Bed - Difference between slats and sprung slats?

[Feek]

As I've mentioned before, we're getting a new bed frame. The one I originally ordered is out of stock with no due date for it to be in stock.

I'm looking at another which is around 50% more expensive than the first choice but it's listed as having 'sprung slatted base' as opposed to the original one which just says 'with a slatted base'.

So what's the difference? Obviously one has sprung slats and the other doesn't, but surely the slat is just the wooden cross part that the mattress sits on. Effectively a plank! How can a plank be sprung?

Answers on a headboard to Feek, c/o The Bedroom.

[Belmit]

At a complete guess, a sprung slat would be one that you have to bend to fit in at each end - it then has a slight upward curve to it. This has potential for complete wrongness though and I'd be interested to hear the true definition.

[SidewinderINC]

At a complete guess, a sprung slat would be one that you have to bend to fit in at each end - it then has a slight upward curve to it. This has potential for complete wrongness though and I'd be interested to hear the true definition.

Zing, correct answer.


Sprung slats will be more sturdy, but softer at the same time.

[Mark]

Close enough. Sprung slats do a few things for you. They're less likely to break just because of the way the load gets distributed. They're also generally better for the mattress (in much the same way a sprung divan base is better than a non-sprung one).

One important factor to bear in mind is the spacing between the slats. Cheaper beds will tend to have less slats than more expensive beds. The difference is simple - the wider the gap, the more likely the mattress is to sag between them (which will significantly shorten its useful life).

PS - my slatted base came with the slats pre-installed in the frame (which itself came in two parts).