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Got a platform bed and you’re a little stumped as to whether or not you need a box spring? You’ve come to the right place. Not a lot of beds these days require box springs, but if you’re a die-hard fan of the ‘ye olde box spring’, then who are we to stop you? But.. Before you go bouncing off to buy the best box spring that money can buy, read this first.
Is it possible to put a box spring on a platform bed?
Long story short, yes. You can definitely put a box spring on a platform bed. You don’t need to but you sure can.
It also depends on what kind of platform bed you have. Platform beds that require mattress foundations are the best candidates to use with a box spring. A low profile bed frame or traditional bed frames that sit low on the floor can also benefit from the use of a box spring. Technically, you can put anything atop a solid platform bed, and while box springs do serve a purpose, the solid platform beds of today can definitely hold their own.
But if you’ve got an adjustable bed frame, then that’s a hard and definite no. Adjustable bed bases will not work with box springs, even if that box spring sits within a platform bed.
Benefits
- Additional height – If you’ve got a bed that’s too low, a box spring can add height as well as give proper support, especially if you’ve got a traditional innerspring mattress. Very low profile beds can be hard to get in and out of, more so for those who are older or those who suffer from chronic back pain.
- Extra support – Traditional innerspring mattresses need the support of a box spring. A solid mattress foundation can hold your innerspring mattress but it will not be able to give the same responsive support like traditional box springs can.
- Air circulation – Because box springs are essentially made up of coils and are usually covered in a breathable fabric, air can flow freely throughout the entire bed. This helps you sleep cooler while keeping your mattress fresher and drier for longer.
- Durability – As opposed to putting a mattress directly on the floor, using a box spring can help extend the life span of your new mattress.
Downsides
- Too high – If you’ve already got a platform bed frame that’s pretty high, adding a box spring can make your bed even higher, especially when you take into account the thickness of your mattress. This can make getting in and out of bed a little difficult (as well as dangerous for very young children). There are low profile box springs available that can mitigate this.
- Mattress compatibility – Not all mattresses can work with a box spring. Typically, only innerspring mattresses are compatible with box springs. Memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses do not bode well with the use of a traditional box spring as a mattress foundation. A memory foam mattress only needs either a solid or slatted surface and you’re good to go. Other mattress types such as adjustable mattresses also will not work with a box spring. In fact, most mattress brands will void a mattress’ warranty if you use it with a box spring. Always check with your mattress manufacturer.
- No storage space – Depending on the height profile of the bed frame you have or choose, using them with a box spring can mean lesser to no extra storage space underneath the bed. While some platform beds provide storage drawers that are already built-in, most platform beds do not. If you currently live in a small space like I do, you and I both know that storage space is crucial.
- Bed frame compatibility – As previously mentioned, platform beds can accommodate a box spring although it is not necessarily needed. Other traditional types of bed frames such as a panel bed or canopy beds do require the use of a box spring as a bed base. Still there are others that already have either a solid surface or wooden slats or even steel slats that can already support both your mattress and your body weight. Why even spring for an unnecessary extra?
- Aesthetics – Most, if not all, box springs are chunky. It’s a wooden box with springs inside, covered in fabric. While you can cover it up with a bed skirt, it might not go with your other bedroom furniture. If you’re someone who goes for looks as well as function and/or you’re a staunch supporter of minimalism, then clunk may not just work for you. Or bed skirts, for that matter.
Why platform beds don’t need box springs
Day after day, we chase after everything we think may increase sleep quality. From beds to mattresses to lights to bedding to noise-cancelling earbuds to sleep science, we always seem to believe that the extras are the mediums that may transport us to a world where we can get the best sleep of our lives, every single night.
While we can all just throw our mattresses on the floor and call it a day (sorry, I mean, night), bed frames such as platform beds elevate our sleep game to a whole different level.
While box springs have their uses, a platform bed does not need a box spring, especially if you’ve got metal platform beds.
Here are a couple of reasons why.
They can support your entire mattress
Both a platform bed and a box spring can support your mattress, but a platform bed with a solid foundation by itself can already support your entire mattress (and you, your partner, your kids, your dog, your cat, you get the gist).
It will make your bed too high
Say you just yourself a new platform bed. And it sits high. And then you got yourself a spanking new 15-inch mattress like the Nolah Evolution. Adding a box spring into the mix means you might need a stepladder to get in and out of bed.
Platform bed vs box spring: which is best?
Sorry box spring lovers, I’m putting my money on the platform bed. Hear me out.
Picture a platform bed frame made from either solid wood (think cherry or mahogany) or wrought iron (legend as it that iron keeps spirits and ghosts away).
Do you see it?
Now picture the box springs and that suspiciously lumpy, springy mattress at your grandparents’ house where you always used to spend summers in.
There’s no contest. In the looks department, platform beds win hands down.
But let’s delve deeper.
Aside from a vast range of aesthetic choices (four poster beds, anyone?), platform beds can accommodate any type of mattress there is, including innerspring mattresses. You can also use an adjustable base with a platform bed frame, which in turn means you can use an adjustable mattress. It means getting with the times.
You can also get more storage space with a platform bed frame and you know you can’t argue with me on this: space is key.
In essence, when compared to box springs, platform beds are multi-functional which makes it cost-effective. And in this economy, do I even need to say more?
Case is now closed in the matter of the platform bed vs the box spring. The platform bed wins.
FAQs
You can put a box spring on top of slats but it is not necessarily required, especially if your bed features metal bed slats. These already offer enough support for a mattress. If you use a bunkie board then you certainly should not place a box spring on top. However, a panel bed frame – which also feature slats, usually wooded slats – are often paired with a box spring.
You can use a low profile box spring on a platform bed if you want to add more height to your bed.
The other term for a panel bed is actually a ‘box spring bed’ so you most definitely can use a box spring on a panel bed.
Conclusion
While you most certainly can use a box spring on a platform bed frame, it is not needed nor sometimes, even recommended.
So unless your bed frame type explicitly calls for the use of a box spring, then it makes no sense spending that extra bit of cash you have on something that is completely unnecessary.
Next step: Read our guide to the best bed frames for memory foam mattresses. If you have a foam mattress then you have unique needs that standard bed frames may not provide. In our guide we give you product recommendations and advice on which type of frame is best for your mattress.
Michelline loves nothing more than a cozy bed, with a stack of books at her side. She loves getting lost when she travels, can bake an entire British afternoon tea from scratch, is obsessed with all things analogue and does calligraphy on the side. She currently suffers from mild insomnia and is more than happy to be your guinea pig, so you won’t have to go through all the trouble of finding out what works best for you.
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