How to choose a bed base: types, sizes, features of choice

When choosing a bed for a child, you need to be guided not only by tastes in its design, but also pay your own attention to its quality, comfort and functionality. Of course, you can buy a sofa “to grow into”, then you won’t have to think about changing the bed in parallel with the child growing up. However, a bed is an excellent solution for a bedroom in a child’s room, since it can not only be equipped with additional functionality, but also provide healthy sleep for the child. A large range of models, bases and mattresses will give you the opportunity to choose a good bed option for your child.

Compared to a sofa, a bed also wins in other respects: there is no need to daily assemble and disassemble a place to sleep, a child can make the bed without outside help without the help of adults, while parents will have to help for a very long time with cleaning the sofa. It is also worth saying that the bed can be equipped with any type of mattress, actually similar, which is most suitable for the child in terms of hardness and size.

Components of the bed

So, our wonderful bed – what should it be like? Its design consists of:

• Frame – metal or wooden frame.
• Grounds.
• Mattress.

The headboard of the bed is a separate element that increases its comfort. The support for the mattress is the base of the bed, and the sleeping place is attached to it. An incorrectly selected base will worsen the quality of sleep and reduce the service life of the entire product. So let's talk more about this important component.

Deciding on design and construction

Design is a purely personal matter, the only thing that can be recommended is to select the color and texture of the chipboard so that it matches existing furniture or interior items. Curly sides look impressive, but they require more material, plus a radial pattern is more expensive.

It is not customary to decorate the main box on such beds, but for the headboard there are 5 options suitable for the home craftsman:

1. A solid sheet of laminated chipboard with smooth or rounded corners.
2. Soft headboard - here foam rubber is glued to the chipboard and the whole thing is covered with eco-leather. By the way, for this option it is not necessary to take a laminated sheet.

Upholstering the headboard of the bed with eco-leather is considered a worthy, and most importantly, practical solution to the design issue.

1. Place a shaped lattice made of wood, MDF or laminated chipboard at the headboard.
2. Make several small soft panels covered with eco-leather and attach them to a large headboard in a certain order.
3. Use overhead decorative elements such as fragments of wood carvings, gilded moldings or ordinary colored stickers.

Regarding the size of the structure, this is the case. There is no need to invent exclusive things with arbitrary dimensions; there are standards for this. You need to focus on the size of the mattress of the future bed. Mattresses are purchased separately and have clearly fixed dimensions.

When planning the design, you should focus on the dimensions of the mattress.

The standard height of a spring mattress is 200 mm. At the same time, making a good mattress with your own hands at home is not realistic, so we focus only on purchasing.

• According to length standards, mattresses for adults are available in 3 options - 190 cm, 195 cm and 200 cm.
• The width of a single mattress ranges from 80 to 120 cm, gradation occurs in increments of 10 cm.
• One-and-a-half mattresses come in widths of 130–150 cm, also in increments of 10 cm.
• The width of a double mattress starts from 160 cm and ends at 2 m.

For tall people, mattresses are not of standard length; there are 3 sizes - 210 cm, 220 cm and 230 cm. Small shops do not have such products; in large supermarkets these models are expensive. The best solution would be to order a non-standard model from a reputable online store.

Leaving the bottom of the bed box empty is not practical. There are 2 options for arranging this space:

1. Use special lifting mechanisms under the front panel or mattress. Visually, all the mechanics are hidden and the appearance does not suffer, but a high-quality lift costs the same as all the material for the bed.

Lifting mechanisms for beds made of laminated chipboard are expensive, but they are absolutely not noticeable.

1. Make 2 - 3 drawers in the bottom box. They will be visible, but this is the only relative disadvantage. Otherwise, the material will cost pennies, and assembly will take no more than an hour and a half.

Types of bed base

Bed bases are classified according to:

• designs;
• sizes;
• manufacturing material.

Structurally, the bases can be rigid, or solid, slatted; there are also transformable bases with adjustable zones in the head, back, hips and legs. They also differ in shape. The most common, of course, is the rectangular base. But there are also round, oval and even curved ones.

The benefits of making it yourself

The idea of ​​making a bed with my own hands came to me when I started looking at finished products. At first there were doubts, but then the advantages of this option outweighed all objections.

• Our man is used to doing everything with a triple safety margin, so by assembling a bed for your loved one, you get a product that will stand until it becomes obsolete.
• Additional options such as drawers at the base of the structure or a shaped headboard are made at will and are several orders of magnitude cheaper than custom ones.
• The range of colors, shades and textures of furniture laminated chipboard includes hundreds of options, so there will be no problems with the design.

The choice of colors and textures of furniture laminated chipboard is impressive.

• At a professional level, assembling a bed with your own hands is considered a simple task, but such work provides invaluable experience and then you can move on to more complex designs.
• And finally, the main thing is that the price of a decent single bed with drawers starts from 20 thousand rubles. (excluding the cost of the mattress), and the material for the same homemade product will cost 7 thousand rubles, plus 1 day for assembly. As you can see, the difference is obvious.

On the market, the cost of a normal bed with drawers starts from 20 thousand rubles.

Solid base: pros and cons

It consists of boards or a sheet of plywood laid on a frame. Despite the fact that they are seriously inferior to rack and pinion ones, they are still found in models because:

• The design is very simple, so they are cheaper.
• Any mattress can be laid on such a base.
• For diseases of the spine, a solid foundation is recommended.

However, there are still more disadvantages to such a foundation:

• The mattress sag and sag faster on a hard base. This does not apply to a good spring mattress.
• The bottom can break under the weight of an obese person or from a child jumping.
• It is hard to sleep on such a bed, especially if the mattress is quite thin. However, if you have a good orthopedic mattress, then this drawback is completely eliminated.
• The heavy weight of the bed makes it difficult to transport. On the other hand, a bed is not a handbag that needs to be carried around with you or constantly moved from place to place.

In addition, hard bases impede ventilation, which can lead to the growth of microorganisms in the mattress. True, now manufacturers are making ventilation holes in rigid bases, and this problem has almost been eliminated.

Rigid bases are either a sheet of plywood or chipboard, or wooden boards. People choose them not only to save money - they are cheaper, but also to avoid problems with the spine. In this case, it is healthier to sleep on a hard, flat bed. Doctors believe that a rigid base plus an orthopedic mattress is the optimal tandem.

Which bed base is better to choose: orthopedic (slatted) or chipboard (solid)

So, modern production produces two types of bases: flat solid and slatted.

• A flat solid base is a solid board made of chipboard, plywood, or, less commonly, sanded smooth boards. Its surfaces are treated with protective and decorative compounds and attached or simply placed on the bed frame. A solid sheet is heavier than a slatted base, and it is believed that it provides worse orthopedic properties of mattresses. But good high mattresses often still provide complete sleep comfort, so solid bases are still in demand.
• A solid bottom is inferior to a slatted one if it does not provide ventilation. But many manufacturers today drill a number of holes, which ensures ventilation. Therefore, when choosing, you need to pay attention to this. Also, the rack type is more suitable for those who are not too heavy. Finally, some types of mattresses actually reveal their properties more fully on slatted frames.

The main advantages of solid bases:

• ease of manufacture;
• versatility - you can put any type of mattress on it, spring or springless, but some types of products have reduced orthopedic qualities;
• For most people, due to existing spinal diseases, a flat and solid base that provides rigidity is more suitable.
• Slatted bases are a modern type of frame, which is most often offered in furniture showrooms. Thanks to the lamellas, the orthopedic properties of the mattress increase. The designs allow the products to be ventilated, thereby extending their service life.

It is recommended to turn the mattress over once a season to prevent subsidence from occurring in one place. One lamella can withstand a load of 12 kg, so if the operating rules are not followed, they can break. However, the good thing is that you can’t change all the fasteners and lamellas at once, but only those that have broken or lost their elasticity.

Bed base dimensions

Let's see what you need to know about the dimensions of the bed base. Traditionally, beds are divided according to their sizes into single, one-and-a-half, double and children's:

• Single bed – base size: 70x190; 80x190; 90x190, of course, depending on the size of the bed.

• One-and-a-half-bed – base size 110x190; 120x190; 130x190.

• Double - respectively 150, 160, 170 centimeters in width, 190-200 centimeters in length.

• Children's beds have standard base sizes: 80x140; 80x150; 60x160; 80x180, 80x190, or 90x140; 90x150; 90x160; 90x180; 90x190 centimeters.

When choosing a bed according to its dimensions, you need to know:

• The length should exceed the person’s height by 20 centimeters.
• The minimum width for a single bed is 70 centimeters, for a one-and-a-half bed - 120, for a double bed - 160.
• The mattress should be 5 centimeters narrower than the base.
• The optimal height is 60-70 centimeters.
• The legs are reliable and durable, the stability of the entire structure depends on them.

You need to be especially careful when choosing a bed for a child.

How to make a bed from chipboard with your own hands

First of all, create a detailed sketch. He must take into account all the design features and its location in the room. You must take into account the slightest nuances. Below we will talk about how improper installation of a sleeping place affects your health. The design should allow the bed to be used not only for sleeping.

With practice, you can assemble a bed with a lifting mechanism. This is a rational use of living space. The bed can easily be transformed into a wardrobe.

Draw in all the details the drawers at the bottom of the bed. This is a good place to store sleeping accessories. A children's bed with drawers will help keep the room tidy. Provide a toy box. For beginning craftsmen, boxes should be made separately from the main structure. The best option is drawers. Include guides and rollers in your sketch.

After drawing up a sketch, start creating a drawing. It should indicate the exact dimensions of all structural parts. This will eliminate the risk of defects in the process of creating a sleeping place and will allow rational use of building materials. In the drawing, indicate the dimensions of the room. Choose a mattress that best suits your model.

If you have no experience in creating drawings, basic options can be found on the Internet or ordered from a specialized workshop. Try to think through the design based on the style of your interior. This is primarily the shape of the backs. Above were shown different design options for the appearance of the product and placement in space.

Whatever bed design you choose, the basic assembly diagram will be the same. The main stages of making a bed from laminated chipboard with your own hands:

Drawing

You can find a ready-made version on the Internet. It will indicate all the required dimensions. If for some reason you are not satisfied with the ready-made solution, draw up a drawing yourself. Please take into account that the length of the bed should be 15-20 centimeters greater than the size of the person who will sleep on it.

Material

Laminated chipboards are coated chipboards. It gives the material an aesthetic appearance and resistance to external factors.

For the manufacture of furniture structures, it is optimal to use slabs with a thickness of 22 mm. A smaller size means less strength, a larger size means a higher price. The use of a 16 mm thick plate makes the structure light, but sharply reduces strength. Plywood with a layer thickness of about one centimeter is suitable as a backing for a mattress . They try to use chipboard to make the bottom of the boxes in order to prevent the construction from becoming more expensive.

You need to purchase the required number of slabs. Make an approximate calculation based on the dimensions marked on the drawing. Next, decide on the cut. A simple solution is to give the sheets to a specialized organization. They will do it with high quality, using a special technology to process the edges of the sawn parts. This kind of work is inexpensive. The second option is to make the cut yourself. You will need an iron and melamine tape, also called edging. Set the iron power to three quarters of the maximum possible for the device. Place the edge and run the iron over it. Carefully cut off the excess with a knife.

Tools

Complex and expensive equipment is not required. Even inexperienced craftsmen will have the necessary set of tools on the farm:

• drill or screwdriver with attachments;
• devices for measuring and marking on laminated chipboards: square for maintaining angles, tape measure;
• hardware, hammer.

Children's bed with base

Whether your child sleeps soundly or restlessly depends largely on the bed. An orthopedic base is preferable for a crib because:

• It provides comfortable support for your baby's body and is neither soft nor hard.
• The slats allow air to pass through, the mattress is well ventilated.
• Environmentally friendly materials are used for the crib.

Other important criteria when choosing a children's bed: the slats should not be too narrow and should not be located very close. Also pay attention to how well all the parts are polished, whether there are any jagged edges; the lamellas should have rounded edges. Also warn your child that jumping on a base with wooden slats is prohibited, as this may cause damage. And one more thing: if you have a springless mattress, say, made of latex, then it is better to choose a bed with a solid base.

A number of models of beds for babies - what they are

Since choosing a bed for a child is not an easy task, you first need to figure out the type of furniture for the bedroom. Manufacturers now recommend many design options for the stock, its design, size and materials. It is also very important that the furniture matches the design of the children’s room and matches the child’s tastes.

Baby bed

Basically, the first bed for a child lasts for 3-4 years, and its quality determines how comfortable it will be for the newborn to spend most of his very young life. A child spends the first 3 years of his life in a lying position and it is very, very important to provide him with the right and comfortable place to sleep. There are several types of beds for the tiniest ones.

• Cradle. Just 10 years ago, this bed was considered an excellent solution for a baby, but compared to today's models, its practicality has significantly decreased. The thing is that such a bed is suitable exclusively for newborns who are not yet able to sit and stand on their own.
• Solid wood furniture with high adjustable sides. A big plus of such furniture is its cleanliness in environmental terms. It is also practical, because as the child grows, the sides can be placed higher so that the child cannot roll over them. A bed of this type is often equipped with additional drawers for storing children's things and linen, as well as removable runners, which make it possible to easily rock the baby to sleep.
• Manege. A good option for those who want to combine a child’s play area with a place to sleep. Fabric sides and a low base are the main differences between similar models.
• Folding furniture. A small crib, changing table and side chest of drawers can easily be transformed into a real teenage sleep space with additional storage space for bed linen. Such models allow you to save on the purchase of a new bed as the child grows older.

Beds for children of classic design

A traditional bed is installed in a children's room for both boys and girls. It fits perfectly into almost every interior. Basically, such sleeping places are equipped with an orthopedic base - lamellas. At your request, you can choose a child’s bed with sides, headboard and footboard, although they are not mandatory design details.

In the next article we will talk about the topic - a bunk bed for two children with a work area. Let's try to describe this topic in more detail.

Models are usually equipped with a retractable or lifting mechanism that gives access to the space inside the bed. Spacious drawers make it possible to save space for storing bed linen and other things.

Curly beds for babies

Original models of beds in the form of very different structures, vehicles and other things allow the child to be in his own “world” on vacation. Young children love to make things up, and an original bed will only help develop their creative thinking.

The frame of figured beds is made of metal, wood or chipboard. The external decorative part is often made of colored plastic, instead of which solid wood with carved patterns and elements is often used.

Among the variety of models, you can choose a children's bed for a girl in the form of:

• carriages;
• cars;
• house;
• castle and more.

Models in the following shapes are suitable for boys:

• racing car;
• ship;
• airplane;
• helicopter;
• trains and more.

Rollaway bed for growing child

Thanks to the retractable system with which the base is equipped, the growing bed can be made longer as the child grows. A promising option makes it possible to save not only space in the nursery, but also working capital in the future. Models that extend are of 2 types, which are selected for the specific age of children.

In the next article we will talk about the topic - an IKEA bunk bed with a work area for a teenager. Let's try to describe this topic in more detail.

• From birth, 10 years: the initial size of the sleeping area is 120x60 cm, and after complete transformation - 160x70 cm.
• From 3 to fifteen years: only the end side extends, which from the very beginning has a length of 0.8-0.9 m, and after unfolding the length of the bed becomes twice as long.

Models are equipped with built-in drawers and chests of drawers. The retractable mechanism can be easily changed and fixed to the desired length.

Pull-out bed in two tiers matryoshka for several children

The matryoshka bed does not differ in appearance from the single model. However, its lower part, which visually looks like a built-in chest of drawers, slides out, which creates an additional place for sleeping. Many models are even designed for three children.

Similar furniture allows you to save space for installing two or three traditional beds. The roller retractable mechanism makes it easy to remove the extra sleeping area, so even a child can handle the task. You just need to pull the handle of the lower tier and the additional bed is ready for use.

Bed for a child podium - types

The podium is also designed to save room space. It can be done in 2 versions.

• On the podium. The sleeping area is equipped on a fixed, non-movable elevation, and the space under it is used as an additional linen box and other things.
• Under the podium. The sleeping area for the day is tucked away under a constructed platform, which acts as an elevated extension of the room. At night, the bed can be easily pulled back using a roller device. The advantage of this design is the ability to place other furniture items on the podium, which makes it possible to save space in the room.

Bunk bed for babies

When thinking about which bed to choose for your child, be sure to look at the bunk bed. The design of such products is ergonomic and productive. A place to sleep is placed in the room at a height of 1.2-1.5 m, to which a ladder is attached. The bed is equipped with additional sides for the safety of the child. The remaining space under the bed can be used to the greatest benefit by arranging there:

• work or play area;
• sports corner;
• wardrobe.

The main thing when selecting such furniture is to pay great attention to the quality of materials and the design of the frame itself, because the safety of the child may depend on this.

Transformable wardrobe beds

The universal design of the wardrobe bed makes it possible to maximize the space in the room. A retractable or folding sleeping place can be easily accessed using a specialized spring mechanism and can also be easily folded back.

If you are concerned about the topic of a bunk bed with a sofa below for parents, purchase it. Follow the link.

Currently, the assortment includes transformable wardrobes, which, in addition to the bed, are equipped with work tables, built-in sofas and even an additional additional sleeping area. This is a great opportunity to save space, leaving your child more free space for games and entertaining activities.

The choice and arrangement of your sleeping place must be approached carefully. Think through everything down to the smallest detail. It is important that the air in the room is clean and fresh, and that the mattress is suitable for you. Every single detail of the bed matters, in particular its base. If it is unreliable, then even the most expensive mattress will not save your restful sleep. Today, the Anatomy of Sleep review is dedicated to the types of bed bases, their features, advantages and disadvantages.

What is a bed base?

The bed base is an inconspicuous and very important part of the entire structure, because it is responsible for whether you will be comfortable while sleeping. Also, few people know that the service life of the mattress depends on the base. A poor-quality base eliminates all the beneficial properties of the mattress.

The bases are made of wood, metal and plastic. Essentially, it is a lattice with transverse and/or longitudinal bars or a solid sheet of plywood on which the mattress is placed.

There are also products without this component. But what does a bed without a base mean? A bed without a base is a wooden or metal frame with a backrest, to which you can order any base you like and that suits you. Nowadays such furniture is popular because it allows you to choose an individual base depending on many personal aspects: weight, age, health or, for example, the characteristics of your mattress.

What types of bed bases are there?

• orthopedic base - in the form of a frame made of slats, the so-called lamellas;
• solid or continuous bases - monolithic or glued block from boards/sheets of plywood.

Orthopedic bases consist of individual lamellas of different widths. The slats can be attached singly, in twos or all in a row on a special textile furniture tape. But more on this a little later.

A solid or solid base is usually made from sheets of plywood or boards. Any type of mattress can be used with a solid base, but it must be remembered that due to the rigidity of the structure, the orthopedic properties of the mattress may be reduced. A smooth and rigid solid base is useful for the prevention of certain spinal diseases.

Now let’s try to figure out which bed base is better. After all, everyone who chooses a bed must answer this question for themselves - the quality of the base largely determines the comfort of sleep and the service life of the bed. If a sheet of plywood breaks due to heavy load, the entire base will have to be replaced. But if one or two lamellas break, they can be easily replaced individually.

But there are other factors that affect the quality of sleep and rest: body weight, mattress weight, its hardness, breathability and much more.

What is an orthopedic bed base and which base is better?

An orthopedic bed base consists of a frame and the slats themselves. Frames are made from metal and wood. As a rule, slats are made from walnut, beech and birch. Beech slats are the most expensive, birch slats, on the contrary, are the most budget models. Moreover, all slats made of beech, pine or birch provide an equally good spring effect.

Some orthopedic bases have legs, which are additional supports for greater reliability. The legs of the base can be either removable or built into the structure.

The lamellas of the orthopedic base come in different widths and are located at different distances from each other. Thanks to this, orthopedic bases allow air to pass through better than solid structures. If the air exchange is good, then the sleeper’s skin and favorite mattress will “breathe.” Do not forget that the greater the distance between the slats, and the narrower they are, the greater the load on the mattress and, accordingly, the faster it wears out. Typically, the lamellas are spaced from each other at a distance of 3 to 6 cm. If this figure is greater, it is not recommended to consider such a structure as a full-fledged base. Most often, for a standard bed with a length of 190 cm, manufacturers make a base with 15 slats or more.

The rigidity of the sleeping area depends on the distance between the slats. The proportion is the opposite: the smaller the distance between the lamellas, the higher the rigidity. Take this into account when choosing a slatted base for your bed. A more rigid base can enhance the orthopedic properties of the mattress, provide additional support for the spine, and if the lamellas are sparse, then the springs can “fail” and the useful properties of the product can be lost.

The advantage of the slatted base is its ease of repair. As mentioned earlier, if one part fails (usually one lamella is designed for 12 kg of load), it can be easily replaced.

Who is suitable for lamellas, and for whom a solid base?

The choice of orthopedic base depends on the individual characteristics of the sleeper.

• For overweight people, a rigid orthopedic base with wide slats and a small distance between them (up to 6 cm) is suitable.
• People with spinal diseases should pay attention to Multilamel. It makes it possible to adjust the rigidity of the bed under different zones: cervical, lumbar, pelvic, etc. The distance between the slats in it is 4 cm or less. Such bases are also recommended for couples with a large weight difference. It will also significantly extend the life of the mattress.
• Solid bases are heavier, but no less reliable. People with a lot of weight should take a closer look at them. It is also recommended to choose solid bases when using heavy mattresses or springless models with a high layer of natural latex or memory foam that follows the contours of the human body. A solid base will enhance the “memory” and “immersion” effect.

What to consider when choosing a bed base

So, when choosing a base for a bed, decide on the following aspects:

• Who will sleep on the bed? Consider the weight, age, and health status of the sleeper. The choice of base will depend on this.
• Pay attention to what kind of mattress will be placed on the bed: spring or springless, light or heavy, do not forget about the type of filler. If the mattress is spring, a maximum distance of 6 cm is allowed between the slats of the orthopedic base. A solid base is suitable for heavy mattresses, and for orthopedic models of low mass it is better to choose slatted bases with the same properties. Such bases, like mattresses, follow the relief of the body and provide additional support to the spine.
• The main parameter when choosing a base for a bed is the load on the bed. Calculate it by adding the mass of both sleepers and the mattress and dividing by two. When choosing a base for a bed, experts recommend choosing models with a reserve: load per bed plus 10-20 kg.