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For Dora at Trustpilot
18th October 2020

Bowing divan bed base. Can I fix a cheap bed base?

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Emily

We’ve had said base for a couple of weeks now. It cost me close to £200 quid, all I could afford at the time.

However, my partner and I weight nearly 40 stone between us. So as you can expect it has already started to dip ever so slightly.

I’m interested in making this bed last quite a lot longer. I know from previous experience where my dad used to put sheets of wood on our slatted beds to stop them bowing.

Would a 9mm sheet of mdf wood stop the bowing of our divan? Or would you suggest a different type of wood?

I look forward to your reply.

Many thanks, Emily

Lee Answered 8 months ago

Hi Emily,

Many thanks for your question asking what can be done to fix a broken divan. We're sorry to hear you're having issues with your divan.

We can appreciate that budget constraints can often mean having to be frugal with your new bed purchase. Most mattresses and bed frames are only made to accommodate around 35-40 stone in a joint weight limit.

Most retailers won't tell you that when you buy a new mattress base though. Which in your case can lead to your divan base bowing and breaking far sooner than you may expect.

Unfortunately, a bed frame for £200 is going to be made with the cheapest of materials using soft wood, glue and fibreboard which are not robust enough for the durability for long term use.

You could use MDF to try and level of the top of the bed base. In reality though, if it is bowing it is because of the frame not being strong enough to accommodate the weight and mattress sitting on top of it.

This is why choosing a quality well-constructed base is key. There are so many cheap mattress bases, that use softwood and weak joints. For lighter sleepers, this is not as noticeable but when there are two people sharing the bed the weaknesses can become apparent really quickly.

Putting MDF onto slats works as it helps evenly distribute the weight over the entire base. Slatted bases are notorious for enabling mattress sagging as the gaps between the slats often force the mattress in between them. Leading to an uneven and uncomfortable mattress regardless of the quality of the bed.

I think the best option is to speak to the seller about this base not being fit for purpose. Opting to choose a better quality base that is built to accommodate both the mattress and your bodyweight. Have a look at our bases to see the kind of quality construction you need to look for in a stable ad durable mattress base.

You notice we don't use slats in any of our bases or bed frames.


All the best with your search for a suitable bed base.

If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on info@localhost or 0161 437 4419.
Sleep well
John & Ryan

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