When using a pocket spring mattress with a pine bed frame, what's the best distance to leave between the pine slats to reduce wear?
Looking online, I have seen various space recommendations ranging from 1cm to 7cm (0.5 inch to 2.5 inches). I notice the smaller recommendations tend to come from older posts, so I am not sure if maybe the correct way of doing this has changed?
Also, I've seen that some gap is needed between the slats to allow ventilation, so it's all a bit confusing to pick the right size!
It is for a single bed and the user is around 13st. Would a 3cm gap be enough or is that too wide for support or too narrow for ventilation?
Looking online, I have seen various space recommendations ranging from 1cm to 7cm (0.5 inch to 2.5 inches). I notice the smaller recommendations tend to come from older posts, so I am not sure if maybe the correct way of doing this has changed?
Also, I've seen that some gap is needed between the slats to allow ventilation, so it's all a bit confusing to pick the right size!
It is for a single bed and the user is around 13st. Would a 3cm gap be enough or is that too wide for support or too narrow for ventilation?
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sorted byI suspect it's the kind of thing that depends on a lot of factors like how stiff and thick the mattress is, how humid the house is, the materials in question, whether they're sprung slats and so on.
If you're fixing them down I would probably err on the side of a smaller gap. You can always leave the mattress on it's side occasionally to help trapped moisture escape but making too big a gap comfortable requires re-doing the job.
3cm sounds reasonable, that's less than most bed frames have.
Last time I was looking at new beds and mattresses, I read it was recommended to put something like a sheet of hardboard across the slats of a slatted base if you were going to put a pocket sprung mattress on one, I think it was to stop the stitching holding the pockets upright and together from being torn apart over the gaps. But I think where I read it, they also recommended a sprung base with them, in preference to slats or a hard base as it helps the mattress shape to and support your body better. (edited)
As I understand it, if the gap is too big then they sag?
I've just had a warranty for mattress denied because the distance between slats is not between 2 and 3 inches, which they claim induces deformations in the mattress. Checked their docs and it seems they also recommend but using a flat bottom because it doesn't allow the mattress to breath.