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Started By
Message
Making extra slats for support for bed?
Posted on 10/12/21 at 10:55 am
Posted on 10/12/21 at 10:55 am
I bought a new king size upholstered bed for a spare bed room. Inexpensive and not the best quality but looks nice. It only came with four support slats and does not seem all that sturdy. I cut some 2x4s to use as slats and it seems much more sturdy now. I am worried thought not having the thinner slats that flex a bit in the middle and not having legs on the slats is going to put too much pressure on the side rails and not spread out the weight to the middle of the bed. What do you think? This bed will be used a good bit as my wife has a couple days a week where she has to go to bed by eight to be up at two the following morning so I sleep in the spare room those nights. Also we have guests fairly often. Tia.
9
Posted on 10/12/21 at 10:58 am to mouton
quote:
It only came with four support slats and does not seem all that sturdy.
absolutely criminal. even a nice king bed from costco contains those paper thin slats and tiny 'screw in' legs that are so easy to break. my wife tried to move the bed one day and snapped all the legs off. i had to gorilla glue them back on and i'm sure thats only temporary.
of all the things to cut corners on..why is it the slats and supports on king sized bed frames?? i'm old enough to remember when we used iron bed rails back in the day.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 11:03 am to CAD703X
quote:
my wife tried to move the bed one day and snapped all the legs off.
big gurl! j/k
Posted on 10/12/21 at 11:12 am to CAD703X
This bed has a box spring and heavy memory foam mattress. I am just worried with the 2x4s not flexing in the middle and putting pressure on legs the thin wooden strips on the side rails that the slats screw into will eventually give.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 11:17 am to mouton
what about sheet(s) of plywood going across.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 11:22 am to Chad504boy
Never heard of anyone doing that. I guess it would flex some. Might make the bed sleep really hot though with no air flow.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 11:45 am to mouton
What if you make some legs for the slats that would be equivalent in length along the wooden strips the slats rest on. Could help alleviate some of the pressure on them, and even if they fail the legs should provide some support to get you through the night.
Also, if this is your area of concern, could you not try to reinforce the wooden strip?
Also, if this is your area of concern, could you not try to reinforce the wooden strip?
Posted on 10/12/21 at 12:16 pm to mouton
I built a queen size bed for my stepdaughter when she turned 13 out of cypress and she just turned 31 a few days ago and it is still in great shape.
What I did about the slats and how they are fixed to the side rails is this. Hope I can explain this so you understand.
I made the side rails out of 1 x 8 and on the bottom inside edge of the rails I glued a 2 x 4 on edge with the 3 1/2 side glued to the inside, bottom edge of the side rail. So looking down from the top you see the 1 in top of the side rail and a drop of 4 inches and then the 1 1/2 inch top of the 2 x 4.
In 5 equally spaced distances on the top of the 2 x 4 I made dovetail cuts and went down 1 1/2 inches deep into the 3 1/2 " width of the 2 x 4. Then the 2 x 4's I used for slats I cut a mating dovetail into them and they nestle in the slots cut in the 2 x 4 of the side rails. This way, the side rails can't possibly flex out due to weight and that bed is solid as a rock.
I can take that bed apart in about 10 minutes once the mattress and box spring are removed and it comprises a large headboard, footboard, 2 side rails and 5 heavy duty slats. Nothing is screwed in except for the ends of the side rails that hold the mounting brackets that slide into the head and foot boards.
What I did about the slats and how they are fixed to the side rails is this. Hope I can explain this so you understand.
I made the side rails out of 1 x 8 and on the bottom inside edge of the rails I glued a 2 x 4 on edge with the 3 1/2 side glued to the inside, bottom edge of the side rail. So looking down from the top you see the 1 in top of the side rail and a drop of 4 inches and then the 1 1/2 inch top of the 2 x 4.
In 5 equally spaced distances on the top of the 2 x 4 I made dovetail cuts and went down 1 1/2 inches deep into the 3 1/2 " width of the 2 x 4. Then the 2 x 4's I used for slats I cut a mating dovetail into them and they nestle in the slots cut in the 2 x 4 of the side rails. This way, the side rails can't possibly flex out due to weight and that bed is solid as a rock.
I can take that bed apart in about 10 minutes once the mattress and box spring are removed and it comprises a large headboard, footboard, 2 side rails and 5 heavy duty slats. Nothing is screwed in except for the ends of the side rails that hold the mounting brackets that slide into the head and foot boards.
This post was edited on 10/12/21 at 12:19 pm
Posted on 10/12/21 at 12:55 pm to gumbo2176
That is a little beyond my pay grade. Do you the 2x4s would cause an issue with the wooden strips that the slats sit on by not flexing?
Do you the 2x4s would cause an issue with the wooden strips that the slats sit on by not flexing?Posted on 10/12/21 at 1:15 pm to mouton
quote:
Do you the 2x4s would cause an issue with the wooden strips that the slats sit on by not flexing?
Not exactly sure what this means, but that bed is now 18 years old and is solid as a rock. I can grab any of the 4 posts that help make up the head and footboard and try to shake that bed and it doesn't flex.
Try that with some of the crap furniture stores now sell.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 2:10 pm to gumbo2176
quote:
Not exactly sure what this means,
I mean with my bed. Will the 2x4s not flexing cause to much weight and pressure on the strips on the side rails?
Posted on 10/12/21 at 2:18 pm to hungryone2
quote:
Ikea sells what you need for $30: it's a series of bed slats made with flex & all wired together.
I wonder if you could use this with a box spring? This is a low profile bed and would sit to low to the ground without the box spring.
Posted on 10/12/21 at 3:25 pm to mouton
Flexing slats are not going to relieve the load on the side rails - the side rails still carry all the weight whether the slats flex or not. I wouldn’t worry about slats flexing or not.
Unless I misunderstand what you are saying.
I see now there is a box spring. That shouldn’t flex and cause the slats to flex. Box spring is carrying the load down to the strip in the rails essentially. Slats are probably just to keep the rails from flexing outwards. I assume they are fixed to the rails. Probably didn’t need to add the 2x4s.
Unless I misunderstand what you are saying.
I see now there is a box spring. That shouldn’t flex and cause the slats to flex. Box spring is carrying the load down to the strip in the rails essentially. Slats are probably just to keep the rails from flexing outwards. I assume they are fixed to the rails. Probably didn’t need to add the 2x4s.
This post was edited on 10/12/21 at 3:29 pm
Posted on 10/12/21 at 3:38 pm to ChEgrad
quote:
Flexing slats are not going to relieve the load on the side rails - the side rails still carry all the weight whether the slats flex or not. I wouldn’t worry about slats flexing or not.
I figured the slats flexing slightly pushing the support leg down the floor would transfer some of the weight to the center. The side rails just have a narrow strip of would the slats sit on/screw into. Was worried all the weight would be too much.
Posted on 10/13/21 at 3:15 pm to mouton
My son had the same issue. I built a plywood rectangular box about 14" wide and the length of the mattress, and was as tall as the space from the floor to the bottom of the slats.
It worked out fine for them.
It worked out fine for them.
Posted on 10/13/21 at 5:58 pm to mouton
I built a king size bed several years ago.
I used 4 or 5 1” slats going across to the rails but I had to had vertical pieces glued and screwed boards to either side of the slats to have enough strength.
I used 4 or 5 1” slats going across to the rails but I had to had vertical pieces glued and screwed boards to either side of the slats to have enough strength.
Posted on 10/14/21 at 1:59 am to Picayuner
quote:
1x4 slats are the norm
Why not just add 1-2; if any at all?
Posted on 10/14/21 at 6:01 am to mouton
quote:
I am just worried with the 2x4s not flexing in the middle and putting pressure on legs the thin wooden strips on the side rails that the slats screw into will eventually give.
Regardless on how much “spring” force the 2x4s absorb or don’t, the same force will be on the legs regardless
Check your force balance equations…..
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