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For years, I’ve been sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Don’t get me wrong: I’d love to have a bed frame. Especially now that I got offbeat wed and am a married lady, it feels like I should have a real bed! My major problem with frames, though, is that they are way too noisy during adult activities (wink wink).
There’s nothing wrong with being loud, but when you want to be quiet, you can never quite pass that message along to the bed frame. Metal and wood both conspire to let everyone know what you’re up to. Headboards require a hand to hold them, or they’ll slam against the wall in protest. No matter how well you bite into the pillow, a stray thunk from a headboard or the incessant creaking of a frame will give up all your secrets in an instant.
What’s the best bed for getting busy? I want one that won’t betray the frantic motions on the mattress above? How can I make my bed more quiet during a good romp?! -Elemeno P.
Oh hell yes. We’ve got you, Elemeno.
We’ve done some (ahem) very thorough investigative testing on this issue.
First, let’s talk about your mattress
If you’ve got a boxspring — ditch that thing! All those springs and that wooden frame with all that bouncing just adds to your squeaking.
Once you’ve ditched your boxspring, Get a foam-based mattress. Right off the bat, this dramatically reduces queaking noise from bouncing on springs.
Personally, I got a Leesa mattress in 2015 and have been, uh, thorougly testing it ever since. My testing has been quite extensive these past few years…. The years immediately after my divorce saw some especially thorough investigative testing, and I am here to say that I love my Leesa. She’s firm, silent, and dependable.
But I also considered one of these, because of how they’re catered to side-sleepers like me.
Ultimately I decided on the Leesa, because it was so affordable (I got mine on sale)… but I’m saving up for the Leesa Bed Foundation to go with it.
Next, aim for a platform bed!
Ok, so in that photo above, do you see what my mattress is sitting on? It’s a solid-base platform bed. That’s the bedframe I can speak vouch the most directly for… the more solid wood surface area you have touching the floor, the more solid, sturdy, and unsqueaky your situation will be.
Silent solid-base platform beds
The joy of a solid base platform bed is two-fold… not only are they quiet and not squeaky, but many of them offer storage options!If you’re going for a more mid-century vibe, there’s this one:
…I keep hearing from soooo many readers who love their Nectar quiet bed frame bases!
The Nectar Foundation lives up to its name… and is SWEETLY SILENT LIKE A NECTAR, with reviewers noting:
- This foundation is solid. Very easy to assemble. Quiet and sturdy.
- This was easy to assemble, and seems pretty quiet at night when my spouse is tossing and turning [WINK WINK WINK YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS].
- This foundation is solid, sturdy, and as a bonus.. the wood smells fantastic. The scent has traveled all over my house. And the foundation itself is very durable- doesn’t squeak or creak or groan like a metal frame does. It feels great under the mattress.
- I was impressed with simplicity and ease of putting the foundation together right out of the box. So far it has been a perfect match for my perfect Nectar mattress. It is very sturdy and quiet which was the most important attributes I wanted in a foundation. It also allows for some storage under the bed which is a plus.
- As a structural engineer, I’m very picky about bed bases. So many are prone to creaking, cracking, or putting unnecessary pressures on mattresses. This one is remarkably solid for what it is, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a minimalist yet sleek foundation for a mattress.
- Amazing most comfortable and quiet bed I’ve ever owned.
As an added bonus, the foundation can hold up to 700 pounds, making it a great choice for couples with more cushion for the pushin’, know’m’sayin’?
Hot tip: Got an old mattress that’s cramping your style?
Upgrading to a sturdy and quiet bed frame is a must for “active” (cough, cough) couples, but if you’re ready for the true glow-up, you’re gonna need a quality mattress to go with it. You can save some cash (30% off to be exact!) with The Nectar Bundle.
It comes with a Nectar mattress, the Foundation, PLUS the Serenity Bundle of bedding with antibacterial technology That Fights Bacteria. Imagine what you could do with all that, right?! Quiet foundation + quiet mattress + high tech bedding… now THAT sounds like a perfect night to me.
Another option to get those creative juices flowing… Nectar’s Adjustable Base is ahhhh-mazing in every way. If you’re looking for a really silent bed, but want to be a little bit higher off the ground in all the ways, this bed gets as busy as you do! It’s a great way to send things into “zero gravity,” if you know what I mean.
Adjust your sturdy quiet bed – send your life into zero gravity?
If you’re looking for a really silent bed, but want to be a little bit higher off the ground in all the ways, I gotchoo. Here is a bed that gets as busy as you do!
Oh this mattress and adjustable bed bundle is both silent AND adjustable
This Nectar adjustable base combo is adjustable, AND it’s got multiple massage modes? This means that even when your partner isn’t up to getting busy, you can still have some fun, complete with 2 wireless remotes, and two USB ports?! WTF!
This elevated bed promises no squeaks, and has that heavy-duty construction — like all Nectar beds, this one can handle up to 700 pounds.
When it comes to bed frames that never creak, the reviews on on the Nectar adjustable frame/mattress bundle don’t lie:
Got this with my boyfriend for our first shared home. We love how comfy and quiet it is, and want to keep it as many years as possible!
Quiet relaxation! My old mattress and box springs would creak and crack. My Nectar mattress is quiet and comfortable. I got the foundation as well so it’s the perfect pair
This bed is amazing! No box spring means no creaking and squeaking. Has helped my lower back aches. We’ve had it for 30 days and it’s great.
AMAZING COMFORT EVERY NIGHT. So soft and plush I feel like I melt into bed every night. I used to wake with horrible neck pains with my old mattress and that has ceased to exist since switching. No more annoying tossing and turning creaks either. My partner rarely wakes me anymore. Overall amazing bed! Best decision ever to switch
Seriously, I want this thing. It’s not just a no-squeak bedframe, it’s like a whole experience. Plus, with a 50-night sleep trial and 3 year warranty, there’s not much to lose. I wish I’d thought to put it on my wedding registry, like the folks at Offbeat Wed told me to. Oops, missed opportunity.
The final tip? If you don’t have a carpeted bedroom, you may want to put a rug underneath your platform bed. The thicker the pile the better! A foam mattress on a sturdy bed frame like this on top of a thick pile rug? THAT IS THE SWEET SPOT!
Want to know how to make your current bed less squeaky?
thank goodness you asked the question!! We got rid of our bed frame last year as the kids are getting old enough to realize what the heck we are doing if there is noise. I’d love to have a bedframe again. Lots of ideas now = AWESOME
Oh my goodness! I have the squeakiest bed and mattress, neither of which are much older than a year. If I even sit on it the whole thing shrieks in protest, and I’m pretty small. And the only sex I have is on the floor (carpet rash isn’t very subtle) or when the family are out. I’ll be WD40-ing the sh*t out of my metal frame ASAP.
But is there anyway to stop the spring mattress from announcing my every movement to everyone? (other than flipping it, which hasn’t worked)
I have a platform bed with a memory foam mattress and it is silent. We stayed at a hotel recently to celebrate our anniversary and I totally had forgotten how much noise beds can make. hahaha
Just broke my king-size Ikea Malm…it’s not worth it. It weakens with time. This time there is no clear repair because the mid beam broke while I was having sex. I was thinking of designing my own bed out of hollowed-out aluminum and circular supports. It seems that bed engineers are purposely making these bed frames so that they brake over time.
this one, https://amzn.to/2VwkX94
and this one, https://www.walmart.com/ip/Spa-Sensations-by-Zinus-14-Steel-SmartBase-Bed-Frame-Black-Twin/15739163
we have had both and they are quiet no matter how bouncy we are above.
There are several quiet bed frames, you just have to look out for them. I highly recommend the Sleep Master Bed Frame. It’s affordable and gets the job done.
I had a squeaky wood frame bed, we fixed the squeaks right out of it by taking the joints apart and putting in a layer of thick felt between the places where the wood rubs up against each other. Worked like a charm.
I have a bed that I built myself. Crazy part about it is that I never built a bed before and I did it in two days. The bed is solid. I have a footboard and a headboard.
The beds these days did not fit to my satisfaction. They look like garbage for the money. People that I have shown the bed to can say that it is an easily 2000.00 dollar bed. I couldn’t agree more due to how sturdy it is.
Check this out, I have this lamp that can stand on itself and the little monkeys can jump on it and guess what, the lamp would not even wanna move.
Instead of those pencil bolts that beds typically use, I got me some 1/2 inch (width) bolts and its solid. I have a total of 8 bolts.
I actually work at this desk for work, but am thinking about going into the bed business. I wish I could post a pic of it on this site.
By the way, my headboard is like 1.5 inches away from the wall.
Do u have any pics, materials list etc of what u made?
Definitely curious about pictures 🙂
We have a Stickley cherry wood bed, California king. Top of the line sealey mattress. The construction of the bed is impeccable. This bed makes no noise and does not hit the wall. It’s absolutely gorgeous too. 5 years of regular use, and never a creak. We even keep a bondage rig underneath for adventurous playtime!
The bed was over $5k without mattress, so very expensive though.
I see this is an older post, but I wanted to share my solutions.
First off, get a foam based matress or a sleep number bed. This dramatically reduces squeaking and bouncing noises.
Second, purchase a platform bed frame from Sleep Number (about $300). It is lego-like and made of a PVC-like plastic. The advantage of this is that it slowly adjusts and conforms to the warping of any floor. It is very solid and extremely easy to move. Well worth the price, considering many of us must have spent over $1000 trying other types of frames and platforms.
Third, buy a pack of foam exercise workout pads (about $20 for 8 squares). I put these under my bed legs and behind the headboard.
Fourth, if you must get a headboard, mount it on the wall, not the bed. Add some exercise foam padding to the back to prevent any vibration/banging.
The final result: Absolutely no creaking, no sliding, no banging, no noise … well except the vocal ones…!
And if you can afford it, buy the bed from Sleep Number. Best sleep of my life and no risk of bed bugs. So easy I can move it in the trunk of a sedan.
Follwing; I’d loose info on this 😉
We have a solid wood storage bed frame (the kind with drawers under it) . It’s amazing. No noise, lots of crazy moves, it’s even solid enough to use as support in those more adventurous moods. Not cheap but so so soooo worth it.
So glad I found this post! Been considering finding a new bed frame, but realizing that I probably already have a good one. I actually have the Sleep Number bed & platform which generally has been super study (AND QUIET), sleeps amazingly, and I don’t miss the bounce of springs when it’s fully inflated (as recommended by the store for … activities).
But I have the issue that frequently the mattress itself slides around on what is a nice and smooth platform. It has been amusing to get up after and laugh that it has slid a good 2 or 3 feet out of position, but I’m pretty sure that’s not good for the lifespan of the mattress. So I was looking around for sturdy frames that could include a head board/foot board to keep the damned thing in place.
Does anyone have any suggestions for minimizing migrations on a platform? I’m not above getting out my drill to modify the thing, since it’s plastic, it should be easy enough.
Squeaking and bed noise comes most from a bedframe that has some movement. So if it isn’t absolutely tight at every join, you get a headboard that can hit the wall and squeaks from wood and joiners rubbing. A platform bed, as others have suggested, is your best bet for an actual bedframe that is silent. Alternately, if you have a bed with a higher boxspring and get just a plain metal frame to hold it off the floor (that’s what we have, with wheels on it, and the bed comes up just below my hip), you can always make a headboard to attach to the wall. That way it isn’t attached to your bed and this cannot squeak from movement.