Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with beds

Should we keep the waterbed?

angiep — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:58:29 -0800

Have you ever switched from a waterbed to a more conventional mattress? What kind of mattress (innerspring, foam, etc.) did you switch to and are you happy about it? Conversely, would you never switch? Mr. A and I have been sleeping on a hard-sided waterbed for about 30 years. We've replaced the mattress a couple of times and have to do so again as the current one has a pinhole leak. We'll patch it for now, but will replace it in the near future.

But we've been thinking about switching to a conventional mattress. We want to change our bedroom furniture and waterbed headboards, etc. haven't changed much from the cheesier part of the 1970s style which didn't appeal to me then, let alone now. On the other hand, we've never slept well on a conventional mattress when travelling.

Have you made the switch? What was your experience?

If we keep with a waterbed, we were thinking of the top end mattress which supposedly has a lumbar support. Have you tried a waterbed mattress with one? (The shops around here don't have any set up for display because about 2 people a year buy one.)

Can I put a mattress directly onto the floor without issue?

You Should See the Other Guy — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:16:59 -0800

Any issues with putting a mattress directly onto the floor? I have a mattress I love but am moving into a loft space with very little headroom in the loft. Getting rid of the bed part of the bed would help out greatly but a few friends have told me this is a bad idea--two specifically claiming it'll cause mold. Thoughts? Recommendations? Solutions (links to really low beds)? Thanks!

Looking for a bed like this one...

You Should See the Other Guy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 18:46:40 -0800

I love this bed. How do I find one like it? What kind of words should I be using in my search? Thanks!

Is it safe for my baby to sleep in a dog crate?

otherwordlyglow — Sat, 23 May 2009 09:34:22 -0800

Is a large port-a-crate a good idea for a portable bed for our 11-month old human baby? My husband believes that he has come up with a brilliant idea for a place to have our daughter sleep when we go away for the weekend soon. We have a barely used large port-a-crate (36"L x 24"W x 27"H) that is meant for a large dog and he thinks it's a great idea for this purpose. It's this model. I'm not all that into the idea, mostly because, well, the crate is designed for dogs not people but I can't come up with too many other reasons why this is a bad idea. It's soft-sided with a tubular metal frame that snaps together, not unlike a playpen. Perhaps I'm just over-reacting? We also have this Peapod Travel bed, which I think is totally fine and easier to transport but husband thinks it's not as sturdy and the baby can't stand up in it without knocking it over. We have the crate set up with a comfy blanket and some toys in our living room right now and she seems to like playing in it. I know that cribs and baby toys have some very specific regulations for safety that obviously a dog crate would not have to meet but I'm not sure what they are. What are the perils that I'm overlooking?

Help me pick a latex mattress!

threeturtles — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 16:02:19 -0800

Mattressfilter: What are your experiences with latex mattresses, particularly with IKEA latex mattresses? For someone with back problems, details inside. Looked at the past threads on the topic, but would like some up-to-date opinions.

My husband and I went mattress shopping today at a local store. We were looking at Sealy's and decided we definitely preferred the Springfree latex mattresses to the ones with springs. We nearly bought a model called Tranquil Sea today for $1300. We decided to do some comparison shopping first and I'm glad I did because through some googling I've discovered that model only has a 1 inch core of Latex and is mostly poly foam. Which is apparently bad. If I'm going to shell out that kind of money for a mattress, I want to know it's worth it and that it will last. FYI, I've done my share of laying on memory foam beds and don't like the constant sinking feeling.

It looks like the next step up for Sealy latex mattresses (with 8 inches of latex) go for around $2000. I'm looking at the Ikea mattresses that contain 7 inches of latex for $700-800. We're planning on going to Ikea in Houston next weekend to try them out. What have people's experiences with any of these mattresses or similar been?

I have some pretty serious back problems, with three degenerating discs in my lower back and very severe pain at times. I'm usually a side sleeper unless my back just won't allow it. I liked the mattress I tried today because I felt like it allowed me to lay on my side without pressing back up on my hips, which is where I get a lot of pain. Thoughts?

And in that sleep of death what dreams may come

NekulturnY — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:09:42 -0800

Help me choose a bed. Currently my SO and I sleep in a bed with a wooded-slatted frame with a latex mattress on it. Some vendors warned us, back in the day, that latex is bad for perspiration during sleep (it's basically rubber, so it doesn't breathe). Turns out they were right. On top of this, I suspect that, due to the sometimes high humidity in the bedroom, the wooden frame of the bed is mildewed. I occasionally smell it at night and I don't like it much.

So I want to buy a bed that
a) will not develop mildew in a relatively high humidity bedroom (can't do anything about this - caused by the house and the climate)
b) will not cause the sometimes considerable perspiration that latex beds do.

Should we look for a boxspring? A wooded-slatted bed with a so called pocket spring mattress? Should we shell out 12k for a Hastens bed with horse hair? Tell me your bedtime stories, AskMefi.

Let sleeping cats lie?

theCroft — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:23:06 -0800

Banishing cats from the bedroom. My S.O. moves in with me this weekend along with her two big white cats. They are used to sleeping on (an in) her bed every night however I'm not willing to share mine so they're going to have to get used to sleeping elsewhere.

(Reasons: they shed a lot of hair, they sleep on your head, they wake up at 5am and make a ruckus till they get fed, they look disdainfully at my sexual technique etc)

We'll buy them a couple of nice cat beds for them to use in another room but how much resistance will I face from The Miaows and what can I do to encourage them to adopt this new nightime regime without too much fuss?

Do partners still sleep in the same bed and why?

zaebiz — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:14:08 -0800

Sleeping together.... no I mean SLEEPING together ... is it still common among partners living together? I always found I got much better sleep alone in my own bed but when partners sleep in separate beds, others seem to think something is wrong with the relationship. What's the common practice/s around the world?

Source for cheap platform beds online?

scrim — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 17:20:09 -0800

Short version: is there a secret source online (so not IKEA) for attractive, cheap platform beds? I can't drive to pick one up (unless the source is less than 50 miles from Champaign, IL), so online is the only option. Long version:

So. I just moved out to Champaign, IL, leaving behind my lovely and sturdy IKEA MALM bed. I also left behind my ability to drive long distances, so I can't just drive to an IKEA in Chicago to replace it. And IKEA charges a mint to ship, so I can't order from them online.

For some reason no one in the midwest sells platform beds. Dear midwest: boxsprings suck! I need a firm bed. I would like to order one online, but obviously they are expensive to ship. To make matters worse, I only have space for a full bed (and already own that size mattress), and most places seem to have stopped making them (???). My budget is no more (and preferably a lot less) than $500 (poor graduate student), so I would order something like this from Room and Board, but they also charge a mint!

What's a guy to do? Is there a secret place to buy beds that I don't know about, or do I just need to suck it up and add to my debt?

To sleep, perchance to dream...

B-squared — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 15:16:38 -0800

How do you shop for a new bed and pillows when they don't let you sleep at the store? My SO and I are in the market for a new mattress. But how do you know whether or not you'll like the extra-firm or the pillow-top or whatever that you "tried out" at the store when you get it home and need to rest? Even if there's a 30 day money back guarantee, we would prefer to live without the hassle. What's the best practice here? Is there anything better than trial and error?

How to comfortably combine two twin beds?

ManicExpressive — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 09:28:41 -0800

How can I connect two twin beds so that they become a comfortable king-size bed? I'm looking for something that pads the somewhat stiff area at the inner edge of each mattress and either fills the gap or includes a strap to hold the two mattresses tightly together.

Two examples of what I'm looking for are the Create-a-King and the SNS International Mattress Mate. Reviews on Amazon of the Create-a-King say the device is cheaply constructed and that the center padding is inadequate, and I can't find any source in the US for the Mattress Mate.

Thanks for your help in giving us a good night's sleep!

Allergies and down filling

AMP583 — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 14:13:13 -0800

Any recommendations on allergy proofing a down comforter? I have a down comforter that i really love and enjoy but my girlfriend is completely allergic to it. She's allergic to down - im not sure if theres a broader explanation like if shes allergic to dander or whatever. I can replace the comforter and pillows but that would be expensive.
I found some allergen duvet covers on amazon but im not sure if they would work. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas?

Good folding/rollaway bed?

languagehat — Mon, 07 Nov 2005 07:57:21 -0800

We'd like my wife's 89-year-old mother to be able to stay with us once in a while, which involves making her as comfortable as possible. Our double-bed futon is very comfortable, but it's in the living room and won't fit in the downstairs study/office, so she has no privacy when she sleeps there. We're thinking of getting a single bed to put in the study, but we don't really want to rearrange everything and have a bed taking up half the room in there for a few visits a year, so ideally it would be something we can put away when not in use. But it has to be comfortable (good mattress) and well built and not excessively expensive. Suggestions?

Do British people use sheets?

Mayor Curley — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 14:07:08 -0800

Brits: Do you use sheets and blankets? Or does everyone use a duvet and cover now? Any ballpark guess on percentages of the population using each?

Building a rustic bed?

bondcliff — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 11:35:44 -0800

Building a bed out of logs: Attaching milled rails to the rustic headboard? My wife is a self-taught beginner rustic furniture builder, she builds stuff out of logs and sticks. She's currently building a bed and is at a stand-still.

She has the headboard and footboard built and now wants to build the frame for the mattress. She knows how she's going to build the frame. The problem is the rails will be standard milled lumber (1x6, I think) and she's not sure how to go about attaching them to the headboard and footboard.

She doesn't want to use any metal hardware with the exception of a bedbolt. That would ruin the aesthetics of the rustic work. In a normal bed built out of normal milled wood she could use normal joinery using the same measurements on all four posts, set the saw or router, and end up with everything square and perfect. The problem is, being rustic, the four posts are all slightly different so creating accurate mortises and tenons that would result in a square, level bed is not that straight forward.

The goal is to end up with a square bed but the rustic nature of the posts makes it impossible to use a jig or a simple saw setting for all four posts.

So, how can she make the same cut on four irregular posts or is there a better way to do this?

As for tools, she has a router, a buttload of hand tools, a band saw, and a hand held jigsaw.

I'm not a woodworker, she's not a mefi member. That's why I'm asking for her. I'll do my best to answer any questions. I'll also welcome emails from rustic woodworkers who might be able to help.

Pet bets

oflinkey — Sat, 27 Aug 2005 15:26:12 -0800

I want one of these. but the cost is prohibitive. Any ideas on anything as good or better?

Non-bunching mattress pad

Joleta — Sat, 02 Apr 2005 21:15:38 -0800

Looking for a mattress pad that doesn't move around and bunch up. I've spent a lot of money on them, and they all seem to want to migrate as soon as we crawl into bed. They look like they fit when I put them on and pull them tight, but as soon as we get in and roll over even once, there's all sorts of ridges and bumps. I'm talking about the kind of mattress pad that goes on like a fitted sheet. Would the flat kind of pad with straps be better? We like the softness of knit sheets, and I'm wondering whether there's a "Velcro effect" between the sheets and the pad. Would regular cotton sheets slide over the pad and not make it bunch up?

Attractive and affordable sofabeds?

o2b — Sun, 05 Dec 2004 17:07:33 -0800

Sleeper sofas: Can anyone recommend a sofa bed solution that A) looks good and B) doesn't totally break the bank?

Mattress/Boxspring Question

Eekacat — Fri, 29 Oct 2004 06:51:59 -0800

Why do we need boxsprings? I am designing a bed frame to build in the wood shop, and I was wondering why do we need boxsprings? My brother has 2 beds in his house without them, though I don't know if they are special mattresses, and futons don't use them. I'd like to build this without if that's possible.

Sleep Number Beds

ewagoner — Thu, 08 Jul 2004 07:42:15 -0800

Does anyone here have experience with "sleep number" type mattresses? [more inside] I'm specifically looking at the Cerulean king-sized mattress from Comfortaire, the company that originally developed the adjustable air mattress. [A fellow from Comfortaire left to found Select Comfort, who sells the seemingly inferior Select Number beds at twice the price.] They cost the same as a quality traditional spring mattress, have a 20 year warranty, and seem to have nothing but rave reviews. We've discussed mattresses many, many times here, but never air mattresses. What say you?

Kit to convert two twin beds into a king-size?

Vidiot — Sun, 02 May 2004 13:17:22 -0800

AskBedFilter: I'm looking for a kit to convert two twin beds into a king-size. I once saw a kit in a catalog that had a very long Velcro strap that went around both mattresses to force them together, and a strap with a fuzzy pad that went down the top of the bed to fill the crack between the two mattresses. This seems ideal, but I can't find it now, and my Google-fu is failing me. Any ideas?

Are Tempurpedic foam mattresses worth buying?

bluno — Sat, 01 May 2004 19:07:56 -0800

I need a new mattress. While shopping around, I tried one of those TemPurpedic, Swedish foam mattersses. They are about 4x more than I would ever expect to pay for a bed, but i am tempted. Anyone have any experience/advice/tips on these? Worth it or not? Any cheaper alternatives?

Choosing a mattress

SpecialK — Fri, 23 Apr 2004 00:52:00 -0800

Since I'm about to graduate and move on with life, I'm thinking of ditching my 15 year old twin mattress. What should I look for in a new queen-sized mattress, and how should I pick one? How do I know I'm not getting ripped off? I've been trying to look at ads in the newspaper and I've gone into a few stores, but everything seems to be designed to be confusing, and nothing seems to compare across manufacturers ... or even in the same manufacturer's line. Help! Subtext: College doesn't prepare you at all for the REAL challenges in life.

Subtext #2: Besides, it's really hard to get a girl to stay the night when you've got a bed the size of a postage stamp.

Tell me about memory-foam mattresses.

Peter H — Mon, 29 Mar 2004 09:07:01 -0800

Those memory-foam mattress things. Tempurpedic and the knock offs you can find in other shops. I've noticed some cost as low as $400, scroll down to the bottom (beware, it's an awful site) with the Tempurpedic running about $1800 for a fullsize. There are other knockoffs (one by Sealy i think) but I can't find a link. And what's with the latex beds? Consumers! REPORT! thanks. I have a friend whose life was changed by these things. I worry it's a fad, like the waterbed but I've heard good things. I have two questions. 1) go Tempurpedic or try something else? 2) for those with one, what is sex like on them?