Divan Or Slats: Which Ones Are Better?

Divan or slats? The question is now.

Bed bases are essential for quality sleep, but they’re also quite important when it comes to mattress support. Yet, you’re never really sure which ones go together and what to choose, right?

Stay put as we go over the essential differences between divan and slats, and list the pros and cons!

What Are Slats?

Slats are a commonly used bed structure mechanism, which includes a number of wooden bars placed across the width of the bed frame. They’re commonly produced from pine or beech wood and hold the mattress. 

You can find two types of slats on the market: solid or sprung slats. Let’s take a quick look at both of them to see what the main differences are.

Solid Slats

Solid slats usually are created with strong, durable wood, such as pine. However, the wood type depends on the manufacturers in general, so that you can find tons of different options on the market.

This bed base type is usually used by people that go for a firm feel. However, to achieve maximum firmness, you can try pairing your slats with a latex mattress.

Pros:

• Great distribution of pressure
• Excellent for back support
• Absorbs movements
• The spaces in between the bars keep your mattress fresh and aerated

Cons:

• Slats with over 3 inches of space in between may cause sagging in certain mattresses, such as a foam mattress

Sprung Slats

In contrast to solid ones, sprung slats are created from softer wood, such as plywood, plus they’re designed to be a bit curvy for the construction to be able to bend. In addition, a slated bed base is excellent when it comes to the flexibility of the bed, which is why they’re a great fit for people looking for a softer base.

The actual design works to adapt to your body weight and thus alleviate pressure points. For an even softer feeling, you could pair them with mattresses for slatted beds, such as a memory foam mattress.

Pros:

• Can be easily replaced if broken
• Higher quality
• More comfortable
• Acts as springs

Cons:

• Break easily and cannot support heavier sleepers

What Is A Divan?

Divan beds are definitely one of the most popular options as of now, which is largely due to the convenience they offer and the additional features that come with them.

A divan is a strong bed base, usually containing two components: a unique divan base and a compatible mattress. The base is created using a solid wooden frame wrapped by a layer of fabric. As far as mobility is concerned, such bases are usually placed on wheels, but they can also be placed directly on the ground should stability be a priority of yours.

A great thing about divan bases is that they usually contain drawers to provide additional space. So you can use it to store bedding, for instance.

Divan beds are great for people looking for the full package, but you can always buy the base and the mattress and individual products. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of divan beds.

Pros:

• Great for limited spaces, has the same dimensions as the mattress
• Offers storage
• Firm padded tops for maximum support
• The headboard is fully customisable

Cons:

• It can become a bit heavy once you store bedding in it, so you can’t move it often

What to Consider When Buying Bed Slats or a Divan?

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s go over some of the most important factors to consider when buying a bed base to help you choose the correct one based on your needs.

Type of Mattress

First things first, not all mattresses can be paired with a divan bed. If you’re keen on getting a solid divan base, make sure you’re fine with purchasing some of the following mattresses:

• Orthopaedic – ideal for divan beds
• Standard sprung – provides edge to edge support and maximum comfort
• Pocket-spring – stays put when paired with a divan bed allowing no transfer of movement between your partner and yourself
• Memory foam – an excellent combination if you’re looking to avoid painful sleep and backaches
• Latex – distributes weight evenly and provides maximum support when paired with a divan bed

Bedroom space

Should you be dealing with limited space, then a divan bed would be a bad choice for you, especially given how hard it is to move them around the room once fully loaded. However, we recommend opting for slats in this situation: they’re highly convenient and won’t make a big deal out of moving or room rearrangements.

Interior Design

This might sound silly, but both types of beds definitely carry a charm of their own and do not go well with just about anything. Divan beds can fit extremely well into classy, minimalistic environments, whereas slats can definitely add up to your boho, casual room design. So make sure to consider these things.

Comfort

This one’s tricky, and it all depends on what you consider comfortable. If you need a firm base to sleep comfortably, then you should definitely opt for a divan. However, if you associate comfort with soft, tender sleeping bases, then you’re definitely a slats type of person.

Storage

Once again, on the condition that you’re dealing with a smaller bedroom, a divan bed can provide you with additional storage options, helping you kill two birds with a single stone. Slats, on the other hand, do not come with such features, but you can try storing stuff under the bed if you’re keen on getting slats but lack storage.

Maintenance and Durability

When it comes to maintenance, keep in mind that slats are slightly more breakable compared to a divan base that can serve you a lifetime. However, divan constructions are a bit more challenging to clean due to the fabric layers, whilst slats can be easily vacuumed and wiped.

Cost

This might also be a crucial factor. If you’re still not sure what to go with and do not have any significant sleeping requirements, keep in mind that divan beds are significantly more expensive. You can find slats from various manufacturers with prices ranging from £100 to £350, whereas the cheapest divan construction will cost you £500, with some high-end bases going as high as over £2000.

The Bottom Line

Both mattresses and mattress bases are costly investments, so you definitely want to make sure that you picked the right one before cashing out your money. However, we hope our guide made it a bit easier for you and finally gave you useful pointers to solve your dilemma.