If you like the old fashioned waterbed and you’re afraid to leave it for fear that you may never get comfortable again, you are not alone. One of the most comfy beds I ever owned was my hardside wood framed water bed. Sure there are the naysayers who say out of style and that they are bad for your back but the truth is many people who leave their water bed never seem to find such cradling comfort or support again. So the question is what is a good alternative bed that can match the feel of those old 1970’s hard side waterbed classic?

Hardside Waterbed Mattress Alternatives

Substitutes / Replacements for hard side waterbeds:

Soft side or Soft Sided Waterbeds

Soft sides have the look of a regular mattress and boxspring, used regular sheets and bedding and can adapt to nearly any headboard or headboard footboard combination offered today. Softside waterbeds are easy to get in and out of not to mention when it comes time to break it down and move it, let’s just say a softside is a dream.  Mattress or bladder choices for these beds often range from free flowing to no movement at all and can include total head to toe body support.

Waterbed Inserts

Waterbed inserts are special fitting soft mattresses that give overall body support – and you can keep your hard wood frame, headboard, and waterbed sheets that you already have.  The only thing left is to choose a mattress. Custom designed to fit within the wood waterbed frame, the waterbed mattress insert can be made just like a regular mattress, using memory foam, or even latex rubber. The key is to make sure that the sizing is slightly smaller than the frame itself leaving just enough room to make it in the morning before leaving for work. One last note people having slept on water for years usually prefer softer more luxurious mattress tops and firmer core support, so be sure to test rest your insert for the optimal body fit.

Mattress Sets

Whatever kind  of mattress you choose brand name or not be sure to select one that offers firm support and has a soft cushioned top that mimics waterbed feel. The biggest complaint of former waterbed owners is that their new mattress is too firm. The other objection is that they would rather not have to buy a new headboard for the set. This is easily done by simply purchasing headboard legs or making them out of the old waterbed frame. Nearly all the mentioned mattresses below can then be positioned in front of it like any other book cased headboard.

Mattress and box spring

Pillow top versions work nicely and can sometimes cost less than the next recommendation. Our waterbed alternative of choice is a mattress with two sides that can be flipped over, they last slightly longer. Adding a mattress topper can simulate the feel of a waterbed and it’s more like the feel the waterbed owner seems to long for. Look for latex rubber toppers or memory foam toppers with lower ILD’s which are softer. ILD correlates to the firmness or softness of a piece of foam or rubber.

Memory Foam

Airbeds

Latex foam rubber mattresses

All 3 of the previously mentioned are good choices that can simulate waterbed feel. Above in the Mattress and Boxspring nearly all the same applies to memory foam, air, and latex although two sided is not applicable to these in most cases. Questions give us a call 1-888-785-2337 or Contact Us.

Question

I am getting rid of my waterbed mattress and I don’t want to replace it with another.

I would like to use my old wood framed waterbed because it has a beautiful headboard and I really would like to keep the storage drawers I have underneath of the bed. I would much prefer to go back to a regular queen size mattress instead of the waterbed bladder. I have been told that regular queen size mattresses will fit is this even possible?

Answer

Some people believe that to get a regular mattress to fit a waterbed frame that a queen size would fit

or that you have to go one size down and purchase a full size mattress. Both of these are incorrect and will not fit properly. Full size mattresses are 54 x 74 and a waterbed cavity is 60 x 84. As you can see the mattress would be six inches to narrow and 10 inches to short.  In the case of the queen mattress which is 60 x 80 the mattress should fit width wise since they measure exactly the same, however this leaves virtually no extra space to tuck in the bed linens or just as important no space for your hands to do the simple things like make the bed in the morning.

There is another problem a person can run into and that is the length of a conventional queen size mattress. It will be 4 inches too short leaving a large hole on each end.

Our suggestion is to purchase something made specifically to fit the waterbed frame leaving the required spacing previously talked about. They are different names for these mattresses.

·    Waterbed Insert
·    Waterbed Drop In
·    Waterbed Replacement Mattress

When shopping for a waterbed insert brand name or non brand name is not important and are usually marketed under a variety of names that may or may not be recognizable to you. The key is comfort, so be sure to test rest one before you purchase it.

With all of the mattresses that are being made, is there such thing as a Conventional Mattress that can be put in to a waterbed frame? As you will see in this blog there is finally a mattress for people who no longer want their waterbed mattress, but would like to keep their wooden water bed frame, and it can be found at waterbed stores and mattress stores. These stores simply put a conventional mattress that is custom made to fit inside of a waterbed; it is called a water bed insert. 

Available water bed insert mattress sizes:

· Super Single 46 inches wide x 82 inches long
· California Queen 58 inches wide x 82 inches long
· California King 70 inches wide x 82 inches long

10 Benefits of a waterbed insert mattress

1. You can keep your waterbed headboard, frame, drawers, sheets, mattress pad, and comforter.
2. Saves money only one thing to buy, a conventional coil spring mattress that is made to fit the waterbed.
3. Buying a replacement conventional mattress for the hard side waterbed means you can still use everything you already own for it.
4. Regular mattresses for a waterbed are easier to get in and out of.
5. Special waterbed conventional mattresses are easy to move.
6. No waterbed heater expenses to pay for.
7. Waterbed inserts come in a variety of firmnesses including Firm, Medium, and Pillow Top Soft, memory foam, and all natural latex
8. Conventional water bed inserts are cheaper than buying a new set of mattresses.
9. Do not have to drain and fill when moving the waterbed.
10. Don’t have to worry about leaks.

Bonus Benefit

11. Waterbed Inserts are lightweight.

Can’t find a store that carries waterbed inserts. Contact us or call STL Beds at 888-STL-BEDS

1. Add Legs To Your Bookcase Waterbed Headboard.
Whether your waterbed bookcase headboard is oak or pine or some other wood, it can be converted to free stand on its own. When a waterbed headboard is properly converted it will look just like the headboard for regular bed.

A waterbed head board as a rule rests on the stock extended waterbed frame which does not touch the floor. When legs are added they become an extension of the headboard. People are often surprised how properly it matches with existing bedroom furniture while saving you money and recycling your headboard through reuse.

Cut to length the corresponding pieces of wood side frames. Attach them to the headboard that will now stand at the proper height. Just as important the headboard will seamlessly blend once again with your dresser, chest and nightstands. These can also be purchased prefabricated and are called headboard stands. This now self-supporting bookcase headboard can accommodate a conventional steel bed frame that will be bolted up for further stability.

With the headboard now in place any number of different mattress options is available to rest on your new headboard and frame combination. What kind of a mattress can be used with a waterbed headboard you ask?

Any and all mattresses including:

• Mattress and Boxspring
• Memory Foam
• Latex
• Organic
• Airbed
• Softside Waterbed

2. Use A Waterbed Insert (Drop in Replacement Mattress)
The waterbed drop in mattress is the cheapest and easiest conversion method to put you back on an innerspring mattress or any other mattress of your choice while keeping your waterbed headboard and coordinating furniture. These specially sized innerspring mattresses are intended fit the unique sizes of wood framed waterbeds.

Waterbed drop in mattresses usually measure:
• California King 70 x 82
• California Queen 58 x 82
• Super Single 46 x 82

The mattresses are intentionally undersized allowing you to make your bed with ease while continuing to use waterbed sheets and comforters.

3. Replace Your Old Worn Out Unsupportive Waterbed With A New One.
Water mattresses can and do lose their support just like coil spring mattresses but are significantly cheaper to replace. Buying a quality-baffled mattress with support can cost only a few hundred dollars or less compared to a thousand dollars or more. It can be like an old pair of shoes or innerspring mattress; the support just slowly goes away. A water mattress option allows a person to retain the benefits of temperature control, keeping your waterbed warmer or cooler if you so choose, a rare find in today’s mattress market. If you choose this route it is important to remember to have your waterbed heater and standup safety liners looked at for possible replacement.

Good news – there is an answer; something we can do to salvage the environment and that old wood framed waterbed and stop it from ending up in a local landfill.

Before you throw away that old mattress bladder and the waterbed headboard, frame, and drawer pedestal put the lid back on the trashcan and walk inside? Why you say? Salvage that old waterbed and give it a new life with a regular coil spring mattress.

Previously a person’s only option was to put in a new free flow or baffled bladder and fill it with water. Nowadays there are numerous choices of conventional innerspring mattresses that are custom sized to fit a hardside waterbed frame so it won’t have to be trashed. There are several options such as memory foam, latex, and air mattresses all of which can be specially designed to fit the California King, Queen, and Super Single waterbed.

People who choose the environmentally friendly recycling method for the hardside waterbed would only need to dispose of the heater and bladder, while keeping the protective liner, headboard, water bed frame, and drawer pedestal. You most likely would be able to continue using the water bed sheets, comforter and mattress pad since the mattress size wouldn’t be changing, making recycling through reuse is a environmentally sound and smart idea.

Most companies can build a replacement innerspring mattress that will properly fit within a wood waterbed frame, other stores will stock them, so be sure to check with your local dealer for availability.

Sizes of custom fit mattresses to go inside these wood frame waterbeds best are the
California King that measures 70 x 82
California Queen 58 x 82
Super Single 46 x 82

These are custom and are commonly the sizes for a waterbed mattress insert. The custom size makes for a custom fit that allows a person to be able to do the simple things like get their hand between the frame and the mattress to make the bed. The extra inch all the way around leaves just enough space to tuck in mattress pads, waterbed sheets, and comforters for the people who actually make their beds before leaving for work.

Using a boxspring is not necessary with a waterbed insert the mattress fills out the frame properly and usually will not stick up in front of the headboard enough to block it. Not only that but waterbed insert or drop in mattresses are easier to get in and out of and do not have to be flipped, only rotated regularly end to end. Be sure to follow your mattress instructions.

Often the question is asked if regular king or queen spring mattresses fit a waterbed frame? No and Yes. The king size conventional mattresses are too big to fit. These regular king size mattresses measure 76 X 80. Conventional queen mattresses will fit but not very well they measure 60 x 80 leaving a 4 inch space on the end and no room to make up the bed along the sides.

A specially sized mattress to fit down inside the waterbed frame is a great idea and replaces the conventional water filled mattress and saves the environment, so why not look at the idea of recycling you’re old flotation waterbed? It will eliminate the need to buy a new headboard and frame and all the new bed linens that go along with a different bed. This new alternative will save you hundreds maybe even thousands of dollars and is a clear-cut advantage to throwing them away.

Still not convinced? Here are 3 ways to use the old water bed head board.