Orthopedic bed base - a guarantee of sleep quality and mattress durability

Author: Belfan

Issues discussed in the material:

• What is a bed base?
• Which bed base is better to choose?
• Which base is best for a children's bed?
• How to choose a good bed base?

Such a familiar piece of furniture as a bed is a carefully thought-out structure consisting of several important elements: a frame, a base and a mattress. The base is most often attached to the bed frame, but can be supplied separately. All structural components play their role in providing reliable support for a sleeping person. Let's figure out which bed base is better and why.

Which bed base is better to choose: orthopedic (slatted) or chipboard (solid)

So, modern production produces two types of bases: flat solid and slatted.

• A flat solid base is a solid board made of chipboard, plywood, or, less commonly, sanded smooth boards. Its surfaces are treated with protective and decorative compounds and attached or simply placed on the bed frame. A solid sheet is heavier than a slatted base, and it is believed that it provides worse orthopedic properties of mattresses. But good high mattresses often still provide complete sleep comfort, so solid bases are still in demand.
• A solid bottom is inferior to a slatted one if it does not provide ventilation. But many manufacturers today drill a number of holes, which ensures ventilation. Therefore, when choosing, you need to pay attention to this. Also, the rack type is more suitable for those who are not too heavy. Finally, some types of mattresses actually reveal their properties more fully on slatted frames.

The main advantages of solid bases:

• ease of manufacture;
• versatility - you can put any type of mattress on it, spring or springless, but some types of products have reduced orthopedic qualities;
• For most people, due to existing spinal diseases, a flat and solid base that provides rigidity is more suitable.
• Slatted bases are a modern type of frame, which is most often offered in furniture showrooms. Thanks to the lamellas, the orthopedic properties of the mattress increase. The designs allow the products to be ventilated, thereby extending their service life.

It is recommended to turn the mattress over once a season to prevent subsidence from occurring in one place. One lamella can withstand a load of 12 kg, so if the operating rules are not followed, they can break. However, the good thing is that you can’t change all the fasteners and lamellas at once, but only those that have broken or lost their elasticity.

Bases without legs

Bed bases without legs

Typically used in combination with a lifting mechanism to provide easy access to the inside of the bed and placement of items without obstruction. This is a convenient feature for rooms with a small area and small-sized furniture. Under the bed you can store not only bedding, but also things that are not needed during this season of the year.

Particularly in demand are bases without legs with electric drives, which allow you to change the rigidity of the sleeping place and adapt it to different people. Changing the rigidity in the lumbar region makes it possible to properly support the body during sleep and relieve pain.

Bases without legs can be used as a classic liner, which is attached to special bars or a square metal profile along the inside of the bed frame.

Which base for a children's bed is better?

An important element of a children's bed is the orthopedic base - this is a special metal or wooden lattice with transverse slats. The mattress is placed on this structure, and together they are designed to provide a comfortable sleep for the child.

Today there is a large selection of bases on the market, which have different widths, shapes and materials of slats, as well as different distances between them. All these nuances affect what your baby’s sleep will be like: deep or restless and superficial. Children grow up while they sleep, which is why sound sleep is so important for their health.

Let’s take a closer look at which base is best for a child’s bed.

Advantages of an orthopedic lattice for a children's bed:

• The orthopedic base serves to comfortably support the human body during sleep - this is its main advantage. The mattress is placed on separate slats so that the baby does not feel too hard or, on the contrary, soft. It is necessary to choose the correct distance between the slats, then the child’s posture will not be threatened.
• The grill allows air to pass through, so the mattress is well ventilated, which prevents the accumulation of dust, fungi and mold.
• The frame for the base can be wooden, metal or plastic. Any of these materials is highly durable and will withstand the weight of both a heavy mattress and a child. Environmentally friendly materials are usually used for children's products.

When choosing a slatted base, you must remember that some mattresses, for example, springless ones made of natural latex, are better placed on a solid base rather than on a slatted one. In any case, the choice of bed base must be approached carefully.

What points should you consider before purchasing? Important criteria when choosing are the shape of the lamellas, their width and the distance between them. For example, the cells of a mattress with independent springs will fall between the sparse and thin slats, and the orthopedic qualities will be lost.

We were all kids and remember how great it was to jump on the bed. But what could previously be done on metal meshes can now lead to breakage of the slats and injuries.

• Placing the slats too close is also ineffective. Such a base resembles a solid one; it will not be able to meet its purpose and sag evenly under weight.
• Separately, it is necessary to say about the width of the lamellas, since this indicator is no less important. The mattress is placed on them, so the narrow surface cannot serve as reliable support.
• When purchasing, pay attention to the shape of the parts. The edges must be sanded and free from defects and nicks that could tear the mattress fabric. High-quality slats have rounded edges. The mattress must be turned over; proper care of it will increase its service life.

Experts agree that a well-chosen orthopedic brace plays an important role in shaping the child’s posture and ensuring sound and healthy sleep.

Why do you need an orthopedic base for a bed under a mattress?

The main quality of an orthopedic mattress is its ability to evenly distribute weight: to support heavier areas of the body and bend under less heavy ones, so that ultimately the sleeping person’s spine retains its natural curves. However, the product itself is not a mechanically strong base.

• Placing an orthopedic mattress on a spring block of a bed is a failed idea. Without support, the product will turn into a geometric plane that reacts to pressure along with the mesh, and one can forget about its orthopedic qualities.
• The plywood base looks better: a flat, hard surface can serve as sufficient support. But here another difficulty arises. A mattress, especially a spring one, needs ventilation; a solid base makes it much more difficult. If the mattress is low and barely rises above the sides of the bed, then it practically loses access to air.

Product materials, as a rule, are not prone to mold and retain their porous structure for a long time.

But the absence of air does not allow the structure to be fully restored and contributes to the accumulation of moisture and odor retention. As a result, the lifespan of an expensive orthopedic mattress is greatly reduced, only because it is placed on an unsuitable base.

To prevent such a sad development of events, an orthopedic base is usually purchased along with the mattress.

Photo of the Novita orthopedic base

Criteria for choosing a good bed base

As a result, we will define the main criteria that you must pay attention to when purchasing a base:

• Frame type: collapsible or solid.
• Bed size - check that the dimensions of the base and frame match.
• Equipped with additional options: lifting mechanism, transformation system, vibration massage equipment.
• Quality of the mattress (a base with flexible slats will enhance orthopedic properties).
• Raw materials and materials used in production. If you are faced with the question of which bed base is better: wooden or metal, first of all, find out the type of wood and the thickness of the metal.
• Price level - this indicator is directly dependent on all of the listed criteria.

If you are choosing an orthopedic base, then you will have to understand all the intricacies and compare different options for lamellas. Also, do not forget about choosing the right mattress. Since we use the bed for a long time, before purchasing it is necessary to study the various types and design features of the bases.

How does an orthopedic base work?

The base consists of a frame and lamellas that form a lattice. The frame is made of metal or wood and can be collapsible. The slats are attached to the frame using lath holders. More expensive ones are made of rubber, and they have additional shock-absorbing properties. However, plastic ones are more common due to their affordable price and optimal characteristics. The lamellas have a slightly curved shape (installed with the convex side up), which, together with the properties of bent-laminated birch, makes them elastic.

Standard orthopedic base with wide slats, made of metal.

There are other features that orthopedic bases have that provide benefits and comfort.

If you always want to be able to adjust the firmness of your sleeping area, no matter what mattress you are using, you should purchase a base with adjustable firmness.

Additional slats and cursors (controllers) are installed in the grille. By moving them along the lamellas, you can increase or decrease the rigidity. This way you can customize your sleeping area yourself to suit your individual wishes.

In order to comfortably read a book, watch your favorite series on TV, or work on the computer without getting out of bed, you should opt for a transformable orthopedic base.

This base is equipped with electric motors and a control panel, with which you can raise the footboard to relax after a hard day at work, or the headboard to conveniently watch TV or read a book before bed.

Base design features

To better understand how to choose an anatomical bed base, it is worth learning more about its structure and operating principle. Modern mattress bases include a frame frame, special bent-laminated slats, lath holders (slat holders), as well as accessories - plugs for legs, bases and bolts.

Frame

The most common option today remains a metal frame made from a profile. The one-piece frame is particularly reliable and ensures a long service life of the base. The only problem that may arise is the difficulty of carrying large models through narrow doorways. In this case, you can purchase a collapsible base, but it is worth considering that its rigidity will be slightly lower.

Another option is an all-wood frame. It is more affordable, weighs less, is easy to assemble and disassemble, but is only suitable for light-duty use.

Lamels

The slats or slats for the anatomical base are made from natural wood veneer and steamed using a special technology - this improves shock absorption. Depending on their width, narrow-lamella (with slats 3-5 cm) and wide-lamella (with slats more than 5 cm) frames are distinguished. The former are universal and suitable for various types of mattresses, while the latter are recommended for springless and especially hard models. The number of lamellas in a standard base is 14-15 pieces.

Lat holders

They are elements for attaching lamellas to the base frame. May be of the following types:

• rubber – provide a high level of shock absorption and resistance to stress;
• plastic overhead – affordable and quite resistant to stress;
• mortise plastic – for wide-lamella bases.

Also, some models use movable lath holders, thanks to which you can adjust the rigidity of the base.

Collapsible bases

If you need to buy an orthopedic base for a mattress, for example, for a summer house or transportation to another city, pay attention to the catalog of an online store with collapsible bed frames

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For proper rest and relaxation, quite a few different ideas are being developed: one of the most popular solutions has become an orthopedic mattress that follows the contours of the human body and provides proper support for the spinal column. For its full effect, it is important to choose the right base for the bed, since many models can reduce useful properties to a minimum. Collapsible orthopedic bases make it possible to fully reveal all the useful qualities of the mattress and strengthen them. The advantages of the collapsible model are:

• Easy to disassemble and assemble. This makes it easier to transport the product and allows you to easily move it if necessary. In comparison, the cost of delivery to remote corners of Russia will cost you 2 or even 3 times cheaper. Moreover, the price for collapsible and full-size bases is almost the same.
• Convenient packaging. When folded and packaged, the base fits into a passenger car and does not require a special vehicle for transportation. All components are included in the kit.
• The included legs will ensure stability and reliability on any surface. If desired, they can be left unscrewed and only the frame itself can be installed.
• The correct size of the lamellas levels the sleeping area. Manufacturers offer double (narrow) and classic wide slats to choose from.

Collapsible products improve the orthopedic properties of mattresses and make operation easier, not inferior in quality to solid models.

Types of collapsible bases and assembly

As a rule, bases of this type are made of metal. The assembly consists of several stages: connecting the slats and lath holders (the ends of the slats are threaded into the holes of the holders; two rows are provided for double sizes), connecting the metal parts of the frame, installing the legs.