apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I bought a ikea hogbo mattress two years ago, along with slats from ikea but I use it with a regular metal frame. after one year of use I added a sheet of 1/2 inch plywood to increase the strength. even though it was cheaper than buying a box spring I wish that I had. The support really is not enough underneath especially with two people sleeping on it, I tend to roll towards the center as does my significant other.

I definitely have a box spring because my mattress would fall through my frame without it. But before, when my "bed" was built-in, I didn't. I can't really tell the difference in comfort, even when I was sleeping with my mattress on the floor for a bit!

I have to have a box spring, but that's because I just can't sleep that close to the floor. I love the look of platform beds, but comfort wise it's just not for me.

I have never used a box spring in my adult life (10 years). I have not had a use for one and my mattress has worked very well without one. I think the key is to make sure you spend good money on a well constructed mattress (lots of springs). I use an Ikea bed frame with wooden slats and have not had any problems.

I used to have a box spring when I didn't have a bed. Now I have a platform bed and no box spring. The reasons are:
1. I'm from Brazil, and we don't use box springs there (so I'm not used to it)
2. too expensive
3. too much of a hassle to cover it up, esp with a platform bed
4. I don't feel it makes sleep more or less comfortable

I have to have a box spring. I think it provides better support, plus sleeping too close to the floor creeps me out a bit.

What on earth is a box spring?

Box springs are WAY overrated. The only reason to have them is because "it's always been done that way" -- meaning, either the bed frame construction requires it to support the mattress, or someone just prefers the "traditional" look of a box mattress.

In many cases a box spring is actually a hinderance to the performance of the mattress.

I WISH i had a box spring. when we moved into our narrow house, there was no way to get it up the stairs. none. so having had a bed with one and switching to not having one, i noticed the difference. I could get a split and I could fit that one up the steps.

I grew up never using a box spring and still don't use one. I never noticed much of a difference when I have slept in beds that had one. Although all the beds I've had were made, not store bought so they have more then enough support.

No box spring. I think it's all a huge scam by the mattress company to get you to pay more. Also, my bed doesn't need/should not have a box spring.

We have been sans a box spring for the past four years. We discovered (after 6 months with our mattress on the floor) that our bed was million times firmer without the box spring. So when we finally found the perfect bed we picked up slats from Ikea and tossed the box spring. Now my husband I don't roll into the middle (unless, of course, we want to ;) )

Never had a box spring (actually never saw one until moving to the US). The slats in European beds are usually slightly bent (ply-)wood (unlike the flat Ikea slats) and provide easily enough support and some flexibility.

We have a box spring. I looked a few platform beds and we just didn't like being so low. Our mattress sits on the box spring which is on the ground. It's a thick mattress, so the set-up still standard height, and I no longer have the paranoid fear that the frame might break with the cat under the bed.

Also, we spent a fair bit of money on our mattress (esp. relative to our usual budget), so the true main consideration is that it would void the warranty if we didn't use the box. I'm not about to risk that on the most expensive item in our home.

i've had the ikea malm bed (sans box spring) for about 5 years now...i'm so over it (as in platform style beds) and being low to the ground. for me it's not a matter of comfort as i really don't see a difference - i'm just really over being so close to the ground and find myself missing the act of 'climbing' into bed.

i'm moving soon and the first thing on my list is a box spring.

i also totally heart that headboard in the picture above.

my box spring came with my mattress (or rather, it was incorporatied into the price). I use it (with that little metal bracket) because I can't afford a 'real' bed. that said, I much prefer higher beds.

(re the ikea slats: has no one else had a bad experience with these?)

I have a box spring but wonder why. If a mattress is not so good, how can a box spring improve it? If it's a good mattress, why not have it on a solid surface?

What am I missing?

funny, i was going to ask AT a similar question. I've always used a mattress/box spring combo. Recently i purchased a platform bed and ditched the box spring. while i like the 'look', my W bed is not nearly as soft or comfortable as when I had the box spring. I plan on giving the bed another month or two to see how I feel about it then. I may also purchase an additional pillowtop or something for added softness. But in the end, i may go back to the box spring simply because of how much more cushiony it made my bed.

Cheers,
M

Having used a mattress with and without, and of varying quality arrangements, we've been most pleased using Simmons Beautyrest (mid-grade) with the matching boxspring. We bought our first one three years ago, and it's still as good as the day we bought it. So we just bought the same bed in a queen size. It's really the best sleep ever. And actually quite high with the bedframe. I really don't understand the "low bed" trend. What a pain in the ass to get in and out of.

I've noticed that a lot of modern design is low to the floor, be it beds, sofas, chairs, etc. I don't get it, and I really don't like it. Maybe it's the wannabe Goldilocks in me, but I want to climb into everything. So, I've always had a bed frame ... And a high bed frame. I'm also 5'9, so I like that I can sit on my bed and my feet dangle. Plus I just think it's SO MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE!

I grew up with a box spring, but havent bought one in my adult life. I discovered slats when I lived in Germany and I don't find any difference in comfort. Having said that I do like a firm mattress. The bonus of slats is that when you move... you don't have to fit a monster box spring through little doorways

always used a box spring until last year when we bought a case study bed. got rid of the box spring and it's been great--even more comfortable than before. i think it also depends on the solidity of the slats or foundation. once spent a summer (2 months) using a mattress sans box spring supported by not very sturdy slats. it was so uncomfortable that we ended up pulling the mattress onto the floor. but both of us love our case study platform bed & don't mind at all the low height. we also have no difficulty at all getting in or out of bed.

I've always slept with a mattress and boxspring and am used to the feeling of "floating on a cloud." Comfort over looks is how I see it, but I could stand to add a headboard and bedskirt to make my queen look more presentable. Just need $$$ as usual.

Since I went off to university 40 years ago, I've never slept on a mattress with a boxspring except in hotels and while visiting relatives. My wife and I both prefer a mattress over slats to boxsprings. For 30 years we slept on a series of high quality foam mattresses over a solid wood platform bed. We switched to a Ikea Malm with slats several years ago and are quite happy. It probably depends a lot on what you're used to.

The discussion of preferring mattresses that are high off the ground reminds me of the opposite extreme - the old fashioned water bed we slept on (in) for a few years in the '70s. It was set directly on the floor and the total height off the ground was 10 to 12 inches before you climbed in and sank into it.

we just upgraded to a king and had the big debate whether or not to get a boxspring. we decided to spend the $250 art van was charging for 4 pieces of wood and some stringy fabric on a new bed frame from ikea and get the extra slates ($40) for the "missing" support of a boxspring.

it's only been a few weeks but we are pretty happy with it so far!

i'm thinking that my issue will be a bit different but i had teh robin series from ikea bed but i had a double sided pillow mattress and it was only a twin but i think that if you have a bed thats not THAT high off the floor then i think it should be fine and if its a good mattress thats what really really realllllyyyy matters
and good heafty slats with maybe a piece of plywood on top of them for a little bit of extra strength

Always look into your mattress warranties when thinking about not getting a matching boxspring... most of the major mattress manufacturers void their warranty when not using the full set.

We bought both our sterns and fosters queens sized with boxsprings, but have since ditched both the boxsprings. As it turns out, we have 2 of the same Ikea platform bed with the slats and have no problems without the boxsprings. I think a good quality mattress is the key. We'll never buy anything but a sterns and foster. We have one pillow top and one without and they're both the best beds ever.

I really don't like box springs -- they seem wasteful and remind me of old people. It's like a silly cultural tradition people just keep doing because that's what we do.

Funny you should say you had a bad experience with not having one. The last time I had one, the top somehow wasn't level so I was always rolling to one side of the bed. Very unnerving. I now have a platform bed with a good new mattress and no box spring, and I love it, though I like a very firm mattress. It seems with the extra thick new mattresses (the kind you can't flip) that you shouldn't need a box spring -- I think they're just milking consumers for money.

I also don't get why people like sleeping high off the ground. I hate high beds and I certainly wouldn't want to sleep in a bed I feel like I have to "climb" into. I prefer to be able to sit with my feet on the floor (chair height) on the edge of my bed, which is the height I get with my platform and extra thick mattress.

For those who have space concerns - when we got our queen sized mattress, we got the optional split boxspring. Two moves through tiny and winding staircases and hallways, and boy was that a great decision. We would have never gotten a regular boxspring through the doors.

For our first year of marriage my husband and I made do with a mattress on the floor. I have to say I prefer a tall boxspring and a tall mattress, because that's the easiest way for your average bed to be just the right size for... certain things! Can't do the same with a lower bed.

i have a box spring and a platform. I got one of those olympic queens that fits on a standard queen box (so that you can put the mattress on a queen bed and have the box still fit). But the mattress doesn't sit on the box. It sits on a platform that fits over the boxspring so that the mattress sides don't flap/sag.

I love the extra 6". It sounds trivial, but I gotta tell you it really makes a big difference. I was totally surprised that a few square feet could make that much difference in room to sprawl.

Box springs keep the dog off the bed, provide the cat with a hiding space for when nieces come over to cuddle him, and allow me to pretend I'm not a groany old man first thing in the morning.

Also, a box spring allows me to flop onto the bed. I couldn't do that with my first futon and I couldn't do it with a platform bed.

I have a box spring... since I don't have a bed frame, it seems better than just sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Sleeping on a mattress on a box spring on the floor sounds more like a real bed. :)

I had high platform bed 2 years ago (in an old apartment) and used a box spring with it. I literally had to climb into bed, but I loved it.
And then I moved and couldn't take the bed with me. It was a big change (probably about 10"), but I liked it. And that's where I am now.
My next change is to find a nice, cheap ($100 or less) platform frame and switch to the slats instead of a box spring.

For my platform bed, the box spring would have made the bed too high (since it's a pretty thick memory foam pillowtop mattress). I can't remember why I didn't buy just the mattress but either they wouldn't sell it without a box spring or wouldn't have taken money off or something. I ended up giving the box spring to a friend.

The guest room has a mattress and box spring because it's a Heywood Wakefield double bed and having just the mattress would make it too low.

I sleep equally well with or without a box spring -- I think it all depends on what works with the bed you use and whether you buy a quality mattress.

I was wondering if anyone has tried to get the height of a box spring with the firmness of just having a mattress on the floor? We have a traditional bed frame w/ box spring but much preferred how firm the mattress was when we just moved in had it placed directly on the floor. I have been thinking about how to make a wooden "box spring" that could sit inside our bed frame and give the mattress height while still being very firm. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions about how to do this, or if you can buy such a thing already made, I would really appreciate it.

Thanks!
FF

To emarie:
The reason you guys keep rolling together is because the Hogbo mattress is a bonnell spring web...so all the springs dip when there's weight on the bed. Thus you end up in the center every time. A boxspring won't really fix this. Try for a pocket coil spring next time and you and the S.O. won't end up stuck in the dip!

Mattress over slats, which is standard where I come from. I actually had to look up what exactly a boxspring is.

Anna Wong, what on Earth are you talking about? I live in Brazil and people here go gaga over box springs. Actually it's difficult to find good beds nowadays because most people buy box springs.

In Europe no one has box springs. I've never seen one here. Instead, we have these "skeletons' (i really don't know the real word) that go underneath the mattress and cover the bed frame. You are able to adjust the hard vs. softness of the bed frame. I've never used a box spring and I sleep beautifully!

I've never used a boxspring. My Mum has one, and it's hidious - and there's no difference in comfort between her bed and mine (which just uses a mattress on a loft bed - I CAN'T use a boxspring!). So long as you have a decent mattress and decent bed, who needs one? (I have a gorgeous, comfortable-as-hell mattress with that sort of cloud topping - it's the best mattress I've ever slept on.)

I have an IKEA Mandal I bought soon after I moved out 2 years ago. It has slats with only a few inches between each. I personally love the look of it being closer to the floor without my existing boxspring that was under my queen pillowtop mattress. So I never put it on the new bed. My mother and grandmother argued with me like I was crazy and that I needed one. I couldn't grasp how a wooden frame would act any differently than the bed frame?? Anyone have any answers.

Oh, and to the post of someone who couldn't fit their boxspring into their house. I would have had the same problem but the Queen boxspring was in two pieces (2 twins I think).

I have always used a boxspring - it's a mix of I have always used one (and I tend to buy it as part of the set when I buy a mattress). The bed seems too firm with just a mattress and has so little support. I don't think I could sleep that close to the floor.

Splurged on an awesome mattress and have it on a platform type bed with slats. Comfortable as all get out.

I went from boxspring to patform bed by custom ordering a platform bed frame at a height which would keep the bed as a normal height without the boxspring. I got unfinished oak frame and finished it to match my pre-existing old mission headboard. When I moved, tossed the very old mattress (cos it was really old and while the platform gave it more firmness - I didn't want to fool with moving it) and got a new one.
I'd never go back. Although this time I did modify the headboard to tie better into the platform frame this time.

Another slat person here. I feel its more hygenic to have the air circulate through the mattress. Of course the added bonuses are easy storage underneath and no hideous valance needed.

I've gone back and forth throughout my life. When I was a kid with a daybed, the daybed had its own built-in springs, so there was no need. Then I had a full bed with box spring, then two mattresses on the floor, then another full bed with box spring, then I got a new mattress for that bed which is about 16 inches high on top of a box spring. That was way too much, so I ditched the box spring and have been fine with it. Looking forward, I will likely buy a bed with slats and a thick mattress rather than a mattress on top of a box spring.

Most box springs are just upholstered boxes, no springs. The springs are in your mattress. The only thing it does is raise the mattress. If you have a decent mattress you can't "feel" the difference.

where did that fabulous tree wallpaper come from? (the wallpaper located behind the headboard)

Slats baby, it's all about the slats.

Totally unrelated...

Where are those cushions from?

I grew up on a platform bed, so I never even knew what a box spring was until college. Had one then... hated it. Made my bed way too tall. Went back to a platform setup when I got married and have no complaints. :)

~Q

i have the ikea MALM bed frame without a box spring. the slats provide plenty of support. also, there are 2 positions for mattress height when assembling the bed. I chose the higher one and the bed is a perfect height for me at 5'6''. i have a great mattress with a lovely pillow top. that helps with the height too.

i never understood the point of a boxspring. I think its just to charge more money. I had a hard time trying to find out the price of mattresses without the boxspring, so i think they are basically a rip off. On the flip side my cat used to love to sleep inside my boxspring (she tore a hole) so i guess she liked it!

laura michelle--the wallpaper is Cole and Sons, apparenty a favorite of AT (and I love it too). See www.cole-and-son.com/collection_detail.asp?collectionid=13

I bought an absurdly expensive mattress in order to get one that contained no synthetics. The warranty for it is voided if you don't use it with the manufacturer's "box spring" ("foundation" to a mattress seller). Something to keep in mind if you are getting a good mattress.

Can anyone direct me to a place where I could find a chair remotely close to the chair in the picture? I am in LOVE with it! So in love that I registered an account just so I could post this comment. Any suggestions?

i bet that 1/2 the people here who are advocating for boxsprings are sleeping on "boxsprings" made of a wooden frame with wooden slats, covered with hideous quilted fabric.

go ahead, rip off the material and check out what's underneath. it looks a lot like slats.

those of you sleeping on real springs, more power to you.

I think box springs make the mattress more comfortable, but I don't have one now and I would never own one again.

They're expensive, they're ugly, and they're not sustainable.

I think box springs are just another pointless consumerism-driven market.

Forestdweller - I have seen those warranties here too. I just prefer a box spring.

I realize it's more or less just a box and the springs are in the mattress - but I'm used to sleeping that high up and having it there. I don't get why not have it - you void a lot of warranties when you get a nice expensive mattress and then don't use the boxspring.

in the UK its called a pocket spring and yes they do provide the best comfort, you can always opt for a memory foam and box spring combo which would give you the optional firmness of a pocket sprung mat with the comfort of foam... just be careful cuz foam mattresses (not latex) get hot quick which is nice in winter and hellish in summer.