Putting mattresses with memory foam
on a box spring

by Stan Thomas
(San Antonio, tx)

Would it be a good idea to put my memory foam mattress on a box spring? I haven't found an answer for this question anywhere I have looked.

Answer by Rich Silver

Hi Stan,

The good news is, you can definitely use your box spring under your memory foam mattress.

Make certain your box spring is in excellent shape with no broken slats. The reason is because memory foam mattresses are heavy. A good queen memory foam mattress will approach 100 pounds. Kings are even heavier. If you then put a couple of people on top of that, that's another several hundred pounds.

With that kind of weight you can't afford to have any area of the box spring broken and sagging.

In your case, your foundation will be the box spring. In order for your box spring to allow proper air circulation, I recommend you put a sheet of perforated plywood on top of the box spring. The plywood also gives added strength to allow even distribution to the weight of the memory foam on top of it.

You can find perforated plywood in a good hardware store. You'll notice the holes are drilled and evenly spread. Look for plywood that is about 1/4 inch thick. That should give you adequate support.

The next consideration is the base. I'm guessing you might be using a metal frame base because you have a box spring. If so, make sure there is plenty of leg support down the middle of the frame to hold the weight of a queen or king mattress. (In other words, you should have as many as nine legs on the frame.)

Feel free also to use a platform base with the box spring and mattress on top of it. That will work fine. Platform bases are good because they are flat and solid with no chance of sagging. Slatted bed frames also work well as long as the slats are close together, less than three inches apart is just about right.

However, the problem with this set up of platform, box spring, and then mattress, is your bed ends up high off the ground, so keep that in mind.

Here's an alternative.

Is this the best box spring
for memory foam mattresses?

If you don’t want to hassle with this kind of “do it yourself” project, here’s some good news. I’ve discovered a box spring company that specializes in box springs for memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses.

These box springs are designed to hold up to 1500 pounds. As I mentioned above, weight is a real issue for box springs and quality memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses are heavy. If the box spring is not strong enough, you could see cracks in the foundation holding up your mattress. It’s like building a house on a defective foundation.

One of the things I like about these box springs is that US Box Spring “gets it.” They are well aware that your mattress has to breathe, especially memory foam, which can be uncomfortably hot if you do not have proper circulation.

In my opinion, this company produces the best box springs in the United States. They use Northwest Spruce, a premium wood. They then cover it with an organic cotton cover.

Here is something to ask yourself: If you’re going to go all in with a top-quality memory foam mattress, why in the world would you put it on top of an inferior box spring?

Anyway, that’s my two cents worth. This company has been around for 30 years. When it comes to box springs, they know what they are talking about.

By the way, US Box Spring did some checking around and found out that people wanted a box spring that wasn’t so darn high. So in addition to their regular 8 inch high box spring, they have developed a low profile foundation that is only 5.5 inches high.

Big deal you say? Well it is to me. My buddy Cody, a beagle-hound mix, is getting old and is having a hard time jumping up on the bed. In fact, he gave up. Believe me, reducing that jump up has helped him a lot.

You can check these box springs out by clicking this picture here:

A Luxury, Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress
at a Discount

By the way, if you or anyone you know is in the market for a luxury memory foam mattress, here’s news.

Five years ago a company called Loom & Leaf came out with a finely crafted memory foam mattress layered with medical grade gel for cool sleeping.

After five years of reviews, they have a 96% positive rating.

The best news is, this upscale memory foam mattress sells at a steep discount when compared to brands such as Tempur-Pedic. It’s perfectly suited for those who demand excellence yet have a limited budget.

Click here to go to Loom & Leaf.

All the best to you Stan,

Rich

For memory foam topper articles, including how to get a great topper on Amazon at a bargain price, click here.