How can I turn a waterbed into a platform bed ?
A beaten up waterbed can still be used by getting its frame and converting it into a platform bed. Anyone can do this even without advanced carpentry skills. All you need is extra foam, a mattress cover, a tape measure and memory foam.
The first thing you need to do is remove the waterbed mattress from its frame. Some waterbeds have separate thermostat; if yours has, remove it as well. Under the mattress, you’ll see a plastic liner that covers the bed, remove the entire thing, leaving only the wooden framework around a plywood foundation.
Using a tape measure, list the measurements of the frame’s depth, length and width. Once you have these information, shop for an extra stiff foam with a size based on the frame’s measurements. Generally, stiff foams come in twin, queen and twin sizes with different depths ranging from three to five inches. You need to choose a foam that would fill in the depth of your wooden frame to avoid the wood pressing against you whenever you sit or rest. As a rule of thumb, if your frame’s depth is 12”, get the extra stiff foam with twelve or more inches. Using the same measurement of the stiff foam, get a memory foam based on the softness you prefer.
Buy a mattress cover that would fit the entire bed and lay it down on the wood frame, unzipping it completely. Place the layers of stiff foam and memory foam. Zip it up with the mattress cover and use the bed as you please.
