Hello Cindy.

Sounds like a terrible situation.

Do I understand right that you have two problems:
1 the furniture collects mold for some reason
2 there is a structural defect allowing the mattress to sag?

Not sure about the mold but I would contact the manufacturer of the bed and give them a piece of my mind. A cool headed approach would probably get you further but my expectations are limited unless your retailer is pretty high end.

We have cut plywood for customers or provided "after market" center supports for different beds. Maybe with a picture someone else here or myself will have an idea how to get arou d the defect.

The mold amazes me. Does other furniture in your place collect mold? If ya can use photobucket or the like to post a picture.

Good luck and hopefully the new year treats you better.

Toronado--
the bed is from Pottery Barn -usually high end nice $$ furniture made well. I really believe there is a design flaw in the way it is put together-like one piece is missing. The bed is 3 equal heavily made cubbyholes that hold baskets for storage. to make the queen size bed, the 3 pieces fit together like this--1 is at the bottom horizontally,the other 2 are bumped up against the bottom one but vertically, so you now have a base for a queen bed...almost.3 exact pieces put together like that leaves an opening down the middle from the top to where the bottom storage cubby piece is. there is a 2' x 5' opening, and obviously Pottery Barn knew you can't place a bed with an opening, so covered that area with veneer. so that describes the bed as best i can. I can dance, jump,you name it on this furniture EXCEPT for that one strip down the middle upper portion 2' x 5'-it's like they forgot to put in a equally heavy solid pice with no openings since you obviously can't get to it, but definitely need the support for a mattress!!I'll take some pics in the next day. I've never had an issue with any furniture or mattresses ,ever, with moisture, mold, warping,etc. but I may have come up with an idea--shoot me down PLZ if it's stupid
i build a strong heavy framed 2x4 and plywood box to fit in that dead space to give full support for a new mattress,so that solves the sag,breaking down a bed issue, but with the condensation, that won't go away unless i keep the air temp in the dead space the same all the time. what if i build this box,yes heavy ug, and then i drill a hold in it, spray that expanding insulating foam,make sure the box is full and dry then place the box in the open space, maybe even put a vapor barrier on top of it before putting the pretty white laminate veneer that matches up with the heavy duty storage pieces of bed frame .wont the expanding foam stop air completely?
What puzzles me is the bed was fine during the heat of the summer, but now with winter, the water appears. I'll have to take pics of the bed view from the top (without the mattress on) so you can get abetter idea. the mattress itself started sagging in the middle big time because the proper center support is not on this platform bed (pic will come in handy) but now along with the major sagging/dips in the middle, I lifted up the mattress to see under it and the water was just puddling under the mattress. I feel and can smell that the mattress has absorbed a bit. I don't see mold -yet- but i know how it forms-so the mattress will be tossed /it's a wreck anyway, it feels like twisted,chunky foam and coils now.

Is this on a concrete slab? I'm wondering how there could be so much moisture/humidity that it could puddle under the bed. I'm wondering if you might need a vapor barrier put on the floor, as well as running a dehumidifier. Have you checked the humidity in the room? Where is the wetness coming from? The spray foam doesn't sound like a good idea.

If you don't have one, you might want to pick up a humidity monitor before investing in a new mattress.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Humidity Monitor

Just did a quick search and found a few complaints about this bed that mirror what you're describing. First off, I would say get a new bed--see if Pottery Barn is willing to trade it out or something. I know you like it, but it has some serious design flaws especially for a bed that costs $1K+. If you decide to go ahead & keep it...

First you will need to thoroughly clean & disinfect that bed from top to bottom, side to side & underneath--especially underneath on the floor, the backsides of the cubbies & the bottom side of the platform as well as the top. You're going to have to use something that will kill the mold/mildew so it can't grow back once you've taken steps to correct the problem. Usually this involves at least a 50/50 solution of bleach & water. Clean everything thoroughly & discard that mattress--do not let it come in contact with your bed once you have started the cleaning process.

Next, it sounds like the veneer across the part of the bed that goes against the wall needs to be removed & the bed pulled slightly away from the wall to allow air flow. Next, you need to drill small holes along the top of the back walls of every cubbie box to help with airflow as well. 2 to 3 holes for a larger drill bit, probably 4-6 holes for smaller drill bits (I'd go with at least 1/4" diameter bits). The more airflow the better. I agree with chemocurl that the spray foam does not sound like a good idea. You could risk having an even bigger mess on your hands.

Additionally, it sounds like you need to build a brace of some sort down the middle to help the sag factor. You could probably get away with 2-2x4s cut to fit between the side cubbies. One 2x4 would rest on the floor and the other would support the platform with shorter sections of 2x4 placed vertically in between them for support spaced about 12inches apart. You could do one section across the middle of the bed & 1 at the head of the bed. You need to make sure whatever you build has PLENTY of space for airflow.
Before you go out & invest in a Tempurpedic mattress, I would buy a cheap mattress for a test run after you have taken all the steps outlined above. If another mattress is going to get ruined, let it be an inexpensive one this time. Don't let the new mattress come in contact with the bed until all the above steps have been taken. If after a month or two the problems have resolved, then I would invest in the Tempurpedic. If the problems return, you have no choice at that point but to get a new bed.

It does seem like there is an excessive amount of condensation, though, if it is puddling as bad as you indicate. Just thinking about things that would cause the condensation issue to this extent...Are you running a humidifier in the room/whole house? Is your bathroom attached to your bedroom & if so, are you running the exhaust fan when you shower & for some time afterwards? Along those lines as well, is your exhaust fan for the bathroom actually vented to the outside (alot of builders skip this step for some reason & you end up with an exhaust fan that exhausts nowhere)? Is your home insulated properly? Do you see condensation build up on the windows too?

I hope this helps. For your health, you really need to take care of this ASAP. Good luck to you!

thanks for all the work you did "mydreamhome". yes i've read also same issues with this bed. i'm already tossing the mattress. I think the big problem too is the rental cottage I live in. approx 600 sq ft. (80 yrs old) built on cements supports in dirt (you can walk down below a small excavated area thru outside stairs to access a floor furnace (which I don't use -dust,cat hair blowing..etc) I use an electric heater, yes I cry when I see the bill, but I only heat up a small space.but you can see the entire bottom of house about 2' off the ground,maybe 3' at areas. the original wood floor,so lovingly unlevel now, is not insulated, it has a carpet pad, and the carpet (i installed a new thick one) and my furniture sits on the carpet.Yes, the floor always feels like a frozen pond. The bathroom has no vent (nor the kitchen. I open the windows. Yes when i take a shower in the winter, the entire house's windows cover with dripping steam. (all 10 of them) so the house is not user-friendly. I'm stuck here for awhile, it's near my parents who I look after. but the rent is cheap (only $1600--which is CHEAP for bay area) so........ regarding the bed, should I just drill holes like you are saying,I actually was thinking of building a solid heavy wood box like the strength to jump on it, to avoid sagging on any mattress and what if I filled the box (2' x 5' which is that dead air space) fill the box full with fiberglass pink insulation. would that kill the air? I know even if I put a large piece of plywood across the entire bed, i would still get condensation under the plywood in that "dead air space" right? Is drilling holes the only answer.? :( oh and I also have this bed-a twin size - in the other bedroom -which has 3 cubbies with baskets that all go together with no gap/space, and of course that bed has no problem (and it's closer to the kitchen stove and shower-that room gets lots of wetness when I cook or shower (of course ONLY in the winter) UG. should I just trash the bed and get one that resembles what i have (need storage so must be a platform/captains bed, but no dead air space, would that work? or am i to assume the area below the heavy bed and the carpet is also wet?? oh lord...............calgon take me away..........

So sorry you're going thru this Cindy. The only way to find out what's going on under the bed with the floor is to move the bed. I would bet it's wet or will show signs of wetness having been present. As far as your twin bed goes, I can't say, but I would be pulling it apart to see if there is any mold anywhere under it or along the cubbie components' backside. With the space being significantly smaller, the mold may be a non-issue or it may just be a slower process that hasn't shown any signs of existence at the mattress level yet. I would not put any sort of insulation under that bed. You will just end up with wet, moldy insulation. The insulation may actually mask the problem for quite some time meaning you would have a giant mold infestation by the time you had any signs of it at the mattress level. Drilling the holes is an excellent option--it is cost efficient, requires hardly any labor--easy to do, fixes the problem of no air circulation, won't be seen, & is something you can do yourself. With the size holes I'm talking about & the placement of them (just above the top of the basket when it is in place in the bed frame) they will not be noticeable unless you're on your hands & knees looking for the holes. The thorough cleaning of the bed will be the hard, time-consuming part.

I did read on the Pottery Barn site that the bed was supposed to come with 3 slat style supports that are supposed to run down the middle of the bed--did your bed come with them? One of the reviews I read stated that the supports the bed came with were rather flimsy, so I don't even know if it's worth the effort. You may be better off just making the bracing. Again, even that is cost efficient, easy to do & fixes the support problem you're having.

As far as the air circulation in your living space...If you're in a safe neighborhood, you may want to consider at least cracking the window in the bathroom & maybe the bedroom too, when you shower to help get some of the steam out & reduce the condensation build up. The overall circulation problem with the interior of the house may be contributing to your problems. Sounds like there is plenty of circulation under the house, though. I would definitely look into getting at least 1 good size dehumidifier for the house. Ideally, I'd have one in each major room (i.e. bedroom, living room, bathroom, kitchen)to help with the condensation/moisture problem--at least a 50-70 pint or greater capacity with the amount of condensation/humidity you're describing. If your living room & kitchen are big open area, you could probably get away with just 1 in that space or if you can place a dehumidifier central to the opening between the rooms. An air purifier might not be a bad idea either considering the amount of mold spores that are likely circulating in your home. (BTW--How often do you get sick/have a respiratory cold or symptoms?)

I've provided a link to the Kenmore brand dehumidifiers available at Sears (nearly everyone has a Sears near them, right?). We used a set of Kenmore dehumidifiers when we had a moisture problem in our old house--the hardwood floors starting buckling & the insulation underneath was all wet with mold growing under the sofa that was near the offending air vent, so I feel your pain. Know that there is light at the end of the tunnel & good luck to you!

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenmore Dehumidifiers at Sears

The "supports" down the middle of the bed are those 3 flimsy laminate boards that screw onto the top of the heavy pieces. So I will make a strong brace, drill holes thru the back of each of the baskets cubbies (those baskets are stuffed full of clothes towels etc, so will the air flow thru the holes ,then thru the dead coffin area as I call it, then thru the other side holes out into the opposite baskets?
I have only 4 rooms, all literally separate, kitchen,living,bedroom 1,bedroom 2. the bathroom is really tiny. it does have a double hung window in it, so i should crack it when showering and for a bit after..
Regarding cleaning the bed, first of all, yes the bottom of the mattress is damp, I have puddles of water on top of the laminate, but have no smell in the water, no color, no residue showing on the furniture yet, and no stain on the mattress,just wet. I may have caught this problem early? I should cut open the mattress to see what is in there? So since i have no "mold" i.e. gray green blue icky stuff on the furniture, can I just wipe it down with lysol? Is mold visible? (I know a dumb question) The bed is nicely wet, but the laminate has not gotten soggy at all, still firm.
I'll look into a humidifier(s). hope they don't cost as much as the electric heater!
oh, and you asked about my health? You make me crack up on that one. I have had a cold on/off/ on/off for months (could be my sister's kids I nanny sit for tho), one of my cats has developed asthma......
I think I will hit ikea and buy a futon style bed (just the cushion part,no frame) or maybe a thick foam topper and sleep on the living room floor (the other bedroom has no heat, take off that flimsy laminate and let the bed breathe for awhile after I drill the holes. -;like a few weeks min?
Like you mentioned earlier, I'm not investing in an expensive mattress until I know this problem is fixed. so tomorrow I will pull the bed apart-when I get help to move that heavy mattress.

Sounds good, Cindy. Make sure you don't overstuff the baskets. From the photos, it appears they are slightly shorter than the cubby. Filling them to the top of the basket or just below it should be fine. Make sure your holes are above the top of the basket for best results.

-The Lysol should work fine if you are using the one labeled 'mold & mildew remover'. 2 things can kill mold--bleach & sunlight. Whatever you use needs to have bleach in it. You will know better the extent of damage/mold growth when you take the bed apart. It may be a different story on the underside of the platform the mattress rests on.

-I don't think I would bother with cutting the mattress open--it won't tell you anything other than if the inside is wet & growing mold.

-It may have been a typo, but it's very important to make sure you get a dehumidifier & not a humidifier. You want it to pull moisture out, not put more in. Make sure you check & empty the collection bin often. You will be very suprised by how much water is in there after the dehumidifier has run for a few hours!

-I would put a dehumidifier right near the disassembled bed and run it while its all in pieces drying out. It will help with that and may make the drying out time shorter. Do this with both beds.

-The moisture/mold could be what is causing the cat's asthma and could be responsible for your cold too. It will be interesting to see what happens when you get everything taken care of and the dehumifiers are doing their job.

Let us know how it goes. Good luck to you!

Thanks to all! HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!! I'll keep you posted on my bed issue, the work will begin in 2012 :)
I'm on a mission !!! Definitely major reinforcement, holes drilled along tops, buying a dehumidifier, and saving for a nice mattress !!!!!!

I think that bed may be designed for a bunkie board or a thin box spring. I think the sagging mattress and the moisture/mold issue are two different things, but I have a bed from pb (different bed but somewhat similar construction) and we were told when we bought it that we needed an additional mattress support. We use a box spring.

Skatiero-if I put a box spring and a mattress, it will be just about waist level. ?? PB told you that? hmm.

Mydreamhouse---- I sort of changed my strategy. the support thingies hubby made, what a joke,slip over , still make wood crackle, you know make noise and dip a bit. sooo I went out and bought cement blocks-the ones we used in college days to build heavy book cases.exact height I needed, got 24 of them- the half size, 4 colums stacked 2 high-and put them under the 3 square board of plywood.it fills in almost the entire opening. i can jump as hard as I can on them now. the blocks face with the center holes sideways to make a nice long vertical air flow vs I could place them with the center openings straight down. I waterproofed the boards (my contractor/carpenter told me too) they have taken about a week to dry!! it is winter i guess. and the bed is coming tuesday evening. I bought the breathable waterproof mattress liner that goes all the way around and under the mattress.with zippers i'll open to vent out the smell faster. off-gasing. I'll try that too. (yes I'm over anal, but a 3k bed--yipes!! I pulled out the rubber mat the old mattress was sitting on to prevent it from moving--I wonder if now that helped contribute to my problem. ?? sooo,
and I chickened out on drilling the holes yet. I have to turn the mattress about each week for the first month or so to help break in the memory foam, the stink, and I have to walk all over it too. so what's your take now? I can always raise the bed later. my hubby made boards, but they are dead center visible from the living room and look soooooo ugly. I know, listening to nobody. I did find out i have little or no humidity and now shower with that door closed so no leaking thru there. Am I being stubborn and stupid? I can always change it over time since i'll be monitoring it like a hawk does its prey!!! the guys on the deck forum thread are asking why i waterproofed the boards with thompsons, I hope that didn't screw up the wood squares. oh what a nightmare. and I love my furniture so very much. :/

Hi Cindy--looks like you're getting there! Just make sure you've got some sort of way for ventilation--lift the bed up the 2" using supports that are small enough to leave long open spaces between them, drill the holes in the cubbies, or drill holes in the center board. You already know what happens without any of those steps. Do 1 of them and see what happens. In order of preference, taking the easiest path, I would lift the bed up 2". If that doesn't work, then drill holes in the center board leaving the cubbie hole drilling for last. Good luck!

I do agree with the raising of the bed. i wish my husband would help. (I spend too much money and I buy defective stuff blah blah blah, so it's my problem. (and he's mad i bought a bed he doesn't like...) now if only a marriage counseling forum lol...... I've even painted a long 2x2" strip. i guess I could cut it the best I can (I'm not a power tool gal). I'll keep you posted.

oh and I have the 3 boards that I waterproofed sitting inside now near the heater so they really dry. (had them in the garage earlier-not as warm.
and I forgot to tell you--I took the entire bed apart, the baskets out, the cubbies all apart, turned them over, looked inside, checked out the carpet in the entire room.... nadda. I don't get it ??!!!!!!!!! and my other bed, still as good as new. but that bed has no open air space. anyway, I keep wondering if the rubber liner (carpet skid liner) that I put on the bed contributed more to my problem, or the soft spot in the center, or the bed that sagged too much (latex sags with or without strong support) but I know my bed made it worse. and finally did my husband contribute also. I swear the sheet on his side of the bed is soaked each morning. he is now banned from the bed for a good while till I figure all this out. (he prefers his man cave anyway. I can't stand his snoring and waking me up at 5am) so the new bed-yes the tempur $$ one. but i will start monitoring it step by step, it's strong all the way across now so mattress will be supported properly. so..... the big night is Tuesday. Tomorrow I'll keep letting these boards realllllly dry. Did I do wrong waterproofing them-or I guess I just sealed them to help moisture. good ole thompsons (apparently the deck groups does NOT like this brand as well as other forums on deck building) oh well........

Well the mattress got delivered. Not really using it yet,still debating exactly what to do. I think I'll get a 2nd opinion and have it looked at by a nearby buddy who knows what he's doing!! :) Bed is nice but hard, must take awhile to break in and of course the room being 50 degrees doesn't help. UG.........
keeo ya posted.