Sunday 25 May 2014

How To Prevent Your Bed Frame Rolling Around

It’s one of those 'first world problems' that can be incredibly infuriating yet simple to solve. Not being able to lean against the wall whilst using your laptop or do the lust thrust without your bed rolling around. However, keeping your bed stable during sex or any other bedroom activities is easy and cheap.

Firstly, you need to consider the size of your bed’s wheels (casters). Most have a wheel diameter of around 2 inches, which is a relatively standard size. The most popular stoppers for furniture wheels (pictured below) fit these standard sizes.




Would you rather just have a set of legs?

For maximum stability, ditch the wheels and buy a specialized set of replacement legs. There are several different versions of these legs available. They’re designed with the same stems as casters, to fit straight in quickly and easily.




Get some replacements with brakes

Another option is to purchase a set with brakes. Universal stems make the job as simple as popping out the old and popping in the new versions.




These will be especially useful for people looking to stop chair wheels rolling. It's obvious why people would want to stabilize their bed, but why a chair? One of the major reasons is limited mobility or issues related to obesity. People with mobility issues may need to push down on the arm rests whilst also pushing with the backs of their legs against the chair in order to stand up. Obviously, for these people, the chair simply rolls back and away, resulting in the possibly falling to the floor. Interestingly, it can also be an issue when the wheels are worn out and become too stiff, making it difficult to push yourself along. This can place strain on your body, and cause injuries. 

 

D.I.Y with coffee lids.

This is one method I have heard mentioned.

 
If you're looking for a cheap and cheerful option then you can consider finding several lids and simply placing them underneath. However, these might cause scrapes or scratches and may also result in your bed sliding as they're not designed to grip. You can try coffee jar lids or any other kind of lid you can find in your cupboard or fridge. You could get creative and create some type of base that won't slide.

How much money will you save by trying a D.I.Y option? You will save around $10. It might just be worth getting a product which will save you the time and hassle of rummaging for something usable. The best option is certainly the replacement legs, which cost around $20.

Why are the wheels there in the first place?

They seem like the most ridiculous design blunder. However, supposedly they're there for a few different reasons. Anyone whose attempted a bit of midnight mattress dancing on wheeled beds knows how ridiculous they are. It's especially annoying when you're trying to be stealthy and the bed wanders around banging into walls. So what is the actual point?

One reason being that being able to easily move your bed allows you to more easily change your bedding without hurting your lower back (sounds unnecessary to me). They're also there to allow you to change your bed's position, so you won't damage a particular area over time. This also sounds somewhat silly, as hard plastic casters actually cause damage. Another reason is so you can shift your bed easily to vacuum underneath. If you're like me then you'd gladly take a pass on these benefits. Ensembles are heavy, and if you need to move them it can be a two person job. Really though, how often do you need to move them. If you're concerned about vacuuming underneath then it's really not all that hard to get a set of bed raisers.

Do they cause damage to floors?

The hard plastic used in casters does have the potential to scrape and scuff. There's also potential for random floor debris to get pushed into the plastic as they roll, causing greater potential for damage. 

Friday 7 March 2014

Wooden and Rubber Bed Stoppers


You've likely found this blog because you're fed up with the above scenario. Or perhaps other night time activities occurring in your bedroom are the cause of your bed's unwanted movement. Either way, there's no need to allow rolling beds to be the bane of your existence. 

Wood stoppers


Details:
1. Soft Touch Cherry Wood
2. 2x2"
3. 4 per pack 

Click here to view on Amazon

These will blend in nicely with similarly colored wooden floors. These are labelled "Soft Touch Cherry Wood" and may be preferred by those intending to use these on wooden floors due to their ability to blend in. However, if you'd prefer rubber due to concerns regarding possible marks on your floors, check out the option below.

Rubber Versions


These square stoppers are able to fit a large number of wheel sizes and shapes, rather than simply being designed to fit a specific type.

Details 
1. Sizes 2" or 3"
2. Pack of 4
3. Stops movement and protects floors

 Click here to view on Amazon

A factor to consider when selecting a cup/stopper is the size and type wheel. There are different versions of these designed for different wheel sizes and shapes. However, these square versions are reviewed as being suitable for larger sizes as well as smaller sizes.


As you can see, there are a few different colors to choose from to match them up with your flooring to ensure they remain relatively inconspicuous.

D.I.Y Bed Stoppers?


Could this work? If so, it could be at least a reasonable temporary "quick fix".

I read that you can use juice bottle or jar lids in order to solve this problem. The issues here are obviously appearance, grip and possible scrape marks on your floor. They're obviously going to look quite bad but I'm thinking that with the right sized lid, this could be effective. I'd imagine that plastic lids might be a little flimsy and could bend overtime. However, they're not exactly hard to come across so you could easily replace them whenever you needed to. 

Metal jar lids might work a little better and you could also try to find something to put under them that would provide a little extra grip and protection. Perhaps the lids would simply slide with the bed, as they're not designed to grip.



What about using something like a balloon to create a little friction? If anyone tries this idea, post a comment and let us know whether it stops rolling, or is a just a silly idea.

Check out other posts in this blog for more specific information and pictures showing how casters and different kinds of stoppers are matched up in order to creative maximum stability for your bed frame. Having a bit of stability in your bed or furniture really isn't that much to ask. However, to provide absolute stabilization, you may want to consider reading my post in this blog regarding replacing bed wheels with proper bed legs. It discusses stem sizes and how they are not an issue to be overly concerned about. The replacement glides simply screw in or pop into the frame, as most stems are a standard size, making this a simple task.

I hope this blog helps you find the right solution. 

Thursday 2 January 2014

Guide To Replacing Bed Wheels With Legs

If you're fed up with having an unstable bed, or are concerned  about scuffs and scrapes to your floors, it may be time to ditch the wheels and upgrade to a set of legs. Replacing your bed wheels with legs is much easier than you'd think.

The legs pictured below are made to replace wheels. They're made to match the standard industry sizes of 3/8 or 7/16 used for caster sockets. 



Product details
  • Made specifically to replace wheels/casters.
  • Heavy duty one piece steel will support the largest of beds.
  • Plastic adapter allows for use in larger non-standard stem sockets.



Includes plastic adapters  

The actual stem size of these legs is 3/8, but they also come with plastic adapters, allowing them to fit securely in larger sized stem sockets. Essentially, unless you have a frame that's many decades old then there's a very high probability that you will experience no problems, and will simply be able to pop them in.

More details: Check them out on Amazon



Leg base will prevent floor damage

These are suited to use on hard flooring such as tile, hardwood and laminate. The base of the legs is described as being similar to Teflon, so it is not hard plastic or metal that will damage flooring or slide excessively.

There are a few leg or "glide" variations available.

Two piece steel stem glides




More details: Check them out on Amazon

Pictured above is another popular version. This is also a glide which has been designed to replace unwanted wheels.

If you're either fed up with unwanted movement on laminate or hardwood floors and you'd like to put an end to this problem whilst also improving your bed's appearance (i think casters look tacky) then these are worth considering.

Don't be put off by size concerns. If you can be bothered measuring your current stem size then that would be ideal. The 3/8 and 7/16 sizes are essentially industry standard. As mentioned previously, plastic adapters are included which increase their width when required to provide a snug fit.

Wheel Stoppers vs. Replacing With Legs 

If you'd prefer one of these coaster/cup stoppers pictured above, click here to read my post which lists your best options.