Hello, we recently bought a WinkBed Firmer hybrid mattress and are looking for a sturdy, supportive, durable foundation for it. I’m 6’0", 190 lbs., side sleeper but prefer firm, supportive beds that don’t sag at all. I have occasional lower back pain and a sag or depression under my back/hips can aggravate it. Most mattresses in stores feel slightly too “yielding” to me.
My wife is 5’6”, 125 lbs., mostly back sleeper and likes firmer mattresses as well. We tried out many mattresses in stores and liked the WinkBed Firmer the best. Fingers crossed that it will hold up!
The WinkBed “Platform Frame” is too high for us (7.5” without legs). I asked WinkBed about foundation requirements, and they told me basically any flat foundation (wood or metal) will work; if it’s slatted, the slats should be no more than 6” apart. (But I’d like to keep the slats at 3” apart or less, for more support, and in case we need to return the mattress.)
We’re looking for a foundation that is:
- King sized
- 4” to 5.5” inches high (to get the mattress to the desired height)
- Very supportive and durable, with no flex
- Has slats that are 3” or less apart (or possibly solid if the mattress can breathe well enough)
- Will fit in our existing wood bed frame, which has center support legs but is designed to have a foundation placed on it.
- Ideally in the $200-$500 price range
Based on my research (including this excellent post by @Maverick), the best candidates seem to be:
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Ironwood KD Slatted Foundation (5”): $285, seems to be generally well regarded.
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@Arizona_Premium Arizona Premium Foundation (5”): $329, looks very similar to the Ironwood, but slats are slightly closer together. Looks sturdy.
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@MattressFoundations Mattress Foundations Terra Foundation (5.5”); above our price range at $640, but we could stretch if it’s really worth the extra money; thicker slats, closer spacing. Website says it’s designed for latex and luxury mattresses.
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Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Flat Foundation (5”): also pricey at $510; apparently a flat surface, but sounds very supportive, no assembly needed. If it’s made for a Tempur-Pedic mattress, I assume it allows adequate airflow. We’ve had a Tempur-Pedic mattress and foundation for 16 years, and they’ve held up quite well for their age.
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Any others I’m missing? (The Big Fig would be perfect, but I don’t think it comes in a 5” height.)
My (many) questions are (feel free to answer one, some, or all):
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It’s very hard for me to find hands-on reviews by people who have used the above products. The specs sound similar. Does anyone have personal experience using these foundations, or can point me to some hands-on reviews or posts?
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How much flex or “give” do these foundations have? Will I notice it with a 13.5" mattress on top?
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Are there any significant differences in support/sturdiness/durability between the Ironwood KD and the Arizona Premium?
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When used with a mid-range hybrid mattress, would there be a noticeable difference between these two and the more expensive Terra and Tempur-Flat?
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If the mattress manufacturer doesn’t require slats, is there still an advantage to a slatted vs. a solid foundation?
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I’ve read that traditional box springs need to be replaced, but what is the realistic service life of these newer, wooden foundations? If we replace the mattress in 10-12 years, would the foundation still be usable (assuming average wear, no visible damage) for our next mattress?
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Is our 16-year-old Tempur-Pedic foundation (non-spring) still usable for a guest or child’s room if there’s no visible damage or sagging?
Many thanks in advance to any help you can provide with any of the above, to break my analysis paralysis!