There’s no replacement for a good night’s rest. Advancements in technology have opened the door for a number of new types of mattresses including more comfortable traditional beds, memory foam beds, and hybrids, making quality sleep easier to come by.
Despite recent improvements, however, you still need to make sure you’re using a proper frame to get the most out of your mattress.
Different Types of Mattress Frames
Not all bed frames are made the same. It all comes down to what you find most comfortable. Some traditional bed frames only work with certain types of mattresses, while others can be used interchangeably. There are two main types of mattress frames.
Traditional Box Springs
Box springs have been used in conjunction with regular mattress frames since the end of the 19th century when they were invented. Some traditional box springs are exactly what they sound like: a box of springs.
Essentially, box springs are comprised of a wooden frame with a series of metal coils inside and topped with slip-resistant material to keep your mattress from sliding around.
They’re designed to evenly distribute the weight of a mattress, whether it’s an inner-spring mattress or something else to provide proper support. Despite the high demand for other types of mattresses, you can likely still find a set of box springs in a store near you.
Platform Bed
Platform beds feature a much simpler design than box springs. They’re sturdy and versatile, and are a great option to support almost any type of mattress.
Platform beds feature a frame made from either wood or metal, with wooden or metal beams placed across the surface. The level of support a platform provides increases with the number of beams present across the top, so the more beams, the more support, and vice versa.
Some platform beds come with feet, raising the bed slightly off the floor, while others have no feet. Generally, platform beds are lower to the ground than box spring beds.
Best Types of Mattresses for Box Springs
As we already mentioned, it all comes down to what you find most comfortable when it comes to your bed. But some frames work better than others.
Box springs were designed with inner-spring mattresses in mind. They were made to make them feel even softer by suspending the inner-spring mattress over a series of springs.
By doubling the layer of springs, you double its softness, but as it is with all things, they can wear out.
Durability is one of the biggest downsides to box springs. Unlike other bed frames, they can easily wear out, leaving your bed feeling uneven, noisy, and uncomfortable.
Since they were designed specifically for inner-spring mattresses, box springs don’t combine well with other mattress types that require more support like some of the mattresses on the market today.
Best Types of Mattresses for Platform Beds
Not everyone enjoys an ultra-soft mattress. If you experience lower back pain on a regular basis, you might even benefit from using a firm mattress, especially if you sleep on your back or stomach.
Platform beds have been around for centuries. Their simple design makes them easy to customize, opening the door for countless styles and sizes.
This versatility can also be applied to the different types of mattresses. Because a platform bed simply provides a solid base layer of support for the mattress, you’re able to use inner-spring mattresses as well as memory foam, hybrids, and other types in conjunction with it.
The best type of mattress for a platform bed ultimately comes down to what you find most comfortable.
Can You Put a Sleep Number Bed On a Platform Bed?
Sleep Number beds are a special type of bed in which you’re able to adjust the level of firmness to your specific liking.
This is achieved through electronics and air pressure, so you might wonder if a regular platform bed frame can be used to support a Sleep Number mattress.
Simply put, a Sleep Number bed requires a solid foundation with space for the air tubes. Since most platform beds come with space between the support beams or wooden slates and as long as you take carefule measurements, it’s likely that your existing bed frame will work perfectly to support a Sleep Number mattress.
If you are thinking about adding a bunkie board to your bed frame for extra support, you don't have to take this step. The durable wood slats on your existing bed frame is enough for you sleep number mattress.
Sleep is essential to living a healthy and happy life, so make sure that you get the best sleep by finding what’s most comfortable for you.
