Check With Your Mattress Brand
On the other hand, there are some exceptions. Modern mattress brand Saatva suggests that box springs may be used with its mattresses if the box spring is less than 7 years old and has proper center support and the slats are less than 4 inches apart. Helix also approves box springs with its mattresses, but only if slats are less than 5 inches apart and a piece of plywood or other proper center support is added.
Since there’s some variation across brands here, it’s best to check with customer support to find out your own mattress brand’s advice.
It’s also important to do research on the warranty for your mattress. This information can be found on the website of the mattress manufacturer or retailer, or on the tag attached to the mattress. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions so you won’t end up voiding the warranty by using the wrong type of foundation or frame with your mattress.
Reasons To Use A Box Spring
At present, there are four primary reasons for use of a box spring.
1. To extend the life of your mattress
The mattress is the more important, and more expensive, part of the equation. Box springs support the mattress by absorbing physical shock, preventing sagging, and reducing wear and tear.
2. To add comfort
The box spring works together with the mattress to provide a softer more comfortable bed. It cushions and absorbs the shock of body impact and supports different sleeping positions, giving you night after night of better sleep.
3. Ease of getting in and out
With both high profile and low profile boxspring options, a bed higher off the floor requires less bending and is less stressful on the body. Especially as we age, a bed higher up is easier on the joints.
4. Keeping it clean
Dust, dirt, animal hair, allergens, and bugs all congregate at floor level. If the mattress is at floor level, it comes in direct contact with these elements. Raising the bed with a box spring allows air to circulate and keeps the mattress far cleaner.
Good Bases For Your Foam Or Hybrid Mattress
Like we mentioned before, a box spring won’t give your foam or hybrid mattress enough support and over time, your bed will start to sag through the gaps in your box spring. Don’t stresswe’ve broken down the different types of bases and foundations that will work with your Leesa or Sapira mattress so you can rest on.
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Platform Bed Frame Slats
Some platform beds are a slight variation of the traditional platform bed. These use slats for support instead of the solid foundation. As long as the slats are close enough together to satisfy the mattress warranty, this frame would not need a boxspring either.
ExampleZinus Modern Studio slat frame and the Forever Foundation
As a general rule of thumb, slats should not exceed 4 apart from each other. The slats can come flexed or straight and are available in wood, metal, plastics, or even composite materials. Steel slats are going to be the strongest in these types of frames since they create a more rigid support. Lastly, the slat gap is commonly indicated on mattress warranties. Ensure your slat gaps are appropriate to your mattress warranty.
Want the Sleepopolis bed? I use a platform frame from Copenhagen Imports. Its simple, but very sturdy and well made.
Note: Take our mattress quiz if youre starting your search for a new bed!
What Is A Box Spring
A box spring is a support for your mattress thats manufactured to be the same size as the bed. It consists of a wooden frame filled with springs and wrapped in fabric. It sits directly under the mattress, providing support.
The box spring is intended to serve a few purposes:
- To provide underlying support for the mattress
- To raise the mattress up to a more comfortable height
- To protect the mattress by absorbing impact
- To improve airflow, which helps to keep the mattress cooler
Box springs provide support, but are also able to absorb some shock from the mattress itself. This is a good feature for innerspring beds, but can be damaging for foam mattresses. A foam bed, which lacks the rigid structure of an innerspring mattress, should be used with a very solid support base, such as a platform bed.
The term box spring refers to the traditional design that uses actual springs surrounded by a wooden or metal frame. There are other types of supports that you can use under a mattress, including platform beds and foundations.
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Wood Slat Foundations Vs Box Springs
Comparing a wood foundation and a box spring is easy when you consider the main points
Take a look at the picture of our premium RTA mattress foundation above. The design leaves ample room for airflow compared to an outdated box spring, which greatly decreases the likelihood youll experience mold and mildew growth under your bed. And if youre like me, Im sure you can agree that this is a positive!
Is your old box spring contributing to your poor sleep quality? Theres a high likelihood it is!
Box springs create pressure points, dipping, and sagging because certain areas are either more firm or softer than others. There isnt an even distribution of pressure, which is necessary with latex and memory foam mattresses.
Keep in mind that even though these pressure points wont be obvious when you first sit or lay down on a bed, youll definitely notice them after a night or two of sleep. After months of sleeping on it, youll recognize this as normal, but it certainly is not. Lower back pain is usually a manifestation of this issue.
You dont deserve an uncomfortable sleep just because of a product thats unrelated to your mattress quality!
The strong core of an RTA wood foundation when compared to a box spring is clear. Especially when made from the right kind of wood, RTA foundations will provide better support for you than a box spring ever could even if it wanted to!
As long as theyre made from high quality materials, foundations made from wood also last longer!
Bed Bases : Box Spring Vs Foundation
On a very high level, a bed foundation or bed base is whatever your mattress sits on. Whether thats a bunky board, box spring, foundation or adjustable base, your bed base should give your mattress the right amount of support .
The type of mattress you have will partially dictate what kind of foundation you need. For example, you shouldnt put an all-foam mattress on a box spring. Below, well talk about the different types of bed bases so that you can make the right choice for your bed.
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Features Of Casper Mattress
The flagship item of the business has a layer of memory foam and a layer of poly foam atop it. The leading layer is springy to make sure a sense of balance and convenience. It likewise contributes to the sensation of weightlessness once you set. The foams are breathable owing to the open cells in the top layer so you would not feel too hot or uneasy. Sweating is not an issue with Casper bed mattress. It features a zip-off knit cover that is rather simple to tidy and maintain, thus ensuring durability. The bounce is not the very best amongst memory foam mattresses as Casper is a little bit more resistant however sleepers will feel some sensible bounce, which is rather desirable and provides relief from pressure. The density of the memory foam is high enough to supply adequate support to the various pressure points in the body. There is a transition layer that distributes your bodyweight equally. The base layer together with the 3 other layers is strong enough to offer steady support and they contribute to the toughness of the whole Casper mattress.
Better Mattress Foundation: Platform Beds Vs Box Springs
Though they have a higher upfront cost, consumers who invest in a quality platform bed can save money in the long run for the same reasons we discussed with non-platform wood foundations. They wont break down over time like box springs do.
And depending on the exact model you choose, you may not have to worry about spending more money on a headboard and footboard. Most platform beds come as one unit, meaning the headboard, footboard, and bed frame are all attached as one unit. Keep this in mind as youre considering how much platform beds cost.
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Find Your Ideal Bed Frame With Casper
At Casper, we want your bed to be like that three-piece suit: stylish, comfortable, and tailored perfectly to you. Thats why we offer numerous bed frame options so youre sure to find a frame that fits your aesthetic and your budget, while also offering that nighttime support your body craves. If you prefer a space-saving sleek look, you can opt for a platform bed frame. But if you have unique sleep preferences, an adjustable bed frame might be the perfect bed for you.
Whether you have a memory foam mattress, spring mattress, or hybrid mattress, our bed base options have you covered. For any bed size or type of bed, a Casper bed frame can support your journey to a better nights sleep.
Box Springs: The Squeaky Truth
Box springs are typically used for older mattresses, including innerspring mattresses. The coils or springs of innerspring mattresses pair with box springs to offer stability and support while you sleep. Most warranties for newer types of mattresses today will be voided if you use a box spring. Memory foam, latex, hybrid, and Purple mattresses should not use box springs.
Box springs are ideal for: Innerspring mattresses. The springs in each help to support you as you sleep. Check with your mattress manufacturer to be sure if a box spring will work for you.
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Mattress Foundation Vs Bed Frame What Do You Really Need
The terms mattress foundation and bed frame are often used interchangeably. However, mattress foundations and bed frames are different things. A mattress foundation is the surface on top of which a mattress rests, usually on top of a bed frame: its purpose is to support your mattress and your body as you sleep and to protect and increase the lifespan of your mattress. A mattress foundation is essential for some types of mattresses, such as memory foam and latex mattresses. A bed frame, on the other hand, is the portion of a bed that surrounds the mattress and holds it up off the floor. Bed frames often consist of four side panels, legs, a headboard, and a footboard, but many of these features are optional. However, you may be wondering what some of the other differences between mattress foundations vs. bed frames are and what you really need.
The main difference between mattress foundations vs. bed frames is that mattress foundations are usually placed on top of a bed frame and provide a flat and sturdy support surface for mattresses. Some bed frames have mattress foundations built-in. You need a mattress foundation if your bed frame doesnt have built-in support like slats or a bunkie board.
Upgrade Your Sleep Hygiene With An Adjustable Bed
For those suffering from back pain or recovering from an injury, an adjustable bed can be the best purchase of your adult life. Adjustable beds allow you to get the lumbar support that you require to get a good nights sleep.
If buying a whole new bedroom set is out of your budget, you can use just about any non-innerspring mattress paired with an adjustable base.
For those who are looking to upgrade their mattress, the Amerisleep AS5 hybrid makes an excellent choice. It is perfect for combination sleepers and side sleepers. The mattress is also great for back sleepers looking to upgrade their lumbar support.
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Ii Do You Need A Box Spring
While box springs made sense for the traditional innerspring mattresses of yesteryear, mattresses have come a long wayand you also have a few more types of mattresses to choose from now, including memory foam and hybrid.
Whether you need a box spring or not will depend on your mattress and what kind of support you need. Box springs can even be damaging to some types of foam mattresses, so its important to understand what youll need.
Youll need a box spring if
- You have an older innerspring mattress and a traditional metal-rail bed frame, both designed specifically for use with a box spring
- Your manufacturer recommends using a box spring or requires you to do so to keep your warranty valid
On the other hand, you dont need a box spring if
- You have a newer memory foam, latex or hybrid mattress
- You prefer to set your mattress directly on the floor
- You have a box spring alternative, such as an adjustable base or a solid foundation
Lets recap: does a box spring really make a difference, and do you really need one?
With all the alternatives available today, the answer is not always. As long as you have solid support under your mattress, thats whats important.
Can You Put A Memory Foam Mattress On The Floor
You can place a memory foam mattress directly on the floor, but we dont recommend it. Placing your mattress right on the floor makes it more susceptible to dirt, germs, and moisture build-up, and moisture within your mattress can damage its foam layers and cause premature deterioration. While placing your mattress on the floor works as a short-term solution while you find a bed frame, its not the best long-term set-up.
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What Is A Box Spring Do You Really Need One
What is a box spring? A box spring is a support base for your mattress. Generally, build with strong wood and covered with a cloth cover. In the past, a set of thick gauge springs were used inside the box spring for added support. Modern box springs are referred to as foundations and no longer feature interior springs.
Not necessarily. Box springs are protection found underneath your mattress. They afford your brand new mattress a good layer of protection from the bed frame. A box spring helps absorb the body weight and offer you and your mattress better support.
Box springs are also referred to as bed bases. They do not, in fact, include springs, instead they have a steel grid that is responsible for distributing weight across the surface of the mattress. As of this writing, only high-end mattress manufacturers produce box springs with spring coils in it.
Since it is an added cost, some consumers skip purchasing box springs. Many find buying platform beds beneficial as it eliminates the need to buy a box spring.
For those who intend to purchase the spring free memory foam mattress, then there is no need to buy any box spring to support it. These kinds of mattresses are already very firm underneath. They come with solid surfaces without any springs, grids, or coils around them. Since they are already set fit to the form of the body, there is no need for a box spring.
Reasons For Purchasing A Replacement Base
Although it isnt detrimental, bases, especially sprung divans are in most cases designed to work with the mattress they are paired with by the manufacturer. This is to ensure that the mattress lasts and is allowed to work as it is designed to.
When purchased together the cost is usually much lower than buying separate therefore if you find out that you did need a new base in the weeks following you may end up paying more than you would if bought together.
Mattresses, in many cases, can have longer guarantees or warranties when bought with their designated base. This is due to manufacturers not knowing what base they are being used on. Therefore the best manufacturer guarantees and warranties are provided when they know what base your mattress has been used on. An old base that seems okay may have hidden problems that could destroy your new mattress in just months.
Bases may look ok from the outside but unseen issues such as the framework or the springs may have faults.
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Bed Slats Vs Box Spring: Which Should You Use
By McKenzie HydeCertified Sleep Coach
No matter how comfortable a mattress is, it will not support you correctly if placed on the wrong foundation. If sagging and indentations develop, you may be forced to rest
No matter how comfortable a mattress is, it will not support you correctly if placed on the wrong foundation. If sagging and indentations develop, you may be forced to rest in uncomfortable sleep positions, causing pressure and tension to build up in the muscles, leaving you sore and stiff in the morning.
To get the best sleep possible, it is important to use the right foundation for your mattress. However, determining whether you need slats or a box spring is often difficult. To help, we outline the differences between these two types of foundations. Plus, we cover the pros and cons of each so you can decide which is right for you.
Can I Put A Memory Foam Mattress On A Slatted Bed Frame
4/5canmemory foam mattress on a slatted base
Similarly one may ask, what kind of bed frame do you need for a memory foam mattress?
Sturdy FramesPlatform frames are usually made with heavier material and use a thick layer of plywood for support, making them an appropriate choice for memory foam mattresses. A bed frame with horizontally placed wooden slats is another sensible choice.
Also, can you put a memory foam mattress on top of a regular mattress? A mattress usually needs a solid foundation, such as a box spring, so that its structure doesn’t break down. A memory foam mattress on top of a regular mattress is a workable option. It can give you a more restful sleep and is supported by the classic bed frame and box string construction.
People also ask, can I put a Tempurpedic mattress on a regular bed frame?
A Tempurpedic mattress needs a bed frame that is optimized for such design. For instance, a TEMPUR mattress works best with a slatted base, platform top base, and not with an old spring base. Moreover, Tempurpedic mattresses should be placed on bed frames that are adequately ventilated â ie.
Is it OK to put a mattress on slats?
Placing a mattress directly onto metal slats will not work due to excessive spacing between them. They will not properly support give the rigid support needed for a mattress and will allow it to swag / sway between them making it impossible to sleep on.
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