Question: I have a waterbed mattress, heater, and safety liner but I do not have a frame. Do I need a water bed frame ?
Answer: Hardside waterbeds with a wooden frame around them are different from softsides which look like a regular mattress and boxspring. They can feel nearly identical, both are typically heated and while they both contain water they must have a supporting frame and there are several reasons why.
Problems without waterbed frame
The mattress has no rigidity. Without a supporting frame the bladder basically becomes a shapeless unstable blob.
If the mattress does not have proper support it will put unnecessary stress on the side walls, the corner seams, and any other seaming the mattress may have.
Stretching is something that is rarely talked about when a mattress is over filled, but without proper side frame support the vinyl will stretch.
Leakage is nearly inevitable without the right frame support. When corners, seams, and stretching are pushed to their limits something will give. When something gives on a waterbed a leak is the result. The end result is due to lack of proper side frame support.
What are water bed frames constructed from?
In the case of a wood framed waterbed they are more often built from pine boards. These boards are generally inch and a quarter to one and a half inches thick to minimize bowing and warping. Others are Oak veneer usually one and a quarter inches thick.
Softsides are built just as they say from softer materials and in this case it is usually polyurethane foam. It is important that these are made from good quality foam and include a high density of foam per cubic foot for durability.
Is it OK to sit on a waterbed frame?
Of course you can especially in the case of a hard side waterbeds. They use thick wood, strong L Brackets, and wood screws to not only contain the mattress, but give you a place to sit. We would recommend padded rails however to help cushion the seating area and soften getting in and out of bed.
Softside foam frames lack the strength that a piece of wood has of course but will last for many years. They are definitely more comfortable transitioning in and out of bed and are more comfy to sit on than wood framed varieties. Bed sides can often be bought separately and replaced something you cannot do on most other beds giving them a huge advantage over other kinds of beds.
Douglas Belleville
Doug Belleville and his father Dave own and run STLBeds - a specialty sleep store located in Arnold, MO. The staff at STLBeds is highly educated about sleep, comfort and their special sleep products. STLBeds only carries high quality mattresses and bed-related products. You won't find the brand names here - click here to find out why!
