Expert: Eileen Cronk - 5/5/2008

Question
I recently bought an old metal bed frame and can't figure out how to get a bed onto it without it sliding around. I suppose I need some slats (2 x 4s) and a platform bed to keep it somewhat low to the ground. But, is there resource for old bed conversions, or a place I can buy slats to fit this? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hi Christa
Nice to hear from you.
The problem with converting these old beds is that they had a spring that sat on the rails to hold the matress.
Today we have box springs and a matress...whole different situation.
You can place todays box springs and matressses on the frames but you need rails like you say but this makes the bed pretty high off the floor.
Just go to your local lumber yard with your rail measurements and they will cut them for you.
Heres a neat site with lots of these old beds but there is not one dealing specifically with how to do the conversions. Its trial and error
http://loadingdockantiques.com/
Hope this helps
Regards
Eileen