If you’re upgrading to a new bed, chances are you’ve spent a bit of time trying out mattresses to find your perfect fit. Hard or soft, springs or foam, cushion-topped or a more basic design – there are plenty of factors to consider when picking out the item you’ll spend a hefty portion of your life up close and personal with.
What you may not have thought about yet is what kind of bed frame will support your new mattress. Believe it or not, aesthetics aren’t the only thing you should consider when narrowing down the choices – and some options may be best left off the table altogether. For that sweet slumber, wooden frames are the top choice for a raft of reasons. Let’s take a look at some of them.
Quality rules
Before we do a deep dive into the benefits of timber bed frames, it’s important to keep one thing in mind: not all wood is created equal. Buy a cheap product, you’ll wind up with a frame that is flimsy and not designed to go the distance. Invest in a quality frame and you can expect all the goodness we’re about to get into.
Okay, with that out the way, let’s start chatting timber!
Mice squeak – your bed shouldn’t
If you’ve ever slept on a fold-out camp bed, you’re probably familiar with the experience of being lightly roused by loud squeaking every time you roll over. Metal is particularly notorious for its talkative personality; each time you get in and out, the metal shifts and stretches a little with the strain. Over time the metal begins to warp and you end up with a frame that shakes and rattles with every little move you make.
A solid timber frame doesn’t have this problem. The wood nestles together, strong and sturdy, and the slight give of the natural material allows it to absorb the impact of your movement. Peace and quiet will be your lullaby as you drift into undisturbed (at least, by your bed) sleep.
No rock, no roll
If you constantly toss and turn, then a wooden bed frame might be the right choice for you! Timber absorbs movement deep into its joints, allowing you to move around as much as you like. A stable sleeping surface will help minimise disruptions to your slumber, ensuring you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Grow old together
Along with being quiet, one of the perks of being so strong and immovable is that wood ages gracefully. You don’t have to worry about screws working loose over time, sagging support springs or rust patches ruining your nightly trip to dreamland. Wood will go the distance, offering the same great support year after year.
As well as offering that all-important structural integrity, wood more readily resists superficial wear and tear. Fabric-covered beds are prone to fading, pilling, rips and wear; metal can suffer from ugly scratches and scuffing or chips in paintwork. Your timber frame can be kept glossy and beautiful with regular polishing, while a sand and re-varnish can bring back its sparkle after it has put in the hard yards and seen you through a few years of snoozing.
A sight to behold
It’s hard to pick a favourite feature, but one of wood’s outstanding qualities is its timeless visual appeal. No matter what your style or room decor, there’s a wooden bed frame that is going to get in amongst it and look amazing. Being made from a natural, living material, it has an inherent warmth, and the unique grain patterns in each and every piece lends a sense of individuality.
You can easily customise a timber frame to suit your room – and even change it later if you decide on a style overhaul. Stains are available in light to dark shades with warm and cool hues. You can paint your bed any colour you like, or even leave it raw to let the natural beauty of the wood shine through.
So many choices!
Wrought iron frames, feature bars and fabric frames are boxy. Small features can be changed up, but the basic look doesn’t change a whole lot from one style to another, and that’s down to the constraints of the materials used – the way they are able to be shaped, the weight they bring, and more. Wood surpasses all of these in versatility. From sleek, modern designs to more classic, decorative shapes with carved detail, you can find timber bed frames in more shapes, sizes and styles than you could poke a stick at.
You could go with what looks good, or you could go with what looks great and gives you the best shot at a deeply satisfying sleep every night. Gorgeous, high-quality timber bed frames make a great option for so many reasons and are worth keeping at the top of your shortlist.