Gorgeous bed. I'm sorry I don't really know anything about converting, but did want to throw in that you might want to consider something other than a box spring. My dd has an antique brass bed and we put a slatted bed base from Ikea on it instead of a box spring (thanks to jakabedy on this forum for suggesting it awhile ago). We put plywood under the slatted base (just make sure you round the corners of the plywood) so it's quite stable and high enough.

Our antique iron bed probably has rails from another bed since the angle iron sides sit upside down. Thus, even tho the boxspring can sit on top of the rails, they aren't held in place like they would be if the rails had a bottom and a side. We use drywall screws, driven from below and into the box spring, right along the edge of the rail. The box spring can't slip off that way. You could do something like that maybe to hold the box spring in place on an expanded bed.

You could eliminate the foot board and use that to have the welder put a piece in the middle of the headboard to widen it. It shouldn't be hard to do.

First, that is an absolutely gorgeous crocheted bedspread in the second picture.

Now, to your questions. About the width of the headboard/footboard, I think you can blur the edges of the bed with the bedding you choose. A fluffier comforter or quilt will make it less obvious that the mattress is wider than the footboard. It will just look as if you have a very fluffy comforter on the bed. Someone who is very, very detail-oriented *might* notice, but I'll bet most people will just see a pretty bed.

You might be able to use a bunkie board instead of a box spring, although that will make the mattress lower than it is now. But you can add strips of wood to the underside of the bunkie board, just inside the edge of the L frame, which will keep it in place on the frame of the bed. That way, you have a queen foundation that will sit nicely on the existing frame of the bed.

But I have a friend who did this will an antique bed and they just sat the box spring on top of the L frame and it seems to work nicely for them.

My husband just did this using a kit he bought on Amazon. Worked like a charm.

Thanks for all the great responses! I knew I could count on GWebbers for good ideas.

Daisychain, I hadn't thought about a slatted bed base. I remember looking at an Ikea one once, but since the queen size needed a middle brace, I moved on. But a plywood platform could be just the ticket underneath. I assume your DD had to use two sheets of 4x8, cut to fit width-wise? One regular plywood sheet wouldn't span the bedrails, unless I'm missing something.

Bananafana, what a great idea with the screws. I could do that on a regular boxspring, a bunkie board, or any of the other wood foundation frames. Did you leave the heads sticking down just a bit? Are they on the inside edge of the bedrails or the outside?

Yayagal, thanks for the headboard suggestion. The bed design is simple enough that a welder could probably do that, but I really like having a footboard. So many of the modern, cheaply made metal beds seem to just have a headboard, so I like that this bed stands apart.

Camlan, thank you for the bedspread compliment. My sister-in-law handmade that for us for our wedding, so I'll be sure to pass on the compliment!

Do they make bunkie boards for queen size beds? That might be the perfect solution. I've seen low profile foundations, but I think they are still five or six inches tall. With the new thicker mattresses, the bed starts to really get up there. I would love to use the crocheted coverlet again, but I was afraid it wouldn't be long enough once the bed was widened. With a skinny foundation and a plush mattress, the bed might be comfortable and just the right thickness for the crocheted cover to still work.

Bonnieann, oops, I missed your post. Was your bed a wooden frame? I've read about conversion rails you can buy, but they all seem to bolt to a standard full size headboard and jog outward. My iron bed has a sort of ball-and-socket type bedrail attachment (not really a ball, but it's hard to describe). Anyway, I haven't found any standard kits that would work with it, but I'd love to know what your DH used if it was an iron bed.

I had my rails "converted" by an antique store in Texas that specializes in iron beds. In my opinion, the queen mattress looks fine once the bedding goes on. The place I used lists their services on eBay. But honestly, all they do as far as width goes, is screw some L-brackets onto the rails to keep the mattress foundation from slipping sideways when it "rides on top" of the of the rails. I don't really think it would be necessary.

I'm currently having an antique bed converted from full to king by Cathouse Beds in California. The owner stresses that even if you used a full mattress on a full bed, you should turn the rails so that the flat side is up. He stresses that the frame is weakened if you set the slats and then mattress in the "L" of the rails.

Good luck. It's a beautiful bed!

you can buy a thing at furniture store that just slips on your exiting bed rail and extends it accomodate a queen size box/mattress.

i have one on my antique bed and got it years ago.

Nutherokie, I'm glad you have firsthand experience with the converted rails. I think the suggestions above for using screws or attaching a rail inside the queen boxspring would take care of any wiggling or sliding without having to bolt on L brackets. I don't think I can turn the rails of my bed, since the attachment is a tapered tongue on the rail that fits into a matching tapered groove on the headboard and footboard. I'll have to look at them more closely, but I'm pretty sure it's impossible for them to fit any other way. I found the Cathouse Beds site, but I couldn't find any info about turning the rails. Is there a link you could post to that info, or was it in correspondence with the owner?

Nancy, can you describe the conversion thing you have? Are you talking about extending the length or width? Since my rails lock into my headboard and footboard, there is no way to fit the length of a queen mattress without cutting and extending the rails. But maybe you're talking about something to support the width of the queen set after the rails are already lengthened?

I am so happy to see this thread! I also have an old iron double bed in the guest room and I love it so much, but hate to make my guests uncomfortable by the bed being too small. I've been looking at CL for a queen frame, but never would have thought to have a welding shop lengthen the rails. It's perfect and I'm sure I can figure out the rest. I was feeling so sad to have to sell it, now I think it can work as a guest bed. Thanks for the inspiration.

Hi equest17, I've been trying to figure out where I came across the advice to keep the flat side of the rails to the top and am having trouble finding it. On my current bed, the "knob" of the rails slide into the hitch either way. Seems if yours go in only one way, then that's how you'd have to keep them. Maybe he just meant that if the bed allows both, they should go with the flat side up.

While searching, I came across a picture of my bed after I first moved it into the new house. There's no mattress so you can see the attached brackets.

I did come across a few blog posts on the Cathouse site that might be helpful. I'm attaching a link to one of them that discusses supporting the mattress. I have two supports on my queen and will apparently have three on the king conversion. Come to think of it, I need to check in on that. It's been months since I heard anything. Hmm.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cathouse blog

In the above response - the support shown (4 of them) is what I have on my antique full bed that lets it accomodate my queen mattress. didn't have a problem with the length and you don't really notice the little extra width

Nancy, the queen fits the double bed length with no adjustment? I'm not sure mine has 5" extra space to squeeze in a queen mattress, but I'd love it if it did.

So you had those little brackets added? Did you have anything added to support the center of the box spring? My double just has 1 x 4 boards that sit in the L of the angle iron rails, that the box spring sets on, but that won't work with the queen, as it would be setting on top of the rails not down in them. I'm not sure if I can switch my rails or not.

Nutherokie, what a gorgeous bed! And it looks like you chose to place it in front of the window, too, as I will have to do. Would you happen to have any photos of the bed with mattress and bedding in place? I would love to see what it looks like, as this is very similar to my setup and the angle guests would see from the doorway. Btw, I love your wood door, and your chandelier looks strikingly similar to the one we hung in our guest room above!

Thanks for the links, too. I'll check them out when I have a bit more free time. I'm interested to read what an expert has to say on the bed support issue, as I've been thinking I may want to add a middle leg or something to help with the weight of a queen set. Did you use anything on your full-to-queen conversion, or did you just plop the set into the frame as shown?

Nancy, I'm wondering the same thing as Olychick. My full size frame has maybe an extra inch max between the headboard/footboard and full size mattress. A queen is five inches longer, so I'm wondering if your rails were already extended, or if someone replaced the full size rails with queen rails at some point and you were just able to add the brackets for extra support.

I tried this with an antique wood bed and it just didn't have the support needed. A solid box as suggested would have worked far better. You would still need connections for the front/back.

Antique beds were also made with different metals than today, they could be fragile in attempting changes such as drilling for connections or welding. I had an old stove which needed a crack welded and no one would touch it due to the iron content.

Are you describing the old connections which slide into a hollow ridge?

As for overhang on edges, yes there will be some. Others are right in that you won't notice the difference once the bed is dressed. Just make sure the mattress is solid enough for people sitting on the edge.

My personal feeling is keep the bed intact as a double, few people will resent sleeping there.

Equest17, I found a pic that shows the bed dressed -- forgive the boring bedding. I'm still trying to figure out what I want to do in there. I needed a new mattress and didn't want anything so tall that it would obscure too much of the iron scrolls. I had an eight inch latex mattress custom made by a local mattress company. They built a four inch foundation (no springs) and the foundation has two legs that support the center of the mattress.

It's hard to describe, but the mattress/foundation is supported around the perimeter by the bed frame and in the center by two wooden legs. The Cathouse blog shows even more sturdy supports. The old beds vary, but my impression is that most American iron beds were pretty strong. If the rails are solid, I doubt you'll have any issues with compromising the frame, it's the mattress that might need a little help in the center.

Here's a photo from the Cathouse blog site that shows the 2x4 supports he uses.

nutherokie, that is gorgeous! The room, the bed, the light streaming in.

Since you had your mattress custom made, did you have the length shortened to fit? Like equest's, mine does not have room as is for another 5" of length for mattress and box springs.

Okay, one last picture. This is without the big ol' down comforter, so you get a better idea how the mattress relates to the frame. Sorry if I'm overloading you. I love these old beds and may get a bit carried away.

Thank you so much, Olychick! We love the room. I know not everyone likes beds in front of windows, but that's what we had to do in our old house and it turned out that I liked it so much that I repeated it in our new build.

I actually had my rails lengthened before I visited with the custom mattress people. But you could absolutely have a mattress custom made to the length you wanted. Fitted sheets would be a little over long, but it would be easy to tuck in the extra length.

"I would love to use the crocheted coverlet again, but I was afraid it wouldn't be long enough once the bed was widened. With a skinny foundation and a plush mattress, the bed might be comfortable and just the right thickness for the crocheted cover to still work. "

My aunt has a twin crocheted bedspread on a double bed, over a patchwork quilt. The bedspread hangs only a few inches over each side, but the overall effect is quite lovely, with the colors of the quilt showing through. Just an idea if you really want to use the coverlet.

Thanks, nutherokie. I'm going to talk to a local welder and see what they can do. I don't have mine in front of the windows, but might try it there. I no longer sleep in that room, usually, but am a tummy sleeper, so I'd love to lie there and look out the window - it would feel almost like sleeping outside.
I have double hung windows in the guestroom and I think it would add a lot of security for my guests in the summer to sleep with the windows open with that 2 ton bed in the way of window entry!

"I would love to use the crocheted coverlet again, but I was afraid it wouldn't be long enough once the bed was widened. With a skinny foundation and a plush mattress, the bed might be comfortable and just the right thickness for the crocheted cover to still work. "

Also think about using it sideways on the bed. If you don't tuck it in at the foot too far, there is usually enough width to reach the pillow area, where you can fold the sheets back far enough to disguise any shortfall.

Both of these beds are converted as in the picture nut posted with the2x4's. We also have a center leg added to the middle two 2x4's.

The 2x4's sit right down into your frame as is so your pegs will slide down (both of mine are also tapered) and personally I think the look is fine. No one has ever mentioned that the beds are unbalanced :)

My son's bed does not have a thick base mattress. We bought a thinner one at a mattress store (they're cheeper as well) and then his mattress is normal height with a 3" cushion padding thinggie attached. He's able to get in and out of it without a step stool.

Our guest room though is quite tall so I leave a cute little ottoman near the bed for those who like a step up. Adults don't find it necessary but when we have kids in they use it as do the dogs. On that bed I do have an extra long skirt because I like to hide the other seasonal bedding sets for the bed below it.

equest----I put the drywall screws along the inside of the rail. And yes, we leave the heads sticking out a little bit to keep the box spring from slipping.

Olychick-I too was going to suggest using a 2x4 which in my beds case fits into the L rail (rails have tapered pin which can't be flipped over and inside corners of bed are rounded) so it makes a level surface for the box spring to rest on. However, does anyone have pictures of a lengthed METAL bed rail? I would like to see how its welded and have a reference when I take it to a welder. Nutherokie-Beautiful bed! Thank you for sharing your photos because I'd have never been convinced that you wouldn't notice the width difference in mattress and headboard. Please post pictures/cost info if you have had this done. Thank you!

Robinjody, I still haven't had my iron bed converted yet, but a local welding shop quoted me $80 to lengthen the rails. Mine look like simple angle iron, so I'm guessing the material is not very costly and the expense is in the labor and equipment overhead. He seemed aware of the bed conversion idea, so I'm guessing it's not too uncommon a task for them.

The rails only need 5" to be long enough for a queen, but I'm wondering if they actually add a longer piece than that and cut back the original rails some. That way, the welds are farther apart and possibly stronger. Or maybe they can add just the 5" piece but stagger the placement (so it's closer to the headboard on one rail and closer to the footboard on the opposite rail). I'm just wary of a little piece welded right in the middle of such a long stretch. My DH is a metallurgical engineer, so I may ask him about that so I know what to request when I take my rails to the welder.

I have an antique iron bed that I purchased from cathouse beds-- the rails were lengthened to accommodate a queen mattress and there's a 2 x 4 support that sits in the L of the rails. The mattress sits on top. I had a normal size box spring with a pillow top mattress on top and it was high-- but plenty sturdy. I had 2 very large dogs getting up on it with me.. and other times 2 adults. My style and needs have changed so I'll be looking to sell the bed-- but it worked out fine for me. Sorry, no pictures of the welds but I bet they have them on the cathouse bed site. I know they have an explanation of the process.

I did not much mind the overhang of the mattress when the bed was made-- though it might bother someone who likes a more tailored bed. I could not use a skirt on the bed because of how the railings came in under the lip of the mattress.

(edited to remove the photo-- i meant to load one showing the frame/mattress/bedding)

This post was edited by funkyart on Fri, Mar 7, 14 at 11:51