Laminated Bed Slats:

[Gluestick]

Does anyone know where one can buy Laminated Bed Slats in the UK, ideally?

Or which woods are best if I have to make them?

I am restoring an old wooden-framed bed and want to build a wood sprung base unit which slots into the existing frame.

I have seen these and even stored a URL sometime back which was a woodworking site with full details and contacts for supplies. It is now defunct.

I think the springs are made from Ash and one other wood. They are normally circa 2" wide and quite thin and located at either end and in the middle, laterally across the frame.

Any ideas peeps?

 

[Anton Redman]

I hate to suggest it but a look round IKEA might produce either the pieces you need or something which could easyly be cut down

[Dick Smith]

This thread on another forum may help.

Personally I would buy a sommier in France and make my bed around it, or use an MDF base.

[powerdesal]

GS,

I can picture in my mind exactly the ones you mean. Possibly ash with yew for springiness (as in bows)?

[Dick Smith]

They are available, but I am told they are very expensive. If cost isn't an issue, I think ash or beech is the answer. Apparently they can be laminated, which makes them stronger.

How about buying a sommier and cannibalising it?

[Gluestick]

I did once rescue an antique bedframe by sitting 3/4" chip on the side frames with a longtitudinal centre strut.

It was much too firm and also essential to provide copious holes for ventilation, or the mattress "Sweats".

In fact in France we do have an Ikea pine bed in a guest room: however, this has simple pine slats, joined together with wide tape at each side.

No "Give"!

What I am seeking to achieve is reasonable springiness in the slatting and a memory foam mattress on top which I reckon ought to create an almost perfect night's kip!

I could, I suppose, cheat and use Pirelli upholstery webbing, cleated on each side, however, I doubt this will give the firm response I am seeking.

Steve: yes, Yew and Ash and Dick, yes, Beech.

Therefore probably a laminate of the three is the answer. Now that should be fun! Cutting laths from lengths and clamping along their whole length to laminate!

Thanks for the input, guys. [:)]

I'll keep searching: someone must supply the things!

[Dick Smith]

Bishops Beds will do them for you, but at a price (£3 each). Chop up a sommier!

[Chris Head]

Try lambris Gluey, they are thin enough to suffice and if cut a few millimetres overlength they will have the spring you want, also they're cheap and available. 

[Anton Redman]

" In fact in France we do have an Ikea pine bed in a guest room: however, this has simple pine slats, joined together with wide tape at each side. - No "Give"! "

Mine has enough give mind you 90 kilos - 1,80 metres - most things have enough give.

[Gluestick]

Bishop's Beds are the answer!

Thanks, Dick.

Chris H: No real "Spring" in panelling, but thanks for the idea.

Anton: There is no "Give" in our Ikea bed. It's just reasonably thick slats of pine, set between the side and centre members.

Althought Bishop's charge £3/pop, they are wide enough to cover the whole width of the frame. And the larger version at 63 m.m. won't take over-many to cover the thing, as the gaps are roughly equal to the slats. Considering they are made from 6 laminars of Beech, I don't feel that's too expensive!

Many thanks to all of you but a special thanks to Dick.

My design consideration is only because I have a dodgy back as a result of a rather nasty car accident circa 15 years ago.

A local founder member of the Geriatric Old Fools Motoring and Accident Club, GOFMAC, in a Micra, pulled out from a garden centre on a main (delimited) road, in the wet without looking : he accelerated rather quickly as I arrived in the Beema!

I subsequently sued and won substantial compensation: however, I'd far rather not have the back problem!

Anyway, I am seeking an alternative to a typical divan base and expensive orthopaedic matress: tried a few; none seem to work well.

I believe natural springing and memory foam will be the best.

And, of course, it's much nicer environmentally: renewable resource, chaps.

[George]

hi GS

Not the UK and maybe that this was a one off and too late now anyway - all said and done, sometime ago I was in a But store looking for cheap make do furniture and noticed a pile of these things in a corner.  At the time I didn't know what they were for, but subsequently discovered. 
Might be worth a try if you have a local one.  As I say not sure if this was just a general clear out or something they often sell (this particular store was nr. Saumur - again not much good to you)

Just ignore me I'll feel better later [B]

 

[Gluestick]

Thanks Geo.

Not seen a But store in the North, and if you'll forgive the dreadful pun, BUT I'll see if I can find one!

Good thought!

[:D]

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Back with Ikea, there are several curved laminated options -- e.g. SULTAN LILLÅKER. They only come in single bed width -- the double beds have a central beam to support them.

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/categories/rooms/bedroom/10635/

 

[Gluestick]

Thanks, Albert.

Some good ideas here........

 

[Jonzjob]

Hi GS, only just found this thread!! I too have a dodgy back and we have a sommier with a fairly firm sprung French matress on it and that is really good for me. As Dick said if you can't find one that will fit it would be worth getting one and butchering it! I believe the normal slats are beech and for a double they have 2 sets with a frame down the middle. Any of the bed shops here have them.

You may be OK with a foam matress of whatever kind in the North, but I would be wary of the sweating angle in the summer of any foam matress down here... I haven't tried one and I may be completely wrong, but??

[Gluestick]

Thanks for that Jonz.

It can be quite warm in the North! Last September it was very hot for most of the month and that's when we normally spend at least one month in France.

I've slept on foam and latex type mattresses before and haven't had much of a problem with sweating.

However, so I'm informed, memory foam breathes.

 

[Pepper]

Hi when I made my own bed I just used Ash slats on their own rather than laminating them.

They still give fantastic springing after 15 years of service, Ash is the best way to go.

On our bed I just used ash slats straight across the bed (king Size) and I cut them around 2" by 1" and used around 1 per 10cm but then tuned them by spacing them closer together where needed and further apart where not.

If you need more centre support to prevent dipping in the middle then I'd suggest using thinner slats but more of them to provide more individual springing which you can then tune more easily.

Hope that helps.

[Gluestick]

Many thanks for that, Pepper.

Some good input.

[:)]