Recommend a good, cheap, platform-style bed frame

July 7, 2012 11:19 AM

Help me find the right platform bed frame! I want something cheap and of reasonable quality, for a queen-sized mattress. This shouldn't be this hard, but BED SHOPPING IS OVERWHELMING! Please help.

I'm looking for recommendations for queen-sized bed frames. I want a platform rather than a metal frame+box spring set-up, because queen sized box springs won't fit up the stairs in my house.

But which platform frame to get? I've heard both good and bad reviews of models from Ikea and Target. Can you recommend (or recommend against) any specific platform frames?

Specifications:
- Queen-size
- Not too expensive; ideally under $200
- No headboard or footboard
- Needs to be fairly easy to assemble and dis-assemble. If a box spring won't fit up or down the stairs I'm assuming a fully-assembled platform bed frame won't either.
- Ideally off the ground and has a foot or more of storage space underneath.
- Style-wise, simpler is better.

Extra credit: if you happen to have an especially enthusiastic mattress recommendation, I'll take those as well (I prefer firmer mattresses). But mostly I'm trying to figure out the frame question first.

There are some old AskMe questions about this, but I'd like more recent recommendations. Thanks!

posted by aka burlap to Shopping (13 answers total)

The problem with Ikea/Target stuff is that it's very likely to be made of particle-board, and while it's one thing to move it up stairs and build it there, the chances of disassembly and reassembly going to smoothly are... well, a lot lower.

I own this West Elm bed in black; it's $250, but lots of actual wood, and I'm reasonably sure it'll come apart and back together pretty well (and I'll find out soon when I move in less than a month.)
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:25 AM on July 7, 2012

I have this, which is inexpensive and easy to put together. Had it for about four years; it's still perfectly solid.
posted by brina at 11:28 AM on July 7, 2012

I have the same one as brina. I bought it three years ago. It's super easy to put together and take apart - I've done it by myself several times.
posted by pemberkins at 11:33 AM on July 7, 2012

My son has this bed frame in a double. It comes in a couple of pieces and the legs are hinged and fold down, so no tools are needed to put it together. It's quite sturdy and rated for a surprising amount of weight (if you have or might have some heavier sleepers in your bed). It's got great reviews and I couldn't have been happier with it and am considering buying a second one for my bed. For what it's worth, the size we needed was on back order at the time we bought it, so we wound up ordering from another retailer (Wal-Mart). Exact same bed though.
posted by SweetTeaAndABiscuit at 11:54 AM on July 7, 2012

because queen sized box springs won't fit up the stairs in my house.

When you order your mattress ask about getting a split box spring, instead of a single box. You'll get two box springs at half the size, and frankly, I think they work better, too. They don't sag in the middle and are way easier to move.

I used to work at a furniture store - I delivered these things all the time.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 12:38 PM on July 7, 2012

A few years ago, I got my platform bed from overstock.com and it was under $200. Mine was a double though. I think that they have queens under $200 as well. Here's one for just under that. Mine wasn't this one, exactly, but it was close and I passed to my daughter when I moved out of the place I was staying. It's held up pretty well.
posted by patheral at 12:40 PM on July 7, 2012

Saw this on Ikeahackers: Storage bed made from Expedit bookcases and slats.
posted by Ochre,Hugh at 1:57 PM on July 7, 2012

Great answers, everyone! Thank you & keep 'em coming if you have more.
posted by aka burlap at 2:21 PM on July 7, 2012

I've heard good things about Room Doctor beds, made in State College, PA. They box these up so that it is pretty economical to ship the bed anywhere.
I've slept on a similar pine platform bed for the last 20 years - it has lasted through three mattresses and four house moves. It is still going strong. The great thing about platform beds is that you can adjust your level of comfort easily by changing the type of mattress. With a box spring, you are stuck with a bed that gets progressively more saggy.
posted by Susurration at 7:00 PM on July 7, 2012

Otis futon mattresses, available on amazon. (I like the moonshadow, but I think they have a firmer model). I recommend them on every mattress thread--we have two, and they are by far the best platform mattresses I have ever slept on.

As for beds, we had a series of futon frames and crappy particle board beds. Eventually we bought a higher quality bed from world market (on my phone so I can't search right now, but its their platform bed with drawers). Pricier, but much much much better in quality. Worth the investment.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:22 AM on July 8, 2012

Ah here it is: chase platform bed. Again, out of your pricerange but we went through 2 $200-dollarish frames in 2 years. We were moving a lot, and they did not survive the moves, were ugly, and less comfortable. The chase has already survived a move just fine. We called in a mother in law favor to afford ours. Worth it.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 8:29 AM on July 8, 2012

We have the same bed from Overstock linked to by patheral, but in a King. Bought it a year ago and it has been doing fine. We did add some extra slats from an old Ikea bed base for stability and strength. The bed is just fine and sturdy, can have sex on it without creaking, etc. We will be moving soon so we'll have to be careful about taking it apart so as to not strip the screw holes, but other than that I think it was the best choice for us. Yes, someday we will want a nicer bed made of real wood, but for now we chose to invest money in a couch and save on the bed frame.
posted by folara at 2:01 PM on July 8, 2012

Thanks everyone! I ended up getting the one brina and pemberkins recommended, and it's great. It was indeed easy to put together. Only downside is that the corner sticks out and is easy to bang a shin on. I'll probably try out one of the slightly pricier ones recommended here when it's time to buy my next platform.
posted by aka burlap at 12:26 PM on March 13, 2013