Greetings, bed riser friends (and bed frame foes). Today’s bed risers discussion is about bed risers as stand-alone bed lifts.
Oftentimes, people are looking to have a simple bed solution and one without a frame is the ticket.
Is it possible to use normal bed risers under a frameless bed? Yes, absolutely. You can use the bed risers by themselves or with a thin foundation like a slatted frame or platform bed to get the best of both worlds.
HUZZAH! But before you crack open that celebratory bottle of wine, there is one thing about using bed risers under a frameless bed to be aware of.
The design goal for all bed risers is to lift the head and footboards up off the floor while keeping the span of the floor support low.
Upright bed risers can be used in a variety of situations.
This article is going to focus on one specific situation, that being whether or not bed risers can be used without a frame.
Let’s start this discussion by looking at whether this is possible, why you’d use them and things to bear in mind before using stand-alone bed risers.
Can bed risers be used without a frame?
Oftentimes, people get a bed riser and then just sort of forget about it.
They don’t think to use the risers in place of a frame or slats.
I think this is probably because people have been conditioned to think of bed risers as an add-on instead of as a stand-alone solution.
Bed risers can be used alone in certain situations, and bed risers by themselves are just as functional as risers used with a bed frame.
If you use bed risers to support a bed frame, placing bed risers at the head and foot of the bed is best practice.
Bed risers can absolutely be used without a frame.
This may not be ideal for taller bed risers, but many taller bed risers also have different length legs which can help with this problem.
Depending on the length of the bed, you will likely need to use double leg risers under a frameless style bed.
Gauging how much space your bed needs to be raised is a good idea before picking up risers.
Bed risers
Wondering what bed risers are? Or where to get them?
Bed risers as we know them are a simple, functional device.
Risers raise the frame of your bed off of the floor, which in turn provides room underneath for storage and improves circulation because air can flow around the bottom of your bed.
Aesthetically, they also provide a tidy look compared to an unsightly base under your mattress.
Upright plastic risers are most common.
Plastic is easy to clean and works best for bed risers under a box spring or slats.
Metal (steel) risers are great because they look good, but they are difficult to clean.
Both types of risers (plastic and metal) can be painted or stained for an even greater custom look.
Also, a lot of bed risers are adjustable making them super easy to use in several different situations.
Beds without frames
I’ve seen beds without bed frames before.
It is not really a common feature of furniture, though.
The most notable one is probably Japanese Futons.
It’s a surprisingly comfortable way to sleep; it feels like you’re sleeping on a cloud with no pressure points at all.
There are other ways of making the bed without a frame.
One way would be to lay out the mattresses on the floor and place sheets on top to make a bed.
I suppose this isn’t what most people would call practical, though, because it is a bit less comfortable lying on the floor than what most people are used to.
Uneven flooring can be an issue, so I really wouldn’t advise using this method unless one has to.
Another way would be a bed that looks like this: no headboard, no footboard, and what appears to be a series of pillows on top of a mattress, and an underlying base.
Some people might think that this looks like a camp bed, but what they don’t realize is that it’s what many people use for their everyday bed.
I’ve actually slept on something similar before, and what surprised me is you don’t actually have to feel the floor.
Oddly enough, you really don’t feel the floor because of the mattress thickness.
Why use bed risers
1. Even the floor
2. Create bed storage
3. Increase bed height
4. Keep bedding cleaner
5. Aesthetic value
6. Upholstery protection
7. Avoid moisture damage
Things to consider before using bed risers
1. Flooring
Wooden floors are always the best option for keeping a house cool and comfortable.
But it is common to find that the floor is not completely level.
This can be due to settling over time, or having a house that was built on a hillside before leveling off the land.
The main problem with uneven floors is that they can cause the bed to shake or move around.
2. Type of bed
Larger beds would need more bed risers than smaller ones.
This is because the larger a bed, the more it weighs.
This is also because larger beds contain thicker mattresses, and more bed risers would be necessary.
3. Covering
Oddly enough, some people prefer to cover their beds instead of using bed sheets.
Couches and Love Seats are a good example as to why it might be a good idea to cover the bed.
The main reason is that covers can make cleaning easier, and since most people who use covers do not use sheets, it makes the bed easier to maintain.
The main use for this is that the cover can be removed and given a good cleaning instead of trying to clean a mattress.
4. Risers
There are a lot of types of risers to choose from.
For instance, there are wooden ones, and metal ones.
There are also many thicknesses that different risers come in.
When picking the thickness of the riser, one must take into account whether they want to be able to see the risers or not.
For instance, one does not want to use the higher risers to avoid being able to see them underneath bed sheets.
5. Height of bed
Another thing to note is the height of the bed itself.
A lot of people might think that the edge of the bed is not all that important, but it really is.
The main reason for this is that if the bed is too high, then it might defeat the purpose of having a low bed or a bed without a frame.
Determining the right height of the bed is done by adding up all items underneath.
For instance, if you were to have a box spring and an under bed storage unit that goes underneath, you would add them all up.
6. Weight distribution
Sleeping in a bed is all about weight distribution.
This means that one must have the right amount of support underneath them so that they’re comfortable, and so that the bed is comfortable.
This means that if you were to sleep on a bed with items underneath the sheet, this would cause irregular weight distribution, and lead to trouble.
Give your frameless bed a deserved lift!
The best thing about bed risers is that they have no significant physical weight as they’re just small pieces of wood, plastic or steel, which can be arranged in a way to give support.
They can be placed on a bed without any frame and provide the needed height as a bed riser.
You can add some creative elements like for example use multiple pieces of metal/wood placed on top of each other and painted in a certain design.
You need to align the pieces that have been placed on top of each other as they’ll support even better.
The main disadvantage of using bed risers is that it can be considered as a temporary solution because you don’t have a frame.
You should check the surfaces where you want to place the bed risers for any damages that can destabilize the bed risers like cracks, chips or bumps.
