Are Bed Risers Safe?
By Andrew Russell, Wellness Writer 
Key Takeaways
- Bed Risers Add Height and Convenience: Bed risers are a practical solution to increase the height of your bed frame. This added height can make it easier to get in and out of bed, especially for individuals with mobility issues or back problems.
- Choose the Right Bed Risers: When selecting bed risers, consider factors like the material (plastic, wood, or metal), size, weight capacity, and the height you want to achieve. Solid wood and metal risers are typically more stable, while plastic ones are more affordable but may have weight limitations.
- Safety and Compatibility: Ensure that the bed risers you choose are compatible with your bed frame and mattress. Follow safety precautions, such as not adding excessive height, to prevent accidents and maintain stability. Proper installation is crucial to ensure the risers support your bed securely.
Bed risers are usually placed under the foot of your bed to add height to your bed frame. They are perfectly safe for sleepers to use as long as they are correctly installed. It’s also essential to choose bed risers that are compatible with your bed.
Adding a bit of height to your frame may make it easier to climb in and out of bed. This is especially good for older sleepers and those with joint or back pain.
Choosing the correct risers for your bed is essential to preventing your bed from collapsing. In this article, we’ll outline the types of bed risers available so you can make the best choice.
Types of Bed Risers
Bed risers are made from all kinds of materials, including plastic, wood, rubber, and metal. While you’re looking for the best bed risers, you want to ensure they are sturdy enough to support your bed. Also, remember to choose risers that are all the same height and shape to keep your bed leveled out.
Below, we outline the different types of bed risers so that you can choose the right fit for your bed frame. We’ll also look at the proper ways to install your risers.
Screw-In Bed Risers
As the name suggests, screw-in bed risers will allow you to screw them directly onto a bed frame in place of its legs. Simply install the bed risers by unscrewing the original legs, then screwing in the taller bed risers.
You’ll want to make sure they are tightly secured to the legs to keep them from popping out of place. These risers are made from steel, wood, and plastic. If you are looking to increase the height of your bed significantly, it’s best to use a sturdy material like steel with a broad base.
Stackable Bed Risers
Stackable bed risers are another safe option to raise your bed. These risers are relatively easy to install, and all you need to do is, place one riser under each of the legs of your bed frame.
Usually, stackable risers will only increase the height of your bed by 2 or 3 inches. Other sizes available will add a bit more height to your bed, but they may not be the most durable option. Plastic tends to break or crack under a significant amount of weight, so your risers may become damaged. It’s a better idea to use risers made of metal to make your bed taller.
Adjustable Bed Risers
Adjustable risers look pretty similar to stackable raisers. However, these risers come with eight pieces instead of four. One set of four is used as the base and features a broad bottom. The other set fits tightly into the base pieces and gives you the option to change the height of your bed as they come with two or more height options.
Plastic adjustable risers are usually the most affordable option, but they risk collapsing than other materials. Before you make your purchase, check that your risers are made with heavy-duty material to avoid accidents.
Bed Riser Safety for Different Beds
Depending on the type of bed you have, you’ll need to follow certain safety precautions to keep your frame from collapsing. As a general rule, we don’t recommend pairing bed risers with anything that isn’t a proper bed frame. Many mattress foundations lack legs that can be affixed to a set of risers, such as a low-profile box spring.
Let’s take a look at how to stay safe when using bed risers.
Bunk Beds
You shouldn’t have trouble placing bed risers on a bunk bed as long as you size them appropriately and choose the proper material. We recommend using metallic or solid wood bed risers with large inserts to support your bunk bed.
It’s not always the best to add a lot of height to a bunk bed. Sometimes when your mattress is too high, it can cause your bed to become unstable. This is especially true for bunk beds, which already have safety concerns and features such as guard rails to address these concerns, and it could cause an accident.
Platform Beds
Platform beds are much lower than bunk beds, so you’ll be able to choose taller risers if needed. You’ll still want to make sure the risers are the proper choice for your base. Adjustable and stackable risers usually work best with platform beds, as long as they are made with sturdy materials.
How to Choose Bed Risers
When choosing your bed risers, you’ll want to look at the bed’s construction, bed frame dimensions, and height of the bed for the best fit. Next, we’ll look at a few things you should keep in mind while you’re shopping.
Construction
Bed risers are made from several types of materials including, plastic, wood, and metal. Solid wood and metal risers will typically provide your bed with a stable base. Plastic bed risers are more affordable, but they also run the risk of collapsing. It’s worth mentioning heavy-duty plastics are good for preventing collapse.
Size
It’s best to know the diameter and width of your bed frame’s legs/casters for the best fit. Most bed risers allow the leg or caster to fit pretty well without making any adjusting. Others will require you to remove existing feet or wheels to screw on the risers.
Larger beds will need risers with a durable base since they will have to hold more weight. King-sized beds and Cal king beds may even require six risers instead of 4.
Weight Capacity
Take note of how much weight your bed risers can support. You can usually find this information on the product’s label. Some materials aren’t sturdy enough to bear weight or your bed frame and mattress for extended periods. So they may bend or break easily.
Height
If you have a taller bed, it’s not the best idea to add more height to your bed. Adding 2 to 3 inches is usually a safe bet, but adding too much height could hurt the support of your bed.
However, lifting a lower bed could be a great way to provide yourself with additional storage space. Raising your bed 5 to 6 inches will give you more under-bed storage space for you to store your items.
Frequently Asked Questions
How high should your bed be off the floor?
We recommend keeping your bed no more than 25 inches from the ground. Sometimes when your bed frame is too far from the ground, it can make it harder for you to hop into it.
If your bed is too close to the floor, you might have to squat to get out of your bed. Bed risers are an easy fix for mattresses that are too low. If your knees are level with your hips when you climb out of bed, your bed is at a good height.
Can you put a bed frame with wheels on risers?
There are bed risers designed for bed frames with wheels available. These bed risers have a rectangular top for the wheels to fit into the riser. It is essential to purchase bed risers specifically for bed frames with wheels to increase your bed's height properly. Picking the wrong set of risers and placing them on your bed could cause damage to the item. Not to mention they won't properly support the base of your bed.
Can I use bed risers without a frame?
We don't recommend placing risers on your bed without a frame. This is mainly because you won't have any way to secure them. Box springs and other foundation types may not have legs, so placing a riser under the foundation may cause it to slide. They may even collapse under the weight of your bed. It's best to keep a bed riser on your bed frame.
Can you use bed risers with a headboard?
It's a great idea to use bed risers with a headboard to increase its height. Usually, it's best to use bed risers with free-standing headboards or headboards that are not attached to your bed. This way, you can keep your bed leveled. You'll want to choose a bed riser compatible with your bed, so you have the most secure fit.
Are 12-inch-tall bed risers safe?
A set of 12-inch bed risers are perfectly safe to use as long as they are broad enough to support your bed. Taller bed risers can be a great way to lift a mattress that is too low. However, we do not recommend using 12-inch bed risers on bunk beds or beds with tall platforms. Sometimes too much height can cause your bed to be unstable.
Conclusion
If you are someone with a bed too low to the ground, it may be beneficial to use bed risers. Adding bed risers may make it easier for you to climb into bed. Not to mention, lifting your bed may provide you with a bit more storage space underneath. This can be extremely helpful for sleepers with small apartments or bedrooms looking to save space.
Installing bed risers should be pretty easy for most individuals. As long as you choose the correct risers for your bed, you should be able to elevate it with no problems.
This article is for informational purposes and should not replace advice from your doctor or other medical professional.
Andrew Russell, Wellness Writer
Andrew Russell is a part-time writer and full-time sleep enthusiast. At Zoma, Andrew lends his sleep expertise and writes many of our “better sleep” guides. Outside of Zoma, Andrew puts his advice to the test, always trying new ways to get deeper, more restorative sleep. We appreciate Andrew because he doesn’t give advice that he doesn’t follow himself, so you can feel confident his solutions for better sleep really do the trick. Andrew's work has been featured on Ladders, Bright Side, and several other publications.
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