The cost of a king-size mattress set and frame depends on the quality you want, but there is a way to pay a lot less and still get a great, brand-new bed: create your own.That’s right, you might think it’s too much trouble, but it’s actually not all that difficult, and creating your own bed can save you hundreds of dollars.My wife and I moved a couple of years ago, and we couldn’t find a decent queen-size bed for under $800 anywhere in our new hometown. Then, I had an idea.We went to the local Big Lots store and bought two twin mattresses for $160 each, two bases on sale for $10 each and two frames for $30 each. I strapped the frames together underneath the bed so the mattresses wouldn’t separate. Our total cost came to $424 including sales tax, and instead of a queen we had a king-size bed. Click to tweet it!)When I first mentioned the idea in a mattress store, a friendly but insistent salesperson educated me about the size of a king mattress. It is normally 80 inches long compared to 75 inches for twin mattresses.
That hasn’t been a problem for us. I’m tall (6’3″), and at some point every night my feet might hang off the end just a bit, but it has never bothered me. If you want to duplicate a king-size bed as closely as possible, get two twin XLs, which are 78 or 80 inches long.What about the crack where the two mattresses meet? That hasn’t been a problem either. With the frames tightly joined, the mattresses don’t move. But just in case the crack does bother you, I’ll give you a solution in a moment. For now, let’s go to the Big Lots website to see if this strategy still works.As I write this post, the best deal Big Lots has for a king bed with bases is $800, and the frame is an additional $68. With 6% sales tax (here in Florida) the total comes to $920. That’s without a headboard, but hey, we’re trying to save money here, so we’ll skip the non-functional fancy piece of wood.Meanwhile, Big Lots is selling the “Serta Arrington Firm Twin Mattress” for $89 and the base for $69 (alas, there is no sale on bases at the moment).
Put two of each on that $68 king frame and with taxes you have this:Sales Tax (6% here): $23You could buy two twin frames like we did, if that costs less. I used an old belt to strap the legs of the frames together at one end, and an ace bandage at the other. You never see these because they are hidden far under the bed. For the sake of simplicity, I would probably use one king frame if I had to do this again, although two twin frames may be a stronger setup.What if the twin mattresses are of a bit lower quality than the traditional king mattress? You have at least two ways to upgrade your creation. First, you can buy better twin mattresses for about $60 more each. You’ll still have spent hundreds of dollars less than if you bought a king-size bed.The second solution provides more comfort and should solve the problem of the crack between the mattresses. Just buy a nice foam mattress topper. costs $99, with free shipping and no sales tax. Just looking at it makes me want to take a nap.
Add that $99 mattress topper to your $407 setup and you have a luxurious place to sleep for a new total of $506, which is still well under the current cost of $920 for the traditional king bed. In other words you can save more than $400 by making your own king-size bed — or even more if you manage to negotiate a lower price.Your Turn: Tell us about the cheapest mattress you’ve bought and how well it has worked out for you. Find the queen mattress that's ideal for you. Get your best night’s sleep on a queen mattress tonight. Do you prefer to sleep on a queen mattress that is firm and promotes proper back support? Maybe you'd like a soft, pillowy mattress that can help to reduce pressure points that cause tossing or turning? Whatever your mattress preference may be, we are sure you will find one that suits your needs. Our pillow top mattresses provide pressure reliving comfort, and the memory foam mattresses contour to your body perfectly. Whatever your sleeping style or preference, we have a queen mattress that will help you to sleep more soundly.
Find your perfect Serta mattress for less, today!A STACK ABOVE THE REST SELECT YOUR SIZE & For those who prefer a more traditionally firm feel at the sleep surface. For those who prefer enhanced cushioning at the sleep surface. A good night’s sleep doesn’t stop with a new mattress. Enhance your sleep experience with Serta’s variety of accessories, so you can get the most from your Serta mattress each and every night. Serta has been helping people sleep more comfortably for more than 80 years, and remains dedicated to product quality and innovation. These awards and recognitions highlight Serta’s outstanding quality and value, giving you the utmost confidence when you bring home a new Serta product. Serta’s flagship Perfect Sleeper® mattress collection has been named Consumers Digest Best Buy. A Consumers Digest Best Buy is one that merits special attention from consumers based on its combination of eight criteria: performance, ease of use, features, quality of construction, warranty, efficiency, styling, and maintenance and service requirements.
The Best Buy Seal and other licensed materials are registered certification marks and trademarks of Consumers Digest Communications, LLC, used under license. The National Sleep Foundation is dedicated to improving health and wellness through sleep education and advocacy. It is well known for its annual Sleep in America poll. The Foundation is a charitable, educational and scientific not-for-profit organization located in Washington D.C. Serta’s Perfect Sleeper is the Only Official Mattress of the National Sleep Foundation, designed with their input to help solve five common sleep problems. Serta is proud to have received the highest recommendation rating among women in a nationwide survey of thousands of women conducted by WomenCertified®, a leadingmarketing and research firm focusing on women. WomenCertified Inc. does not in any way endorse any business, product, and/or service, but instead, reports the collective opinion and judgement of female consumers. Add a comfortable full mattress and bed to your spare room to create the perfect guest room!