How to choose a bed frame (and which of ours fits your bed)
Hi, we’re John and Mimi. A bed frame decides how your bed looks, how high it sits and what your mattress rests on, so it’s worth a few minutes before you buy one. Here are the main types of bed frame in plain English, the questions that narrow it down, and every frame we sell compared at today’s prices, including what our listings don’t tell you.
The short answer
- Start with your mattress size and what your mattress needs underneath it. Our mattresses list three proper surfaces: a continuously solid surface, an adjustable base, or slats no more than 2" apart.
- Want a headboard and a finished look? An upholstered bed frame. Ours are fully upholstered, three of the four list a headboard, and all four include a slat pack.
- Want simple and lower cost? A foundation on its own legs. Our Express Mattress Foundation can be used as a stand-alone upholstered bed frame (queen $279 today).
- Already have a metal frame with side rails? It’s made to hold a foundation or box spring, not a mattress on its own.
- Thinking about an adjustable base? It replaces the foundation or box spring, not necessarily the frame. Decide before you buy both.
- Today: 4 upholstered frames with sizes in stock, queens from $629, all with free shipping.
The main types of bed frame
| Type | What it is | Good to know | What we sell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upholstered bed frame | A frame wrapped in fabric, usually with a matching headboard, on short legs, with slats to hold the mattress | The look of a finished bed; measure the room, since a headboard adds to the footprint | Avery, Brooklyn, Madison and Tufted, each with a slat pack included |
| Foundation on legs | A low, fabric-covered box with slats inside, standing on its own legs | No separate frame needed; no headboard | Express Mattress Foundation with 6" legs |
| Metal frame with side rails | A steel rail frame on small legs or casters | Holds a foundation or box spring, which then holds the mattress; many take a bolt-on headboard | We don’t sell these; a foundation can go on yours |
| Platform bed | A frame with a built-in solid deck or slats | No box spring; check slat gaps against your mattress | Our upholstered frames come with slats; see the gap note below |
| Adjustable base | A motorized base that raises the head and foot | Replaces the foundation; can sit inside many frames or stand on legs | Many models, including Sam, Alex and Taylor with a headboard included |
| Bunk, loft, daybed, trundle | Space-saving frames for kids and guest rooms | Follow the frame’s maximum mattress thickness | We don’t sell these frames; see our bunk bed and trundle guide for mattresses |
Step 1: Match the size, exactly
A frame is sized to the mattress, so buy the same size you sleep on. Our listings give these mattress sizes: full 54" × 75", queen 60" × 80", king 76" × 80" and California king 72" × 84". King and cal king frames don’t swap: a cal king is 4" narrower and 4" longer, so it won’t fit a king frame, and the reverse. More in our mattress size chart and king vs California king guides.
Our listings give the mattress size each frame is made for, not the frame’s overall outside length and width. A headboard and the frame’s edges add to the footprint, so leave some room, and text John if you need the outside dimensions before you order.
Step 2: Check what your mattress needs underneath
Our mattresses list a continuously solid surface, an adjustable base, or slats no more than 2" apart that can support the mattress and the people on it. That’s the test for any frame:
- Our upholstered frames include a slat pack, but the listings don’t give the slat count or spacing. Measure the gap between slats once it’s together; if it’s wider than 2", lay a bunkie board or a sheet of plywood on top, or text John first.
- The Express Foundation has wood slats inside a fabric-covered frame. Its listing doesn’t give the spacing either, so check it the same way.
- An old box spring works only if it’s flat and firm. The details, plus platforms, bunkie boards and the floor, are in what to put under a memory foam mattress.
Step 3: Decide on an adjustable base now, not later
An adjustable base takes the place of a box spring or foundation, so you don’t need both. If you want one, you have two routes:
- A base inside a frame. Our zero-clearance bases like the e3 (queen $499 today) are designed to sit on a flat surface or compatible bed frame, where the box spring would go. Our frame listings don’t say whether a base fits inside them, so text John before pairing a frame with a base and he’ll check the fit.
- A base with the headboard built in. Our Sam, Alex and Taylor come with an upholstered headboard included (queens from $1,099 today), so you skip the separate frame altogether.
All the ways to keep a headboard with a base are in adjustable base with a headboard, and how to choose an adjustable base walks through the rest.
Step 4: Headboard or no headboard
A headboard gives you something to lean on when you sit up and finishes the look of the room. The Avery, Madison and Tufted listings each list a headboard (camelback with nailhead trim, nailhead trim, and tufted). The Brooklyn listing describes a midcentury modern upholstered frame but doesn’t mention a headboard, so check the photos on its page. The Express Foundation has no headboard.
Step 5: Think about height
Your bed’s height is the frame or legs, plus the foundation or slats, plus the mattress. A 12" mattress sits 2" higher than a 10" on the same frame; our how thick should a mattress be guide covers mattress height. The Express Foundation stands on 6" legs. The Avery, Madison and Tufted listings each say “adjustable height from 51 to 54 inches”; they don’t give the height of the mattress platform or the clearance under the bed, so text John if you need either number, for example for under-bed storage.
Step 6: Pick the look
From each listing:
- Avery: navy blue, fully upholstered, camelback panel headboard with nickel-finished nailhead trim, black-finished wood legs.
- Madison: tan linen headboard with antique-finish brass nailhead trim, black legs of solid wood; the listing calls it transitional.
- Tufted: solid gray fabric, simple tufted panel headboard, black-finished wood legs.
- Brooklyn: grey upholstery with dark espresso-stained wood legs, a sleek, slightly curved midcentury modern design.
- Express Foundation: fabric-covered frame with 6" grey wood-style (faux wood) legs, a clean, streamlined look.
Step 7: Delivery, assembly and warranty
- Shipping: every frame ships free. The four upholstered frames each list that they ship in one box, small parcel.
- Assembly: the upholstered frames are listed as easy to assemble; the Express Foundation needs no tools.
- Warranty: each frame and the foundation carry a 1-year limited warranty against defects in workmanship or structure. Read the warranty terms on the product page; for example, shipping a defective item back is the purchaser’s cost.
- Inspect it on arrival. If a box is damaged or something is missing, take photos, keep the packaging and text us within 48 hours.
Every frame we sell, compared
Prices and stock are live. The Avery, Madison and Tufted come in full, queen, king and cal king, the Brooklyn in full, queen and king, and the Express Foundation in every size from twin to cal king.
| Pick | Best for | Model code | Full | Queen | King | Cal king |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery | Navy, camelback headboard, nailhead trim | UBAVE-F |
$629 | $629 | Sold out today | Sold out today |
| Madison | Tan linen headboard, brass nailhead trim | UBMAD-F |
$629 | Sold out today | Sold out today | $639 |
| Tufted | Gray, tufted headboard | UBHUD-F |
$639 | $649 | Sold out today | Sold out today |
| Brooklyn | Grey midcentury modern, espresso legs | SBUBBRO-F |
$389 | Sold out today | $499 | — |
| Express Foundation | Slats on 6" legs; stands alone, no headboard | UFG-F |
$269 | $279 | $339 | $339 |
Prices are today’s prices, read live from our catalog, with free FedEx shipping included. A dash means that model isn’t made in that size.
| Avery | Madison | Tufted | Brooklyn | Express Foundation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Headboard | Yes, nailhead trim | Yes, nailhead trim | Yes, tufted | Not listed | No |
| Fabric | Navy blue | Tan linen | Solid gray | Grey | Fabric-covered |
| Legs | Black wood | Black solid wood | Black wood | Espresso wood | 6" faux wood, grey |
| Support | Slat pack included | Slat pack included | Slat pack included | Slat pack included | Wood slats |
| Assembly | Easy to assemble | Easy to assemble | Easy to assemble | Easy to assemble | No tools |
| Warranty | 1-year limited | 1-year limited | 1-year limited | 1-year limited | 1-year limited |
What’s in stock in your size today
- Twin: Express Foundation $259
- Twin XL: Express Foundation $259
- Full: Avery $629, Brooklyn $389, Madison $629, Tufted $639, Express Foundation $269
- Queen: Avery $629, Tufted $649, Express Foundation $279
- King: Brooklyn $499, Express Foundation $339
- Cal king: Madison $639, Express Foundation $339
Some sizes sell out from time to time; this list updates by itself. Sleeping on a twin or Twin XL? The Express Foundation is our only frame in those sizes.
What we don’t sell
So you don’t have to dig: we don’t sell metal rail frames, storage beds, wood platform beds, bunk beds, daybeds or trundles, and our upholstered frames don’t come in twin or Twin XL. If you already have one of those frames, a mattress or foundation from us can usually go on it; send John a photo and the measurements and he’ll tell you honestly.
Express Mattress Foundation with 6" Grey Wood-Style Legs
The simplest answer if you have nothing under the mattress yet: a foundation on its own legs that can stand alone as the bed.
- Wood slats and 6" faux wood legs
- Fabric-covered frame for a clean, streamlined look
- No tools for assembly
- Twin through cal king; 1-year limited warranty
From $259 (Twin) · Queen $279 · See sizes & details
Tufted Upholstered Bed Frame - UBHUD
A fully upholstered gray bed with a simple tufted headboard, for a finished look that fits most rooms.
- Tufted headboard; black-finished wood legs
- Slat pack included
- Easy to assemble; ships in one box
- 1-year limited warranty
From $639 (Full) · Queen $649 · See sizes & details
Shop this guide
Every frame we sell, with free shipping.
- Express Mattress Foundation with 6" Grey Wood-Style Legs, from $259. Foundation on 6" legs; stands alone, no tools.
- Tufted Upholstered Bed Frame - UBHUD, from $639. Gray, tufted headboard, slat pack included.
- Avery Upholstered Bed Frame - UBAVE, from $629. Navy, camelback headboard with nailhead trim.
- Madison Upholstered Bed Frame - UBMAD, from $629. Tan linen headboard with brass nailhead trim.
- Brooklyn Upholstered Bed Frame - SBUBBRO, from $389. Grey midcentury modern with espresso legs.
Questions we hear a lot
What should I look for in a bed frame?
Start with the exact mattress size, then check what the mattress needs underneath (our mattresses list a solid surface, an adjustable base, or slats no more than 2 inches apart), whether you want a headboard, the finished bed height, and whether you may add an adjustable base. Then pick the look.
Do I need a box spring with a bed frame?
It depends on the frame. A frame with slats or a solid deck usually does not need one, as long as the slats are close enough for your mattress. A metal frame with side rails only is made to hold a foundation or box spring. Our upholstered frames include a slat pack, and the listings do not give the slat spacing, so measure it or text John.
What size bed frame do I need?
The same size as your mattress: full 54 by 75 inches, queen 60 by 80, king 76 by 80, California king 72 by 84. King and cal king frames do not swap. A headboard and the frame edges add to the overall footprint, so leave some room.
Can I use an adjustable base with a bed frame?
Often, yes. An adjustable base replaces the box spring or foundation, and zero-clearance bases like our e3 are designed to sit on a flat surface or compatible bed frame. Our frame listings do not say whether a base fits inside them, so text John before pairing the two. Our Sam, Alex and Taylor bases come with a headboard included instead.
Can a mattress foundation be used without a bed frame?
Some can. Our Express Mattress Foundation stands on its own 6-inch faux wood legs, has wood slats and a fabric-covered frame, goes together with no tools, and its listing says it can be used as a stand-alone upholstered bed frame. It has no headboard.
Not sure which frame works? Text John
Send John your mattress size, a photo of the room or your current bed, and whether you’re thinking about an adjustable base, and he’ll tell you honestly which frame fits. Text or call 818-924-3744, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific, take the 60-second mattress quiz, or use Help me choose.
Written by John & Mimi Venti, MimiJohn. Frame details are from our product listings; general frame types are plain-English descriptions; prices and stock are read live from our catalog and update automatically. Always follow your frame’s own assembly instructions and labels.