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Do you know How Long Does A Box Spring Last? Interestingly probably one half of the people shopping for just a new mattress do it because they believe that their existing box spring is fine. They assume this without having inspected it and they assume this even if their mattress is sagging and worn. Some go so far to say that they’re in my store shopping because the bed is terribly uncomfortable. To many people are missing the signs do you know what they are?

So How Long Does A Box Spring Last?

It depends on its original construction and depending on which of the following questions applies to yourbase. The fact is a box spring could last just a couple of years or up to and in excess of 20 years. There are high quality box springs and poor quality box springs some are wooden foundations that can be built mearly to hit a cheap retail price point, while others are built to the highest quality standards available. We tell people if you are unsure the rule of thumb these days is 8-10 years.

What do I need to know about my old foundation?

First and formost was it built well using solid construction? Did the manufacturer cut corners by using cheap softer weaker lumber or use  hardwood . Does the foundation have plenty of wood slats? Is there more than one support beam running head to toe especially of queen size bases? Is it constructed using any steel? Were coil springs or torsion bars added to absorb energy and extend box spring life?

How can I tell if my box spring is bad?

Does the box spring squeak? Squeeking is a sign of weak joints that are beginning to loosen up.

Are there broken slat? Sometimes this is obvious other times the dust cover on the bottom must be be taken off most are only held in with staples that must be removed.

Is the box spring sagging or bowed? Remove the mattress and lay a straight edge across the surface. If their is a sway throw it away. Set it on a level floor if there is a bow it must go.

Are the coils over 10 years old? If it has steel coil springs these support bases are typically worn by 10 years of age or have begun to fatique and loose there ability to properly spring back properly or give adequate support to the mattress.

Look for broken or loose springs. This is a sure sign or a boxspring that will not last under another mattress.

Is the steel grid bent or broken? The grid surface used on some box springs is the level support a mattress rests upon without a level sturdy support suftace the mattress will wear prematurely.

Can I use a Box Springs On A Bunk Bed?

What do you suggest?  We have a box spring for our current mattress and the twin mattresses would go on a bunk bed that is slatted.  Would we be able to use those?
Brad

Answer:

Thanks Brad you did not tell me a lot about your bunk bed so I will run through a couple possible scenarios. Bunk beds come in one piece designs and two piece designs. One piece versions are what they are: twin over twin or twin over full size bunk beds. Two piece versions can be separated making them more versatile for future use. Separating the top bunk from the bottom bunk allows a person to convert the bunk bed into 2 individual beds we think that these are often better beds for bigger kids, tweens, and teenagers and an excellent way to solve a problem later on down the road.

Why you shouldn’t use box springs on bunk beds

While it may seam like a reasonable idea, there are a couple reason you do not want to use boxsprings on an assembled bunk bed. Here are the primary reasons for not using a foundation or boxspring with a bunk bed:

Box springs will elevate the mattress to height that is greater than the safety side rails.

Using a box spring on a top bunk will not only lift the mattress higher but eliminate head space in the top bunk area. This is particularly an issue with 7 foot and 8 foot bedroom ceilings. There may be little to no room for the child to move around or sit up comfortably.

Space between top bunk and bottom bunk is always limited. Putting a box spring under the mattress again limits the space a child has by lifting the mattress as much as 9 inches. While that may not seem like a lot, it is needed space that just isn’t available for growing children who want to sit up in bed in the bottom bunk area.

Can I use the boxspring once I have separated the bunk bed into 2 beds?

While many people do it, placing a base foundation under the mattress usually doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing. Headboards and footboards used for bunkbeds are small and generally a little lower than other twin size or full size beds. In the end the biggest issue will be that with the bed fully made up and dressed, you may loose the look of the bed which could be hidden by a taller mattress set. Then add the bedding and pillows and the headboards sometimes disappear and become hidden. Hope we answered some questions about using Box Springs On A Bunk Bed.

So how to choose what layer is going to work for you and your mattress as we’ve said already our most model the Serenity is built with three layers but we also have the model called the Tranquility which is built with two layers the most common choice that probably was always recommended as best is to have a firm layer of latex as your base, most of the time its kind of a default choice I suggest firm Dunlop as a base layer, sometimes if a person is so sensitive to the feel of the full depth of the bed you may almost think of yourself as a prince or a princess in the pea sometimes for someone like that medium Dunlop makes a good base layer, the higher the density the more durable and this is going to be the layer that is bearing the most weight and being pressed against your foundation the real art is in deciding the top layer for surface cushioning and then figuring out what level of support you need in the center that’s really key for your back health. The next layer to choose depends on what it is your body needs for example if you need really good support and you are a body type that is maybe under 165 pounds then choosing medium Dunlop is an excellent choice because it has less density than the firm Dunlop below so offer better pressure relief on the top but it is still relatively solid and will still give support. Now depending on your body mass and what your body needs you may require something that gives significantly more support so you need really excellent support and you maybe weigh 180 or more you may want to go with a firm, firm medium this is generally the firmest configuration. Now one of the main thing you want to address is pressure relief, do you sleep on your side, are your shoulders sore, your hips are sore, you wake up with a little bit of numbness or shakiness in your shoulder or hip then you may want to go to the little bit of softer side of things, so in general you will have a firm layer on the bottom is always a good choice then depending on body choice a soft layer of Dunlop in the middle would be the way to go, you could do a firm with two softs in Dunlop this would still feel relatively solid and supportive unless you were over 200 pounds then this would probably feel not supportive enough. If you need pressure relief that’s a little bit more acute I would mix this combination and put a Talalay piece on the top will contour to your body better than Dunlop will. With different types of weight, sleeping preferences, and back issues or other concerns we can adjust it to really suit your body because each one is customized for each person, that also goes for each couple we will make each side personal for each person who’s going to sleep on it.

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Is It OK To Fold Bend Or Double a Mattress Over?

We receive a great deal of moving questions focused around bedroom furniture and mattresses. The things we hear about most is not only about the stress involved but how difficult and extremely expensive moving can be. You won’t want to add to the stresses of moving by making it even more costly by moving your mattress set incorrectly. So today we answer the questions: Is It OK To Fold Bend Or Double a Mattress Over? If I do, what kind of damage might it cause to my bed and is there anything else I should be concerned about?

Will Damage Occur if I Bend or Fold My Mattress in Half?

Perhaps you are just trying to move the bed upstairs or even downstairs within your house. Maybe your moving into a new house. It really doesn’t matter where your moving the fact is if you are moving a mattress and you get into a tight spot it may have to be bent. So what should you do? Our suggestion is don’t do it.  Folding or bending of your mattress  during the moving process can and  usually does cause serious and irrepairable damage. The more you fold it the worse the damage may be. Doubling the mattress over is the most extreme bend and the fact is the mattress may never lay right on the boxspring again from such extreme bending. There are exceptions. Many mattresses that are built entirely of foam or latex rubber most of them are very flexible much like that famous green cartoon character Gumby. While difficult to carry they are highly mobile and can be moved just about anywhere.

Can Bending a Mattress Void My Warranty?

Manufacturers offer a warranty with every new bed and while many people often forget about it the majority of those warranties are 10 years and some cases even more so you don’t want to jeopardize that. Manufacturers while they will honor workmanship and material defects they will not cover such damage whether it is accidental or deliberate.

What Happens To A Mattress When It Is Folded?

Doubling a mattress over or folding it in half is one of the  worst things you can do to a bed because it literally folds the coils, border rods, or foam encasement. Think of it like a piece of paper that has been folded in half, while the paper can be unfolded it is left with permanent unrepairable mark.  The steel parts inside your mattress can be creased, dented, or even folded and there is no way to possibly repair such wreckage or in this case damage done to it.  The reason is that coils and border rods are encased and unaccessible to fix because of the sewn outer cover.  In the case of the mattress this damage will affect the sleeping surface and the overall support.

What Mattresses Can Be Folded Without Damaging?

As we talked about above mattresses with steel coils and steel border rods just aren’t easily bent sometimes making them impossible to get them where you want them. There are several beds that offer a “flexible” solution. Beds constructed entirely of polyurethane foam and memory foam have some of the greatest flexibility. To give you an idea of how bendy they are, some models are vacuum packed down, rolled up, and stored safely for as long as 3 months without any damaging effects. Another bed that offers this type of versatility is latex rubber. The same durable material we make tires, rubber bands, and rubber balls out of. Again it is pliable and flexible for optimum mobility and no mattress damage occurs when it is folded. Lastly are bed kits,  which are known as one of the easiest mattresses to move because the finished mattress is an assembly of individual mattress components. Each of these individual pieces of the bed can be carried in by itself and then assembled. A smart solution to a really tight stairway or overhang.

Fold That Mattress Photo Courtesy of dregeraets http://www.flickr.com/photos/drewgeraets/95359050/

Question: I have a waterbed mattress, heater, and safety liner but I do not have a frame. Do I need a water bed frame ?

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