We’ll be glad to help. We are STL Beds and we have a store within easy driving distance. We have the largest selection of softside and hardside waterbeds on display to try. In addition we carry the  exact parts and accessories to fix or up grade your bed in stock so you can get the waterbed of your dreams or get yours back up and running. Don’t want to make the drive to Arnold? We can ship it to you directly. Many of our items offer free shipping or shipping for less money than you can drive to Arnold so let us ship it to you quick.

Click on photo to browse our entire selection of waterbeds.

What kind of waterbed stuff does STL Beds Carry?

We carry it all even the little things like metal corner brackets, L brackets, and screws. We even stock the wood and metal waterbed frames that are so hard to find in stores. Most importantly we carry the stuff people ask for everyday.

Be sure to click the links for prices and selection!

Replacement Waterbed Mattresses

Hardside Waterbeds

Softside Waterbeds

Waterbed Sheets

Heaters

Liners

Conditioner

Drain and Fill Kit

Drawer Pedestals

Padded Rails

Mattress Pads

How much do your new waterbeds cost?

Our waterbed selection starts under $45o.00 for a hardside and softsides starting under $1000.00. Visit this link to get the prices on our complete waterbed selection. There are many parts and accessories to a waterbed and prices vary depending on what you are looking for. Click here to visit our waterbed parts page we have them all listed. Simply click the item and see the price.

See our waterbeds here!

Cape Giradeau  has had many fine waterbed stores  and companies that sold and serviced waterbeds over the years.  Companies like Sleepy Hallow, Better Nights Rest, and of course Room Mates all who have serviced your area well. With most of them totally out of the waterbed business we would like to extend our hand for those still needing stuff for their softside or hardside waterbed. If you purchased a waterbed some years ago and you are looking  for replacement parts to service your existing bed or perhaps would prefer to get a great deal on a new one, STL Beds would be glad to help. We have the largest selection on display to see and try out.

Where can I try a waterbed close by?

Visit our STL Beds Showroom located at exit #191 in Arnold Missouri. We are located at 1360 Jeffco Blvd. and are open six days a week with convenient business hours or make an appointment outside them. Click the following link to view all of our contact information, location, email, and map etc. 1 888 785 2337 Just ask for Dave or Doug.

What other areas do we service?

Thanks to Google and Yahoo search we are able to service other great cities and local towns in your area like Cape Girardeau, Delta, Jackson, Allenville, Dutchtown, Gordonville, Oak Ridge, Old Appleton, Pocahontas, Whitewater, Burfordville, Daisy, Friedheim, Fruitland, Millersville, New Wells, Oriole, Egypt Mills, Sikeston. If you don’t see your town on this list don’t worry we can help you also just give us a call at 1 888 785 2337

Tag:Cape Girardeau Waterbeds

They cost more and are they really worth the extra one hundred dollars or so waterbed stores and online companies are asking for them? Here are just a few of the major benefits of a dual water bed mattress and the advantages they can provide.

Click Photo to Browse our Water Bed Mattresses

1. Waterbed Mattresses Move Too Much: Water mattresses or bladders as they are sometimes called are offered with more or less baffling. The more baffling the more wave control and support.
2. Individual Temperature Control: No more sweating or freezing. Dual mattresses should have 2 thermostat controls so each sleeper can regulate the desired temperature of their mattress to the exact temperature they choose. It gives each sleeper a specially controlled heat or cool zone.
3. Less Motion From One Sleeper To The Other: Having separate mattresses inside one waterbed provides more stability for each sleeper. No matter how much baffling a waterbed bladder has a dual system offers more wave control due to its individual containment. Since the water is not moving freely from one side to the other it automatically provides additional wave control and less disturbance through out the night.
4. Easier To Move: Drain waterbeds is usually a drawback of ownership. One piece mattresses that do not drain completely are larger and weigh more. With all of that being said dual waterbed mattresses cut that weight in half and are half the weight of their single bladder relatives.
5. Cheaper To Replace: Some stores will sell one half of a dual waterbed system. While they may not cut the price in half they often sell 1/3 for less than you can buy both.
6. Easier to locate a leak: There are two points to make here one, the water mattress is smaller and easier to handle during the leak finding process the other is that sometimes one mattress will have less water in it giving an indication there is problem.
7. Adjust the firmness For Each Sleeper: One of the questions most often asked about dual systems is can I fill my side to make it a little firmer? While a person can add more water the firm feel they get comes at a price. Essentially adding more water is over filling and over filling leads to stretching, a ballooned up feeling, and quicker mattress failure. We suggest purchasing a more supportive water mattress.
8. Individual Sleeping Comfort: Yes you can have a wavier mattress on one side and a more wave controlled mattress on the other. Some stores will break up their matching sets to do this. While it will likely cost you 15 -20 percent more for this luxury many say it is well worth it considering how much time we spend in bed.
9. Will I Feel The Divider in The Middle? The thermal divider in the middle is very soft and pliable and typically is not felt. If you own a wood frame waterbed and are a couple that likes to snuggle and sleep close together towards the middle we have heard complains. This is significantly less noticeable on dual softsides with thick padded tops and water mattresses that are not over filled.
10. What do I think of Dual Waterbed Mattresses? Personally I love them. I’ve slept on one for nearly 14 years. My wife likes a cooler mattress and with the dual my 90 degree temperature does not bother her while keeping me toasty. My dual softside waterbed mattress has less motion and disturbance created by the bed than most any other mattress made. This is important because I am a light sleeper. Finally mobility is a breeze when draining because I can handle the drained mattress without help. My dual mattress have given me nearly everything I have ever asked for out of a mattress.

These are the Top 10 Benefits of a Dual Water Bed Mattress be sure to check out our Top 10 Problems with a Dual Water Bed Mattress. Coming Soon!

Click Photo and learn the Benefits of Choosing a Softside Waterbed

2. Waterbeds alleviate pressure points
The idea of a hard mattress being best to sleep on has gone the way of the Do Do Bird. These malleable sleeping surfaces are quite possibly one of the best alleviating painful pressure points that are the root of our tossing and turning through out the night. Before memory foam there were waterbeds and nothing else conforms better. Sleepers don’t want to wake with neck, joint, or back pain. With the proper support the spine is aligned and pressure is reduced so you will wake up ready to start the day free of pain and feeling refreshed.

3. Reduce Allergies Using a Waterbed Mattress
Allergy is an extreme sensitivity condition of the body’s immune system. Often reactions occur to normally harmless matters in our environment. A waterbed is able to minimize these allergens if kept clean regularly something that is not possible with most other types of regular mattresses where symptoms can get worse. Both hardside and softside waterbeds have a cleanable vinyl surface that does not easily harbor dust mites, mold, mildew, other allergens that could cause allergies to flare up or cause a stronger reaction. People with asthma, allergies, and other problems like arthritis and eczema often find a waterbed to sleep more comfortably.

4.Ease Sleep Disorders
Both Softside Waterbeds and Hardside Waterbeds provide quite possibly the most unique relaxing sleeping surface of all mattresses. The fact that you can control the temperature of these beds sets them apart from others. Temperature can be adjusted to a precise setting that makes the bed more relaxing whether you like the bed warmer or cooler. If you find it difficult to fall asleep a waterbed mattress could be a soothing solution for reasons that include their reduced pressure on the body, temperature controlled sleep environment, and comforting support. We have found that many people with sleeping disorders have fell asleep faster.  While not a cure for sleep disorders a waterbed is just one more key to a great night of sleep.

5. Temperature control of a waterbed offers many benefits
The Benefits of Choosing a Waterbed with heater control are numerous. Many customers with various joint conditions that are responsive to pressure relief and temperature find a waterbed comforting including people with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reducing pressure on tissues and organs, synovial joints.

Select Photo to see Benefits of Choosing a Hardside Waterbed

6. Lots of bang for the buck making them a great value.
Where a hardside waterbed or sofside is what you decide on either offer unmatched value. Both include mattress, heater, liner, frame, temperature control, and pressure relief. Hardsides usually include a headboard and built better than most any other bed on the market. Softsides adapt to most bedroom sets and beds, are easy to move around and make getting in and out of bed a breeze. They even use your existing bedding.

7. Less movement than many regular mattress sets
Bases of regular mattresses often have a bouncy coil spring which transfer motion and energy something that is nearly always carried up all the way through the springs of the mattress. Waterbed mattresses can be baffled to eliminate motion and disruption and maximize support. Dual version mattresses can be purchased for more specific firmness for each sleeper and precise temperature control. Any motion in a baffled waterbed mattress is more subtle and less disturbing.

8. Softside Waterbeds don’t look like waterbeds
A soft side looks just like a regular mattress making them more appealing and conceals the fact that you are sleeping on waterbed. Learn the benefits of a softside waterbed.

9. Waterbed pricing is competitive
While waterbed prices can range significantly they are not out of line with other kinds of mattresses and many cases are much lower in cost. See how much a waterbed costs.

10. Waterbeds don’t get body impressions
Water does not break down however if you add a padded surface to your waterbed body impressions are possible but usually are very minimal since most tops are not very thick with polyester fiber and foam.

2  More Great Articles

 Hardside vs. Softside Mattresses

20 Reasons Softside Waterbeds Are Making a Huge Comeback!

How to fix a bad waterbed odor

Waterbed Stinks, Smells, and Has A Bad Odor. How To Fix It.

1) Waterbed mattresses are made from PVC vinyl and to make it more flexible and pliable plasticizers are added and when a mattress is brand new and out of the box much like paint that hasn’t fully dried waterbed mattresses can sometimes have a stronger smell. The smell is similar to the smell of a blow up air raft used in a swimming pool. This smell dissipates with in a couple days or weeks after being unpackaged and exposed to air for a while. Some say to use  a good vinyl cleaner but it too has a bit of a chemical smell and it really is only masking the smell.

2) If you notice a musty odor these can be tough to treat. Time and the following solution are the answer. The cause is typically bacteria growth. First look to see if there is moisture in the safety liner from a seam leak, puncture, or condensation. Start by cleaning and drying the mattress, heater, and liner. Don’t forget to clean bedding thoroughly as well. It is important to remove any possible mold and mildew. Leave the bed uncovered as long as possible to speed up the process of airing out. Dont forget to then turn up the temperature on your heater to at least 80 degrees to reduce or eliminate condensation which in turn causes mold.

3) The odor is coming from inside the waterbed bladder. If you have removed your plug and cap and the stench spews like a volcano from the open you have the most serious of waterbed odor issues. The cause is usually bacteria. This can either develop over time when the bed has been used without conditioner or has been introduced by way of a garden hose that has not been carefully flushed. Bacteria multiply rapidly in a warm wet environment such as a waterbed mattress. There are no guarantees but you can try the use of a waterbed shock treatment especially if the odor has permeated the vinyl. Follow the instructions exactly. This is a slow tedious process that may or may not work. If it does not you may very well be in the market for a new water bed bladder.

Always use a multi-purpose water conditioner regularly to keep the water in the mattress free from bacteria, but multi-purpose water conditioner will not fix a bacteria growth that has already started. Use of a shock treatment to clear this problem will be necessary. You will need to use the shock treatment for both the inside of the mattress, and also to wipe down the outside of the mattress, the safety liner, and the heater pad. Musty odors will permeate the vinyl to affect these other items, and if they are not treated, even though the bed had been treated, the odor will return.

An additional odor-causing source can be well water from private wells. Typically the water  is not treated and there is often high mineral content. The solution is adding a second bottle of  multi-purpose water conditioner. It  may help keep the problem to a minimum.

By Helga Weber Secret #1: What.The.Huh. http://www.flickr.com/photos/helga/3264983583/

Problems without waterbed frame

• The mattress has no rigidity. Without a supporting frame the bladder basically becomes a shapeless unstable blob.
• If the mattress does not have proper support it will put unnecessary stress on the side walls, the corner seams, and any other seaming the mattress may have.
• Stretching is something that is rarely talked about when a mattress is over filled, but without proper side frame support the vinyl will stretch.
• Leakage is nearly inevitable without the right frame support. When corners, seams, and stretching are pushed to their limits something will give. When something gives on a waterbed a leak is the result. The end result is due to lack of proper side frame support.

What are water bed frames constructed from?

• In the case of a wood framed waterbed they are more often built from pine boards. These boards are generally inch and a quarter to one and a half inches thick to minimize bowing and warping. Others are Oak veneer usually one and a quarter inches thick.
• Softsides are built just as they say from softer materials and in this case it is usually polyurethane foam. It is important that these are made from good quality foam and include a high density of foam per cubic foot for durability.

Is it OK to sit on a waterbed frame?

• Of course you can especially in the case of a hard side waterbeds. They use thick wood, strong L Brackets, and wood screws to not only contain the mattress, but give you a place to sit. We would recommend padded rails however to help cushion the seating area and soften getting in and out of bed.
• Softside foam frames lack the strength that a piece of wood has of course but will last for many years. They are definitely more comfortable transitioning in and out of bed and are more comfy to sit on than wood framed varieties. Bed sides can often be bought separately and replaced something you cannot do on most other beds giving them a huge advantage over other kinds of beds.

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.

Photo: A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

How Do You Burp a Water Bed?

Remember the movie Nightmare on Elm Street 4 when the character Joey saw someone inside his waterbed mattress. It turned out it wasn’t who he thought it was and he ended up getting killed by Freddy Krueger  who was popped up from inside of it? This got me thinking about noisy waterbeds.  OK that noise your hearing in the waterbed…hint it’s not Freddy, and it’s easier to get rid of than Freddy.

What’s that noise in my waterbed?

So when people ask if there are really things that go bump in the night you can tell them no, but if they ask what’s that noise in their waterbed mattress just tell them the water bed needs to be burped.  How do you know when to burp a waterbed? It will tell you.  Noise is a result of sloshing water within the mattress air pockets. Many people even complain that the bed becomes less comfortable to sleep on as well. Mattress ballooning another similar issue and is usually a result of an overfilled water mattress and it can make burping a bed harder. A side note: the mattress does not have to be transparent to tell if it needs to be burped.  The vinyl should be resting flat with a few wrinkles in the top, irregular surface blisters, and air pockets should be expressed.

So how do you burp the air out of a waterbed?

The process for removing this noisy nuisance isn’t scary, but it will keep you awake if you don’t remove it and the best part is you can do it. You wont’ have to hire a professional. We simply pull up the valve in the up position, remove the cap and plug that seal the mattress. We then lie across the bed at the headboard end and slowly roll toward the foot end of the bed where the valve is. If you have a helper have them lift the valve up a couple inches away from the water so that the water will not erupt out or spill out the opening as you herd the air bubbles towards it. A broom handle or something similar works as well, whichever method you choose the key is to herd the air pockets and bubbles toward the valve removing the air. Repeat the process till all the air is gone and be sure there are no sharp points on what ever you use. Replace the plug and cap and you are finished. If you have a tube bed lift the valve, take the cap off, and slide your hand the length of the tube herding the air out of the open valve and then recap it. You can repeat this process for each tube.

How often you burp your waterbed?

This depends on how much air is in the water you filled it with. If you flush the air from the garden hose, take the plug out prematurely or the water company has aerated your water it will require more burping. The reason we have to keep burping a waterbed mattress for years is because water is part oxygen and some of that oxygen will collect and form bubbles, which need to be expelled or expressed out of your bed, by burping the bed it will make it more comfortable.

There are products made to emulsify the air bubbles but we have found that they foam and can be messy when trying to drain the beds so we do not recommend them.

Reasons to replace a safety liner

People spend thousands of dollars and fancy plush carpeting and its padding. Hardwood floors we really shouldn’t have to go into much detail as to why we wouldn’t want those to get flooded especially if you ever set a drink on a piece of wood furniture and it left a ring stain on it. Finally there are subfloors and the cost of labor to tear out, fix, or replace any of the previously mentioned. Purchasing a new liner is solid preventive maintenance and is always suggested and recommended by our sales staff to the customers at STL Beds when buying a new water mattress or a heater.  To replace these items the bed needs to be drained which makes it a perfect time to swap the old liner out for a new one. Unfortunately many of these consumers never give the safety liner a second thought until it’s too late and they have water all over the floor. We don’t believe it’s worth the aggravation and definitely will give the bed owner some peace of mind by changing out this twenty five dollar replaceable throw away liner which is the last and final safety net of a waterbed.

How long do liners normally last?

We consider safety liners a 5 year product at best. The corners tend to split and separate. Liners even start to break down along the sides and in the corners which in the case of a leak would easily allow the water to flow over the top. Dirty liner and hardware screw heads or metal burs can puncture them. Some do it your selfers will cover their hardware with duct tape and we don’t discourage it although is not something we do as part of a waterbed installation. Just don’t put it over your heater pad! A wood splinter from your decking is another culprit.

What are the types of liners?

Almost all safety liners made today for Hardside waterbeds are what the industry calls stand up liners.  Just lay them in the bed an pull them into all 4 corners, get most the wrinkles out of the bottom especially over the heater and your done. They are simple to install and take only a couple of minutes and one person. The old tack up and clip up liners are history. They took much longer to put in and used tacks are screws to hold them in position. Some times they would pull out and puncture mattresses making them counter productive.

Softside waterbeds use a fitted liner which over laps your foam rails like a fitted sheet. It usually has the same 5 year life expectancy.
Just remember if you over fill your mattress you are taking a very big risk. An over filled mattress that leaks can overflow the safety liner no matter how good your safety liner is so be sure to fill your waterbed mattress to the correct fill level.

There are many advantages to “going green” in the work environment

and it can be done by incorporating certain practices and making a few changes, but it all makes a real difference.  You might be the first one adopting this attitude on the job, but soon the efforts will begin to be noticed by co-workers and before you know it, the entire office might jump on board with you too.  Going green is as much of a choice as it is a lifestyle and when you are serious, even the smallest efforts will translate to mean big changes with time.

Paper is one of the most common office materials which people seem to take for granted,

but did you know how many trees are cut down to make paper?  If you think about it, how many times a day do you reach for a piece of paper to write down something to remember or perhaps a telephone number or message?  The amount of paper you use is staggering, so it might be an idea to check into the paper your company uses for its supplier.  Is your office paper made of recycled materials?  If not, talk to your employer about making the change and do your part to save trees, one of the earth’s most precious commodities.

If you work for a company that sends out a lot of flyers and printed materials, do you know what kind of ink your company uses?  Is it vegetable-based ink?  Many people are surprised to find out about this new trend which is becoming more well-known.  Ink is currently being manufactured from soybeans so it does not release harmful greenhouse gases.  Not only is vegetable based ink better for the environment, but makes it much easier to recycle the paper used as well.

Another good way of going green in the office is to shut down and unplug any unused electronic products when not in use.

If you are not going to be using your office computer, why not reach under your desk and unplug it at the end of the day to save energy.  A good way to turn off many different electronics at once is to use a surge protector or power strip, this way with the flip of one switch everything can be easily turned off until the next time you need to use them.

Going green in the workplace is not as difficult as people might have originally thought.  With a few simple changes like we mentioned or even working from home, you can make a genuine dent in energy use, save your company money and hopefully inspire your co-workers to do their part as well.  If everyone were to make just a couple of small changes here and there in the workplace, it would generate to mean a cleaner, healthier environment and reduce the company’s carbon footprint.

Interesting STL Beds has at least one or two customers a month come into the store who have owned a water mattress  that is more than twenty years old. The truth is that it is possible  especially if you kept the mattress clean and heated. Normally they will last on average up to 10-12 years. Try getting that out of a coil spring mattress especially if you weigh over 200lbs these days.

2.    “Just fill the mattress till your knee will not touch bottom”

If one of my well trained sales people told this to a customer I would have to consider firing them. Unfortunately it happens, waterbeds are made to sleep on not kneel on. Manufacturers usually recommend fillling the bed to the top of the safety liner on a Hardside waterbed. I recommend about 3/8” below top of foam rails on a soft side waterbed.

3.     “Fill the mattress until it feels good”

This is wrong, when shopping for a water mattress, buy the one that feels the best in the store. If you over fill a baffled mattress you increase the ratio of water to baffling. That means the water just bypasses the baffling and increases the wave motion. It also makes the mattress  stretch and balloon  under the smaller person on the bed. We like say it feels like “sleeping on the hump on a camels back.”

4.    “Waterbeds to heavy to put upstairs”

If your house is built to code you have the same floor joist upstairs as down. The problem comes into play when someone takes out a load bearing wall or converts an attic with only ceiling joist to a living space. When in doubt ask a professional to look it over. Today the same goes for mobile homes. Most building codes are very strict on proper support. One third of the waterbeds we have sold went into mobile homes. Again if in doubt ask the mobile home dealer or the installer.

5.    “Waterbeds will make you sea sick”

Waterbeds are not like boat . The feel of laying on your back in a waterbed is significanly different from floating in a boat. A waterbeds waviness is controled by baffles which often have less disturbance than that of a regular coil spring mattress.