Menu

Best Box Spring for Sleep Number Mattress?

Danielle Mcleod

Explaining the Sleep Number System and How it Can Work for You. 

Let’s get this question out of the way from the start to avoid wasting your time. You can’t use a box spring with a Sleep Number mattress unless you want to void the warranty and ruin the mattress altogether. 

I’ll explain why this is so below, as well as provide you with a few top bed option picks that will work well with a Sleep Number if you don’t want to purchase a base or frame from the company. In the meantime, don’t try and save a buck by using a box spring as either a support or riser option: it just won’t end well.  

You might want to check: Best Box Spring Reviews

1. Zinus Dachelle Upholstered Platform Bed Frame – Editor's Choice

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King, California King
  • Materials: Wood, Alloy Steel
  • Features: close wooden slats, dark gray upholstered headboard

2. South Shore Flexible Bed with Storage and Baskets

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Engineered Wood
  • Features: Lots of storage, nightstand or headboard option, sturdy base

3. ZINUS Brock Metal and Wood Platform Bed Frame

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Engineered Wood, solid wood, alloy steel
  • Features: Solid wood headboard, accent metal, sturdy base

4. Continental Sleep 0.75-Inch Heavy Duty Mattress Support Wooden Bunkie Board

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Wood
  • Features: Durable wood and cloth covering to close an gaps, no assembly

5. Lucid L300 Queen Adjustable Bed Frame

Check Price

Read The Review

  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King
  • Materials: alloy steel, polyester
  • Features: ergonomic controls, wireless, USB ports, anti-snore capabilities

6. Classic Brands Adjustable Comfort Affordamatic 2.0 Adjustable Bed Base

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King
  • Materials: metal, polyester
  • Features: Wireless remote, head and foot adjustment, fits in existing frames

7. Blissful Nights King e3 Adjustable Bed Base Frame with Head and Foot Incline

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, Cal. King, Split Cal. King
  • Materials: Metal
  • Features: whisper quiet motor, wireless remote, head and foot adjustments

8. Amazon Basics Adjustable Bed Base with Head and Foot Incline

Check Price
  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen
  • Materials: Steel
  • Features: Wireless remote, budget price

What is a Sleep Number Mattress?

A Sleep Number Mattress is a proprietary design that was created to provide sleepers a customized sleep experience. They use air chambers contained within various comfort levels of foam layers and quality materials to meet the needs of a wide range of customers. Customers can control their sleep surface firmness via hand held controls and apps that remember your preferences and adjust accordingly. 

The technology offered is also advanced and provides different options to provide ergonomic abilities, temperature balancing options, as well as snore control. Smart controls in some models also provide insight to your rest and movement through the night. 

Can I Put a Sleep Number Mattress on a Box Spring?

Because of the foam and air chamber design, the mattresses require a supportive surface. Sleep Number does offer their own bases and ergonomic frames to use, but you may also use your own as long as they are accepted by the company to avoid voiding the warranty. 

To keep your Sleep Number mattress working as it should, you need either a platform frame surface or a slatted frame surface that doesn’t have openings more than 2 inches apart. These designs provide the support for the weight, air fluctuations, and body movement that is needed for proper comfort control. 

Box springs or wide slats may allow the foam and air cushioning to press into these spaces which not only can unbalance the comfort controls, but damage the mattress itself. 

Types of Beds to Consider with a Sleep Number Mattress

The following beds are perfect to use with a Sleep Number Mattress, but do consider reusing a frame you may already have. Slats are easy to add to an existing bed, as is a bunkie board that can be placed over existing slats (or even over a box spring) to provide the flat surface you need for proper mattress support. 

1. Zinus Dachelle Upholstered Platform Bed Frame – Editor's Choice

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King, California King
  • Materials: Wood, Alloy Steel
  • Features: close wooden slats, dark gray upholstered headboard

Pros

  • Very easy to assemble
  • Durable and aesthetically pleasing headboard
  • Fabric is easy to spot clean

Cons

  • Low profile might make the overall bed low for some people

This durable steel and wooden frame provides a sturdy platform base for any type of mattress needing support. With a luxurious gray fabric upholstery, the headboard provides a touch of elegance that is aesthetically pleasing and matches most home decors. The base is also covered in a padded fabric.

The wooden slat surface is placed close to one another to handle weight capacities up to 700lbs, and work to extend the life of your foam or air mattress without sagging. Easy to assemble, everything comes ready to put together with all tools and parts.

2. South Shore Flexible Bed with Storage and Baskets – Editor’s Runner Up

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Engineered Wood
  • Features: Lots of storage, nightstand or headboard option, sturdy base

Pros

  • Very sturdy and well put together
  • Nightstand and headboard options are a nice touch
  • Great storage

Cons

  • Low profile may be difficult for some

Made from a sturdy engineered wood, this platform bed is the perfect solution to anyone needing a solid foundation or base. It offers nine under bed shelving units and includes four fabric storage bins, with room for more. Perfect for books, shoes, pillow, or linen storage, this is a space saver that works great for small spaces.

Easy to assemble, the bed offers a solid base with removable boards that are wide, supportive, and have only a marginal gap for air flow purposes. Perfect for memory foam and air mattresses, this is a low profile choice worth taking a closer look at.

3. ZINUS Brock Metal and Wood Platform Bed Frame – Best Wood Crafted Platform Bed with Headboard

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Engineered Wood, solid wood, alloy steel
  • Features: Solid wood headboard, accent metal, sturdy base

Pros

  • Solid wood has unique graining and rich tones
  • Holds the mattress sturdy
  • Really durable and easy to put together

Cons

  • No underbed storage
  • Low profile

This is a well crafted mattress base that is made with solid wood boards and framing. It offers a slatted headboard and metal and brass finished accents as well for aesthetic appeal. The engineered wood slats measure approximately two inches from one another, making it ideal for foam and air mattresses alike. Plus, it offers excellent sir flow.

The angular design and wood molding creates a sleek look and eliminates any under bed space where dust and allergens can collect. The steel framework makes it seriously sturdy, and the simple design provides a long-lasting, durable option you can’t go wrong with.

4. Continental Sleep 0.75-Inch Heavy Duty Mattress Support Wooden Bunkie Board – Best Bunkie Board Support

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King
  • Materials: Wood
  • Features: Durable wood and cloth covering to close an gaps, no assembly

Pros

  • Very sturdy and designed for platform frame needs
  • Helps reuse existing frames with foam and air mattresses
  • Easy to use

Cons

  • Be sure to measure as it does not fit all beds

Bunkie boards are a great way to add the proper support to an existing bed frame for use with a foam or air mattress. With wide boards and a 3.5 inch gap between slats, it is made to work with your existing slatted or wired frame base to provide the closure of gaps for proper support.

Made from wood with a cloth covering to avoid any open spaces, this is a durable option that doesn’t require any assembly for use. It is important to measure properly to avoid problems with the fit. SInce most bunkie boards have gaps between the slats and no added cloth protection, this is one of the best on the market for platform bed needs.

5. Lucid L300 Queen Adjustable Bed Frame

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King
  • Materials: alloy steel, polyester
  • Features: ergonomic controls, wireless, USB ports, anti-snore capabilities

Pros

  • Memory positioning and design at a fraction of the cost
  • USB charging stations are nice
  • Durable and easy to put together

Cons

  • Does not work with mattresses over 14 inches

Adjustable bed frames work wonderfully with a Sleep Number Mattress. If you don’t want to use the brand name Sleep Number option, you can find an alternative. Lucid makes a great product that offers a supportive platform surface that offers ergonomic positions for head and foot incline and anti-snore elevations.

The wireless remote provides full control as well as memory positioning and a remote flashlight. A USB charge port is located on the bed so you don’t have to be digging for an outlet for charging and light needs. It is easy to put together and has a 750 lb weight limit for Queens. Adjustable legs and a headboard bracket are available.

Read Our Full Lucid Review

6. Classic Brands Adjustable Comfort Affordamatic 2.0 Adjustable Bed Base – Runner-Up Adjustable Bed Frame

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King
  • Materials: metal, polyester
  • Features: Wireless remote, head and foot adjustment, fits in existing frames

Pros

  • Easy to assemble
  • Works as described with a great price point
  • Fits well into most existing frames

Cons

  • Doesn’t connect to a headboard

The Classic Brands Adjustable Comfort Affordamatic bed is a low-cost alternative to more expensive bed bases and has a myriad of features to take advantage of. Complete with a wireless remote, the bed offers separate head and foot elevation options and is adjustable mattress friendly to all foam and air mattress choices.

It can be used with or without a standard bed frame of your choice and the Queen can handle up to 660 lbs of weight. The flat surface is backed by an alloy metal frame for long-lasting durable use.

7. Blissful Nights King e3 Adjustable Bed Base Frame with Head and Foot Incline – Best High End Adjustable Bed Frame

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin, Twin XL, Full, Queen, King, Split King, Cal. King, Split Cal. King
  • Materials: Metal
  • Features: whisper quiet motor, wireless remote, head and foot adjustments

Pros

  • Wireless remote allows easy adjustability from anywhere
  • Motor is seriously quiet
  • Durable and long-lasting, and easy to assemble

Cons

  • Motor is seriously quiet

When you want a high end, quality adjustable frame, the Blissful Night’s e3 frame design allows an elevated head and foot ergonomic sleep to help open airways to alleviate congestion and indigestion, and works to relieve pressure on the lower back. Controlled by a wireless remote you can customize your comfort each night.

Made from quality steel components, a whisper quiet motor, and a platform support built for foam and air mattresses, this is a choice you need to seriously consider. The headboard is covered in an easy to clean material and has a sleek, smooth finish to fit any decor.

8. Amazon Basics Adjustable Bed Base with Head and Foot Incline – Best Budget Adjustable Base

Highlights

  • Size availability: Twin XL, Full, Queen
  • Materials: Steel
  • Features: Wireless remote, budget price

Pros

  • Fast, easy assembly
  • Durable
  • Dependable and simple

Cons

  • N/A

When you want a durable adjustable base for a fraction of the cost of a high end option, the Amazon Basics base is a great option. Complete with a wireless remote control that controls both head and foot elevation, the base is designed for foam and air mattress options for optimal comfort.

Easy to assemble, the bed is perfect to use with existing frames and can work with your choice of headboard.

You might be interested in: Do I Need a Box Spring?

Wrapping it Up

Even though you can’t use a box spring with a Sleep Number mattress, you do have many other options to make your Sleep Number work the way you need it to with the style of bed you desire. A solid foundation with proper support is a must for use with the proprietary air mattress Sleep Number has designed. In order for it to work correctly it needs a base that allows it to be used correctly. 

Our options above are the perfect choice to use as stand alone frames or with your frame of choice.