What is better for a bed under a mattress: slats or plywood?

• 1 What to choose: an orthopedic bed base or a flat solid one 1.1 What types of bed bases are there?

A correctly chosen base for a mattress, no matter what bed frame it is placed in, can, together with a comfortable covering, turn a person’s sleep into a fairy tale! And if the foundation is not of high quality, the effort and money expended can “negate” the possibility of a person getting a good night’s rest. That’s why it’s so important to decide on your sleeping place design preferences!

A correctly chosen base for a mattress, no matter what frame of the bed it is enclosed in, can, together with a comfortable covering, turn a person’s sleep into a fairy tale.

What is a bed base

A bed base is a mattress support and is essentially the bottom of a bed. The base can be made in the form of a continuous sheet, which is made from boards, plywood, or chipboard. This type of base is heavier in weight and less mobile. The main disadvantage is that a mattress on such a base will not be able to fully demonstrate its orthopedic properties. Accordingly, the quality of sleep also deteriorates.

The orthopedic lattice is an improved type of base. The structure consists of a frame and elastic shock-absorbing lamellas (planks) made of wood and special fastenings.

Materials and tools for work

To assemble a bed with a lifting mechanism, you will need the following tools:

• A circular saw if you need to cut parts along the length. It is difficult, sometimes simply impossible, to make an accurate straight cut with a jigsaw or a hand hacksaw.
• Drill or screwdriver with a set of drills and bits.
• Furniture stapler.
• Fasteners and hardware: angles, self-tapping screws, couplers, confirmats and furniture bolts with nuts and washers.
• Screwdrivers, hexagons.
• Tape measure, long ruler, rule or other object for drawing straight lines.
• Pencil or marker.

Depending on the design of the bed, purchase:

• Wooden blocks for the mattress frame.
• Laminated chipboard or planed boards for the base.
• Chipboard or furniture panels for backs.
• Plywood for the bottom.
• Lifting mechanism.
• Thick fabric for upholstery.
• Furniture edge for chipboard ends.
• Legs, if provided by the design.

Other elements provided by the design may also be needed.

Cutting chipboard into pieces of the required size can be ordered at large building materials stores, and the edges are glued there as well. The same services are provided by furniture workshops that exist in every city. Sometimes finished parts of suitable sizes are sold individually.

What does the bed base consist of?

If everything is clear with a solid base for a bed: it is a plywood sheet or boards attached to the bed frame, then the structural features of the orthopedic lattice should be examined in more detail and find out which base for the bed is better.

A slatted orthopedic base is much more complex in its configuration than a solid base for a bed. It is made of straight or concave slats placed at a short distance from each other. The lamellas are attached to the frame using special fasteners - mortise or overhead lat holders. Lat holders are made of rubber or plastic.

Rubber holders provide a springing effect, which gives the bed base a “soft” feel. But if a high mattress of 20 cm or more is used, then this becomes noticeable.

The slats are made from beech, birch and pine wood. It is the properties of wood that give the lamellas different levels of elasticity and reliability. Beech slats are characterized by increased strength and elasticity; their price will be more expensive than their budget counterparts. Such lamellas can withstand even high loads. For people of average weight or teenagers, bases with birch or pine slats are suitable.

Types of bases

Lattice or orthopedic bed bases have various modifications. There are different types of bed bases according to the following parameters:

• Frame type. Manufacturers make metal bases that can last for decades, plastic and wooden grilles.
• Presence of legs. The lattice can be an independent structure on legs or made in the form of separate slats that are installed in the bed structure.

What types of bed bases are there:

• Collapsible. This design is convenient to transport. It consists of the following elements: frame, lamellas (slats), lath holders and legs. The structure is easy to assemble according to the instructions. The orthopedic properties of the base are preserved.
• Solid bases. Ready to use variety. They are produced solid or in the form of an orthopedic lattice made of wood or metal.
• Lifting. These models have a lifting mechanism (manual, gas, spring) that raises the base and provides quick access to the drawers under the mattress. The design will be convenient for small bedrooms and saves space.
• Frameless (liners). They are a tape of lamellas fastened together. The mobile design does not have legs or lathe holders. Installing such a base is very simple - just insert the flexible structure into the bed frames.
• Transformable. This is a premium orthopedic lifting bed base. Thanks to a special mechanism, the transforming base can be adjusted taking into account the position of the body. The structure is lifted by manual adjustment or by remote control. So, for reading or watching TV shows, the head of the bed can be raised. The lower part of the base also rises for a comfortable position of the legs.
• With adjustable hardness. For comfortable use of the base, a design with the ability to adjust rigidity has been created. If you are faced with the question of which bed base to choose, we recommend that you pay attention to this option. Using special attachments on the lamellas, you can change the rigidity of the base, taking into account specific requirements and health conditions. For example, add rigidity structures in the lumbar region. In some models, each slats can be adjusted.

The frame is the basis of bedroom furniture

A correctly assembled frame ensures the reliability of the furniture structure. Before starting work, our recommendation is to study in detail the drawings of a plywood bed with your own hands. After this, the parts are cut and the ends are glued with edging tape. For cutting, a jigsaw or a circular saw is used, and for gluing the edges, a hot iron is used. How to make a bed from plywood with your own hands:

• The pasted ends need to be processed along the edges with a sanding sponge, and this work must be done for each prepared part.
• To ensure that the elements hold securely and for a long time, before twisting the parts with self-tapping screws, wood glue is applied to the joining surfaces.
• Longitudinal ribs are cut from a sheet 18 mm thick - height 150 mm, length 35 mm shorter than an orthopedic mattress.
• The installation step of the longitudinal ribs is 400 mm, so their number is calculated for the mattress.
• There are only two transverse stiffening ribs of the frame. They are equal to the width of the mattress plus 5 mm.
• The frame is assembled end-to-end. Sufficiently thick material allows you to drill holes for self-tapping screws. The base is tightened with self-tapping screws.

We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the advantages and features of sofas with the Lotus mechanism.

The next stage of manufacturing is the installation of the legs. They can be made in the form of an L-shaped plywood profile, then the frame will receive additional strength and support. The legs are attached to the longitudinal and transverse stiffeners with short screws, and at the end of the slats - with long ones.

Orthopedic base

Many buyers wonder why a bed base is needed if an expensive orthopedic mattress is purchased along with the furniture. Are the additional costs for purchasing an orthopedic base justified?

What is an orthopedic bed base and why is it better than other types of bed bases? An orthopedic base is a special design made of a frame and lamellas, with the help of which the orthopedic qualities of a mattress placed on this base are enhanced.

The slatted orthopedic base, due to its shock-absorbing properties, allows you to create an ideal platform for an orthopedic mattress. This is the best base for a bed because it provides the sleeper with a beneficial effect on the spine, back and neck muscles. Promotes proper rest and restoration of the body.

Advantages of an orthopedic base

An orthopedic bed base has a number of advantages compared to a solid base made from a plywood sheet. Over time, the plywood base is pressed under the weight of the sleeper. This does not happen with orthopedic bases due to the convex lamellas, which provide resistance to the applied load. Due to the shock-absorbing lamellas, an additional orthopedic effect is created and the mattress does not deform in areas of the highest pressure.

Orthopedic bases from a high price category are made of beech wood, which is characterized by increased elasticity and durability. Manufacturers use original technologies in the manufacture of such bases, for example, installing double lamellas to enhance elasticity and better load distribution. This provides the sleeper with quality support.

The undoubted advantage of bases with an increased number of flexible elements per unit area is an orthopedic supporting effect, unloading of the spine, comfort and convenience during sleep. The mattress and the base duplicate the relief of the body, providing maximum comfort and complete rest.

The use of double slats equipped with a slider-regulator will allow you to manually add the required level of rigidity to the sleeping area. Choosing a bed base with wide slats is recommended for overweight people. Manufacturers also offer bases with the possibility of differentiated support for several sleeping areas.

Choosing a bed base

Experts from the Mister Slip online store in Moscow tell you how to choose a base for a bed.

• If you need to arrange a temporary sleeping place, for example, in a rented apartment or country house, give preference to products with wide slats and mortise-type lath holders. These designs are distinguished by the most affordable price.
• To equip a permanent bed, pay attention to bases with narrow slats and rubber lat holders. These models represent the optimal combination of comfort, versatility and reasonable cost.
• To create the most comfortable sleeping place, bases with expanded functionality and the ability to adjust rigidity are recommended. By individually adjusting the degree of comfort for a specific zone or several zones, the body recovers faster during sleep and improves well-being.
• For those who prefer progressive solutions, manufacturers offer motorized base options. The owner of such a design will have the opportunity to ensure maximum control over a comfortable body position without effort and without even getting out of bed.

Drawing up a drawing

Before you start creating a bed with a lifting mechanism with your own hands, you need to make a drawing. The project must contain the exact dimensions of all parts, dimensions of the future product, and a list of selected materials and mechanisms. It is important to think through all these nuances in advance. If you do not have such experience, you can find ready-made drawings with already calculated dimensions on thematic resources.

Features of king beds, photos of furniture in the interior

Any of them consists of several points. The first indicates general design parameters, as well as information about the selected materials. The second contains all the information regarding the assembly of specific elements. The third determines the order of actions. The work should be divided into points to simplify it as much as possible. The output will be not just a drawing, but also a ready-made plan with a detailed description of all actions.