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?
A swim noodle or pipe insulator can be cut in half and attached to the back of the headboard to prevent it from hitting the wall!
That is brilliant, We finally just gave up on the headboard entirely, but something like that could actually work if you can set it to the frame.
I had tried something similar with a couple thin pillows behind the headboard, but you get a good rhythm and they just slide right down, next thing you know *wham, wham, wham*
If we get a chance to try it, I will let you know how it goes.
They’re out there! We got this one in California king and it works great for us. Our bed makes no noise at all during sex. Of course, it’s a pain in the arse to move–when we bought our house, we had to make sure the master bedroom was big enough to fit the bed, and we had to make sure all painting was done before we moved the bed in. The wall behind the bed will stay the same color until we move because that sucker won’t be moving until we leave the house.
We have a similar setup, and our headboard is bolted to the wall. Very quiet! When my family came to visit and would be staying in the room right below us, I had my partner simulate noises and motions while I sat downstairs. I couldn’t hear a thing!
I had the funniest image in my head of a man trying to bounce, rock and slam his way across a bed like a worm or hyperactive 3 yr old while putting on his O face and wailing/moaning like a banshee…. I think the lady next to me at work now thinks I’m odd due to a sudden outburst of snorting laughter.
I recommend a platform bed. We have this one from Ikea, and it’s quiet as can be. Maybe because there’s no box-spring, maybe because it has more contact with the floor than a regular bed.
I have this EXACT bedframe (king size, and I got the attachable side tables). And I can attest to the no noise during sex. The head board doesn’t hit the wall (we have it almost flush against), and there are no legs (the entire thing is a box) and no box-spring. However, when the bed becomes more worn in…if you’re in the middle of the bed, it can make a little noise. We solve that by either using an edge, or use a different area (the joys of a king-size is there’s plenty of room to move around).
I have that bed too, and it’s as solid and stable as can be (it’s pretty new, so perhaps the joints will loosen over time). Very quiet!
Seconded! or…fourthed, I guess. Very sturdy. Just leave a few inches between the headboard and wall and you’re good.
We’ve had this exact same bed for about three years now, and it was really quiet at first! But lately it’s gotten so loud that it’s distracting. I thought tightening all the screws would help but it didn’t. It’s great for a while but it doesn’t seem to last.
I had the same problem with an Ikea bed. I had the Brimnes with drawers, and it was great…for a while. By the end, it was creaking so badly when we wiggled in bed that it would wake me up at night when my ex rolled over. We just had sex on the floor.
How long is a while? I’m looking at purchasing that bed frame.
I’ve had a platform bed from ikea for about three years and its just now starting to get noisy. The other thing to think about is that while having sex standing up next to the bed with your SO kneeling on it your knees may have a tendency to bang painfully against the rim around the edge of the frame (if it has a lip like mine does). .
We got the brimnes for the storage and because it seamed so much sturdier than our last metal frame. For the first three or four “sessions” the only noise was noise we made ourselves. Then, one day, hold on to your freaking hat! This thing is LOUD! I’m off work next week and plan to take it apart and see where it can be improved. If I had it to do over, I would have glued all of the joints. We have three kids and the house isn’t that big. Luckily, they’re heavy sleepers!
My husband and I got this exact bed from Ikea seven years ago. It still stays very silent IF and ONLY IF we turn ourselves sideways a full 90 degrees and then put the bed to “good use”. 🙂
I have an Ikea platform bed with side tables and I do find it noisy. Not as noisy as a bed with boxspring and matress, but it does tend to move and make noise. I think the side tables are the most problem.
I think the best bet is a very heavy, solid furniture set which I no longer have!
Agreed on Ikea. We have the Brimnes with storage and a headboard (currently on sale!) we really liked the headboard because it gave us our own shelves and a headboard and drawers all-in-one, which is great because we don’t have room in our tiny apartment for a dresser or side tables. The no-noise was an extra bonus.
Jill, how did you get the bed to be so quiet? I have the same one as you, but when move even a little, I hear (loudly I might add) the metals under the mattress move. And the wooden boards that stretch across the bed touch against the metal. Squeaky too… Help!
your wrong so very very wrong. i have that and believe me its not quiet one little bit, the screws eventually come undone and you have tighten them every few months to keep them in place
It’s not a frame per se, but we’re using home-built wooden box-ish things under a box spring — the supports are open on the top, the two at the foot of the bed each have three sides and a bottom, plus a shelf in the middle (I use them to store shoes), and the two at the head of the bed are just two sides and a bottom. They give us lots of under-bed storage space, although they do make the bed pretty high, since there’s a box spring and then a mattress on top of them. If I recall correctly, they’re screwed together, and my dad may have also glued them, I’m not sure. He made them to go under my twin-sized bed, but since it’s just four boxes, they work fine under our queen, as well. (I don’t recommend trying this with a king-sized bed unless you put supports in the middle as well). We haven’t had trouble with noise, really, although there isn’t really anything you can do to prevent the mattress/box spring from occasionally running into the wall, aside from maybe moving the whole bed away from any wall.
Also, we haven’t done this ourselves, but I’ve seen a bunch of ideas here on OBH&L for “headboards” that are actually attached directly to the wall — some of them are wood, some are painted on, some are artwork, etc. — and you could totally do that while putting the bed up on some sort of not-a-frame-per-se to make it look however you want.
Good luck!
I have the Nordli platform bed from ikea. No headboard, it’s basically a rectangular prism chock full of drawers. extra storage space and it doesn’t make any more noise than a mattress. plus, it really pulled the room together!
I’m in Australia so the terms are a little different – I have a ensemble bed (box spring?) which I took the wheels off so it sits directly on the ground. Me and hubs aren’t petite and I’m an “active/annoying” sleeper and no noise! This is an old bed too! And as an above poster sai you can get detached headboards that are lovely.
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.
Basically, you want solid construction, not frames that have a headboard and foot board and bars between to attach. The more joints there are that can move or loosen, the more noise the bed will make and the looser those joints will get with action. (Floors squeak for similar reasons and you can use talcum powder between the boards to help minimize this, not great for a bed though.)
And if you have a metal frame, squirt a little WD-40 around all the joints/screws. Keeps them lubed (heh) & they won’t squeak as they loosen over time.
I’d second the platform bed thing and add that a foam or latex mattress is also helpful. We sleep on a murphy bed, which means the “headboard” is literally attached to the wall, it is basically a platform with no springs or box springs and on a latex mattress (from Ikea). Pretty much sound-free.
This one http://www.potterybarn.com/products/stratton-bed-with-baskets/?pkey=cbeds-headboards
That bed is so gorgeous. I wish I weren’t poor.
eh…we have this, and while it’s great for storage (we use the baskets for our dirty laundry, sorted by whites/lights/darks), it’s not the quietest on hardwoods. we’ve always had one of those rubbery rug pads under it, but will soon switch to a full-on rug — insulate the noise and friction a bit between the wood floor and the significant footprint this thing has.
Jaya,
Thats the bed!!! Should do the trick.
My EQ3 Bento bed belays that problem quite effectively. Upholstered beds tend to be heavier and as such quieter.
Pretty much what everyone else said. The fewer joints and the tighter the joints the less noise they make for the frame itself. The headboard and footboard need to be attached very tightly and the thicker that joint is the better. My last headboard attached by two screws and it was horribly noisy. Having a headboard that mounts to the wall instead of the frame minimizes the movement being transferred and keeps things quiet too.
I built mine…with landscape bricks/blocks and 2×4’s. It does not move, or make any noise at all! I painted an old door, set it on a few random long pieces of wood so it is up high enough; done. Total it cost me about $40 to make this bed “frame.” The only time it makes noise against the wall is if we are leaning up against the headboard/door while having sex, or it get super vigorous and pillows are slamming against the headboard. I like the idea of a swimming noodle to stop the noise.
I had not thought about hanging my headboard door on the wall…maybe when we move from apt to house I will do that! Great idea!
Do you have any pictures of the frame? I would love to see it!
I do not! I will try and take some, however, a cleaning of the room must first be done! Maybe that will be my project over the weekend…
Hi,
How many bricks needed for queen size?
Where do you get those bricks?
Thanks.
Did you get any pictures?
My SO and I have the round bed that ikea used to sell, and that thing is quiet and sturdy.
I always used to lust over that bed every time I went to ikea
The bed I’m on right now isn’t my own, but it’s solid wood and extremely sturdy and stable and quiet. I think the trick is to get a really thick and well-built frame; it’ll cost extra, but it’ll last you a longer amount of time anyways. I’ve tried a few jerking movements out and this headboard hasn’t gone a centimeter closer to the wall. And I can’t say I’ve noticed any noise from it when my husband and I are thoroughly enjoying it.
You need to get a better bed! I have a metal one from crate and barrel, and once you tighten the screws with the self-locking washers, that thing isn’t going to move. It’s literally ROCK SOLID.
You can find it! I had the same problem with my creaky old wooden frame, and having a daughter, and now I just am able to have quiet sex when necessary, it’s so much easier to get into the mood.
Under no circumstances this one: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S99849961/
holy crap, it squeaks if you freaking breath too hard… granted if you’re into the rhythmic squeaky squeaky squeaky totally go for it, but we are not and it is annoying.
I’m excited to hear about the WD40 idea though.
I have had great success with this. I believe it comes in bigger sizes, and it’s much sturdier construction than it looks. It’s made to be used without a box spring which I needed. Right now I have carpet floors which helps probably, but even in my old place on wood floors, I didn’t have to worry about squeaking. I think I’ve had it over a year at this point with no weird sex sounds emanating from it.
This is amazing (and affordable)! The reviews mention it feeling off if your mattress is crappy- do you have a really nice mattress? I’m not cheap when it comes to mattresses, so it’s not too much of a problem if it needs a big ol’ thick one to work.
Actually, I think my mattress is on the cheap side. If it’s not cheap, it’s definitely over 10 years old, and it’s a traditional spring mattress too. It’s one I took with me to a new place after I went through a break up and lost custody of the tempurpedic. 🙂
I have this one is a queen size and its super squeaky. The neighbors below us came up and knocked on our door 15 minutes into the session. Now, I’m here looking for alternatives. Lol
When I had problems with my bed creaking, it wasn’t the frame, but the box spring (probably because my friend and I destroyed it by having a jump on the bed party one day). I tossed it out and put some boards across the bed frame instead. Problem solved!
My previous frame was a shocking sqeaker. Ever time I twitched it would make a noise.
Till I put WD-40 on all the joints. Win!
Ah, this makes me think of college. My college dorms all had these twin-size mattresses covered with some kind of vinyl that seemed like it belonged in a haz-mat situation. We called them “birth control mattresses” because every movement was pretty well broadcasted.
My dorm roommate and I both had boyfriends who had extra creepy roommates (my boyfriend’s roommate actually filmed us having sex by putting a sneaky webcam up). After determining that we were basically just going to have to deal with sex happening we discussed solutions. Thus began a dorm trend of putting an additional fitted sheet on the under side of these mattresses. Hers was awkwardly much smaller than the frame, so she added another comforter underneath too. BAM! Quiet sex.
I am still (10 years later) pretty impressed with our ingenuity and fortitude.
My advice is to buy the best frame you can afford. Stick with real wood, not laminate or press-board. And the higher quality ones will use screws to put them together, not clips or weird little quick connectors. The biggest advantage of real wood and screws is, over the years as the frame loosens up (and they all do), you can tighten it back up again – even going up a size larger screw if needed.
The frame I have is a solid pine platform frame, large headboard with assorted compartments in it, and drawers underneath. We’ve had it for 30 years and, with regular tightening/replacing of the screws, it’s still solid and silent.
I think mattress can have a huge affect(or is it effect? grammar nazi’s please help) on noise as well. I have the fake memory foam mattress from overstock.com and with a well padded carpet and metal frame its pretty quiet. The problem then is the memory foam does make you have to work harder especially when brand new. The whole these mattresses don’t transfer force easily has a small hindrance in helping you to keep strong movements up. Since we got our house it definitely has gotten pretty quiet in regards to squeaks unless super duper heavy stuff is going on so that’s why I think the carpet can also help(unless I am apparently that distracted, but being too noisy if others are in the house is a fear of mine so I do try to take stock for whenever kids happen). Our old apartment had that flat carpet so not too much in cushioning under it.
“Effect” is usually a noun, “affect” is usually a verb. Remember “a” is for “action”.
I add my vote to the platform bed! We got ours at Sears and have no complaints. Not a peep! The lack of headboard and storage/weight in the drawers on the bottom really help to keep that sucker from moving. I’m planning on making my own headboard and just attaching it to the wall with a French hinge.
http://www.sears.ca/product/storage-bed-base/601-12019-12019
My bedframe in my childhood home is a couple of hundred years old and so loud! In the house I live now I don’t have a headboard so it’s quiet. That is unless I accidentally bang my head on the wall . .
My husband and I think we solved the problem by not using the metal frame portion of our bed and built a wood frame to lift the mattresses off the floor. We set all of that inside of the wood frame construction of the big dramatic bed we have.
Double bonus points: A tall padded head board. Works great, the mattress isn’t bouncing and the frame doesn’t make that “Hey everyone we are doing it” squeak.
Oh I HATE bed squeaking. Way back in high school my boy’s parents suggested we move the bed away from the walls before hand (HAHA imagine that conversation, it was great). If we were “in the heat of the moment” we just threw a blanket on the floor. and still do sometimes.
Even though we live alone now, the bed squeaking is horrible. It mostly has to do with the spring mattress being super old. I’ve stayed on those memory foam mattresses and I’m saving up money for one. Super quiet. Now to just grease those joints.