Today, adjustable beds offer plenty of perks for people of all ages, shapes, and sizes and those with or without health issues. With sleep deprivation on the rise with the increased demand for smart technology and smart bed devices, the need and popularity for multi-functional adjustable bed frames has grown significantly. In addition to your bedroom furniture, an adjustable base can help serve a variety of necessities. Like, helping you to relax and kick your feet up, lounge or relieve stress or tension before bed, and form nightly routines conducive to an optimal sleep environment and healthy sleep patterns.
What is an Adjustable Bed?
An adjustable bed, also known as an adjustable bed frame, serves as the entire foundation of your mattress. While most bases are flat and semi-rigid, the adjustable bed is structurally sound and will help you to customize your position by lifting your head and feet in specific areas of the base. Like the Zero-Gravity position, lifting the head and feet facilitates contouring support to fill into all of the 'slopes' of your body shape. One of the best adjustable bed features is that it helps to support the natural curvature of the spine, quite simply delivering better comfort to anyone who uses it. Combine with a cozy Bed Tech mattress to help you wind down before sleep, relieve pain or discomfort, or de-stress from a long day of work or play.
Benefits of an adjustable bed:
- Reduces symptoms of sleep apnea, like snoring
- Sturdier than most traditional wooden or metal frames
- Reduces motion transfer between sleepers due to the solid structure
- Help relieve stress, aches, or pains
- Helps reduce symptoms of digestive issues
- Conveniently watch TV, use devices, or read in bed more comfortably
Can Adjustable Beds be Used with a Headboard and Footboard?
The added functionality and movement that will go hand in hand with an adjustable bed often get people wondering if you can use any adjustable bed with any bed frame. Contrary to the common belief, adjustable beds will work with most furniture pieces, like your existing bed frame paired with your current mattress.
Not to worry, in most scenarios, you may continue enhancing the aesthetics of your interior by keeping your headboard and footboard. Or by adding a new one with your new adjustable base sleep system. Likely, some adjustments are required to accommodate the adjustable bed with the furniture. But, more often than not, there is a way to make them compatible with each other, even if the two items are purchased separately
For starters, if you plan to use your existing mattress, you will want to make sure it is compatible with an adjustable base. Like all Bed Tech mattresses, most others are adjustable base-friendly, meaning they can flex or bend without damage. If you're purchasing a new mattress, the same rule applies. Bed Tech mattresses are built strategically with the flexibility to be continuously maneuvered by the base. Bech Tech mattresses are also tested before being guaranteed to last up to 10 years. They come backed by the manufacturer's limited warranty, and all adjustable bases come with a 20 year limited power-base warranty.
Next, before shopping for your new products, take a few minutes to examine the structure, or bed frame, with which you will be using the adjustable base. Take note of how the framework is constructed, and which components are used with your particular setup.
Types of Bed Frames
Whether the bed frame is a traditional bed with removable slats or a platform bed with storage drawers, these characteristics can help you determine how you will piece together your adjustable bed puzzle. Additionally, figuring out if your bed frame requires a box spring foundation, is a second important element to figure out while piecing together an adjustable bed frame with a headboard and footboard, platform, or panel bed.
Comparing Bed Frame Styles
Determining which style of bed frame you will use is essential to the upgrade process to an adjustable bed. Whether you will use a traditional panel bed, platform, or storage platform with an adjustable base is an important part of piecing everything together. The success of the final installation will depend on selecting the proper configuration, including the style of bed frame and type of adjustable bed that will fit together seamlessly. It may sound tricky, but thanks to Bed Tech, it is actually a very easy way to accomplish superior comfort alongside undisrupted sleep.
Traditional Panel Bed
A traditional panel bed usually has a headboard and a footboard with various heights and sizes. The top and bottom of the two pieces come together by attaching a wooden, upholstered, or metal rail system that connects each side of the headboard and footboard. Creating a framework for the slats (or additional support system) necessary to complete the structure (i.e.-slats, box springs, or adjustable base.)
The good news is, the old-school style box spring foundation is never required when upgrading to an adjustable base.
If your traditional bed frame with headboard, or headboard and footboard, does require a box spring, most likely the slats can be removed to easily accommodate an adjustable base with your bed frame. The slats may not even be attached, or screwed in, to the side-rail system, making them even easier to remove. The idea with this configuration is that the adjustable base takes the place of your slats and box springs to support you and the mattress.
An adjustable base has a steel framework, with detachable legs, that will allow it to be set up entirely on its own. An adjustable base can be set up completely on its own, or with furniture like a headboard and footboard or platform to make up a stylish adjustable bed. Simply remove the slats of your traditional panel bed to expose an opening that will fit your new adjustable base inside. You will want to double-check and make sure the size of your bed frame, headboard footboard, and adjustable base are the same before installation. If the standard sizes are the same, they will work together and the base will move freely, up or down, without anything getting in the way. Predominantly, a traditional panel bed is the easiest type of frame to transform a flat mattress and foundation to an upgraded version of an adjustable bed that is still pleasing to the eye.
Classic Platform or Storage Platform Bed
A platform bed is the modernized version of the traditional panel bed. Because of the panel beds usual requirement for a box spring foundation, platforms have gained popularity for their minimalist design, requiring fewer pieces than a panel bed to compete. Most people are not mattress or furniture experts and will struggle to determine whether a platform bed is compatible with an adjustable base. The good news is, that the short answer is yes, but you may need a specific type of adjustable base to make sure it will work.
Platforms are generally considered to be low profile, but considering all things, there is a broad range of platform beds available today. Often, a platform furnishes effortless style but will serve strictly as the foundation to get the mattress off the ground. No box spring is required, and a headboard, or footboard decoration doesn’t always come with it. But, it is safe to say that most all platform beds are designed to be easily assembled. Some of the easy-build platforms even maintain a ‘no tools required’ assembly. With its favorable, minimalist design, the platform bed is simple and easily compatible with an adjustable base and headboard.
On the flip side of the coin, if your panel or platform bed frame has storage drawers underneath, you will need a specific type of adjustable bed, called a zero clearance adjustable base to pair with it. Or, if you plan to use a headboard only, you will need to request the headboard brackets with your adjustable base or mount the headboard to the wall for safety.
Antique Frames and Adjustable Beds
Unfortunately, most antique bed frames with vintage sizes will not allow for enough space inside the framework to accommodate an adjustable base. As one drawback to pairing an adjustable base with an older bed frame, some of the earlier antique-style frames will simply not work with an adjustable base due to the dimensions, space allowed, and motion of the adjustable.
What is a Zero Clearance Adjustable Base?
Simply put, an adjustable with a zero clearance design, like the BT3000 adjustable base allows for the base to be set up one of two ways:
With legs- This is the standard option for setting up, by installing the legs that come with it. After removing all slats or anything protruding to stop the base from setting in, the base can be placed inside the frame similar to how puzzle pieces fit snugly together. If it is a panel-style, this type of bed frame can also be built around an existing adjustable base. Once inside the bed framework, the base will have the freedom to move up and down freely with the furniture still surrounding it.
Bed Tech offers multiple height legs with most bases, or as an optional addon, to help you set up your base more agreeably with your panel bed rail system. This can help you get in or out of bed more easily by customizing the overall height of the mattress itself.
Without legs- The Zero Clearance option is designed to allow the base to be installed without legs, on top of almost any traditional panel bed or platform. Specifically made for storage beds, like storage platforms, or panel beds with drawers, the zero clearance design adds to the universal blueprint of today's modern adjustable bed. Install by simply placing the base, without the legs, on top of your platform bed or storage bed.
A Zero Clearance adjustable base allows you the ability to use the adjustable base with just about any kind of frame, including a traditional panel bed or storage platform bed.
Drawbacks to Zero Clearance Setup
- Adds more weight- The bed frame you chose, whether it be wooden, metal, or upholstered, will need to be sturdy enough to support the weight of the adjustable base, the mattress, and however many sleepers may be on the bed at one time.
- Adds height- By adding the adjustable base on top of the platform or panel bed, it will undeniably add about 2-4 inches, depending on the base. Utilizing the Zero Clearance setup will always make the overall height of the mattress itself taller than the platform alone because of the adjustable base platform.
Why are Adjustable Beds Becoming a Custom in Society?
The furniture for our bedrooms, like the headboard and footboard, is a decorative way to showcase our individual style or flair. In the past, so much importance focused on the aesthetics of the environment we sleep in. Many have had trouble considering that, when it comes to sleeping in your bedroom, it is what we don't see that is the most important.
The base and mattress, and the sleep we get on it, has a far bigger opportunity to affect our overall health and wellness than just about any other piece of furniture in the home. Yet, even still, people invest more in their furniture because you can see it. A sound investment in comfort and your sleep health has become long overdue, and an adjustable bed is one of the few items out there that can directly influence our health for the better. Adjustable bases have continued to be a direct influence to enhance comfort and offer a wide variety of benefits that help ease or elevate the user experience. Adjustable beds ultimately help people of all kinds to sleep better every day.
As sleep deprivation continues to have a widespread presence amongst us, and the threat to our health and safety climbs to an all-time high, adjustable beds continue to gain the reputation of helping people to sleep better, as a part of the smart bed products category. Top-of-the-line adjustable beds utilize multi-functional features, like massage, pillow tilt, and under-bed lighting to fulfill the increasing demand for smart homes with adjustable bed bases. Today, adjustable beds have seemingly endless benefits for both medical and recreational uses.
The Bottom Line
Adjustable beds will work with just about any bed frame setup. They are a safe, non-invasive method to help ease symptoms of sleep deprivation, joint dysfunction, or chronic pain or discomfort.
If you absolutely love your bedroom furniture, the adjustable beds of today also allow you to continue furnishing the room to enhance the motif of your interior space while enjoying all the benefits of an adjustable bed. An upgrade like this allows you to comfortably and conveniently adjust the position of your back, legs, and feet to allow for optimal comfort, boosted circulation, endorphin release, and ease of movement. An adjustable bed is crucial for anyone with mobility issues, and those who need extra assistance getting in or out of bed. A power foundation can provide an inspiring opportunity to help you and your loved ones fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, decrease chronic pain and move more freely.
At Bed Tech it is our pleasure to offer affordable and luxurious adjustable bed sleep systems that will look good, and be good for you too!
Bed Tech continues striving to deliver excellence in innovation and service to provide households across the country with enhanced comfort and ergonomic support through adjustable beds and mattresses. Give yourself the boost you need towards optimal comfort and better sleep quality with a Bed Tech adjustable base. And, with a little help from the experts at Bed Tech, you can say goodbye to the thoughts about compromising your unique flair when decorating the room of your dreams. Keep the furniture accouterments you desire for your bedroom, all designed to work in harmony with your Bed Tech adjustable base sleep system.