Shikibutons and bed frames; Is there a Tatami alternative?
Late night browsing with bedhedd: japanese futons (shikibuton) - Blog - Level1Techs Forums
Shikibutton firm mattress but on a bed frame?
[lifestyle] Do you sleep on a shikibuton?
I sleep on a korean yo, which is similar to a shikibuton, but a bit thinner. I live in a small apartment and love having the ability to pack my bed away and have that extra space during the day. It took a little adaptation, but sleeping on a firm surface is now quite comfortable, but not so much so that I'm tempted to sleep in.
I put it directly on a hardwood floor and haven't had any trouble with mold, moisture, or dust, but I do fold it up and put it away most mornings. Leaving it on the floor or another solid surface for a long time would probably lead to the problems you mention.
Since having that floor space is the main attraction for futon-style sleeping, I haven't looked into bedframes. I would think that a slatted bedframe would work as long as the slats were fairly close together. You may also be able to buy tatami bedframes that provide the cushioning and airflow of the traditional tatami mat but with a little elevation.
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TLDR: What can I use to support my shikibuton on a bed frame besides a tatami mat?
Hey folks.
Long story short, I'm sleeping on the floor on a shikibuton these days. It lays on my floor with a grid of interlocking foam mats under it to cushion my bony skeleton from the hardwood below. I sleep great.
I am a 40 year old man, and while my sleep is great, I wanted a bed frame so I didn't feel like I was a college kid sleeping on the floor. I got one, and I like it. It's a modern bed frame that has wooden slats to eliminate the need for box springs. If I lay my shikibuton on top of the slats- even with my foam mats in between- I can feel the gaps between the slats and it is uncomfortable.
Decently sized tatami mats appear to be more expensive than I really wish they were (yes I'm 40 but I have a job that doesn't pay super well), and I had hoped to find some sort of cheap alternative for making a solid platform to rest atop my bedframe slats. I've considered plywood, masonite, adding "inbetweener" slats, and most recently rigid pink insulation foam. They all have their benefits and drawbacks in my mind.
The biggest drawback to any of these options is the fact that they aren't breathable, and I don't want my mattress to get moldy. I live in Iowa where 5+ months out of the year the weather isn't particularly clothesline-friendly so I want to make sure I'm not introducing more elements that could make my mattress lose its freshness. I do intend to keep folding up my mattress every morning, flipping it once a week, and hanging it outside weekly weather permitting. The thing is, every website I've looked at that talks about shikibutons/tatami mats still talks about flipping your mattress all the time and hanging it in the sun weekly which makes me wonder... Does the tatami actually breathe? And if it does, does it help anything?
What do I use to provide a firm backing between my bed frame and shikibuton? Is there something from the hardware store that I can cut to an appropriate shape for ~$60, or do I need to bite the bullet and spend $200 on a grass mat?