Converting a Box Spring To A Platform Bed - the grande finale
Let me first say that converting a box spring into a platform bed is not as difficult as you would think.
When we bought our first vacation rental in Kissimmee all the beds had regular beds, meaning they had box springs. Box springs are okay when they’re new, but after a few years, they start squeaking.
When our mattresses start showing their age, we convert the standard bed to a platform bed by removing the box spring. Then replace the mattress with a 14″ Novaform Comfort Grande King Memory Foam Mattress.
We love this platform design because there are no feet on the supports in the middle of the bed. It just gives the bed a nice clean look. Just about any king bed frame you find has those feet and we definitely prefer not having them.
We’ve done that with all of our vacation rentals. We’ve converted box springs to platform beds about 10 times now. Since this was the last box spring to do, it made sense to document how I converted the box spring to a platform bed and write a post about it. 🙂
Note: You can click on any of the pictures below to enlarge the pic to get a better look at it.
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Like I said, It’s actually much easier than you would think. It takes me about 3 – 4 hours from beginning to end.
If you are somewhat handy and have power tools, you will breeze through this project.
Here’s a curve ball. This turning a bed into a platform bed project won’t work if you have one of those rolling metal frames.
Those are a whole other can of worms!
I’ve done that a couple of times, but it’s much more involved. You’re basically replacing the rolling metal frame with a wooden bed frame. Like I said, much more involved, maybe I’ll do a post on that too later.
Here’s a list of the tools we used on this project.
Affiliate links below may be to similar items when exact items couldn’t be found online.
drill bits
a hammer
a level
a 4′ straight edge
a speed square
a pencil or marker
A sander (if you want to sand the slats smooth)
Affiliate links below may be to similar items when exact items couldn’t be found online.
4 – 2×4
2 – 2×2
1 – 1/2″ (or 15/32″ in our days) sheet of plywood
The existing supports are usually either metal bars or wooden slats that go across the width of the bed frame.
You can remove them from the frame since you’ll be using your new supports to hold the platform.
For my example, it’s the metal bars the red arrows are pointing at in the picture.
The first supports we’ll be installing are the left and right supports, we’ll use the 2×2’s for those supports.
Tip: The side supports are glued then screwed to the side bed frame boards.
We want the platform to be flush with the sides bed boards. So the supports will be 1/2″ below the top of the side bed boards, the thickness of the plywood.
When measuring the length of your 2x2s make sure you leave enough space on both ends to allow taking the bed apart later if you need to.
Do this step for the left and right sides.
Now that the left and right supports are in place, it’s time to do the head and foot supports.
For those supports we’ll use 2x4s.
The tops of the 2x4s are level with the tops of the side supports from Step 2.
Again, make sure to leave space on both ends for the board’s hardware. So you can still take the bed apart later if you need to.
Now we’ll install the two middle supports, also using 2x4s.
Using the metal 2×4 brackets, we connect them to the headboard and footboard 2x4s.
Space out the middle supports evenly. The easiest way to do that is by dividing the length of the bottom or top supports by 3.
Let’s say the bottom support is 75″ long. Then the spacing would be 25″ for each (75″ / 3 = 25″).
Now, using that example again, you’d mark 25″ from one edge and 25″ from the other edge. That’s the placement for each of your middle supports. Easy Peasy ?
Using the metal joist hangers, connect each end of the middle support to the head and foot platform supports. Making sure that the top of the middle support is flush with the head and foot supports.
Use the 2″ screws in the hanger holes that are flush with the head foot supports.
And the 3 1/2″ screws in the hanger holes that are on the sides of the middle support. The screws go diagonally threw both 2x4s giving that joint plenty of strength.
The slats are made by ripping the 1/2″ plywood length-wise into 3″ strips. The strips don’t need to be perfect. You can even have the person at Lowes or Home Depot cut it into strips for you.
If you can get the home improvement store to cut the slats for you, that is the easiest option.
They probably won’t do a great job, but it would be a lot faster and easier for you.
If you can’t get them to do it then you can do it yourself. It really isn’t that hard, just takes a little time.
This bed frame needed 14 platform slats.
An alternative to cutting your own slats
Cutting the slats is pretty time consuming and it may take more time then you have to devote to this project. If that’s the case you can always order the a bunkie board to install in place of the slats. Keep in mind the bunkie board only replaces the slats part of this project. You’ll still need to install the supports, the bunkie won’t be able to handle the weight and bend or break in the middle from the weight.
Click here to get a bunkie board instead of using slats.
This is how I cut the platform slats
I cut the plywood in the driveway with it resting flat on scrap 2×4 pieces. I then set the blade of the circular saw to barely go beyond the depth of the plywood.
I used the speed square to mark 3″ from the edge along the length of the plywood. Then used the straight edge to mark a cut line. Using the circular saw I cut on the cut line (kinda sorta).
Did I mention it doesn’t need to be perfect? 🙂
Rinse and repeat over and over until the entire plywood sheet is cut into strips.
To figure out the length of your slats, measure the space between the two side bed boards. Cut them to length using a miter saw.
Tip: We used the cheapest 1/2″ plywood sheet they had. If you want a nicer finish you can opt for the furniture grade plywood. We didn’t do that since it’s MUCH more expensive and no one will really see the slats anyways. 😉
The platform strips are going to be spaced out evenly. The spacers will help keep the slats in place.
To make the spacers take a couple of the scrap pieces of the slats and cut them into 1 1/2″ pieces using a miter saw.
For this bed I needed 24 spacers.
Dry fit everything first, then add a little glue behind the spacers to make sure they don’t shift with time.
Yippeee! You finished converting your box spring into a platform bed! Now, you can get rid of those creaky box springs!
All that’s left is to pick out a nice memory foam mattress to put on your new platform bed. 🙂
What memory foam mattress do we use on our platform beds?
The memory foam mattress we’ve been buying for years and LOVE LOVE it is the
14″ Novaform Comfort Grande King Memory Foam Mattress
The link above is from Amazon. We’ve been buying our Novaform mattresses from Costco for like 10 years now and swear by them.
Did you like the post? Was it useful? What would you do different?
Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks!
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View Comments
Hi guys. Did you sand the spacers ? I turned our guest bedroom bed and box spring into a platform bed. I have trouble making the bed because the bedding snags on the raw wood spacers.
Thank You
Lisa and Ken Bass
Hi Lisa,
Oh good point! Yes, we did sand the spacers and the platform slats. I can't believe I didn't add that in the post. I'll be adding that shortly. :)
Hi Steve ,
I have a old brass bed headboard and footboard I would like to convert to a platform. Can this method you used be use on it
Hi Sharen, I guess it would depend on sideboards the frame has. If they're metal too it would be doable but trickier.
This is so helpful and exactly what I need to do to my bed. Thank you! I'm not understanding if/how the slats are attached. It says to glue the spacers in place. Are those spacers attached/glued to the side supports, but then the slats just lay unattached in the spaces without being attached? I'm assuming this is so the slats can be removed easily and the bed taken apart?
Hi Rick,
Exactly! The spacers are glued in place to prevent the slats from moving around, and the slats just sit in their space between the spacers.
I guess you can screw in the ends of each slat if you prefer but I always left the slats floating when I did this project, and they stayed in place without needing to screw them in.
Question: can you make the platform so that it is same height as top of bed rail?? I have slats now but my mattress sits down in frame and makes it difficult to put on sheets i.e. pinches my fingers / knuckles.
Of course! To accomplish that using my project, since I'm using 1/2" plywood for the platform slats I'd screw in all the supports a 1/2" from the top of the side boards.
If I simply add more slats to the 5 existing slats which have never had supports for the slats, can I just lay hybrid mattress on slats without the need for slat supports?
Hi Susan!
Great question, since many beds do have just the 5 slats.
Usually, when I've seen 5 slats there is also usually some sort of support bar (or 2) that run down the middle of the bed. The intent in those cases is that a box spring will go on top of the 5 slats, spreading the weight of people using the bed evenly. Basically the box spring in that case is the support for the weight.
In this project I use 1/2" plywood to make the slats, but even if you were to use 3/4" plywood, I don't think it would have enough strength to support the weight of the mattress + the people using it. It's just too big an expanse for the plywood to hold everything up. Best case scenario, the plywood would start drooping in the middle from the weight and time.
hello steve. i have a king size bed frame with center/middle rail/beam. do i need add'l lenghtwize midrails? Comment *
Hi there!
Hmm, I would. The reason I say that is because the 1/2" plywood used to make the slats can hold up great... as long as the span isn't too wide.
Let's say your bedframe is 75" wide, with a single middle rail the span on each side of the rail is 37.5" (75"/2)
If you install the two midrails, the each span would be 25" (75"/3)
That's over a 12" difference for each span.
I was doing this in vacation rentals where our guests come in all sizes - so I would never consider only having a single rail.
You could always try it out with the single midrail, and if it doesn't feel quite sturdy enough add the other midrails afterwards.
Another option would be to use 3/4" plywood instead of 1/2", that would by much sturdier but also more expensive.
If I were in your shoes though, I would add the two 2x4 midrails, to be on the safe side.
Hope that helps!
So you no longer use a box spring with this, doesn't that make the mattress sit lower? Thanks
Hi Steve, That's right. I use super comfortable memory foam mattresses that are 14" high, so it actually helps to have the mattress sit lower. My wife used to have to do a small hop to get on top of the mattress. LOL
Hi Steve, Any advice for a bed frame that does not have thick head and footboards? I’m trying to convert a sleigh bed style frame and the head and foot boards only have 1.25 thick boards. I’m concerned there isn’t enough depth to screw into
Hi JR,
I could see why the 1 1/4" thick boards would make you nervous. Is the whole head and foot board 1 1/14" inches? I ask because sometimes there's a part along the ends where the wood is thicker or doubled up - if so I'd have the screws go into that.
Even if the thickest part of the frame is only 1 1/4" I think you'll still be okay - as long as it's real wood. Instead of using 3" screws like I did, I would either use 2" screws or 2.5" screws at an angle, and instead of using 3 screws use maybe 5 screws. Like I said, if it's real wood then you would be okay.