Question
I'm looking for some basic information on king-size bed frames. We recently built a bed for an eastern-king size mattress that is 76" wide. How much room inside the bed rails should we leave for a 76" wide mattress? Is one inch on each side too much?
Forum Responses
(Furniture Making Forum)
From contributor O:
If this is commission work, ask the designer or owner what type of bedclothes they anticipate. Also measure the box spring if possible - they do vary from any standard you may see. Big fluffy duvets take 2-4" on three sides and quilts take less. You also should take into consideration if there are foot posts and the footprint of those and how much they may intrude into the mattress space.
Too much (within reason) is better than too little. I have made about 20 beds over the years, but made my own bed too tight, and doomed myself to changing sheets for life since it is much harder without the room needed to tuck in sheets, and my wife reminds me nearly every time.
We already have brackets mounted almost flush to the inside of the bed posts and would have to cut the headboard and foot board down to shrink the bed width. I am negotiating with an unhappy client and hoping I won't have to rebuild the bed. My shop manager says that the extra one inch on each side of the mattress is standard. For the process of negotiation I'm wondering how true this is.
Even at 1" things are tight, and changing sheets is difficult. Once normal bedclothes are on and the bed made, that 1" seems like nothing. I would also stress that mattress and box springs are not standard sizes (despite internet searches that offer such info) and future replacements may vary in size.
I have always been very specific about this sizing and dragged unwilling clients through it just to avoid the problem you now have - measure on site, explain the clearance and why, etc. It adds to the costs, but prevents problems and also shows the client the level of care with which we build. Here, despite your best efforts, you appear to be lax to this customer and will have to scramble to repair the relationship.
