Replace Double Bed Slats With Wood ?????????/

[Ian_374329537]

Hi All,

I have a Ace Award Nightstar 2008 it is 5 berth and when I use the rear double for more than a week at a time I get the feeling that the slats are not really man enough to cope with this job for large periods of time, I wondered before I decide to fit a large piece of wood instead of slats if there was any other thoughts that you intelligent people have used before.

Just for the record I don't weigh over the odds so not putting the slats under presure from my own wrong doing.

Many Thanks,

ihmix

 

[WatsonJohnG]

We had the 2009 Ace Award Nightstar and I converted the rear dinette into a fixed bed by making a wooden frame out of planed timber from Wicks

It was 2in X 1in in old money and halving the lengths gave just enough for the width of a transverse bed without any waste timber

I made a rectangular frame and placed the slats at 6in centresacross the rectangle with a centre brace down the length

It worked well for 2 years until we got the California

I've also used the same 2inX1in to make pull out slats with webbing connecting strips

Ironically the new California has a defective bed slat that has split and made a hole in the new mattress

Bailey very quickly supplied a new mattress but despite numerous phone calls and PMs and emails Bailey have still not supplied the correct replacement bed slat

I had to remove the fixed bed from the Nightstar and I am considering using the slats from it over the existing Bailey slats as the latest suggestion from the dealer is to bind up the damaged slat with gaffa tape while we await Bailey replacing the old one and the slats don't seem too robust

So far its been all this year with excuses such as no part no and 2 wrong slats having been sent

HRH is like dog with a bone and we no longer say good morning Its no word about the bed slats yet!!

 

[Ian_374329537]

Hi John G,

This is a fantastic idea and something I think I am going to have a go out, do you have any pictures of your handy work, if not could you give me a step by step guide if this is not to much trouble.

Many Thanks Again,

ihmix

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Sorry I don't have any pics as I dismantled the bed on sale of the van but its fairly basic screwed together woodwork and I used 3 T hinges under the window

We bought a standard double mattress with memory foam top built in and as this was 6in shorter than the width of the Ace Award Nightstar I spaced out the foot of the bed with a standard size headboard at the other end

I have all the wood in the garage if you require measurements but its as I said in the previous post half a standard length of Wicks timber wide as this makes best use with little wastage

 

[TonyH1]

Hi Ian,

I question why you say the slats are not up to the job if using your van for 7 nights or more. If they're ok for a couple of nights (by ok I mean comfortable), might it be more likely it's the mattress/cushions.

Are they sprung or foam?

I've found in the past that foam compresses just that bit more each night it's slept on and then recovers after it's been rested. Can you arrange the cushions in a different way so your pressure points i.e. hips, shoulders, are laying on a different cushion?

 

[Ian_374329537]

Hi John G / Tony,

Firstly thanks for your extra input John I will give this ago in the very near future, no need to measure the wood thanks, but I appreciate all the information supplied so many thanks again.

Tony,

The problem is that the slats are around your bum region and the slats do tend to give a little and I find it just un-even enough to cause some discomfort, and considering it is a double dinnette layout it is easy for me to convert the back part of the van to a transverse bed as sugested by John G. The cushions are solid I think that the gap that the slats span is to wide and causes to much flex hence the uneven lay of the bed.

ihmix

 

[forestgump]

w.ith solid base you could get damp on mattress no air flow on the under side

 

[SBS]

You could place a thin sheet of ply (3mm) over the slats to give more support.

Mike

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I have been having exactly the same thoughts with the slatted bed in our California

I considered covering them with ply or hardboard after the mattress was holed underneath by a split slat on a new van and on removing the mattress I also discoverd splinters in other places(in the mattresss not anatomy)

I then remembered the condensation problems of days gone by and have decided to place a thick "throw" under the new mattress

On the Nightstar I had slats at 6in centres and no problem with condensation --or splitting

 

[ValA.]

We have a sheet of that perforated hardboard (pegboard)over our bed slats on our Swift fixed bed. In ten years none have broken or splintered, and neither of us are lightweights at a combined weight of around 25 stone! (Doesn't that sound awful).

OH didn't want a solid sheet because of the condensation, but the hardboard spreads the load, prevents 'lumpy areas' between slats, and yet allows free circulation of air between the locker and the bottom of the mattress.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

We have a sheet of that perforated hardboard (pegboard)over our bed slats on our Swift fixed bed. In ten years none have broken or splintered, and neither of us are lightweights at a combined weight of around 25 stone! (Doesn't that sound awful).

OH didn't want a solid sheet because of the condensation, but the hardboard spreads the load, prevents 'lumpy areas' between slats, and yet allows free circulation of air between the locker and the bottom of the mattress.

Thanks I considered that and its good to know it works