Can you change the mattress size?

You can have a custom mattress made to fit any antique frame. Many specialist companies manufacture pocket sprung mattresses to exact dimensions. Alternatively, some wooden side rails can be extended. A restorer can lengthen the timber to accommodate a modern standard mattress.

My husband is quite tall and we are wondering if these old beds are going to be long enough for him to sleep comfortably?

Most standard nineteenth-century beds are shorter than modern equivalents. People often slept slightly propped up on pillows. Metal frames are fixed in length. If you need more legroom, look for frames without a high footboard. A low footboard lets your feet hang over the edge. Wooden frames offer more flexibility. Many dealers routinely lengthen the side rails on standard double beds before selling them.

How do iron beds go together?

They usually rely on a simple taper joint. The side rails have a wedge-shaped cast iron end that drops into a matching bracket on the headboard and footboard. Gravity holds the frame rigid. You just tap the joints together with a rubber mallet.

We moved house recently and lost the special tool needed to tighten the bolts on our wooden frame, what should we do?

You need a bed wrench. These have a square hole that fits over the square head of a traditional bed bolt. Replacements are easy to find online. Measure the width of the square bolt head first. Most bolts from the nineteenth century take a half-inch or five-eighths wrench. A standard adjustable spanner will work in an emergency.

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Antique Bedsteads

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Antique bedsteads are substantial timber or metal frameworks designed to support a mattress and sleeper, often featuring tall headboards and footboards to elevate the sleeper off a draughty floor.