I also stapled down canvas dropcloth to protect the mattress from splinters. :) Hope this helps some.

I love the traditional look of a higher bed. I just think it looks cozier. I like to update the look by skipping dust ruffles etc. On the other side, box springs are not what they used to be. There are no springs involved and they do not provide any more support (actually less) than a platform. I decide by the look of the overall room.

My favorite part about not using box springs is that it is much quieter as you turn in bed!

Not sure, I have had the same mattress and box springs for 30 years, no sag and seems almost good as new. My new bed will have no box springs and I am concerned about having the same satisfaction. My current brand is a sealy posturepedic firm and back in the day cost $800.00

If you have only a metal frame, then they're necessary. If your bed has closely spaced slats, or a solid base, then maybe you don't need one!

Thanks blackwyrmdesigns!! Very helpful!

I didn't read through the comments, so please excuse me if I am repeating. Many manufacturers will not honor any warranty on a mattress that doesn't have a foundation. Just sayin'.

The warranty is just BS. They just want to double their sales.

I have always used a box spring, I don't know otherwise. We are in need of a new mattress set and beginning to get serous about this however I don't know if we will be getting a box spring or not, all I know is that I would like to have a King size this time. Thanks

@samathes. By skipping box spring, you'll have a lot more money to buy nicer mattress. Look at different styles. I'm super happy with king size memory foam one. Don't notice when other person gets in or out of bed.

I've always had a box spring and never considered anything else so I was kinda surprised by the poll - I have had my bed for about 12 years now and some beds i.e. platforms and memory foam seem fairly newer - slat beds although seem common in Europe seem college like to me. I like my normal king size high pillow top sleigh bed but again that's all I know.

Peggy Tupper, the warranty info is not bogus. Without the kind of support the mattress is designed to have, anything less is apt to void the warranty. I would make sure if you decide to buy just a mattress to check on the warranty issue.

Polls like these are mostly for fun - not to take seriously. There is a finite number of peeps who read houzz, and less who have an account and even less who bother answering a poll. Even then, it's based on personal experience which for some people can be limited and others who have more.

There are so many different ways to "make a bed" and none are the right way and none are the wrong way. What is right is right for you and that is what matters most.

in the history of mattresses and beds, you have to go back to 3600 BC. In Persia beds were made of layers of goatskins filled with water. The first mattress was as you can guess, a simple pile of leaves, grass and perhaps straw. Over that were animal skins.

Mattress covers came to light in the 18th century and the first spring mattress appeared during the latter half of the same century. The waterbed was invented in late 1800s along with the box spring. The most expensive mattresses were made of latex rubber in the early 1900s. Although Japan used them for a long time, in the 1940's the futon came to the USA. Foam rubber mattresses were sold in 1950s.

Today you have all sorts of choices, memory/foam and latex as well as air beds, waterbeds, coil inner springs, and high-tech adjustable sleep mattresses, coil or no coil, box spring or no box spring, single-sided or no flip. Just remember - all mattresses need some type of support be it boxes (box spring) plywood, slats, rope, ground, rocks or layers of animal skins.

As for beds themselves - go back to the neolithic period - it didn't take long before sleeping mats were raised off the ground to avoid, dirt, bugs and water. People used flat rocks as their bed furniture, then graduated to making wood and rope beds for their "mattresses." And this was all BC. Egyptians were noted for their high beds for their rulers who used steps to climb up into them with headrests, bolsters and decorations.

Today your choices are convertible beds, murphy beds, platform, slats, rope or solid bottom, hammocks, poster beds, iron beds, wood beds, adjustable beds like a hospital bed, box bed with a roof or one entirely enclosed, bunk beds, loft bed, canopy bed, daybed, curtain bed, hideaway bed, cribs, bassinets, camp bed, chest bed, brass bed, high beds and low beds. Then you have the choice of various sizes.

So consider what you like because it's your sleep/nap time and I'm sure you want to be comfortable no matter where you lay your head. "Sleep tight and don't let the bed bugs bite."

I prefer to go without a boxspring but always make sure there is a solid platform for the mattress (or no more than an inch between slats and slats no less than 1.5 inches wide). Otherwise the weight of the mattress and people sleeping on it can cause it to warp in between the slats.

No box springs. They r noisy n ugly. In NY apartments is difficult to bring in.

I definitely have to have a box spring.

My kitty discovered years ago when a friend put holes in the bottom of their's for easier packing up stairs, that the the box spring is a perfect luxury cat fort.

Now my brand new mattress means she gets to built a brand new Fort. This way she can stealthy stalk the comings and goings of my feet from all directions to plan her perfect attack.

For my safety. She now comes equipped with a bell for patrols in the darker rooms.

I moved across the country after my divorce back to my home town and my dad built me a platform foundation with storage underneath to fit my mattress. "Thank you so much, Dad!" I said.

"It should work fine for you." he said "but I should tell you that I built it to hold a maximum of 150 pounds".

It depends. Our bed frame is a platform requiring no box spring; but our two guest beds have box springs as they rest on metal frames.

This is our bed. No box spring.

"It should work fine for you." he said "but I should tell you that I built it to hold a maximum of 150 pounds".

That's funny.

If you aren't aware, you can turn metal bed frames (or wood for that matter) into platform with slats or even a full platform. Measure carefully to drill holes on both long pieces. Cut your slats accordingly and drill holes to match the ones on the metal frame. Then put in bolts with nuts underneath. By bolting or screwing down your slats, you will prevent any movement (squeaking noises) when you roll over. Slats do give more air ventilation than a full platform.

Has anyone tried those beds-in-a-box? These are the ones you order online from sites like from Wayfair, Amazon, Overstock, etc. I've heard mixed reviews about whether a box spring should be used with them.

I agree with other responses, that most platform beds are coming with slats which provide the support your mattress needs instead of a box spring.

Bed in a Box is new - according to Consumer Reports - they are just starting to test these beds (testing 20 beds). They come folded tight in a box. Sealy foam mattress have 2 choices - soft or firm. Another has a gel-infused layer on top of foam. You have basically 100 to 180 days depending on store to decide if you want it or not to get your money back.

http://www.consumerreports.org/mattresses/bed-in-a-box-options-sealy-mattress-firm/?loginMethod=auto

video of a customer opening one up

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUIbJEjpP8I

One of bed in boxes mentioned in CR article, Casper, is advertising heavily on radio. The ad claims "Time" mag named it one of 2015 new products of year. One of "testimonials" mentions once it arrives how easy it is to carry through house. Clearly they're selling convenience as much as comfort. Delivered to your door, easy to carry, etc.

@nirvanaav. You obviously didn't bother to read my comment before posting your rude response. How dare you assume what I am or am not familiar with! I have been an antique dealer for 30 years and my family have been furniture craftsmen for eight generations. Keep your rude comments and lectures to yourself and stop trying to show off. I'm NOT impressed. EVERYONE has the right to express his or her opinion on this forum without receiving a lecture from a know it all like you.

@doug, while I understand that nirvanaav reply was not very kind, your comment was not very kind either. We all have different preferences (some prefer platform beds, some prefer tall ones and so on),,you pretty much called those who like platform beds people with no decor interest or no interest for comfort. There are plenty of beautiful platform beds that look amazing and I'm sure they were chosen because people liked them. Some people get a bit carried away when it comes to opinions, but there is no need to shout and get upset..life is too short:)

I spent time in South Korea when my son and daughter-in-law were stationed there.
No one uses a box spring. The beds are firm but comfortable. I'm not thinking that soft mattresses are good for your back anyway. They are in necessary.

Noisy box springs? Not sure where you all are getting yours but our 15 year old one doesn't make noise when we move. Nor do the ones we bought more recently to put in each of our daughters' homes for when we visit. Perhaps they've been improved?

When we invested in our king sized mattress, we didn't want the box springs, (king mattresses come with 2 if ordered as a set), but because we bought this great mattress on sale, the sales rep added in the box springs, which we paid for ($150 or so), and we were too busy to pursue return/refund/restock, which would have cost about the same! We put the box springs in a guest room closet and built our own "foundation" of 5/8 plywood sheets, covered those with padding and canvas drop cloths, and placed them over the slats of our bed frame to reduce wear/tear on the mattress. When guests came, we had to move the box springs from that closet to the basement, still in their plastic bed bag. When we re-did the basement, we had to move them to the garage. Tried to give those never used pieces to Goodwill. They refused them, since they don't take mattresses/springs (bed bug risk?) So, now, we are faced with the guilt of throwing them away (which we must pay extra for) and thinking they must go to landfill (which makes it very bitter to us). We don't want to do that. Box springs! Help! Any ideas?!

I've probably tried them all-from foam on the floor, futon, Ikea slats and latex, French, German, Italian boxes and slats, and the rip-off American box and pillow top extravaganzas with weak support -but the absoloute best are the British hand tied spring mattress with a proper box. It doesn't move, is comfortable in any weather and truly supports your back shoulders and hips without feeling like you're sleeping in a bowl of jelly-or a 70s waterbed...perfection.

We have a cabin with a narrowed old stairwell which would not accommodate a queen size box spring. We found 'Better than a Box Spring' which is an easy fold out metal platform to lay your mattress on. It is very sturdy and easy to clean under. Great solution for our problem.

The bed retailer always tells you there will be no mattress warranty if you don't buy the box spring. You can delete the "spring" word because it is only a box covered with material matching the mattress. That being said, you don't need a box. It's galling to waste $300-400 on a useless plywood box. However, if you buy a Murphy bed they will sell you just the mattress with a warranty included. Imagine that.

To ljorgensen I tried to say that the "warranty" stuff was just BS to get you to spend money. You said it better!

Does anyone ever use the warranty? Never in my life have I needed to use a mattress warranty so no big deal.

Just tell them you can't use a box spring because you have a platform bed! That does the trick and you still get the warranty. I know 'cause I did that the last time I purchased a mattress as I do have a slatted platform bed.

@strgzy2 You can always tear apart the box spring and re-purpose the parts into something else! :)

@susanlopez those brits have something going for them. I had to look up their type mattress/box - fascinating. I bet they are mighty comfy. Of course, they aren't cheap, fer sure. From what I've read they are the super luxury of bedding. It's made with a divan, so the only thing you need for a "bed" is the headboard. Thanks for the education Susan.

http://www.longsbedding.com/mattresses-and-boxsprings/reylon/

http://www.theorganicmattress.com/collections/vispring-luxury-natural-mattresses

And below is a link to the most luxury bedding you can find in the USA. You might call them the Rolls Royce of mattresses - all 6 figures - if you have the spare change. :)

http://mashable.com/2016/05/14/luxury-mattresses/#NTkXBvogPkqz

Best Mattress Company in Columbia SC will make you whatever you need...two top, different materials, odd sizes for odd beds, WHATEVER! Family has used them forever! Great to work with and determined to please. Check them out

The best made mattresses whether British hand made with the finest materials or a local manufacturer that hand makes mattresses using common materials all have the same basic construction. And that is the pocket coils. These are smaller coil diameter that spreads weight across more coils for what is considered the optimal contour support. This type system is known to last a very long time.

Many popular brand mattresses are made with cage sprung coils sometimes called open coil or continuous coil mattresses. So buyer be ware.

The cheapest mattress in a king might contain only 600 pocket springs (da coil). It still will be better than the cage sprung. On the other side more toward luxury plus, you'll find the better made kings will have 1000 pocket springs or more. The max # of pocket springs on a kings is 2000.

The lower the spring count, the larger the spring diameter.

This is similar to vast majority of manufacturers of high quality mattresses. The difference is what's placed on top of the spring units. Now, we are getting pricey! LOL

Good articles here if you are in the market for a good basic mattress.

https://johnryanbydesign.co.uk/understanding-beds/pocket-springs/

https://johnryanbydesign.co.uk/understanding-beds/cage-sprung-open-coil-continuous-coil-mattresses/

Bunky boards are a cheap and solid alternative. They come in more than one thickness but are lower than a standard box spring. We just bought an Amish made mattress and put a thin bunky board on the three slats of our bed to provide sufficient support. We got our daughter an "air" mattress and the very expensive required platform is a plastic box.

I built a platform 11 years ago.. It looks like a table and I have a good mattress on top. It is both solid and comfortable.... It sits 16 inches off the floor and I use plastic bins underneath for extra storage...

I have an organic wool mattress and topper from Shepherds Dream (in Canada) on a slatted frame and love it. It is lower to the ground and took only a short time getting used to it after decades of sleeping on mattress and boxspring. The slats allow the wool to breathe and give support to the mattress.

I've noticed no one much has spoken of using a foundation with two mattresses on top and no frame. My uncle did this in his new home for the guest bedroom. While I visited, I had the most glorious sleep ever! Never thought to do this with a new mattress, just put it on top, no frame needed. Really remarkable.

strgzy2...I don't know what city you live in, but there are organizations that help homeless or shelters or halfway houses, etc.that would take your springs, I'm sure. Also I bet you have a Craigslist or NextDoor you could post them as Free. They will go to someone who can use them. Here in Kansas City we have an org called Sleepyheads that takes good mattress and springs and sanitizes them and gives away to children. I volunteer at Community Linc, a transitional housing campus for homeless families and we would not hesitate to take new twin springs for our children's mattresses. If you make a bit of effort you can find a place besides the landfill for them. Good luck!

Thanks for the tip! Of course I still have them in the garage, still in their plastic wrap, so will certainly look into the homeless shelters and halfway houses. Can't abide the landfill notion for materials that have never been used and could mean something to somebody. Have contacted other organizations, including Habitat in my immediate rural/suburban area without any takers, but will search our greater urban area (Chicago). Transport is also an issue, I think.

For used mattresses and box springs - information. Hope it helps.

many places that do not have the means to sanitize the mattresses/box springs will not take your donation - keep that in mind

use the internet to search for those who accept donations specific to your county

Some salvation army locations will accept; others not. Same with goodwill.

[https://www.houzz.com/magazine/lose-it-how-to-get-rid-of-a-mattress-stsetivw-vs~739060[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/lose-it-how-to-get-rid-of-a-mattress-stsetivw-vs~739060)

http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/donate-used-mattresses-4350.html

http://earth911.com/recycling-guide/how-to-recycle-mattresses/

Consider local donation Furniture Bank, they are usually orgs. :

http://houstonfurniturebank.org/programs-and-services/mattress-recycling/

Do check out any "services" carefully before you call. There us usually a fee.

http://www.junk-king.com/services/items-we-take/mattresses

https://mattressdisposalplus.com/how-it-works/

Some ideas come through chat boards

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=618657

Check your state/city/municipality to see if they have a program for old furniture, etc. such as California

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Old-mattress-dumped-for-free-under-new-state-6763362.php

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/08/16/massachusetts-wants-more-mattresses-recycled/EgMk1Fu11U5z2AIxzTElDN/story.html

Creative uses for mattresses - few Shelters/Charities/Churches/Pet Centers will accept due to sanitation problems.

http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/construction/green/10-creative-uses-for-old-mattresses.htm

With regard to the box springs still in their original plastic wrapper, charity orgs have clearly defined rules regarding beds/mattresses and no one at the store level is authorized to make an exception. Bed bugs are a huge issue. Your best bet is to post a free ad on Kijiji or Craigslist and state that you are GIVING them away. They are FREE. Post a photo. There is a section on Kijiji just for free stuff. Someone will come and get them. Transportation is their problem.

It depends on the kind of mattress you have. Some like latex or foam have to be ventilated so the best option is wood slats. Then, for the look, some prefer no boxspring for a more modern and low bed...in fact, with spring mattresses, you can do what you want !

I like box springs for the extra height!

I am going to get a “box spring” with my new mattress - like this set up with a metal frame that I’m used to and I can then move bed easier. A friend gave me her queen platform bed and it will have to stay where it is without a lot of hassle and the slats sit so low that it’s hard for me to raise the mattress up to make the bed. It’s a very solid good looking platform bed but maybe that was a flaw in the design? I’ve never thought the beds with box springs were too high - seem just right to me, especially with bad knees. I do think they’re a gimmick as to warranty’s because all they are is a solid surface - I guess they used to really have springs?

The appeal of platform beds is because they look very modern and low to the ground. Lots of folks including young folks like low beds. Personally, I don't like higher beds, so my box spring is a "low rider" aka 4" instead of "standard" aka 8".