Can You Put an Air Mattress on a Bed Frame?

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Love going on camping trips? Have sudden guests come over, but you have less space in the house?

In either case, an air mattress is a complete lifesaver and a perfect alternative for sleepovers. Besides, they are super cozy. At the same time, you can inflate and convert them into an alternative bed within just a few minutes.

But the question is—can you put an air mattress on a bed frame?

Well, not really. A regular bed frame made using wood supports the traditional beds, while air mattresses are designed to be used on the floor. In other words, these slats are not effective when it comes to supporting air mattresses!

Any suggestions to follow? Read on to find out!

How to Elevate an Air Mattress from the Ground without a Bed Frame?

Although an air mattress is designed for sleeping on the floor. Some people may want to raise the mattress to increase their comfort level or due to any other issues.

So, what to do in this situation?

Luckily, there are some alternative tips you can follow to raise an air mattress off the floor without compromising your peaceful sleep and comfort zone.

Utilize the plywood

Get a sheet of plywood with the exact measurement, like the mattress and the bed frame. ¾ inch thickness plywood is always the recommended option.

Once you get the plywood, make sure to keep it in a safe and secure area while covering them with high-quality materials like a tarp or other impermeable sheets.

It will, in turn, prevent the splinters from making their way down into the plywood and causing any harm.

Next up, put the plywood sheet on top of the bed frame with the air mattress on the plywood’s surface. This method is by far one of the most effective and secure ways to have an air mattress on top of a wooden bed frame.

Make use of the box springs

If the plywood method seems too much or not perfect, using the box spring can be your next call. But for that, you must find the exact size range of the box spring to put on the bed frame.

The right one can lift up the mattress from the floor by adding an extra 5 to 9 inches of height. Therefore, along with making sure you can raise up the mattress to a comfortable level, you can rest assured that it will not collapse.

Such a relief, right?

However, one key point to note, once you get hold of your box spring, cover it right away with either tarp or any other high-end materials that will prevent any sharp springs from pricking inside.

Now for the setup, once the protective material installation is done, just put it over the box spring. There you go; you have a super comfy, comfortable bed.

The metal frame cannot support anything, weighing more than its threshold. When you do that, the later result will hurt you pretty badly within a short time with sagging. This is where a box spring, working as a foundation, can come in handy in solving this problem with total class.

Some drawbacks of using a box spring are they are heavier and an expensive option compared to other alternatives.

Get a special frame

In case you don’t want to go through any of the hassles of the DIY projects, the simplest and most convenient way is to buy a ready-made air mattress bed frame.

They are a special kind of frame which is also known as a Pragma platform. They are made uniquely to ensure the mattress can sit safely, giving you a safe, strong, and cozy layout to rest your head after a long hectic day.

With this frame, you will not have to worry about falling or slipping. That’s the beauty of this special frame that makes it so popular among the people.

Rug/Carpet

Air mattresses are indeed more secure when put on a rug or carpet. They keep the mattress in the exact place, offering the perfect grip without sliding away. And the best part, it just works perfectly with any air bed.

Just cut the rug or carpet in exact proportionate as per your mattress size or 15-20 inches wider to create a cozy spot for your feet area. Now for the final setup, just place it underneath your air mattress. All ready for sleeping on!

However, one of the drawbacks of using a rug or carpet is you will have to constantly vacuum and clean each part of the area where you are to place your mattress.

Otherwise, it will avoid the fibers buildup and eliminate the formation of any debris or dust that could eventually penetrate or make a hole in the mattress.

Wood Pallets

They are another best option you can think of using for elevating your air mattress from the floor. From helping you save up to being extremely sturdy–you can even customize the wooden pallets as you want to, based on your comfort level.

As these pallets are made of unfinished wood, they offer a pretty good grip. But one drawback still remains as they can still penetrate the airbed. So, what’s the solution?

To avoid this situation from happening, you can put a thick layer of fabric or a mattress topper above it in case you are planning to use this approach.

How to Overcome Future Complications?

One of the main concerns that you may face while elevating the air mattress from the floor and making a base for it is certainly the unwanted slipping and sliding. Apart from being frustrating and annoying, this process can prove to be risky for you or other individuals involved with the setup.

Luckily, you can get away from these complications by considering the factors below.

Here’s how:

Positioning

Consider positioning the entire setup before putting everything where it belongs. This may seem pretty hard as there is always a possibility of restrictions over limited space. However, if you can, then it’s always a good thing.

Just put the air mattresses and the foundation you made or bought against a wall. After then, place it in the middle part of the room.

In this way, you can lessen the probable movements by up to 50% just by putting the air mattress and the base in a setup with two walls, eventually making their way into a corner.

Velcro 

Another good way to stop all kinds of slippage and sliding is to put a sturdy velcro strip to combine the mattresses and the spring box/foundation/plywood together. However, be sure to affix the pieces in both the directions to stop the movement from going in different paths.

Some maintenance tips to keep your air mattress in a good condition

Airbeds mattress has a much shorter span of life in comparison to the traditional mattresses. However, if you have a good-quality air mattress and take care of it following some tips, they can certainly be used for a longer time.

Many people have a common misconception that just by elevating or giving an extra support, you can extend its lifespan. Well, this is true to some extent. But there are some additional tips that you require to do.

Here are some maintenance tips you can follow:

Re-inflate your mattress regularly

As air mattresses are made using synthetic materials, they are most likely to stretch due to the inside air that exerts pressure every time you put your body weight on them.

So, to lessen the constant wear and tear caused by these stretching, you can deflate and re-inflate the mattresses every 2-4 days. As a result, there will be no chance of any built-in pump, ultimately increasing the longevity. For deflation, you can do it manually or use an external one.

Bedding

Using bedding is another ideal tip for keeping your air mattress in a good state. They not only increase the coziness of your mattress, but at the same time, they increase the longevity of the mattress by preventing the cover fabric from tearing down.

Clean it regularly

There is no alternative to cleaning. Whether you use it outdoors or indoors, frequent cleaning is always beneficial as it removes all kinds of bad odors, dust, and probable bacteria or fungus from making their home. For a general cleaning rule, you can use a vacuum along with a mild soap solution and soft clothing to eliminate any kind of stains.

To Wrap Up

That’s all from the discussion regarding “Can you put an air mattress on a bed frame?” Now that you know which methods and tips to follow for elevating and maintaining your mattress, make sure to act accordingly.