Raised bed foundation help

Mattress Talk
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Hi!

My wife and I are purchasing a new latex mattress soon and need a new foundation with slats 3" or less apart so as not to void the warranty.

Our requirements are as follows:

  • Slats 3" or less apart
  • King size
  • Weight limit at least 900 lbs. My wife and I are combined about 570 lbs, the 9" latex mattress is probably about 100 lbs (I think?), and I feel worried about cutting it too close.
  • Height where mattress would sit on top at least 10" above ground
  • Ability to store stuff under bed
  • If it has a headboard, it must be soft – not metal or wood. It doesn’t need to have a headboard though, we can handle that apparently.
  • not super squeaky when we move.

We’re looking for something as inexpensive as possible given those requirements. One possibility is The Bed (https://www.thuma.co/products/the-bed) by Thumb. It looks nice, but I don’t know for sure how far apart the wooden slats are spaced or how much weight it can hold. Another popular Google result seems to be get laid beds, which looks fine (Platform Bed (No Headboard) | Get Laid Beds).

These are both around $1200. That’s doable, but really I’d prefer to spend less if it’s possible. Some cheaper options we’ve found…

Do any of those less expensive options actually seem suitable? Are we better off spending over $1000? What do y’all think?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: also, are there any alternatives y’all would recommend?

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Hi NarWil,

Congrats on your soon-to-be-purchased latex mattress! Since you don’t say what mattress you are planning to purchase, it’s a bit tough to assess weight limit compatability. I took a look at the Thuma ‘The Bed’ you listed…the FAQ states the slats are fixed at 3" apart (this is the maximum space you should have between slats to maintain structural integrity). The under bed space is a little less than you want at 9", but it does come with or without a headboard.

The Get Laid slatted bed platform has a variety of leg styles, and many finishes to choose from if you are trying to match decor in your bedroom; the slat spacing isn’t given but in the bed dimensions, appears to be under 3 inches, and weight limit is about 1,045 lbs.

As for the other frames, the Amazon model raises some concerns, as this appears to be sturdy enough but it’s made by a Chinese company ‘Xiamen Boss Home Furnishing Technology Co., Ltd’. Who appear to be a rapid drop shipment manufacturer. This is a metal frame bed, with 11.5" under bed clearance and stated ‘3500 lb capacity…but there’s no info on the slats or their spacing, and at that price, I would expect it to be less sturdy than advertised, so proceed with caution - it may be a case of ‘getting what you pay for’! The same for the Wayfair ‘George Oliver Dedrie Bed frame’ and the ‘Jamerian bed frame’Wayfarer seems to be good for inexpensive consumer items; but for a bed frame, you may not want to put your faith in that, as again, for a price significantly less than other wood slatted frames, and with a lower given weight limit, it certainly doesn’t inspire confidence, and the stated warranty is only 1 year, much less than the Thuma.

You might want to take a look at the offerings of our Trusted Members as well: APM, Latex Mattress Factory and SleepEZ carry wood slat platforms that fit standard bed frames, while Bay Bed & Mattress carry a number of slatted platforms, while FloBeds carry a cherry finish slatted frame at a similar price point to the Thuma; Mattress To Go carries a number of foundation options, as does CBH Wood Furniture.

You should, of course check with the mattress manufacturer for the actual weight of the mattress as well as any other specific recommendations for platforms when you purchase it, so you don’t void any warranties. Hopefully other forum members can also chime in with their experiences with bed foundations as well.

~ Basilio

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Thank you for the response, Basilio! The mattress were likely purchasing is 3x 3" latex from The Latex Mattress Factory. If we don’t end up purchasing from them we would get a similar mattress from another retailer.

After further consideration, we probably won’t get our foundation from Amazon or Wayfair. I did try to look for a bed that matched our requirements from the trusted partners, but none seem quite right. It doesn’t look like I can buy online from Bay Bed or CBH. Flobed looks like a possibility though, thank you for pointing that one out. We don’t really want to go with a metal frame and wooden foundation, nor do we want a foundation that sits directly on the floor, so as far as I can tell that rules out most of the other trusted partners.

I did find this bed from Luma Sleep, which I think used to be a trusted member of this site. I can’t really find any reviews on that product and I’m not sure why it’d be so steeply discounted. At face value it looks like a great deal.

I asked customer support for Get Laid Beds (GLB) the spacing between their support slats, and they said 8-9 cm. They added that I could purchase additional slats to reduce this distance. I’m a little unsure of the assembly given that knowledge. I like the idea of a fixed place for the slats and some way to lock them into place. I have no idea if that’s actually important.

EDIT: GLB support said I can space the slats as I choose and I will screw them into place during assembling. So maybe that’s okay.

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Hi NarWil,

Glad you found some useful information in my reply! As far as GLB, their recommendation is about 3.15" -3.5" which is a good bit beyond our recommendations. Obviously, they should know their products, but this spacing could affect the structural integrity of the slat system as there is more weight on each of the slats. But equally important… an all latex mattress does best on a strong solid base with enough supportive surface to ensure that it doesn’t sink through any gaps.you should make sure their spacing recommendation is in writing just in case! Fixed versus ‘free standing’ slats is largely a matter of the type of mattress, Stats of the sleepers, and so on - as long as the slats are made for the bed they should be fine, though I’m having trouble seeing how you can just ‘screw in’ additional slats, if the bed already has some sort of slot system. Personally, just from what you’ve said about your conversation, I would be a bit hesitant to proceed with them; for example, one would think ‘screwing in’ the extra slats may affect and return or exchange warranties. Just something to consider.

As far as the Luma platform, that is a very good deal! Luma was a Trusted Member for quite some time, and the platform is very solid. Unfortunately @Luma_Sleep started to wind down and will be suspending operations soon which is why they are no longer listed in the directory. The bed frame looks very sturdy and suitable for a heavier latex mattress. They are and will be honoring their warranties - so that might be a good solution for you. Likewise, @FloBeds Hardwood Slatted Foundation is also a great, solid, quality product from a great manufacturer.

Seems like you have some good options now - well done on picking out some good value and quality options! Feel free to drop back in once you’ve made your choice and share your
experience!

~ Basilio

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