Box Spring Question

[Swimbait2009]

I have a queen size box spring that won't fit up the steep stairs in my house. I know there are two-piece units that I could buy, but I've also heard of people just sawing their box spring in half. Anyone done this?

[fishwidow]

We had the same problem. Arrived at the cabin about 7:00 pm with a new Queen size set only to discover it would not go up the stairs. After pushing and shoving and sweating and cursing, we finally figured out a way, but unless your house is configured the same it won't work. The stairway going up to the second floor was directly over the stairway going down to the basement. We removed enough of the lower steps to tilt it upward. It took removal of three fourths of the steps to get it up, and I had to be careful to not step into the basement as I pushed up from the first floor. Then I had to reassemble the stairs. By then it was well after midnight.

Worst part was the mattress was crappy and was uncomfortable after a couple years. The replacement had the twin foundations and we sawed the old one in half to get it back down.

Good luck.

[Steve Foss]

Box springs wear out your mattress faster. They are useless, and a big darn scam. We haven't used a box spring in several years now. We just buy the mattress and put it on a wooden frame that fits inside the bed frame and tops out at the same level as a regular box spring. Offers far more stability to the mattress than a box spring.

The frame is made out of 2x8, with two 2x8 running lengthwise inside the frame as well. On top is a piece of 5/8 plywood or 1-by boards. If you can't build it elsewhere and get it up your stairs, build it right in the bedroom to fit right inside the metal bed frame. We use screws so we can dismantle it when it's time to move.

You will find that this is a much more solid than a box spring. When one person shifts in bed on a mattress/box spring, the whole bed moves around. Not so with this system. And you will sleep better with this under your mattress.

If you've ever slept on a good quality mattress laid right on the floor, you know what I mean about stability and support. This system just puts the mattress up at standard level.

[Swimbait2009]

I found a couple videos on YouTube about cutting the box spring and folding it up. I'm gonna try it this weekend and see what happens. If that fails I'll try your method Steve! Our stairs are actually configured the same way, but the stairs up to the second floor are finished in, so it would be some serious demolition and refinishing to remove stairs.

[kyleharty]

I've worked for a small mattress company for a while, I wouldn't personally recommend cutting the box spring in half. You might possibly be able to repair the wooden part of it after cutting but it probably wouldn't be as strong as before. The metal grid would be difficult to fold and get back into proper shape without weakening it. A structurally compromised box spring like this may not give proper support for the mattress and could lead to problems with feel and wear.

I've never seen any evidence that a good quality coil box spring will wear your mattress out faster; they allow a little extra give to the set and IMO may actually help with longevity as it absorbs some of the weight and stress.

I will agree that the semi-flex boxes that many companies are using now are junk, they offer no benefit over a solid board and their design is flawed, once the metal grid bends it doesn't go back to it's original shape. They're only used because they are very cheap and pad the profit margin.

Steve's platform is a viable option as well, you may prefer the slightly firmer, more solid feel as he does. Most memory foam and latex mattresses work best with a solid foundation and a platform like this would be as good or better than the boxes that are sold with them. Whether you would prefer an innerspring on this or a box spring is up to the individual's needs.

BTW, I don't work for or have any affiliation with Original Mattress Company but everything in their commercials is spot on. They make a quality product and point out the scams and gimmicks that many other companies use, gotta applaud them for that.

[SkunkedAgain]

I like Steve's idea and may do that whenever I need to buy a new mattress. You might as well make it in two halves though, for weight and portability reasons.

[Tom7227]

You may be able to take off the light layer of material on the bottom and saw the cross boards as close to the middle as possible. This will allow you to slightly 'fold' the box spring and it may be enough to get it up there. The take some 1x4 material maybe 18 inches long or so and cripple it across the pieces you cut. That should be good enough to keep the thing together. My kid did it when he moved to NY last fall and he said it worked out fine.

[Cicada]

Good points brought up here. I used to sell bedding too. Steve's idea of building a platform will work fine. However, you may get a different feel (probably firmer)to the mattress if the box has flex. Cutting the box in half is always a bad idea. The solution will usually be a short term solution. I wouldn't expect it to last more than a year or two before you start to have issues. The problem with a buying a split box is that there will be two boards runnig down the length of the bed. Over time (in as little as six months) that extra firm support in the middle can result in a hump or ridge down the middle of the mattress.