Bed Frame Size

[Charlie Campney]

Greetings,

I have just finished a chest and dresser, pics here:

I will be starting a bed frame for a king size mattress & box spring (76" x 80") and I need to know how much clearance to leave between the side rails and the headboard and footboard for the box spring to fit. I don't want it to be too loose or too tight. Would an opening that is one inch bigger than the mattress work, or should it be more or less? SWMBO doesn't want it to slide around.

I did a google search and there are many different opinions. One guy just used a metal frame that set on the floor inside the frame he built and wasn't attatched to it. Maybe that's the way to go.

Maybe I should just go to a furniture store with my trusty tape measure. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks

[Edwin Pawlowski]

A couple of thouths. You can use a metal frame and attach the headboard and footboard to it. That, of course, is subject to your idea of the perfect style. If the opening is a tad bigger, that will not be a problem. I know this because our metal frame in larger than the bedding and it never moves around. We even used it for about a year with no headboard at all.

For king size, you do need some center support as the springs are two units and would sag otherwise.

My wife went to bed about 15 minutes ago ans since she is not feeling well, I'd better not take the tape measure and flashlight right now. It is definitely a couple of inches longer than the box springs though.

[Jerry Gilreath]

Charlie, I just got done with a queen size bed. My frame is about an inch on either side and bottom, and two inches from the head board. It all sits on a set of under bed drawers, a lot like the water bed frames. She can make up the bed and tuck the sheets in the sides and bottom with no problems.

[Robert Bonomi]

One inch is about right for total side-to-side clearance. i.e. 1/2" each side. Maybe somewhat more, depending on how far above the bottom of the springs the side-rails rise. You *definitely* want enough excess width that you can lift one side of the springs clear of the frame.

If the rails come up 10" above the bottom of the springs, the minimum clearance is about 11/16" on each side.

More clearance is needed at the foot end -- have to allow for the bedclothes wrapping around the foot of the mattress *AND* 'hand room' for tucking things in. An 'excess' of 3"-4" is *not* unreasonable -- think sheets, a blanket, a puffy down comforter, and a bedspread, for instance.