The bunk beds are a great alternative to the traditional beds. Some bunk beds come with bed slats, while others don’t include it. Many users believe that they need a box spring to hold the mattress on upper bunk and lower bunk of their bunk bed. It is true when your bunk bed does not have bed slats otherwise you don’t need it. In addition, you can also get some alternatives of box springs (like a bunkie board) to create a foundation on your bunk bed.
The box spring is a useful equipment for any bunk bed, loft bed and other beds. When you are searching for an alternative to a box spring does not mean that the box spring is not good. It is good but not everyone is comfortable with it and its height. Because the standard height of a box spring is 8 to 9-inch, it means a box spring can increase your bed height by 9-inch if add it to your bunk bed.
What Are the Best Alternatives to Box Springs for Bunk Beds?
Generally, a bunk bed contains two bunks to allow multiple people to sleep separately. Both the sleepers get privacy when sleeping on different bunks i.e. one sleeper on upper bunk and one sleeper on lower bunk. However, the bunk bed can hold the mattress firmly only when it has a strong foundation on both the upper and lower bunks.
You can build the mattress foundation for bunk bed with help of a box spring or its alternatives. Many families in United States are using box springs for their bunk beds, classic beds, platform beds, floor beds and other beds. In the early 90s, we did not have much options in furniture and other household accessories but the time has changed now. Therefore we have alternatives of everything so that we can choose the most suitable product for our family.
Use of A Box Spring
A box spring is a large wooden box in the size of a mattress (twin, full or other) and filled with metal grids or coils or springs. The box spring is also covered with fabric to give a soft feel on touch and keep the mattress safe. You can place the box spring right between the bed and mattress. So, the box spring holds the mattress firmly to let you and your kids sleep comfortably on the bed.
Best Alternatives to Box Springs
In order to create a mattress foundation on bed, the box spring is the first thing that comes in your mind. However, some people need a mattress foundation for their bed/bunk bed but they don’t want to increase the bed height much. Well, the box spring is around 8 to 9-inch thick, so it increases the bed height to such a high level. In such circumstances, you need to find some useful alternatives of box springs and try them out on your bed.
Here we provide some of the best alternatives to box springs to help you create a strong foundation on your bed.
1.Bed Slats Kit
2.Bunkie Board
3.Flat Plywood Sheet
4.Low Profile Box Spring
We have stated 4 best alternatives to box springs that we are going to explain in detail. Let us have a look on each box spring alternative one by one.
#1.Bed Slats Kit
Nowadays, many bunk beds come with bed slats that you can attach during the bunk bed assembly task. In case your bunk bed does not include the bed slats then you can buy the bed slats kit(s) separately. Basically, a bed slats kit or under mattress slats kit includes 6 to 22 wood slats that are placed horizontally on the top of bed frame. These bed slats are sturdy enough to create a solid foundation to hold the mattress firmly to provide a safe and peaceful sleeping experience.
At the time of assembly, you need to attach the bed slats on the bed with help of a wrench, screwdriver, hammer and some nuts & bolts. The wood slats are not too thick, so they don’t increase the bed height. So, the bed slats kit is a safe and durable alternative to box springs.
#2. Bunkie Board
In case you don’t want to add a box spring to your bed then you can go with a bunkie board. It is a flat sheet of wood or plywood or metal and covered with fabric for safe use. Some bunkie boards are made of particleboard but they are not much sturdy, so we don’t recommend it. If we compare it with a box spring, the thickness of a bunkie board is not as much as the box spring. In fact, the maximum thickness of the bunkie board can be 3-inch only.
A standard bunkie board is around 1.5 to 2-inch thick and is capable to create a string foundation for your bed mattress. Many people use a bunkie board for their bunk beds, loft beds, platform beds and others. You can buy the best bunkie board in twin size or full size to fit perfectly on your bed and hold the mattress properly.
#3.Flat Plywood Sheet
A flat sheet of plywood can be a good alternative to a box spring. A bunkie board is a readymade sheet covered under fabric, while here you need to do it yourself. First you need to find a high quality plywood sheet with your desired thickness. Then cut the sheet in the exact size of your bed frame or mattress. Thereafter, wrap the plywood sheet with a soft fabric cover and seal the end with glue. You can place the sheet on your bed when it is ready to use.
#4.Low Profile Box Spring
The box spring is one of the best mattress foundations for any regular bed or bunk bed. However, many people avoid to use a box spring because of its too much thickness/height. In order to fix the height issue and give the same performance, some brands make low profile box springs that are half thick compared to standard box springs.
A low profile box spring is only 5-inch thick, so it can increase your bed height by 5-inch and not more. It is a great alternative to the standard box spring and it also creates a strong foundation to hold and support the mattress of your bed.
Final Verdict:
When you want to place a mattress on a bed frame, make sure you have built a sturdy & stable foundation. We have suggested four best alternatives of box springs for bunk beds and other beds. Out of them, we have found the bunkie board as a perfect alternative of the box spring as it is sturdy, smooth, stable and come in ready-to-use condition. At the end, we recommend you to go with the alternative that suits you the most.
