When you are looking forward to resting after a long day, the last thing you want is a bed that makes noise each time you move on it. The noise may not be noticeable at first, but it will eventually come to the point that it can ruin your sleep. The only thing you can do to silence it is either get a new bed or fix your old bed.
To fix your noisy bed, you need to:
- Tighten and lubricate the joints
- Add padding to the frame
- Check the feet
- Reinforce the bed’s foundation
- Get a new bed
A combination of these steps will ensure that your bed will be quiet even when you move on it.
It is essential to fix a noisy bed if you want good sleep. But it is equally important that you know what causes the problem, so you can prevent your noise from making noise again in the future.
Also read: 5 Tips For Sleep With Noisy Roommates
How to Quiet Your Bed for Better Sleep at Night
A noisy bed can deprive you of sleep. Of course, most people need a quiet environment to get a deep and restful sleep. However, unwanted noises, especially a squeaking bed, can keep you tossing, turning, and awake all night long.
What is even worse is that tossing and turning aggravates the problem.
Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to quiet your bed.
1. Tighten and lubricate the joints
There are times when fixing a noisy bed is as easy as tightening and lubricating a few bolts and screws. To do this step, check all the joints of your bed frame. If there are loose screws and bolts, get a screwdriver or wrench to tighten them.
In addition, applying lubrication can help restore the silence of your bed if the frame and foundation are made of metal. A WD-40 will work well for lubricating the joints. Alternatively, you can also use a few drops of vegetable oil.
If you tightened and lubricated the bed’s joints and the noise is still there, there is a big chance the noise source is somewhere else.
2. Add Padding To The Frame
In some cases, the friction between the bed frame or foundation and the mattress. To fix this problem, you can add a layer of padding between the mattress and the frame. For this step, you need several thin fabric materials like:
- old socks
- felt
- t-shirts
- kitchen towels
Once you have enough fabric, the next thing you need to do is to line the bed frame or foundation with the fabric you prepared. Finally, place the mattress back on top of the bed frame.
This method will reduce the friction, thus reducing the squeaking and creaking sound that your bed makes.
3. Check The Bed’s Feet
The noise that your bed makes can also come from its feet rubbing against the floor. Such will be a lot noisier if you have hardwood. Apart from ruining your sleep, this problem can also result in scratches on your floor.
Additionally, the noise can result from your bed’s feet being uneven, causing it to rock.
To prevent the bed from rubbing against the floor, you can purchase furniture pads online. This material will stop the friction and will also level the feet out.
If you cannot find furniture pads online, you can take old socks and use them to cover the feet of your bed. However, it is essential to note that a sock is only a temporary solution to the problem.
4. Reinforce Your Bed’s Foundation
In an instance that your bed does not have a strong foundation or you have an RV mattress, you will need to add more supports. You can use plywood or cinder blocks for this case.
On the other hand, if your bed frame only has a supporting center beam and a perimeter, you need to add slats to make it more supportive and sturdy. More support means your bed frame can withstand more weight, which will prevent it from creaking every time you move.
5. Get A New Bed Frame
After doing all the steps above and your bed still creaks and squeaks even on the slightest movement, then your only choice is to purchase a new bed frame. This time, make sure that the bed frame you purchase is sturdy enough not to make noise whenever you move.
You can look for a bed frame in budget-friendly online stores like Amazon if you are on a budget. Such stores offer high-quality bed frames without causing you an arm and a leg.
How To Choose A New Bed Frame
A bed frame is not merely a place for your mattress. Instead, a reasonable bed frame adds up to the comfort that you feel during sleep time. For this reason, you need to make sure that the bed frame you will purchase is sturdy enough to not make any noise in the future.
Below are the factors that you need to consider for buying a new bed frame:
The size and weight of the mattress
If you are not planning to replace your mattress, choosing a new bed frame will be a lot easier. The reason is that you already have something where you will base the size of your bed frame.
If your mattress is full-size, you may need a double bed frame. On the other hand, people who have queen-size mattresses need a queen-size bed frame.
A bed frame is not a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. So, you must know whether your mattress is a king-size, an eastern king, or a California king bed because these three are slightly different.
Meanwhile, people who are purchasing an entire bed from scratch should first consider the size of their bedroom.
Measure Your Room’s Size
In every bedroom, the bed is generally the most significant piece of furniture. For this reason, a large bed can effortlessly overpower a small bedroom.
Before buying a bed frame, you need to place your mattress on the floor. This way, you will be able to have an idea of its size. You can also use your pillows or masking tape to get an approximate bed frame size that you will purchase.
If you have a small room, a simple platform bed frame will be a good option as it allows you to save space. You can also opt for a bed frame that provides you with drawers to have more storage options.
Platform Bed Or Box Spring?
Many platform beds in the market only require you to have a mattress without the need for a box spring. For this reason, getting a platform bed is an ideal choice for people who are on a tight budget.
On the other hand, platform beds can accommodate a box spring if you prefer a slightly higher bed off the ground.
But if you prefer a firm bed, you should go for a platform bed as it provides a rigid foundation.
Consider The Height Of The Bed
If you want a bed that has a more ornate bed frame, such as a canopy bed or a four-poster, you need to measure the height between the floor and your ceiling. A tall bed frame will only look good if your bedroom has a high ceiling. If you have a huge room but a low ceiling, putting a high bed frame will make it feel cramped.
So, it would be best if you took extra time to measure the height of your room to ensure that you are getting the right bed frame.
But regardless of your choice, always make sure that your bed frame is sturdy enough not to make noise when you put a lot of weight on it.
Tips To Prevent Your Bed Frame From Making Noises
A bed is one of the necessities that you need to have throughout your life. With each bed that you owned in the past, chances are you have already experienced a bed frame that squeaks and creeks whenever you move on it.
Moreover, a noisy bed is the last thing that one wants to have. Of course, it would be challenging to spend the entire night in a bed that prevents you from sleeping. So, even before your bed makes noise, you need to do some methods to prevent it.
Get a professional to assemble your bed.
The noises that your bed makes can be a result of improper assembly. If you have enough knowledge for putting pieces of furniture together, you probably will not need a professional to help you. But if you are not knowledgeable about putting bed frames together, you need to get a professional to build it up.
If you bought your bed frame online, most sellers would have it delivered by a team of professionals. They will also be the ones to assemble the bed for you. This way, you can ensure that your bed is put together securely and adequately.
Go For A Solid Wood Bed
Another reason for beds making noises is due to low-quality materials. Most of the time, inexpensive bed frames use low-quality materials to achieve their low prices. As a result, the screws and bolts of the frame loosen up quickly, which leads to creaky sounds.
To prevent this problem from happening, you need to buy a high-quality bed frame. Solid wood frames are made to meet high standards. For this reason, they are more durable and will not make annoying noises.
For instance, a solid wood frame will provide more support and hold more weight compared to a composite bed frame. So, it will last longer without it producing squeaking and creaking noises. If you want to prevent your bed frame from making noises, you should opt for a solid wood bed frame.
Avoid Leaning Against Your Headboard
Low-quality beds often have their headboards attached only by screws. If you have a habit of leaning against your headboard while scrolling through your phone or reading a book, cheap bed frames may not be a good option for you. The reason is that leaning against the headboard will cause it to creak in no time.
Leaning against your bed’s headboard will force it to support unnecessary pressure on the screws that attaches it to the body. It will also cause the screws to be loose, prompting it to make creaking noises.
If you have a habit of leaning on your headboard and have an extra budget, you may want to purchase a bed frame with an adjustable base. Such a bed frame offers a number of recline and incline levels. So, it will be easier for you to relax in your favorite position without worrying that you might damage your bed.
But if you do not have enough budget for an expensive bed frame, you can always find cheaper ones online. However, make sure that you check your choice carefully to ensure that it will not easily creak after a few nights of sleeping on it.
Check Your Bed Frame From Time To Time
If you are using your bed frame for years now, you can prevent it from making noises by maintenance check.
Check the bolts, screws, feet, and slats of your bed from time to time to see if they are not loosening up. However, you mustn’t tighten the fittings too much as it can also cause the bed frame to creak.
In addition, you should not over-fill your drawers if your bed frame has some. Putting many things inside the drawers will cause the bedframe’s feet to carry more weight. If this happens, the feet will rub against your floor, causing friction and noises.
You should also not use abrasive cleaning liquids if you have a metal bed frame as it could cause corrosion. As a result, the joints of the bed will start to creak.
Sources
- Lauren Fountain, How to Fix a Squeaky Bed, Sleep Foundation, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mattress-information/how-to-fix-a-squeaky-bed/
- Gabrielle Taylor, Silence Your Obnoxiously Squeaky Bed with 4 Easy MacGyver Style Fixes, Macgyverisms, https://macgyverisms.wonderhowto.com/how-to/silence-your-obnoxiously-squeaky-bed-with-4-easy-macgyver-style-fixes-0146926/
- How To Stop A Bed From Squeaking, Slumber Yard, https://myslumberyard.com/blog/how-to-stop-bed-from-squeaking/
- How to Buy a Bed Frame, Overstock, https://www.overstock.com/guides/how-to-buy-a-bed-frame/
- April Mayer, Platform Bed vs. Box Spring: What’s the Difference?, Early Bird by Ameri Sleep, https://amerisleep.com/blog/platform-bed-vs-box-spring/
- 5 Ways To Prevent Your Bed From Squeaking & Creaking, Furniture and Style by Flair Fair, https://furniturefair.net/blogs/lc/5-ways-to-prevent-your-bed-from-squeaking-creaking/
- Beds, Bed Frame & Headboard Care Guide, Big Brand Beds, https://www.bigbrandbeds.co.uk/care-instructions/bed-care/