Torsion box for bed?

[Greg Cole]

For a platform style bed (ie no box spring), is a torsion box for mattress support overkill as compared to slats with a layer of plywood I'll skin the torsion box sides with walnut IF I go that route. I'm donating the hardwood, but not the sheet goods. No real footboard, but curly maple veneer hardwood (tough teaching a plumber to resaw well..LOL picking on my bro in law)
Mainly asking as I'm nominated to "help" my BIL (the plumber & very much non WW'er) make a bed in my shop. I don't care which is easier, but he's a not small at about 250lbs (I will NOT mention a lady's weight ANYWHERE!:eek:)and he and his GF, child and large dog are nightly occupants on their king size bed.:rolleyes:

Thoughts? Thanks,
Greg

[Peter Quinn]

Have you considered I- beams, either shop made of wood, or steel, or some combination of both? My fear is that a torsion box the size of a king sized bed may be difficult to maneuver around a house. Most king sized mattresses have a hinge in the middle that allows them to make it through typical door openings from a hall way where as a torsion box may be problematic. Perhaps two torsion boxes each half the width of the mattress supported by stretchers?

I would think that stout stretchers with two half sheets of plywood or mdf laid over them would actually be more maneuverable and more than sufficient, perhaps made of 6/4 or 8/4 #2 common white oak or ash?

[Jacob Reverb]

Judging from the spans and weights involved, my guess is that you'd better have a fairly big web on that torsion box! I'm no engineer and have no idea, but I don't think I'd go less than 4" or 6" web height with the "beams" maybe 16" on center...I'm sure someone else can give a more informed opinion...

[Carl Fox]

[\jk]

12" deep OSB I beams 6" OC should handle the load.

[jk]:D

[Greg Cole]

The torsion box would be 2 sections bolted together.
The I-beam is definately worthy of a little noodle scratching.
Stanley Cup playoffs on tv in the shop, so I'll play with that idea for awhile.
Any more votes? Other than Carls LVL floor joists?;)
Greg

[Mike Spanbauer]

Torsion boxes are capable of amazing support with a proper grid Greg. Think hundreds and hundreds (1000+) for a 4x8x4" with 6" OC MDF. You could make it lighter with BB.

mike

[Greg Cole]

Mike, killing a fly with a sledge hammer isn't that uncommon is it? :rolleyes:
Going to make up my mind sitting at a Caoch Pitch Baseball game, my little dude's first "real" game...:D
Cheers.
Greg

[Jim O'Dell]

You might lay the matress on the floor and sleep on in one night to make sure it will be comfortable, but I'd think a torsion box would work fine. I'd think you could probably go 10" grid and be fine support wise. I mean it won't have to carry that much weight. The boxes will be heavy though. Won't be fun moving. I agree, ply of some sort will be lighter than MDF, and most likely a better choice for this. Maybe use veneer ply for the outside edges to match the rest of the furniture?

Hope you got the see the NHL games last night you wanted to see. Our cable company dropped OLN (now VERSUS) about a year and a half ago. I griped because I now miss the Tour-de-France coverage, but the Stars game last night and next Friday are Versus only shows. Finally found it on AM radio about half way through the game, and listened to the rest of it. I kept opening my eyes looking to see the TV. :D Jim.

[Joe Jensen]

When I built the bed for my master bedroom I called the Sealy matress company and asked them if I would be ok with a platform and no box spring. I wanted to know if the matress would be too firm. The said that the floor, a platform, or a box spring all provide same foundation. They said the now days the box spring does nothing but provide a fancy way to provide a firm base for the matress, and to raise the matress up 6-10 inches. The designer said that if the box spring were to flex in use, it would actually wreck the matress.

I wanted to have my king size bed supported only by the 4 legs of the bed. I ended up fabricating a powder coated steel beam that runs down the middle of the bed connecting the headboard and footboard. I then put delrin (a slippery plastic) on top the steel rail and rails that ran down each side board of the bed. I then put delrin dowels spaced for slats down each side of the bed board. For the slats, I drilled holes on one side for the delrin dowels, and on the other end I milled slots. This way the slats only contact delrin on all sides, and the slots in the ends of the slats allow them to flex and shift is necessary. Pretty excessive, but I am an engineer :) and I have no squeaks...joe

[David DeCristoforo]

"...powder coated steel beam ...delrin (a slippery plastic) on top the steel rail ...delrin dowels spaced for slats ...milled slots..."

That's what I'm talkin' about! Steel! Delrin! What? No titanium?

"...and I have no squeaks..."

God forbid....
;)

[Joe Jensen]

"...powder coated steel beam ...delrin (a slippery plastic) on top the steel rail ...delrin dowels spaced for slats ...milled slots..."

That's what I'm talkin' about! Steel! Delrin! What? No titanium?

"...and I have no squeaks..."

God forbid....
;)

It's funny that you mention tiianium. If I could have welded it myself, I may have used it as I'm pretty drawn to titanium objects...joe

[David DeCristoforo]

"...If I could have welded it myself, I may have used it..."

"One piece" titanium headboard? No welding needed.....

[Randal Stevenson]

When I built the bed for my master bedroom I called the Sealy matress company and asked them if I would be ok with a platform and no box spring. I wanted to know if the matress would be too firm. The said that the floor, a platform, or a box spring all provide same foundation. They said the now days the box spring does nothing but provide a fancy way to provide a firm base for the matress, and to raise the matress up 6-10 inches. The designer said that if the box spring were to flex in use, it would actually wreck the matress.



I have a full size that is JUST slats. When I went looking for it YEARS ago, I found them at a bed store in Westport (since I am local). It works ok and the matress doesn't flex unless your to wild and slide it off the frame. That said, I do wish it was a torsion box instead. The reason, since I have a large drawer underneath it, I wish it had a dust shield.

[Chris Friesen]

Many mattresses require that there is at least one central "leg" on a king-sized bed otherwise the warrenty is void.

I built my king bed frame out of dimensional lumber. It was originally going to be the "temporary" frame while I made the "good" one out of hardwood, but LOML decided that the current one looked nice enough to keep. Anyways, I just ran a 2x6 flat down the center of my bed frame, with two legs underneath it for support. There are two sets of twin-sized slats which rest on this center support and on ledger boards on the side rails.

It turned out just fine, and has held up so far...

[Jim Becker]

The type of mattress matters when you go to a true platform or something with slats. As to the platform, a torsion box can be very helpful to provide a robust foundation, especially if you want something that doesn't go all the way to the floor. But even a torsion box will require intermediate support in the middle of a kind (and possibly queen) sized bed.

[Eric DeSilva]

Y'all are hearing different advice than I heard last time I bought a mattress. I've heard, in fact, that using most high end mattresses w/o a box spring will void your warranty (not that I'd really thought mattresses were warranted anyway). I was predisposed against a box spring, but after researching mattress companies and extensive googling, I ended up buying one. The very clear, repeated statements I got were that box springs--unless a mattress was designed as a standalone--were needed. Moreover, the beds that I see that are platform beds intended for use with a mattress only tend to be built on preflexed slats that look like they are intended to have some give. A torsion box would be like sleeping w/your mattress on the floor... If that is a feeling you like, have at it. I think most people might consider that stiff...

[Greg Cole]

"...If I could have welded it myself, I may have used it..."

"One piece" titanium headboard? No welding needed.....

Just need a line on a billet of titanium about 7' long and 4' tall and oh, how about an inch thick..... then a few hours on a CNC.:D

Greg

[Greg Cole]

A torsion box would be like sleeping w/your mattress on the floor... If that is a feeling you like, have at it. I think most people might consider that stiff...

Nope, I don't like that, but it's not my bed. As said, doing a friend a favor.
The current mattress is exactly "there", as in on the floor.
I'd planned to put legs in the middle if I go with the torsion box, in case it wasn't picked up upon, my intent is to make it bullet proof as in 2 years from now I'm not making another one nor wanting to repair this one (it'll see up to 600 lbs a night as mentioned).
Still haven't made up my mind on the mattress support but leaning towards slats, but the BIL hasn't made alot of progress on the stack of stuff I put on the bench for him to sand anyway... "it's boring"..... DUH, why do ya think #1) you are doing it? and #2) I all but refuse to sand unless it's between coats of finish.

Jim O,
If "my" Wings beat the "Slides" again tomorrow.. and your Stars keep their foot on the Sharks throat ... we'll be seeing "eachother" very soon indeed.:D
I love this time of year for the Stanley Cup Playoffs if nothing else.

Cheers.

Greg