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- Quick answer
- Quick compare: the products in this guide
- The ten types, with an example of each
- Worked example: bed height by type
- What each type needs and gives
- How to choose a type
- A worked scenario
- How the types combine
- What carries over when you change type
- Mistakes to avoid
- When another guide helps
- Most bed frame types below can mix features rather than forcing one choice
- Frequently asked questions
- Products worth checking
- Sources checked
Quick answer
If you want the simplest bed, a metal frame that takes a box spring is the lightest and lowest in cost; if you want one piece that needs no box spring, choose a platform frame. If you want a headboard in the same box, a panel or upholstered bed. If you want storage, a drawer bed or a tall frame with open space. If you want the lowest bed, a floor or tatami base. If you need to save floor space, a loft, bunk or folding bed. If you want to raise the head and feet, an adjustable base. The table below shows the numbers from one example of each.
Quick compare: the products in this guide
Sizes come from the Amazon listings as we read them; check the product page for the current details before you buy.
| Product | Listed details | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Basics Metal Bed Frame, 9-Leg Support Base for Box Spring and… | 79.5 x 59.5 x 7 in; 16.63 lb | See details on Amazon Affiliate link |
| Zinus 14 Inch Rumi Metal Bed Frame, No Box Spring Needed, Black, Queen | 79.5 x 59.5 x 14 in; 27.6 lb | See details on Amazon Affiliate link |
| AFI, Concord Queen Platform Bed with Footboard & Storage Drawers, Walnut | 83.03 x 62.6 x 16.54 in; 800 lb | See details on Amazon Affiliate link |
The ten types, with an example of each
1. Box spring frame. A steel frame with rails and legs that holds a box spring and mattress. Example: Amazon Basics 9-leg queen frame, 79.5 by 59.5 by 7 inches, 16.63 pounds, rated 600 pounds. See bed frame and box spring.
2. Platform frame. Slats or a deck hold the mattress, so no box spring. Example: Zinus 14 inch Rumi queen, 79.5 by 59.5 by 14 inches, 27.6 pounds, 13 inches of storage, rated 2,200 pounds. See queen bed with platform.
3. Panel or upholstered bed. A frame with a headboard, sometimes a footboard. Example: Bestier queen upholstered bed, 83.46 by 60.51 by 39.37 inches, 74.9 pounds, rated 1,100 pounds. See bed upholstered.
4. Storage bed. Drawers or open space under the mattress. Example: AFI Concord queen with two drawers of about 6.75 cubic feet each, rated 800 pounds. See queen bed with storage.
5. Floor or tatami bed. A very low base. Example: DobleePy queen floor bed, 81.1 by 61.42 by 7.68 inches, 59.8 pounds. See low profile bed frame.
6. Loft or bunk bed. The bed is raised or stacked. Example: SOFTSEA twin over twin bunk, 78.74 by 41.73 by 63 inches, rated 600 pounds. See white metal bunk bed.
7. Adjustable base. A motorized base. Example: Best Choice Products queen base, 80 by 59 by 14.25 inches, 137 pounds, rated 750 pounds. See adjustable mattress base.
8. Canopy or four-poster. Posts at the corners. The Amazon results were canopy kits like the KEVIDA, 78 by 59 by 78 inches, 4 pounds, which stand around a bed. See 4 poster bed frame.
9. Lift-up bed. The mattress platform lifts to a storage box. Amazon’s results were kits. See bed frame lift up.
10. Folding or wall bed. A bed that folds away, such as a tri-fold mattress 80 by 60 by 6 inches, or a wall bed kit. See queen size folding bed and wall pull down bed.
Worked example: bed height by type
This is our own arithmetic. We assume a 10 inch mattress, and a 9 inch box spring for type 1.
| Type | Example height | Top of the bed |
|---|---|---|
| Box spring frame | 7 + 9 box spring | 7 + 9 + 10 = 26 in |
| Platform frame | 14 in | 14 + 10 = 24 in |
| Panel bed (platform base, unknown) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Floor bed | 7.68 in | 17.68 in |
| Tatami base | 0.8 in | 10.8 in |
| Tri-fold mattress | 6 in thick | 6 in |
| Tall platform | 24 in | 34 in |
The range runs from 6 inches (a tri-fold on the floor) to 34 inches (a tall platform), which is a 28 inch spread; that is why the type is the first decision.
What each type needs and gives
| Type | Box spring needed | Storage | Weight of example | Moves easily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box spring frame | Yes | Low | 16.63 lb | Yes |
| Platform | No | 13 in clearance | 27.6 lb | Yes |
| Panel/upholstered | No (listing) | Some have shelves | 74.9 lb | No |
| Storage bed | No | Drawers | Not stated | No |
| Floor | No | None | 59.8 lb | Moderate |
| Bunk | No | Under, in some | Not stated | No |
| Adjustable base | No | Under | 137 lb | No |
How to choose a type
Start with who sleeps and how. A child, a guest, a couple, someone who reads in bed.
Add the room. Ceiling, floor area and the walk from the door.
Add the mattress. Check your maker’s foundation rule; our bed foundation guide has two examples.
Add the move. A frame you will carry up stairs should be light and come apart.
Add storage. Open space for bins, drawers for small things, none for a low bed.
A worked scenario
A renter in a small flat wants a queen bed with storage that she can carry up stairs. A box spring frame is light but has little storage and needs a box spring. A tall platform frame gives 20 inches of clearance at about 42 to 46 pounds, as in our bed frame high off ground guide, with a bed top at 34 inches. A drawer bed gives closed storage at 75 pounds or more and is hard to move. For her, the tall platform or a 14 inch platform with 13 inches of clearance fits best.
How the types combine
Real beds are often two types at once. A storage bed can be a platform bed with drawers; an upholstered bed can have a platform base and a headboard shelf; an adjustable base can sit inside a frame. The listings we read for this guide mix them: the AFI Concord is a platform bed with drawers, the Bestier is an upholstered platform with a storage ledge, the SIBEDS is an upholstered bed with a built-in motor. When you choose, name the features you need rather than the type: height, foundation, storage, headboard and movement.
What carries over when you change type
If you change from one type to another, some things carry over. The mattress goes with you, provided the new type suits it: our bed foundation guide explains the rules two mattress makers publish. A headboard may go with you if it is wall-mounted, as in headboard for adjustable bed. Bedside furniture goes with you, but its height should match the new bed’s top. Frames and bases do not carry over, which is why the first choice deserves thought.
Mistakes to avoid
Choosing by looks first. Height and support come first.
Buying a platform frame and a box spring. Pick one.
Ignoring weight. A 74.9 pound bed is a two-person carry.
Forgetting the foundation rule. Check your mattress maker.
When another guide helps
For sizes, see types of bed size. For quality checks, see high quality bed frames. For overweight sleepers’ needs, see bed frame for overweight person.
A way to use this guide is to start with the row you care about most and read down. If height is the main factor, go to the type with the top you want. If storage is, go to the storage or tall platform type. If moving is, go to the lightest. Then read the guide for that type, which has more examples and the questions to ask. The examples here are one listing each; the type guides have three.
It is worth remembering that the examples are not recommendations. We read the listings and did the arithmetic; we have not tested any bed. Each type’s guide ends with the checks we think matter, such as the foundation rule, the weight rating and the clearance.
Most bed frame types below can mix features rather than forcing one choice
The table above sorts frame types by one primary need each, but worth noting is that several of these features combine on the same frame rather than forcing a single tradeoff. A platform frame, chosen above for needing no box spring, can also include storage drawers, combining two of the table’s categories into one piece; an adjustable base can sometimes pair with a frame that includes a built-in headboard panel. Before settling on just the single feature that matters most from the table above, check whether a listing combines it with a second feature you also want, since many frames are not as single-purpose as comparing them by one standout trait suggests.
Frequently asked questions
What are the main types of bed frames?
Box spring, platform, panel or upholstered, storage, floor, loft or bunk, adjustable, canopy, lift-up and folding.
Which frame is best for a small room?
A loft or bunk saves floor, a tall platform adds storage and a folding bed disappears. It depends on the room.
Do all frames need a box spring?
No. A box spring frame does; a platform frame does not.
Which type is lowest?
A tri-fold on the floor is 6 inches; a floor bed is 7.68 inches.
Which type is heaviest?
The adjustable base and the drawer beds, from the examples above.
Which type is easiest to move?
A steel box spring or platform frame, at 16 to 28 pounds in our examples.
Products worth checking
We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings as we read them; where a listing does not say, we say so.
Amazon Basics Metal Bed Frame, 9-Leg Support Base for Box Spring and Mattress, Queen
- Keep in mind: we have not tested it, and the listing may show more than one size or finish, so pick the variant that matches your numbers.
Zinus 14 Inch Rumi Metal Bed Frame, No Box Spring Needed, Black, Queen
- Keep in mind: we have not tested it, and the listing may show more than one size or finish, so pick the variant that matches your numbers.
AFI, Concord Queen Platform Bed with Footboard & Storage Drawers, Walnut
- Keep in mind: we have not tested it, and the listing may show more than one size or finish, so pick the variant that matches your numbers.
Sources checked
Specifications come from the Amazon listings as we read them for this guide. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.
