Oak bed

[tonyho810]

Hello Gents,

I'm just about to build a bed from local oak. As suggested here I'm using Ikea slats instead of making my own. I have a design in mind but wold like some advice about if I need to recess the mattress into the frame or whether there is enough friction to allow it to sit flush. I'd prefer the second option but I don't want it to wiggle off (!) in the night.

Thanks

Tony

 

[delboy47]

I've made a few beds over the years and always recessed by a couple of inches or so but I don't see why it wouldn't work with a mattress on top. My own bed (purchased) although not wooden has a flush mattress and it never moves. Should yours move, you could always resort to some velcro.

 

[Nelsun]

I'd add a little recess so the mattress fits in snug if only to help keep the sheets on.

Another way to stop a mattress "wiggling" off in the night is to drink copious amounts of wine and / or beer shortly before turning in!

 

[woodenstx]

i guess on a slightly similar topic, how "standard" are matress sizes? as in if I get a King size (1500x2000), will they "all" be that size or is there scope for some error? I dont wantt o build my bed and find that when the matress comes it is too big or small :lol:
And I'm not keen on ordering the matress first as I've no idea how long the project will take me

 

[Bod]

i guess on a slightly similar topic, how "standard" are matress sizes? as in if I get a King size (1500x2000), will they "all" be that size or is there scope for some error? I dont wantt o build my bed and find that when the matress comes it is too big or small :lol:
And I'm not keen on ordering the matress first as I've no idea how long the project will take me

Beware Ikea sizes are different to most other sizes.
Bod

 

[Jack (W)]

UK and European bed and mattress sizes shown here:

http://www.bedandmattress.co.uk/size_guide

Jack

 

[woodenstx]

not quite what I meant.... Guess I'll have to ask a few sales goons instead and see their baffled looks :lol:

 

[mseries]

I have made beds using published mattress sizes as a guide and been OK. You don't notice the oversize base once the duvet is on. The laths on mine are about 20mm below the top of the box sides so the matresses don't slip off.

 

[tonyho810]

Thanks for the replys, it looks like the consensus is to recess it so thats what I'll do. I'm going to rout slots in the side rails to hold the Ikea slats unless anyone has a better idea?. BTW Ikea matresses are now available in UK sizes. Nelsun, I try to follow your advice whenever possible!

 

[whittler1507]

Hi Tony, why dado the sides? If you do that then won't it be hard to replace a broken slat? Not that I'm suggesting you would indeed break a slat lol but another option would be to fix a 1 by baton inside the frame to rest the slats on. You could of course dado the baton in for added strength.....

 

[Nelsun]

+1 for the baton to rest slats on. If you want to go the whole hog you can add spacers to keep the slats from moving... due to excessive wiggling. You're also increasing rather than decreasing the strength of the rails. Mind you, I've seen sturdy rails mysteriously snap from a couple of teenagers "sitting down gently" on a bed before. They were not bouncing on the bed at all. Apparently.

 

[mseries]

I attached a rail on the inside of the bed sides, on which the slats are laid. The height of the rail allows the recess for the mattress to sit in. Along the rail are three of four blocks to prevent the slats moving too much.

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's been a while since I made a bed, but I have done several in the past. Well, half a dozen or so, anyway.

IIRC the tolerance on mattresses is HUGE. They can vary by AN INCH and still be OK by the Standard. My advice would be to buy the mattress first and go from there. I know you said you were reluctant to do that, but I would.

As it happens, a bed is gestating in my mind at the mo. I have an electric bed (no making up your own jokes, please) and it is an unusual size. 1.2m x 2m. It's very difficult to find bedding, very limited scope in the UK. It's a sort of long narrow double, and I ended up buying a King to get the length, which left me with tons of material to tuck in at the sides. In the end I bought directly from China and it was perfect. Apparently, all electric beds are made to European dimensions. Go figure.

My mattress will sit in the frame by about an inch just in case I ever jiggle again.

 

[AndyT]

Just to add to your problems... A new mattress can get a bit wider and longer when in use as it settles down. How much it does this depends on the quality - there is a huge range of qualities of mattress from about £50 to £2000.
An expensive, quality one will be heavier, so more likely to stay put without a retaining rim around it.
One more thought: our mattress rests on hardboard (actually perforated pegboard) over timber slats, which was recommended for a pocket spring mattress when we bought it. The pegboard is laid with the smooth side down and the rough side up. The mattress does not slide around at all and would be stable if it was on a plain flat platform.

 

[tonyho810]

Sorry, I was a bit ambiguous in my reply. I'm going to rip the side rails from 200 x 25mm to about 130mm. the offcut will then be castellated to take the slats and glued back on with some dowels. I may cut a rebate in the rail as well. Steve I have already bought the mattress - its a memory foam one from Ikea, but I haven't "inflated" it yet, I'm short of space. The curved slats are 750 mm when curved and 758 when squashed flat with a size 9. I am going to build the recess for the mattress 1520mm wide. this should allow some slack for the mattress to grow with age and give some slack for when it is replaced. The central spar is a 100 x 100mm piece of softwood. I will castellate it for the slats.