How to install slats on a bed correctly

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Traditional beds with mesh bases are practically not used today. They do not provide proper support to the spine, which leads to the development of musculoskeletal diseases. Modern sleeping places are equipped with an orthopedic base, the springing ability of which is the key to a comfortable sleep. The metal frame of the base is filled with slats for the bed, which can be of different widths and lengths. The plates have a curved shape, are elastic and durable.

What is a lamella

Otherwise, the slats are called battens or slats and look like a set of slightly curved planks. This design forms an elastic lattice with a springing effect, on which an orthopedic mattress is placed. Parts can have various fastenings, although most often rigid fastening elements or slats on tape are used.

The design of the bed with plates is divided into individual slats, they are very durable and each can withstand a weight of up to 40 kg.

Note! The orthopedic bed base, which has a rigid structure, significantly extends the life of the mattress.

The thickness of the plates varies from 1 to 10 mm, width - from 25 to 120 mm. During installation, their distance can reach from 2 to 6 cm. The designs of double beds provide two rows of slats designed for each of the sleepers.

The use of frequent installation ensures maximum reliability of the structure, so that the bed can be used even by people with significant weight. The greatest distance left between the slats is selected in case of light loads on the mattress. The standard design for a double bed frame with dimensions of 160x200 cm is a design with 30 crossbars. With fewer quantities, the required strength is often not achieved. The minimum number is 22 slats in the case of a double base.

Very often slats are used for orthopedic beds.

When choosing a bed or a base for it, you need to explore the possibility of purchasing accessories in case of damage or breakage of any elements. The fittings consist not only of lamellas, but also of lath holders, transformation mechanisms and gas lifts. If the orthopedic base is used incorrectly, it may become damaged, and then the lamellas can be replaced with your own hands.

To ensure that the plates bring health benefits and not harm, you should choose the right mattress.

Note! Often, breakage of lamellas occurs in the case of dry air indoors, which leads to drying out of the wood. To avoid this, you can regularly treat the surface of the slats with a damp cloth.

Materials used

Let's start with what to make homemade slats from. Sometimes you have to repair the base of a bed with an orthopedic base yourself when the factory slats are broken. And sometimes it makes sense to make them yourself, before replacing the old ones, without buying them on the construction market.

Before preparing drawings or thinking about how the installation is carried out, you should make a choice.

Lamellas made on professional equipment, also called latoflexes, are wooden planks with a certain level of elasticity. Moreover, they are made from not just plywood, but from bent-glued material. But when made independently, they are usually assembled from wood. The thickness of the factory slats is usually 8 mm. In this case, the width can vary from 30 to 68 mm. The curved shape provides additional useful properties and also helps to increase the strength of the entire structure.

Latoflexes are installed across the base of the bed, be it single or double. The distance between the slats is from 20 to 60 mm. However, it should not exceed the width of one lamella.

To assemble a good single bed, experts recommend using at least 15 slats. If you need a bed for 2 people, then the specified quantity is multiplied by 2.

The higher the weight of the users, the more slats with a smaller distance between them should be used.

For double berths, a middle support bar is used, which connects two parts of the base of the berth. This is about the question of how to insert the necessary latoflexes into a double bed.

In this case, the installation of the lamellas themselves is carried out in 2 rows. In fact, here we are talking about 2 identical orthopedic beds, but combined within one frame. The slats, like the frame, can be made from ash, birch, beech, maple, oak and other trees. Pine is considered the least durable. If you want to make latoflexes with your own hands, you can take boards of suitable sizes, cut them yourself, or order cutting from specialized specialists.

Now about what they can be and how to make and install them with your own hands.

Although we have already actually dealt with the manufacturing issue.

What are lamellas made of?

For the manufacture of lamellas, only well-dried, high-quality wood is used. During production, solid wood is sawn into separate layers, which are impregnated with glue at a specific temperature, which gives them a slightly curved shape. A significant characteristic of products is their elasticity, which is ensured by the uniform placement of wood fibers.

Oak slats are a favorite among many bed manufacturers.

For this reason, not any wood is used for production, but only:

• Birch. It has white wood with a slight red or yellow tint. For production, an array of 15-40 years is used. Fibers with high uniform density are arranged in a confused manner, which ensures a highly decorative texture. Products made from birch have high strength, are easily bent and are subject to various treatments.
• Beech. This is quite expensive material. Its massif is white with a yellow or red tint, and the annual layers are clearly visible. Wood is distinguished by its high resistance to deformation and the ability to firmly hold fittings. Due to its natural elasticity, it is often used in the production of bent elements. Beech is resistant to changes in temperature and humidity, and is moderately resistant to rotting.
• Ash.
  It is distinguished by durable and elastic wood, products from which are difficult to split. The color of the massif is light, the heart-shaped rays are not visible. Provided that it is properly dried, the material is almost unaffected by external factors and is easy to process. It has low thermal conductivity, which makes it possible to place it next to heating devices. Products made from ash are quite expensive, and solid wood is mainly used in exclusive products. Note! Additional decorations are often made from ash, such as carved headboards or bedside lamps.
• Poplar and linden. They have similar characteristics. Wood of both species has low cost, average strength and softness. The dried massif is well suited to various treatments and staining. Products made from linden and poplar are impregnated with special protective agents, ensuring the possibility of operation at high humidity.
• Maple. This is a noble variety, actively used in furniture production. It is used to make bed headboards, frames and slatted bases. The density and strength of the material are determined by the type of maple. Wood has elasticity and viscosity, which allows products to be processed in various ways. Thanks to the significant hardness of maple, the fittings and fasteners are held extremely securely.

At any time, you can replace the slats yourself if one of them suddenly breaks.
To further protect the products from changes in humidity, they are opened with varnish.

There is an alternative to wooden slats - metal slats. They retain rigidity throughout the entire period of operation, but have significant weight. Metal slats almost do not bend under the weight of the mattress, which reduces its orthopedic properties.

The slats should only be attached to the metal bed frame using metal fasteners.

Note! When using a metal base, the problem of slat creaking is completely eliminated.

If the steel has an anti-corrosion coating, then the base can be used at different temperatures and humidity. Fewer metal crossbars are required than wooden ones: for a single bed, 8-10 pieces are enough, compared to 14-15 for wood. Metal armor is almost never used for beds equipped with a lifting mechanism, which is explained by their significant weight.

The plates can be ordered individually, there is any size and material you need, the cost of the products is reasonable.

Pros and cons of slats

The following advantages of lamellas can be highlighted:

• enhancing the orthopedic and anatomical effect of the mattress due to the elastic base;
• ensuring natural air exchange thanks to the gaps between the slats;
• increasing the service life of the mattress due to the lamellas taking up a significant part of the load;
• possibility of easy replacement of strips;
• long period of use of furniture;
• noiseless design, ensured by special holders used to fix the plates;
• low cost of slats, which has little effect on the final price of the bed;
• ease of cleaning achieved due to the high base.

• the possibility of conflict with mattresses that are equipped with thin covering protection and springs of small diameter, since in this case the springs can be pressed into the gaps between the slats;
• small selection of models;
• lack of protection of the mattress from below from the smell of things from the pencil case, moisture and dust accumulating under the furniture.

The buyer can independently choose the material from which the lamellas will be made.

What are lamellas for?

The main functions of the rack base are the following:

1. Ensuring high-quality ventilation of the mattress. Due to the entry of a large amount of air into the spaces between the armor, it is possible to constantly maintain the optimal temperature in the areas of contact between the mattress and the body.
2. Ensuring the most physiological position of the mattress. This is achieved thanks to the elasticity and flexibility of the slats, as a result of which a person is guaranteed sound sleep and quality rest.
3. Uniform distribution and reduction of load on the mattress. This allows you to significantly extend its service life.

The better and stronger the material for the lamellas, the higher the price tag will be set for them.
Note! The use of a slatted frame reduces the likelihood of the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms that may appear inside the mattress.

How to choose the right one

When choosing a bed with a slatted bottom, you should consider the number of slats. The wider the bed, the greater the number of slats that should lie at the base. The optimal number of slats for a bed with a length of 190-200 cm is 20-22 pieces. If there are more slats, the bed will become more flexible, softer and more functional, and will be able to withstand more weight of the mattress.

Their feature is a curved C-shape and the ability to withstand the large weight of a mattress + a person.

It is important to choose the material of the slats. The most affordable option is birch, which is as strong as harder wood. Birch slats are installed in economy class products, less often in the middle segment.

The more slats there are at the base, the longer the bed will last you.

Note! When purchasing a double bed with a width of 140 cm or more, you should choose a model with a slatted bottom divided into two halves. This will allow you to create your own base for each bed. In this case, shorter strips will be used.

Pin

The bed slats are secured using a tip holder, which can be made of plastic, rubber or polypropylene. The holder is secured using rivets and staples. In some cases, fixation is provided in special pockets, which are located at the base of the frame.

The fastening of wooden slats is carried out using various methods, none of which is inferior in reliability and quality.

Take off

If it is necessary to repair the bed frame, then to dismantle the bar it should be bent towards the bend until it comes out of the groove, and then moved to the side.

Note! If the rail is broken, it should be replaced rather than trying to glue it together.

Don’t forget to pay attention to the cost of the products, the material from which they are made, and most importantly, the name of the manufacturer.

To dismantle the lamella fixed by the holders, you will need pliers, a hammer or a screwdriver. To make it easier to remove the holder, you should first remove the damaged rail. Dismantling is carried out depending on the type of holder and the method of fixation: you may need to remove the brackets, remove the pins or unscrew the screws.

Change

New slats should be purchased from specialized stores. It is important that these strips are the same size and material as all the others. Installation of new parts is carried out in the same way as installation.

There should be more than 30 of them in a double bed, and more than 15 for a single bed.

Application area

As already mentioned, lamellas are quite widely used in many areas. However, if we talk about blinds, their main purpose will be interior decoration. We can reliably say about them that this is a proven way to add original and unusual lighting to the design of a room. And if relief and volumetric patterns are applied to the strips of the blinds, or they are endowed with a non-standard shape and outline, then this will contribute to the appearance of interesting optical illusions when they are completely closed.

It should also be noted that lamellas are used to create partitions and screens to enliven the design of a room. In addition, they are great for dividing a room into different zones. If we are talking about using blinds for their intended purpose, then options are possible here too. Recently, many interesting offers have appeared on the market, such as multi-texture blinds (a combination of fabric, plastic and even metal).

If you need to completely darken a room, you should pay attention to light-proof strips. If this is a living space and you want to achieve the maximum effect of comfort, then it is better to resort to slats made of fabric and wood

But in offices, plastic and metal options have proven themselves to be excellent. But under any circumstances, pay attention to the fact whether your choice meets all the characteristics necessary for operation.

Which lamellas are better – narrow or wide?

All lamellas can be divided into:

1. Wide planks (from 50 to 70 mm). They are optimal for mattresses equipped with spring blocks or latex springless products. They are mounted at a distance of 4 to 6 cm from each other. Wide lamellas are convenient to use on tape, since if the length of the frame changes, they can be moved closer or further away.
2. Narrow crossbars (from 30 to 40 mm). They are used for mattresses that have independent springs with high density. A grid of frequent narrow slats is used for folding beds, cribs and transformable beds.

By moving or moving the cursors along the bar, you can decrease or increase the stiffness in a specific area.
Important! The distance between narrow slats should not exceed their width.

Dimensions

Latoflexes of different thickness, width and length can withstand different loads. The standard thickness of the slats is 8 mm. Thicker slats (12 mm) support more weight. The width of the planks is divided into wide (5–7 cm) and narrow (3–4 cm). The former are suitable for beds with mattresses equipped with Bonnell springs, or without any springs at all. Wide plates are installed in one row, as they hold the load well.

Narrow battens are suitable for any mattress. They are practical and cost a little less than thick options. You can sleep peacefully on slats with a mattress made of independent springs if the width of the slats does not exceed 5 cm. In order for narrow latoflexes to withstand the weight of two people, they are placed in two rows. That is, for the base of a bed for two sleeping places, two grids of narrow slats are made. Depending on the combination of width, thickness and length, lamellas are classified into four types:

• small - 38 x 8 x 890 mm, 50 (53) x 8 x 990 mm;
• medium - 63 x 8 x 910 mm;
• large - 63 x 12 x 1320 mm;
• wide - 83 x 8 x 1320 mm.

Small narrow slats of standard thickness are ideal for cribs. Adult single, one and a half and double beds require wider slats (from 50 mm). The length of the slats is also determined by the number of seats. However, this indicator does not affect the orthopedic effect.

Slats of different widths

How to make lamellas with your own hands

To make lamellas you will need:

• birch plywood or mounting slats having a thickness of 1.5-2 mm;
• cutting tools;
• fastenings for lamellas, preferably polypropylene or rubber.

Note! You should choose smooth birch plywood without roughness or knots to avoid the need for additional processing.

Before you make slats for a bed with your own hands, you need to create a drawing and cut out parts of the same size. Afterwards, a fastening cap is put on them, together with which the slats go into the base of the bed.

To make the job as simple as possible, choose smooth 100% birch plywood without knots or roughness so that you don’t have to further process it.

The base with slats is a comfortable orthopedic design that provides complete rest. By choosing the right number of slats, you can significantly improve the quality of sleep and recovery of the body.

Varieties

Lamellas of good quality and with real orthopedic properties can have different configurations, shapes and designs.

Most often you see such options.

Transformers-latoflexes. The best option for those who want to achieve a comfortable and healthy sleep. The peculiarity is the ability to change the surface depending on the position of the human body. This gives the bed the correct shape. These are extremely popular solutions today. But it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to make them yourself. And in fact, nothing except the first option is intended for home production. Although a lot depends on the specific person and the available equipment.

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Transformers are controlled using a manual drive or an electric drive.

Buying them is not a problem. They are universal. You just need to know the characteristics of your bed.

This will provide excellent sleep and orthopedic properties that are really important for many people. After all, they depend not only on the mattress, as some for some reason think. The base also plays a huge role.

And the third option for slats is slats, where you can adjust the rigidity of your sleeping place. They are equipped with attachments that are installed in areas that are subject to the highest load. This is largely the answer to the question of how the slats can be strengthened if the user’s weight is quite impressive. This is also a good choice for those who have problems with the spine. They are usually recommended when a single user's weight exceeds 130 kilograms.

All other cases allow the use of standard sets of lamellas.

Now let's talk about how to make them with your own hands and how to attach them to the base of the bed.

50 design options for beds with slatted bases