The slats on your bed frame can have a substantial impact on the comfort of your night’s sleep. There are two types to choose from, namely: solid and sprung slats. With so little choice, you might be wondering which one is the best.
To help you learn a bit more about your new bed frame, we’re here to divulge everything you need to know about types of slats, including how they differ.
Every mattress has its own way of reinforcing itself and promoting comfort. Some rely on a thick plank of wood or even the frame itself to support the mattress, others utilise something called slats.
Bed frame slats are thin, narrow pieces of wood that are arranged in an overlapping pattern. Thanks to a slight bend and springing effect, slats allow the mattress on top of the bed frame to move up and down as you move throughout the night. This helps even out weight distribution by allowing the mattress to sink ever so slightly.
There are two types of bed frame slats to choose from: solid and sprung.
Solid slats lay flat across the width of the bed, providing a firm, solid foundation for your mattress.
As implied by their name, solid slats are characterised by their rigidity which offers little flexibility. They are designed to deliver stiffer support during Sleep and are generally chosen by those who require a harder sleeping surface. When paired with a firmer mattress, this bedtime configuration can offer unparalleled levels of support throughout the night, especially for those with back problems.
Here are some of the best-selling solid slats available from our store:
- Snuggle Beds Corona Low End Bed. Natural wood, low budget, solid slats. Perfect for anyone who wants to accentuate a firm mattress or make their softer mattress feel a little firmer.
- GFW Platform Metal Bed (pictured). A contemporary metal bed, the solid slats complement the angular nature of this bed frame.
Sprung slats have a slight upward curve to their shape, providing a bouncier surface for your mattress to lay on. This accentuates the tension of softer and medium mattresses. Sprung slats tend to be constructed from a more malleable type of wood to prevent cracking and stress.
Slatted bed frames normally run to the halfway point in the bed. On the side rails and the middle rail of the bed frame, there are plastic pockets where either end of the slat is secured. Overall, this ensures that the slats are held in place and can provide that adequately bouncy feeling.
- Birlea Phoenix Ottoman range. White, grey or oak, these sprung slatted rubberwood bed frames provide bouncy support for your mattress as well as offering under bed ottoman storage.
- Limelight Libra Metal Bed range. If you’re looking for a metal bed to give your mattress bouncy support, this range could be right for you.
To make things a bit easier, we’ve created this table to help you quickly spot the differences between solid and sprung slats.
As comfort is subjective, it’s extremely difficult and perhaps even impossible to choose a clear winner in the debate of solid vs sprung slats. Each one has its own characteristics, making choosing an overall winner very challenging.
Ultimately, the only way to prove which is the best is to try out a bunch of different bed frames. Once you have an ample sample size, you’ll be able to figure out which one your body prefers.
Now that you know the differences between these two types of bed slats, now comes the time to make your decision. Not sure where to start? Fear not, Mattressman has plenty of help and advice available if you’re stuck on choosing your next bed frame or mattress.
Browse our new mattresses today and find the combination you’ve been dreaming of.