Best Bed Frame for a Memory Foam Mattress

If you’ve considered purchasing a memory foam mattress, there are a few details you should consider prior to making the investment. Since a memory foam mattress is constructed very differently than an innerspring, or even most hybrid mattress types, you have to pay particular attention to its support in order to get the comfort you expect from it. This means you need to find the best bed frame for a memory foam mattress, which may not always be the same as your current frame design.

If you’re now pondering what is the best bed frame for a memory foam mattress, have no worries as this will all be revealed below. Our top 5 choices won’t limit you in your stylistic approach or search for comfort, as the examples we’re providing will illustrate.

Best Bed Frames for a Memory Foam Mattress

What is Memory Foam?

Memory foam is a visco-elastic foam that contours to your body’s weight, shape and heat. It gained in popularity as a sleep industry leader in the 1990’s and has influenced the comfort of sleepers worldwide ever since. Differences in the densities and construction as technology has advanced has led to many variable uses pertaining to personal comfort choices over the years. One thing hasn’t changed much, and that’s how memory foam mattresses are designed and constructed.

While memory foam mattresses are most commonly known to trap heat, they’re not typically made of one solid core of memory foam. Instead, you’ll have a durable layering construction that provides a foundation upon which various foams can be placed. Your top layers will be memory foam and will work with the layers beneath to provide variances in comfort, temperature and overall support while you’re sleeping.

Because of this type of design, a memory foam mattress needs to be well supported from below to transfer this support to the sleeper. This means that the boxspring you may currently have on your bed frame is no longer of any use, and in fact can damage or negate your memory foam mattress’ warranty. Although this doesn’t mean you have to get rid of your current frame (more on that below), you may want consider a platform bed frame that’s made specifically to address the type of support a memory foam mattress needs.

What is a Platform Bed?

A platform bed is a raised bed frame that has either a flat or closely slatted support that your mattress sits directly upon. Flat surfaces are less yielding, and may actually make your mattress feel more firm overall, but provide excellent support to help extend the life of your mattress. They may not always be the best pick in very humid conditions, however, since airflow under and through the mattress will be restricted. A slatted support provides boards, usually no more than 3 inches apart from one another, running crosswise beneath your mattress. These will have a slight give, and also provide good airflow.

Platform beds come in many shapes and sizes, and the best part about them is that they can be used with virtually any mattress types. You can actually create your own DIY platform bed if purchasing a new bed frame is currently not in your budget. Simple frame blueprints can easily be found online, or you can simply purchase a bunky board to place on your existing frame to provide that extra support.

Size and Design Options
Platform beds are often a bit lower in profile overall than what you might be used to, with some designs completely enclosed with little to no space provided underneath for storage, but they’re offered in all sizes of mattress you can buy. Others may include some storage options, such as drawers. If you’re looking to raise your profile and have an innerspring mattress, you can also use it with a boxspring, making it a perfect option for guest rooms if you don’t want to get rid of the mattress you’re replacing.

Adjustable
What a foam mattress can do that an innerspring can’t is flex, meaning that platform beds are also offered in ergonomic styles to help lift various areas of your body for a more comfortable sleep. This is also helpful for those suffering from disabilities, recovering from injury, or are in need of relief from chronic pain conditions.

Materials
Although the slats used in slatted supports are almost always wood, most platform beds include a steel center support to help evenly distribute the weight of the sleepers. Bed frames are often made of wood, particle board, or even metal, and are overall very similar to more traditional style bed frames. The only defining factor of a platform bed from other styles is that a mattress can sit directly on the surface provided without any other support needed.

How to Choose a Memory Foam Mattress Frame For Your Needs

While it’s not essential to purchase a special bed frame to fit your memory foam mattress, if you want to make the most out of your mattress, a platform bed frame is the most common choice to complement memory foam. Raised from ground level, these bed frames come with slatted or solid support for the mattress to lay on. A solid surface frame adds additional support to the mattress, making it feel firmer and extending its life span. A slatted bed frame on the other hand gives a little more yield but is ideal for promoting air circulation under the mattress. As a memory foam mattress isn’t as breathable as other mattresses, it helps prevent retention of moisture and dust mites.

As we’ve mentioned, there are many options available to you in choosing a frame to meet your needs, and we’ll unpack some of the key considerations and features you should look out for when making your purchase.

Do you need a slatted or solid platform?
Solid platforms are the most supportive, but could also end up creating pressure points for the sleeper as there’s no give to the support. Slatted designs allow for give, but may also not allow for enough support. Be sure to look into what your mattress needs are specifically so you can be sure to get optimal comfort out of your mattress pick.

Where do you plan on placing your bed?
Platform beds have so many models available to them that you can literally find just about anything for any space you have, including the placement of a bed in an open area. As with all new furniture, know your overall dimensions and placement options prior to purchase so you’re comfortable with your space.

Do you need storage solutions?
These types of frames are very popular due to the storage they provide. Shelving and drawers are very often built into the frame, making them perfect for smaller spaces or apartment living. This also makes them more budget-friendly since additional furniture doesn’t need to be purchased.

Are you on a budget?
A tight budget doesn’t mean you have to sleep uncomfortably, or with little to no style. As mentioned, you can DIY your way through a proper memory foam frame in more than one way. What’s another huge perk of platform beds is that the overall idea is very simplistic, so if you have very little creative talent, you’re likely to find a frame that fits into just about any budget.

Conclusion

As you can see, you’re hardly limited in stylistic choices when looking for the best memory foam bed frame for your mattress. Platform beds have become increasingly more common and are offered in many different choices to fit any bedroom decor. The above picks are some of our current favorites to help highlight what exactly you might want to consider for your own mattress support.

Be sure to always have either a solid or slatted frame for any foam mattress, and always know what’s considered acceptable support for your mattress to avoid negating your warranty. If you have any questions or comments on the styles or brands we’ve included above, please let us know below!

Recent Updates

June 16, 2021: Our fifth product recommendation, the Stone & Beam Newport Arced Queen Bed has been replaced by the Zinus Shalini Upholstered Platform Bed Frame due to product unavailability and continued popularity of the Zinus brand. Editor’s Choice has been labeled as the Zinus Wen 12 Inch Wood Platform Bed, and four more awards have been assigned to each product, including Best Durable Bed Frame and Best Bed Frame for Tempur-Pedic Mattresses.