Collaborative Post¦ What is the most durable bed frame material?
The most common bed frame materials are metal and wood. Metal bed frames are aluminium or steel, while wooden bed frames can be oak, pine, rubberwood, MDF, or exotic hardwood in luxurious bed frames.
You can also get upholstered bed frames, which have a pine or MDF frame wrapped in a fabric like velvet, linen, or artificial leather.
Regarding outright durability, metal bed frames are superior to wood, offering superior strength and more durable coatings, such as powder coatings. Wood is softer and much more prone to damage over time.
At the bottom of the durability pile, we have upholstered bed frames, which are susceptible to sharp objects, tears, rips, and marring.
Wooden bed frames
The strength of wood and metal is quite different when it comes to beds. Wood is a soft material that is relatively easy to mark but strong, especially in bed frames with supporting beams and metal bolts holding things together.
Solid wood is considered one of the most robust materials on the market, offering excellent flexibility and stability. Its properties give it much greater durability than MDF, so it can last many years when correctly assembled and maintained.
The downsides to wood include warping, splitting, or cracking over time, especially in shared spaces and high-wear areas like kids’ bedrooms.
The truth is that a wooden bed frame can last twenty years or more, but it will show its age and probably won’t look pretty beyond the ten-year mark.
For example, varnish, lacquer, wood stains, and wood paints are all susceptible to scratches and other damage because they are relatively soft.
Metal bed frames
Pictured: Birlea Atlas Metal Bed Frame – Black. Available from Bedstar.
Metal is harder and more durable than any wood variety, making it much better at withstanding the test of time. Metal frames are harder, more rigid, and more difficult to damage than wooden counterparts.
For example, metal is not significantly affected by water or humidity and can better support heavier mattresses and bedding.
Additionally, metal bed frames are usually powder-coated, with the coating applied electrostatically and cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a “skin”. Powder coating provides a protective and decorative finish that has excellent durability and resistance to corrosion, scratching, and fading.
Metal bed frames are made predominantly of steel or aluminium – steel is the more robust material, but aluminium is significantly lighter. Most beds are aluminium with steel or zinc bolts holding everything together.
Load distribution is key to the strength of any bed, which is where metal beds come out as straightforward winners over wooden beds. They can usually take significantly more weight, especially when they have metal slats or a metal grid for the mattress.
Upholstered bed frames
Pictured: Boutique Dove Grey 4FT Small Double Fabric Bed Frame. Available from Bedstar.
Our main concern with an upholstered bed is the fabric’s durability, but the truth is that your lifestyle and the care and quality of the fabric will determine its lifespan.
High-end, durable fabrics can last for fifteen years or more when properly cared for, with regular cleaning and maintenance.
Things that can reduce an upholstered bed’s lifespan include cats kneading the fabric, abrasion, penetration from sharp objects, and overzealous scrubbing and cleaning. Another potential area for damage is drawers if you have them.
The bottom line is that you must take better care of an upholstered bed frame than a wooden or metal one because the fabric is soft.
Summing up
Regarding outright durability, metal bed frames are superior to wooden and upholstered ones. Metal bed frames offer superior strength, rigidity, and corrosion resistance and can support heavier mattresses and bedding.
Wooden bed frames are strong but may warp, split, or crack over time, particularly when exposed to moisture or heavy use.
Upholstered bed frames have a shorter lifespan than wooden or metal frames, with their life expectancy depending on lifestyle and the quality of the fabric. They can last a long time with proper care but are prone to damage from sharp objects.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.