by A box spring is a bed base with a cloth-covered wooden frame and springs. In some countries, a box spring is also referred to as a divan. The general purpose of a box spring is to be placed on a regular metal or wooden bed frame and serve as a foundation for the mattress. Along with creating a solid and sturdy structure for the mattress, it raises the height of the mattress and makes it much easier to get in and out of bed. It also absorbs body motion, reduces mattress wear and tear, and increases the longevity of the mattress.
Although box springs are quite beneficial, they might not always match the overall style of your bedroom. Therefore, it is a good idea to cover a box spring using proper materials and techniques.
There are several ways to hide and decorate a box spring. To cover a box spring, you can:
- Buy reusable box spring covers and wrap them around the box spring
- Build a DIY frame around your box spring and upholster it
- Apply stickers to a custom frame that you build for your box spring
- Attach a soft, padded, fabric to the box spring via stables
- Use simple fitted sheets for low-profile box springs
- Match the colors of the box spring to your comforters and bedspreads
A bed with a covered box spring from Pinterest.com. Notice the cool shades of blue and gray. This set of neutral colors and simple modern art work really well together. You can either buy a box spring that is already covered and matches your bedroom or go with a regular box spring and cover it yourself.
The article will provide details regarding the following topics:
- Why should you cover a box spring
- How to cover a box spring without a bed skirt
- How to cover a low-profile box spring
- How to match comforters and bedspreads by covering a box spring
- How to make a box spring cover to match the style of bedding, for teens
- How to cover a box spring on a sleigh bed
- How to cover a box spring that has been placed on the floor
Related articles:
- Do you need a box spring for a bunk bed?
Why should you cover a box spring?
It is essential to cover a box spring for the following reasons:
- Covered box springs remain cleaner for longer periods of time
- It is easier to wash a box spring cover and reuse it rather than cleaning a box spring itself
- Box spring covers prevent the accumulation of dust and allergens
- You can enhance the lifespan of a box spring by minimizing wear and tear. It also prevents your box spring from squeaking later when it gets older.
- You can make your bed look fancier and more attractive by simply using another layer of design.
Related topics:
How to Cover a Box Spring without a Bed Skirt
Bed skirts are widely used for covering box springs. Using a bed skirt isn’t convenient since it makes changing the mattress sheets more challenging. Still, there are some ways to cover a box spring utilizing bed skirt alternatives that you can DIY.
Buy reusable box spring covers
The simplest way to cover your box spring without building anything DIY. However, very few vendors provide beautiful prints – you’ll mostly find neutral color tones. Consider making your own upholstered box spring cover by following the steps in the section below. Here are some examples from Amazon.
| Product Name | Price | Link |
| Box Spring Wrap by Twin Six | ~$20 | Product on Amazon |
| Neutral Gray Elastic Cover by Barossa Designs | ~$20 | Link to Product |
| Wrap Around Elastic Cover by N&Y Home | ~$20 | Link to Amazon |
Covering a box spring using a DIY frame
Below is a summary of steps. The full tutorial is available on TheCleverBunny.
- Choose the material and pattern of the frame. It can be wooden or metal frame, depending on your preferences.
- Take all necessary measurements – carefully measure the length and width of the box spring. This step is crucial for creating a perfectly fitted frame to cover the box spring.
- Cut the wooden or metal pieces so that they match the size of the box spring and attach them to the frame using screws. Make sure to use enough screws so that the frame is well-attached to the box spring.
- If the color of the created frame does not match the overall design of your bedroom, you can simply add paint suitable for wooden or metal material. You can choose one of the several techniques to paint the frame: solid color, patterns and colors, or silver paint to give the frame a metallic finish.
- Before you start painting the frame, cover all the spots that you do not want to paint. A template works great for this step. You should also cover the surrounding area, including walls and the floor, using the proper tools.
- Make sure the frame is completely dry before you put a mattress on top of it and sleep on the bed. There should be no paint odor in the room; Otherwise, exposure to strong paint odors might cause severe irritation of eyes, nose, throat, or lungs.
Upholster a box spring in colored or patterned fabric
You can transform a regular box spring to a more luxurious one using a soft, padded covering. One way to do so is to simply attach a soft material to a box spring frame.
Here is a summary of the steps you need to follow to upholster a box spring with a soft, padded covering and make it look fancier. For the full tutorial, visit Daniella’s Blog.
- Choose the color and type of material that is suitable for the bedsheets and the entire bedroom as well.
- Choose the proper type of foam (either low- or medium density foam).
- Take measurements of the box spring to make sure that the material that you use ideally fits the box spring frame.
- Attach a low- or medium-density foam to the box spring frame.
- Then, using a regular staple gun, staple the chosen fabric over the foam.
- For some extra detailing, you can use decorative nailheads in different colors or shapes, which will make your box spring look even more luxurious.
Since the two options discussed above are almost permanent, it is always a good idea to choose a neutral color matching any type of bed sheet or bedroom design.
How to Cover a Low-Profile Box Spring
A low-profile box spring is a type of box spring featuring a modern design and almost the same characteristics of a regular box spring. Low-profile box springs are typically shorter than regular box springs by a few inches.
Here are two tips for covering a low-profile box spring.
Use a Fitted Sheet to cover the low-profile box spring
Below you can find a summary of the process. CraftyStacy has additional tips on making sure your fitted sheets stay anchored.
- Measure the low-profile box spring very carefully. It Is essential to know the exact size of the box spring to determine the size of a fitted sheet needed to properly cover it.
- Find a suitably sized fitted sheet (King, Queen, Full, or Twin sizes).
- Choose the color or design of the fitted sheet that best suites the sheets on your mattress and the bedroom. If you want your box spring to match any type of mattress sheet, you might find choosing a neutral color to be the best option.
- Simply cover the box spring with the chosen fitted sheet, and you are ready to go!
Upholster the Low-Profile Box Spring
The steps are similar to the ones above from Daniella’s Blog
- Take measurements of the box spring.
- Choose the proper material and its design to match your bedroom. You can either use a regular material and foam to make it softer or a soft fabric directly.
- Using a staple gun, attach the fabric to the box spring frame, and the cover is done!
How to match comforters and bedspreads by covering a box spring
Covering a box spring to match comforters and bedspreads shouldn’t be that complicated, but it is. Three simple tips cover the broad ideas about how to match colors / patterns. Please use the attached links to then go deep and follow the tutorials.
- Use a mood board to choose the color and design of the box spring cover that matches that of a comforter or bedspread. Wanda’s blog article has detailed step by step instructions.
- If you want to have a universal box spring cover that will match any type of comforter and bedspread, you should choose a neutral color (black, white, gray, beige, and their shades) or a simple design. Lauren’s article discusses some great neutral colors that can match your furniture, sheets, and room wall paints.
- Buy reusable box spring covers with different colors or designs. Using this approach, you can simply change the cover along with the comforter and bedspread and vary your room design whenever you want.
A bed with a covered box spring that matches the comforter. Neutral colors are used to simplify the color pallete and give a more modern feel. Notice also that the neutral colors match the surrounding wood (which has a darker shade of brown). Image from Glam Casa Magazine.How to make a box spring cover to match the style of bedding, for teens
It has been proven that the tastes of teens and those of adults differ dramatically. Adults usually prefer classic design, while teens prefer bright colors, various exciting patterns, or reflection of their favorite movie or cartoon characters on their clothes or even on bedroom attributes.
For that reason, covering a box spring for a teen’s bedroom needs a specific approach. It is essential to consider teenagers’ interests & preferences. We also need to consider the fact that tastes dramatically differ among teens, even if they are in the same age group.
Therefore, you should never follow specific guidelines provided throughout “how-to” articles. Instead, you should always ask your teenager what he/she likes and modify the box spring cover accordingly.
Some tips and tricks to cover a box spring to match comforters for teens are listed below:
- Ask your teenager what they like! There’s no point in trying to guess what patterns and colors your child will enjoy on their box spring cover.
- Build your own DIY box spring cover along with your child. It’s a great bonding activity especially during teenage years when your children become rebellious. Use the tips above from Daniella’s blog
- Get inspiration for themes and how to match patterns from well known designers. Here’s a great list of design ideas for teenage rooms from HGTV.
- Contrast comforters with neutral colors (white, grey, black, beige) using a fitted sheet featuring some interesting patterns or geometric figures
- Use stickers to decorate the bed frame and box spring. Make sure you choose specific stickers that are suitable for wooden or metal materials. This allows you to easily remove and add new stickers periodically as your child’s tastes change.
- Don’t just think about the box spring. Paint the frame! Make sure you choose the paint that is suitable for the specific material that you have used for the frame (wood or metal). You can paint the frame in a solid color or draw some interesting patterns. Make sure you use some paint guides so your patterns don’t look ugly. This youtube video describes how to paint a pattern on furniture.
How to cover a box spring on a sleigh bed
A sleigh bed is a type of bed that features curved foot and headboards. The name of the bed comes from the word “sled” (sleigh) since the shape of the bed is quite similar to that of a sled. Reflecting the design from ancient Rome and Greece, sleigh beds are quite popular today. Although, modern sleigh beds are not as curved and scrolled as the ones from the early 19th century.
A Sleigh Bed with a Box Spring. In this image, the shape and appearance of a sleigh bed are beautiful, classic, and inherently vintage, but the basic white box spring fabric makes the bed look unattractive. Image from levinfurniture.com. Most sleigh beds cover the box spring. However, there are still some sleigh bed designs that do not cover the box spring (example image attached above).
There is no difference between covering a box spring on a sleigh bed vs. a regular metal bed frame. Follow the tips in the sections above related to low-profile box springs and bed skirts.
Here’s a summary of information from above:
- Use a fitted sheet (or any fabric) that matches the color of the bed frame so that the box spring is not noticeable anymore. Kylie’s blog discusses how to match wood colors. Use this tutorial to determine how you can match the bed spreads and box springs to the color of your sleigh bed’s wood.
- Use a fitted sheet (or any fabric) that matches the color of a bed sheet and bedspread so that the box spring does not look out of place. Here are some bedroom theme ideas that work for any bed including sleigh beds.
- Build your own DIY box spring frame and decorate it. This tip is not as easy and straightforward as the previous two, but it still works! Choose the material that matches the bed frame (wood, metal, etc.). Take measurements of your bed frame and cut the wooden or metal pieces that will cover the box. In this way, the box spring is covered using a DIY frame that also matches the frame of a bed. If you work accurately and precisely, it might not even be possible to notice the difference. The complete tutorial is available here.
Related articles:
- Why do sleighbeds need a headboard?
How to cover a box spring that’s placed on the floor
It is possible to place a box spring on the floor. Using this approach, you might save some money on a bed frame and still be reasonably protected from dust, insects, and mold. However, you should consider some other box spring alternatives that can also save you money.
It’s possible to put a box spring on the floor and still protect it and cover it. Use fitted sheets and raise the box spring on a simple wood plank. Image from Architectural digest.com.To cover a box spring that’s on the floor and hide it, consider the following tips:
- If you want to put a box spring on top of a rug, use the same rug pattern on the sides of the box spring to hide it. You can simply staple the rug pattern onto the box spring using a staple gun.
- If the box spring is placed on a rug, but you do not want to repeat the same pattern as the rug, use a fabric of a solid color or matching pattern to cover it. While this doesn’t hide the box spring, it makes your room decor feel more coordinated.
- Don’t use a flat sheet on your box spring. A fitted sheet will provide better protection vs. dust and it won’t drag on the floor. It also won’t fall off as easily as a flat sheet.
- Raise the box spring on a wooden plank as in the image above. Then cover it with a fitted sheet. This provides some color contrast and also protects your box spring!
- Similar to our tips earlier about making a box spring frame and covering it, create a wooden or metal frame for the box spring.
- If you want to hide a box spring using a frame but do not want to attach it to the box spring permanently, you can also do that! Cut wooden or metal pieces so that they are a little wider than the box spring itself. Make sure that the box spring frame is not too wide or else you will end up sagging your fabric cover.
Also, make the frame a fraction of a centimeter shorter in height than the actual box spring because your box spring will compress. Attach the wooden or metal pieces using screws or nails and the frame on the floor. Then, carefully take the box spring and put it inside the frame you have just created. - Similar to our tips before, you can attach a padded or an ordinary soft fabric to the box spring. Choose the color that matches the floor, rug, bedspread, comforter, or the entire bedroom. Use a staple gun to attach the fabric to the box spring properly. If you have decided to use a padded material, it is better to use low- or medium-density foam to make the covering soft and luxurious at the same time.