and a wooden slatted bed frame.
Before I buy the bed frame, I’d just like to ask if it seems very suitable for the type of mattress I’m buying.
The slats are 1" by 3.5", and the spacing between them is 2". The legs are inset about 9" and the guy who makes them says this model is especially sturdy. There is no beam going down the center.
It’s the “harmony” model on this site http://zenplatformbeds.com/designs/
Thanks![/quote]
Many bed frames have the supports on the outer edges of the frame whereas this “harmony” model the leg supports will take some pressure off the middle section of the frame. IMO I think it would be okay for a queen or smaller. The legs appear to be two 2x4 screwed together with a cut out for a beam that runs the length of the bed on each side. I do not have center support on my queen and I used similer size slats but I screwed/glued another board under the length of each slat forming a “T”. Search the site for “T Slats”
Hi Km,
MFC Memory Foam Comfort is making some good points and there are really two things to consider.
The first would be the actual support and whether a foundation or other support system provides good support in the center of the mattress without sagging under weight. This would depend on the construction, the type and strength of the wood (or other materials), and on how much they bend or sag in “real life” under pressure. In most cases a wider unsupported span (queen size or bigger) will sag more (either initially or over time) than a shorter span when you are using slats regardless of the support under the sides. T-Slats like you are suggesting would certainly take care of this but without them it’s usually better to have good center support in any bedframe that is queen size or larger. The ultimate test would be to put strong pressure with more concentrated weight in the center of the bedframe to test the amount of deflection.
The second thing to consider though is that most manufacturers require good center support to the floor in a queen size bedframe or larger for warranty purposes. If you have a bedframe that doesn’t have center support and the warranty requires it then it could invalidate the warranty if there was a defect in the mattress.
Phoenix
Understood but OP said that the legs are set about 9" inside the slats and the photo seems to confirm it. If true the legs are in total 18" narrower than a queen size mattress. So you could saw off the outer portion of the slats and the resulting frame would be smaller than a full size mattress (no center support needed). Like I had opined this design balances some of the load from the center of the slats onto the opposite side of the wooden legs (think fulcrum). The slats really shouldn’t not sag in the center with this design. Typically bed frames always have the supports on the outer edge of a mattress which transmits the load towards the center hence the need for center supports on queen or larger.
So technically yes it’s a queen without a center support, but I don’t believe this particular frame is the typical queen size frame that manufacturers have in mind.
Hi Km,
I agree that it would “probably” be OK (although the ultimate test is really the amount of deflection when it’s used in “real life” conditions) but it would also depend on the mattress that was being purchased because some manufacturers can be fairly “technical” when it comes to approving (or not approving) warranty claims.
With a heavy Dunlop mattress it can sometimes be a good idea to use center support with a full size mattress but if the actual span between the side supports is less than a full size then I would probably check with the manufacturer of the mattress to confirm that it meets their warranty criteria and then if “real life” indicated it was necessary it would always be possible to add some extra support underneath it after a purchase.
Phoenix
HI Kim,
Pine is a soft wood, and needs to be reinforced in order to give your latex mattress the proper support. Of course it will be fine for the first few years. However like geology, which is the study of time and pressure, pine wood will tend to arch, if the weight place over it, is not distributed to the floor with a center support.
The bed frame you are considering will do the job for a few years, but you may want to keep an eye on it, as it could cause damage to your latex mattress in the long run.
good luck 