When you have a traditional waterbed mattress (single bladder with full wave), it’s obvious you’ll need to look at platform waterbed frames to give shape and support to your mattress.  Otherwise it would simply be a shapeless blob that would flow off of your bed frame!  But that’s not the only reason you need to invest in a high quality, properly designed waterbed frame.

Waterbeds are incredibly heavy.  The weight of water per square inch is much heavier than any other material used in mattresses.  Some people fear that installing a waterbed in their second floor bedroom will cause buckling of the floor or some other disaster.  But proper waterbed frames prevent these kinds of problems.  They disperse the weight of the water evenly over the entire floor area (or footprint) that the bed is resting on.  Most standard bed frames support all of the weight on only four small points – each leg of the frame.  Waterbed frames, by dispersing the weight, put no more strain on any given point in the floor than any other type of furniture.

If you have a soft-side waterbed mattress, you can use one of the platform waterbed frames or go with a metal frame that is relatively open underneath but is still strong enough to support the full weight of the mattress.  These allow you to attach a traditional style headboard or footboard for a traditional look. There are also waterbed frames in styles such as sleigh beds and four-posters that are specifically designed to support and disperse the weight of soft-side waterbeds.  The important thing to remember is that even if these resemble standard frames at first glance, they aren’t.  You can’t substitute a standard frame for a quality waterbed frame that is built to be much stronger.

What’s Included with Waterbed Frames?

When you’ve narrowed your choice down to a few waterbed frames you really like, start doing some research.  You will find that some stores offer waterbed frames at a price that includes shipping while others charge extra for shipping.  Since many waterbed frames are substantial, the shipping costs can make a real difference. 

Sometimes waterbed frames come as part of a “complete waterbed,” meaning you get the frame, mattress (this is usually the free flow type), risers and a set-up kit.  You can also purchase waterbed frames by themselves if you already have a bed but simply want to change or upgrade the style of your current bed frame.  So be sure to read carefully and know just what you’re getting when shopping for waterbed frames.