Quite often in life it’s the little things that cause us the most discomfort and concern. These things are by no means the biggest and most overridingly important factors in the world, yet they impact our lives so much as to make the big things seem even more impossible.
Case in point, squeaky bed frames. We all need a good night’s sleep, and without it, we’re a total wreck the next day and can’t focus on those bigger, more important things. However, a squeaky bed can keep anyone awake, leaving anyone who sleeps atop it tired, frustrated, and uncertain of what to do next.
Thankfully, there are plenty of quality squeak-free bed frames out there you can look into.
What to Look For in a Bed Frame
The first step in getting a squeak-free bed frame and the good night’s sleep you need is understanding what a good bed frame looks like.
For starters, you’re going to want to make sure that you’re getting a bed frame that is built in such a way as to minimize squeaking. There are certain models that are more prone to squeaking than others. Squeaking usually comes from old, rusty, or faulty metal joints. As a result, wooden bed frames, which have few to no such joints, do not tend to squeak.
You also want to make sure that the bed frame can support the weight placed upon it. One of the fastest ways of making a bed frame give way to squeaking is placing more weight on it than its frame can handle. The best and most squeak-free bed frames, thus, tend to be on the bigger side.
Then there is the type of bed frame itself, with the two most common options being a box spring and a platform bed. The former is the more “conventional” style of the two, having been used for decades. A box spring bed frame makes use of coiled springs to support the mattress. Conversely, a platform bed is just what it sounds like, a solid platform upon which your mattress rests.
This matters because, while box springs can be notoriously squeaky, platform beds are often much more silent. They do not contain coils, which are a natural cause of squeaking, and because they often don’t include metal parts at all, but wood, as mentioned above, they are less liable to rust or corrode and, thus, squeak with age and use.
Choosing bed frames with fewer metal parts and platform beds in particular, therefore, is a good way of avoiding your squeaky bed problem.
Best Quiet, Squeak-Free Bed Frames
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the top 12 squeak-free platform bed frames on the market.
1. Zinus Abel 14-Inch Metal Platform Bed Frame With Steel-Slat Support
The big name that you’ll see appear on this list again and again is Zinus. They are one of the leaders in platform bed manufacturing, with several different models listed here, each with their own upsides.
This particular model boasts a minimalist frame. It stands 14 inches tall and features 13 inches of clearance space under the frame for storage. Its compact style allows you to fit it into tight areas, making it ideal for studio apartment living. It is also quite easy to assemble, which is always a nice stress-saver.
The metal slats used by this model do a good job of providing solid support without having to resort to a spring box and all the squeaky coils that entails.
2. DHP Rose Upholstered Bed With Storage
One of the biggest misconceptions about box spring-free bed frames is that they are so minimalistic as to be inelegant and starkly basic. When we think of bed frames that are thin and eschew those large spring boxes with their many squeak-causing coils, many people think of something akin to an army cot. However, there is nothing cot-like about this offering from DHP. On the contrary, this sumptuous bed frame pairs fine linen upholstery with plenty of storage space and a squeak-free build.
The queen-size variant measures 64.5 x 86 x 38 inches, supported entirely by a bentwood slat support system paired with center legs – and the surprises don’t stop there. This unit also boasts four storage drawers built into the frame itself. That’s a nice touch you might expect from a far more expensive bed.
All of this translates into a bed that looks as great as it feels, is sound-free, and offers lavish linen padding and a luxurious sleep experience that’s anything but “basic.”
3. AmazonBasics Platform Bed Frame, Queen
This is about as straightforward a squeak-free bed frame as you can imagine. It does not require any tools for assembly, does not need a box spring, features a highly streamlined metal frame with metal legs and wires to provide added support.
It measures a full 75 x 14 x 54 inches as a queen-size bed. While that isn’t as big as other queen-size options on this list, it is nevertheless reasonably spacious.
This bed can support up to 250 pounds of weight. While there are beds on this list that can support more, that’s still a decent amount of weight given its noise-free build.
4. Zinus Shawn 14 Inch SmartBase Mattress Foundation
This is another example of a metal bed frame that does not resort to box springs, coils, and the awful squeaking that often results from that combination to support your bed. Rather, it makes use of lightweight metal slat-like supports attached to metal legs. The whole unit is quite lightweight and can be assembled within minutes without the need for tools.
Adding to the convenience of this model is the fact that it’s foldable, allowing you to simply snap it together and take it with you whenever you wish to move.
If you wish to attach a headboard, you’ll want to make use of SmartBase headboard brackets.
5. Simple Houseware 14-Inch Full-Size Mattress Foundation Platform Bed Frame
Here we have another 14-inch bed frame that is designed to give your bedroom a more understated look. It comes in black and is designed to be flexible and moveable. If you have ever tried to move a bed from one room to another, let alone one home to another, you know how difficult that can be when the bed frame is bulky and heavy.
With its more lightweight, moving-friendly build, this offering from Simple Houseware is a good choice if you are looking to move soon or need to get a new bed for a senior citizen, college student, or someone else who’s moving into a new place.
Despite that lightweight frame, this bed is shockingly sturdy. It boasts a weight capacity of up to 500 lbs, far more than you might expect from such a comparatively small lightweight metal unit. Adding to that sturdiness and ability to support mattresses in a squeak-free manner is the fact that it comes with extra leg support. Rather than resort to box springs with the squeakiness of the coils inside to support bedding, those extra legs are able to provide all the support you need, and all without any annoying squeaking sounds.
While the frame is 14 inches high, it gives you 13 inches of storage space under the bed.
6. Zinus Gerard Deluxe Faux Leather Upholstered Platform Bed
Home decorating is a balance of form and function, but of all the rooms in your home, your bedroom is one of the most likely to veer more toward the former than the latter. You want your bedroom and, indeed, your bed to look great, which means looking into sumptuous options like this faux leather bit of loveliness from Zinus.
The faux leather does a spectacular job of imbuing your room with a sense of class and grandeur while still remaining understated enough to not come off as gaudy – and all while keeping your bed frame squeak-free.
The mattress boasts a clean, modern style, with its supports and slats boasting a minimalist approach while the more lavish espresso-colored faux leather adds padded support and aesthetic brilliance. It comes with a headboard, footboard, wooden slats, and foam padded tape that is added to the steel frame to reduce noise even further.
In short, this is a masterful combination of form and function that leans just enough toward emphasizing the former without betraying the latter.
7. Zinus Arnav Modern Studio Platform 2000 Metal Bed Frame
No one should ever find themselves stuck with a squeaky box spring bed simply because they didn’t have room for a quieter platformed alternative. Many of the platform beds on this list are on the larger size with several being queen-size, and while that’s wonderful for rooms and individuals who can support that, what about spaces and renters with smaller rooms or apartments?
The answer lies in this 10-inch modern studio solution from Zinus. As the name implies, it is designed with a modern studio apartment living in mind, which means it’s made with the understanding that every precious inch counts. This model does indeed make the most of its tiny 10 inches. It also comes with a headboard and is one of the most economically-priced options on this list.
It may not be the best option if you’re looking to support a vast, queen-sized mattress in a squeak-free fashion. However, if you’re looking for a far more compact, yet still quiet metal platform bed, this choice might do the trick.
8. Zinus Alexis 12 Inch Deluxe Wood Platform Bed
Here we have another wooden platform bed, this time measuring a slightly more lithe 12 inches. This is important because, as we’ve touched upon, not every space is equipped to handle the massive queen-size frames that we’ve also covered. This Alexis model from Zinus does a great job of bringing squeak-free bed frames to a smaller platform for more compact spaces.
This unit makes use of strong wooden slats to support the bed in a squeak-free way. It also makes use of foam padded tape pressed against the steel frame in such a way as to help cancel noise and prevent the frame from moving.
There is also a lot to like about this bed’s appearance. It is a picture of elegance in simplicity, with its deep wood grain look shining through and imbuing any room it graces with wooden charm.
9. Zinus Suzanne Metal and Wood Platform Bed With Headboard and Footboard, Queen
This queen-sized bed frame combines wood with metal to give you a bed frame that’s extra sturdy with an understated elegance while still being squeak-free. It is able to retain that silent nature by pairing the wooden head and baseboard with wooden slats and a metal frame. The choice of wooden slats eliminates squeak-causing springs, and the whole setup makes it sturdy yet silent.
The steel frame is 7 inches at its thickest point, while wooden slats sit 2.7 inches apart and are of high quality. Simply put, this is a bed that is built to last.
Adding to its noise-free nature is the inclusion of foam padding, which helps keep things even quieter.
10. Olee Sleep 18 Inch Tall Heavy Duty Steel Slat/Anti-Slip Support
This sturdy bed frame measures 76.5 x 55.5 x 18 inches and comes with the unique feature of allowing the user to lower the frame a further inch and a half if you so choose. This can help guard against mattresses slipping off, or just let your mattress sit a little closer to the ground if you don’t want to sleep quite that high up.
In addition to that, the lightweight steel platform does a good job of providing you with a durable bed frame that will not squeak when you lay on it. It also features anti-slip support, keeping your mattress firmly in place.
11. Home Life Premiere Classics Cloth Light Grey Silver Linen 51” Tall Headboard
This is another upholstered bed that is on the large side. It measures 51 inches tall, thus, giving you plenty of clearance space underneath, while measuring Queen Size – Outer Dimensions – 89 x 69 inches across, more than meeting that requirement for larger bed frames.
It’s also another choice that features fine upholstery, with the high headboard tufted and boasting metal studding. This goes a long way to making the unit feel luxurious and more expensive than it actually is, with it actually being quite affordable.
Of course, what matters most is its squeak and sound-cancelling capabilities, and that’s where this unit truly shines. As with other upholstered bed frames, all that padding not only provides you with a soft surface on which to rest your head, but it also helps absorb and cancel out sound. While it is nowhere near the kind of sound-cancelling padding you’ll find in a music studio, this squeak-free bed frame will nevertheless have you singing its praises.
12. Zinus Patricia Metal-Framed Canopy Platform Bed Frame, Queen
Finally, if you want to sleep like a queen, you’ll want to consider this queen-sized canopied beauty from – who else? – Zinus. A canopy bed can be a great way of adding a sense of style and flair to your bedroom décor. The posters are naturally eye catching on their own, and can be even more so if you drape the right sheets and curtains from them, creating a luxurious and regal look.
Of course, you can craft the most princess-approved bed you like, but if it still squeaks like crazy you’ll be left feeling like a mad queen by morning, which is why a platform canopy like this is a good choice. Despite the fact it is both a canopy bed and features a metal frame, it is able to remain silent and give you the good night’s sleep you need. It is also relatively easy to assemble, features long-lasting strong steel slats, and 13 inches of clearance, allowing you plenty of storage space under the bed.
How to Find a Bed Frame That Won’t Squeak
Each of these beds has something about them that could recommend them to someone in search of a metal or wooden platform bed that will not squeak the way spring boxes do.
If you live in an apartment or have a small bedroom, you may want to choose one of the bed frames that are noted for their stark minimalism, lightweight nature, and compact build. On the other hand, if style and aesthetics are your primary concern, you may want to instead opt for one of the choices that feature a more lavish setup with linen, faux leather, headboards, and other eye-catching extras.
Remember that weight support can play a big role in whether or not a bed frame squeaks. The more a bed frame’s weight capacity is tested, the more likely it is to start to give way and creak. As such, the bigger the weight capacity, the more likely you are to have a bed frame that will stay squeak-free.
Finally, platform bed frames that boast both metal and wood often feature the best combination of form and function.
With these factors in mind, you’ll be able to select the right platform bed frame for you and enjoy the squeak-free sleep you deserve.
