Hello CP, be fearless in purchasing a platform bed as long as you are buying a good mattress. With a mattress less than 8 inches thick you will damage the support ribs or structure.

Almost all modern mattresses are designed to work with foundations or "semi-flex" box springs which BARELY flex. On the less expensive platform beds we sell with the more flexible arched supports mattresses feel different! This gives me a minor preference for the more solid base platform beds. IMO a sheet of plywood should be placed over all them flat ribs in most cases to distribute the load.

BTW, are you an extremely tall fellow where a California King is superior to the more common Eastern King?

The 72 x 84 surface of the CK provides LESS sleeping surface for a man of average height than the 76 x 80 surface of the EK. Not to mention sheets are one step more difficult to find. I am 6'4" and someplace just over my height is where the CK cut may be worth it.

On the west coast eastern kings are rare. There is the standard king size and the california king. The ca king plays to the stats that californians are taller while the eastern king is originally made for wider people. So 3 sizes available. Living in ca myself I prefer ca king because retail wise I find the most selection in bedding in that size locally.
As far as platform beds I want one even though a designer friend tells me people always smack their shins on them, I just love the minimalist look and am willing to try it out

Gunter, I figured on the whole with the higher hispanic and asian populations the average height in CA would be lower than MO. Is average caucasian or african american height higher?

Regardless, I am 6'4" ish and sleep on a "regular" 76x80 eastern king. Figure since my feet dont hang of anyone shorter than me would get more sleeping surface on the eastern king.

Anyone taller than 6'4" just might get their money from the 72x84 cal king.

In case I ever go to work in Stockton or anyolace in CA, is cal king really the standard size there? 30 seconds of Craigs List browsing showed me more eastern king ads.

Sorry for the typos and inexact link. Posting from my cell while watching the Cardinals lose.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattress_sizes

Eight weeks ago we ordered custom bedroom furniture from Witmer Furniture. We've never had a platform bed, but decided to go for it this time. At age 60, it will most likely be our last major bedroom purchase. We know the four storage drawers will come in handy, and we're thinking about keeping the foundation/mattress combination to achieve a higher bed height.

When we receive it, I'll give more feedback.

It's the 3rd bed from the top of page.

Here is a link that might be useful: Taylor J

Toronado3800 I'm curious which craigslist you browsed. I just searched orange county's and could only find standard and cal kings. I previously worked at bed bath and beyond in San Diego and am going off what they taught us there. We did not carry eastern king in our location at all. About the stats...the rise in Hispanic and Asian populations is a lot more recent than mattress sizes are. Plus there are many bi and multiracial people here that are typically forced to put themselves as the minority race on a form. Even though I'm only half Hispanic companies and schools request I place that as my sole race because saying I'm also white isn't as beneficial for their stats. Lame that the system works that way but until multiracial is a common option that's how it is. When traits are mixed u can end up with tall Hispanics and Asians ( who also can be full blooded and tall) .
As far as Wikipedia their other entry on bed size states calking is most common on west coast. I don't know which size is "superior" but I've never thought for want of more room on my calking