Most bed frames have 4-5 slats that support the mattress. The slats are widely spaced and the gap between them may cause the mattress to sag through when slept on. This sagging will cause damage to the mattress. The mattress needs a support base that ensures it does not sag when slept on.
A Bunkie board is usually a thin mattress supporter that is usually 1-3 inches and placed underneath the mattress. It works with any bed frame, metal frames, solid platforms, and slatted foundations. They resembles a box spring but is thinner than a box spring.
Table of Contents
Different Materials That Make Bunkie Boards
Bunkie boards are usually very thin and are made from thin but firm materials. Cloth is usually wrapped against the material to give it a nice finish and make it smooth. Bunkie boards are mainly made of 5 materials. The materials making the bunkie board will also determine if it makes squeaky noises or not.
1. Plywood Bunkie Board
Plywood is an engineered wood that is made of several thin sheets of veneer peeled from wood. The thin sheets are usually glued together at alternating right angles to create a cross-gain pattern.
To make a Bunkie board, cloth or vinyl finish is added. Due to the engineering in manufacturing them, plywood are light and last longer but are more expensive than some other Bunkie board materials.
You can make a plywood Bunkie board at home by following the steps outlined in the article reducing cost and it is fun.
2. Particleboard Bunkie Board
Particleboards are made from wood chips, sawmill shavings, and sawdust in a glue mix and are compacted and heat pressed together. The materials making particle boards may appear as waste wood products but have been engineered to make useful products.
Particleboards are the cheapest of all materials that make Bunkie boards. The only drawback with particle boards is that with time, the glue binding the particles together will become weak and the particles may start to come off.
The glue used to bind the particles together is either Urea-formaldehyde glue which is cheaper but soluble in water or phenol-formaldehyde glue which is more water-resistant.
Both glue types are toxic and their outgassing as the Bunkie board gets old poses serious health risks to the particle board user.
3. Solid Wood Bunkie Board
These Bunkie boards are made of solid wood, and are stronger but are heavier compared to the other types of Bunkie boards. They provide greater support and can support greater weight.
One drawback of solid wood Bunkie boards is that the wood may be affected by the prevailing weather and loose shape. The wood may expand in humid conditions and contract in hot environments.
4. Steel Bunkie Board
These Bunkie boards are made of steel slats held together in a frame and make the strongest boards and last longer. The steep Bunkie has gaps between the slats but a thick cloth cover compensates for the space.
The steel Bunkie board is not affected by termites or other borrowing ants that affect wood. It can support more wait and is not affected much by the environmental conditions prevailing.
Where the material covering has worn off, the steel Bunkie board can dig into the mattress and destroy the mattress, especially memory foam and latex mattresses.
Steel being heavy, it goes without saying that the Bunkie board made of steel is heavy and is problematic moving around.
5. Plastic Bunkie Board
These are made of sturdy vinyl that is lightweight yet strong enough to provide the support needed on the mattress. They are usually made such that they can be folded up for ease of storage when not in use and this makes them the more versatile and portable for movement.
The plastic Bunkie board lasts long as it is not affected by mites or the weather. It is water resistance
Which Bunkie Board Material Is The Best?
The choice of the Bunkie bed material will depend on several factors. These factors will vary and may overlap and the choice of the Bunkie bed material used may just narrow down to personal preferences. Some of the factors to consider include:
1. Weight Support
The amount of weight you intend the bed to support will in a great way determine the kind of Bunkie board you will purchase. Steels support the greatest weight followed by a solid wood Bunkie bed while a particleboard Bunkie board supports the least weight.
2. Portability
Portability refers to the ease with which a Bunkie board can be moved from one place to the other. The weight of the Bunkie board plays a critical role here. Steel and solid Bunkie boards are heavy and are not portable while plastic Bunkie boards are light and foldable making them the most portable ones.
3. Durability
You will need to buy a Bunkie board that will last for long without the need for replacement. The choice of the material will depend on the vulnerability of the material to weather and mites.
Steel Bunkie boards last the longest as they are not affected by weather or mites. Plastic Bunkie boards last long as well as they are also not affected by weather and mites.
4. Health hazards
Steel and plastic Bunkie boards pose the least environmental risk. Particleboard is the most dangerous as it releases toxic chemicals in their lifetimes.
Wood dust from the board may also escape and pose a serious health risk. Solid wood and plywood Bunkie beds may react with water to form molds that may release toxins to the body.
5. Price
Even after considering all the other factors, affordability is also important to consider. Plastic, plywood, and particleboard Bunkie boards are the most affordable compared to solid wood and steel Bunkie boards.
Plywood and particleboard Bunkie may not last as long as solid wood, steel, or plastic Bunkie boards, but their prices make a good case for value for money.
Final thoughts
The Bunkie board will provide additional support to the mattress making your sleep more comfortable and enjoyable. The choice of the material for making the Bunkie bed is personal but you should go for an option that meets your needs and is affordable. Sometimes other alternatives to Bunkie board such as box spring may be considered.
