Slide Mattress Out To Make Bed, Not Wreck It

[RV Tailors]

Does this go in interiors? Applies to lots of RV's.

To anyone without a bedroom slide out:

These RV's without a bedroom slide out are a pain to make the bed in the morning because you can't get to the head of the bed. No real need to make the bed but we like to anyway. We struggle, I think like everyone else does, to make the bed reaching way back there to get it right.

We pull the mattress out all the way to the bulkhead and it is and easy make. However, the particle board is really rough. So I want to find the best thing to make the mattress slide easier. I went to HD today with some ideas in mind to allow the mattress to slide easier when pulling it out to make the bed.

What do you do? We hung on to our Forest River (yikes!) sort of self making bedspread where the pillow cover top is attached and doubles back over the pillows. There is a 1/8 or so hardboard border about 8" around the outside of the particle board so I can get by with a 4 x 8.

My ideas (4x8 sheets where panels are involved and gluing down):

1 - varnish/paint/epoxy the existing particle board to seal it. I've tried this on a few other projects and it didn't really go well, particle board eventually came apart.

2 - I saw (for the first time) a white "plastic cardboard". Looked a lot like the chloroplast but not quite as hefty, maybe. $14. Weighed nothing, easy to cut and work with. Durable?

3 - Plywood sheathing, 1/8", very light for wood, sanded smooth, $17. Varnish, glue/screw it down. I kind of like this.

4 - Hardboard sheet. Brown, 1/8", little heavier, $13. Might be good, won't need to be varnished.

5 - Bathroom 1/16 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Plastic Panel, $26, ran out of time, couldn't find them, but looks like a real good slippy, shiny surface.

6 - Coroplast, 48 in. x 96 in. x 0.157 in. (4mm) White Corrugated Twinwall Plastic Sheet, $35 - maybe some of the cheaper ones would be just as good?

6 - 1/2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. A2 Birch Plywood, $128, FORGET IT!!!!

Thanks in advance - John

 

[dryfly]

After putting sheets on the bed last night, we were thinking about this also. If you could find a piece of Formica or any plastic laminate I think it would work great. If not, the thin brown hardboard should work well, and would not have to be glued down like the laminate.

 

[Albertasaurus]

Something else you might consider is vapor barrier, or a plastic painter's drop cloth. Cut to fit, and staple or glue to the existing particle board.

Cheers!
Al

 

[Second Chance]

RV (and boat) mattresses tend to collect moisture from our bodies that settles to the bottom and promotes molding. We have always used a ventilation substrate (link below) underneath our mattresses to prevent this. It also has be benefit of making it easier to slide the mattress on the plywood (ours is A/C plywood rather than particle board) bed platform. We don't need to do this to make up the bed in the morning, but it sure makes it easier to put the bottom fitted sheet on when we change the sheets.

https://www.mattressinsider.com/mattress-condensation-prevention.html

Rob

 

[kb0zke]

Our previous RV, a Foretravel MH with no slides, had pretty much the same bed arrangement as we have now with a slide. There is a night stand about two feet long on each side of the mattress. Making the bed in the morning is easy - just put the pillows up, pull the sheets and blankets up, put the bedspread on, put the decorative pillows on, and hurry so the cat doesn't miss out on a single minute of napping. When it is time to change the sheets, aka laundry day, we strip the bed down to the fitted bottom sheet. Then we each get on our own side of the bed, pick up the mattress an inch or so, and move it about a foot toward the foot end of the bed. Start to install the fitted sheet at the head end, then take it off and turn it 90* and reinstall (for some reason, the side always wants to start at the top). Once the top is in place, we move the mattress back into place and tuck in the foot end. Usually the cat is back on the bed by that point, so we just put the sheet over her and let her sleep for a while.

 

[poohbear]

Ours has the plywood bed platform and even with a slide out, making the bed is a chore. I just pull mattress down so I can put the fitted sheet on then slide it bock.
If you had something kind of slick under mattress I think if you were a little out of level and the head end high you might slip the mattress towards the low end while sleeping.

 

[JFF&KRN]

my boss bought an extra fitted sheet for second hand store and we put it on the bottom, it breaths and also protects the matress.
if it tears some, no biggie, just get another and use it for rags.

 

[Captcolour]

What about some self-adhesive vinyl floor tiles?

 

[NEW TRAVELING 2SOME]

We pull the mattress down as far as we can then we lift the mattress up on one side (both ends) prop it up with tension rods. Put the sheet on top and bottom, lower it and smooth sheet out. Go to other side and do the same. Put the top sheet on before sliding back up tucking it down on the upper sides. Put the top cover on, throw the pillows at top and slide it all back up.
Marci and Rod

 

[HamlinBill]

We use a cheap camping tablecloth and a few staples. The fuzzy back grabs on the particleboard, and the top is slick. Been there a few years and has not slipped yet. It also wraps around the edge for a tidy finish.

 

[RV Tailors]

Thanks for the ideas.

Ok, got a sheet of 1/8" Hardboard Tempered Panel (used to be called Masonite back in the old days) from HD for $12.95. Was cheapest option to cover the OSB.

Figured out how to cut it to best fill the space. Used minimal screws to hold it down and it works wonderfully.

I just saw the camping tablecloth idea from Bill and that is good too.

That makes me think of upholstery fabric but this was quick and easy - except for wrestling the mattress out of the bedroom and getting it back in.

 

[Gimpyknee]

Same theory.... we use a large section of landscaping fabric. Breathable, but slides well.

 

[RVing in Michigan]

Does this go in interiors? Applies to lots of RV's.

To anyone without a bedroom slide out:

These RV's without a bedroom slide out are a pain to make the bed in the morning because you can't get to the head of the bed. No real need to make the bed but we like to anyway. We struggle, I think like everyone else does, to make the bed reaching way back there to get it right.

We pull the mattress out all the way to the bulkhead and it is and easy make. However, the particle board is really rough. So I want to find the best thing to make the mattress slide easier. I went to HD today with some ideas in mind to allow the mattress to slide easier when pulling it out to make the bed.

What do you do? We hung on to our Forest River (yikes!) sort of self making bedspread where the pillow cover top is attached and doubles back over the pillows. There is a 1/8 or so hardboard border about 8" around the outside of the particle board so I can get by with a 4 x 8.

My ideas (4x8 sheets where panels are involved and gluing down):

1 - varnish/paint/epoxy the existing particle board to seal it. I've tried this on a few other projects and it didn't really go well, particle board eventually came apart.

2 - I saw (for the first time) a white "plastic cardboard". Looked a lot like the chloroplast but not quite as hefty, maybe. $14. Weighed nothing, easy to cut and work with. Durable?

3 - Plywood sheathing, 1/8", very light for wood, sanded smooth, $17. Varnish, glue/screw it down. I kind of like this.

4 - Hardboard sheet. Brown, 1/8", little heavier, $13. Might be good, won't need to be varnished.

5 - Bathroom 1/16 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Plastic Panel, $26, ran out of time, couldn't find them, but looks like a real good slippy, shiny surface.

6 - Coroplast, 48 in. x 96 in. x 0.157 in. (4mm) White Corrugated Twinwall Plastic Sheet, $35 - maybe some of the cheaper ones would be just as good?

6 - 1/2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. A2 Birch Plywood, $128, FORGET IT!!!!

Thanks in advance - John

John, where did you see the white plastic "cardboard"? I have another use for that.

Thanks

 

[bierdude]

We use Dri-Dek Marine Surface - 1'x1' Interlocking Tiles. Many places to source them. Pricey but we've had them for years. Works great to slid the mattress and make a ventilation space

 

[50ST8R]

Does this go in interiors? Applies to lots of RV's.

To anyone without a bedroom slide out:

These RV's without a bedroom slide out are a pain to make the bed in the morning because you can't get to the head of the bed. No real need to make the bed but we like to anyway. We struggle, I think like everyone else does, to make the bed reaching way back there to get it right.

We pull the mattress out all the way to the bulkhead and it is and easy make. However, the particle board is really rough. So I want to find the best thing to make the mattress slide easier. I went to HD today with some ideas in mind to allow the mattress to slide easier when pulling it out to make the bed.

What do you do? We hung on to our Forest River (yikes!) sort of self making bedspread where the pillow cover top is attached and doubles back over the pillows. There is a 1/8 or so hardboard border about 8" around the outside of the particle board so I can get by with a 4 x 8.

My ideas (4x8 sheets where panels are involved and gluing down):

1 - varnish/paint/epoxy the existing particle board to seal it. I've tried this on a few other projects and it didn't really go well, particle board eventually came apart.

2 - I saw (for the first time) a white "plastic cardboard". Looked a lot like the chloroplast but not quite as hefty, maybe. $14. Weighed nothing, easy to cut and work with. Durable?

3 - Plywood sheathing, 1/8", very light for wood, sanded smooth, $17. Varnish, glue/screw it down. I kind of like this.

4 - Hardboard sheet. Brown, 1/8", little heavier, $13. Might be good, won't need to be varnished.

5 - Bathroom 1/16 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. Plastic Panel, $26, ran out of time, couldn't find them, but looks like a real good slippy, shiny surface.

6 - Coroplast, 48 in. x 96 in. x 0.157 in. (4mm) White Corrugated Twinwall Plastic Sheet, $35 - maybe some of the cheaper ones would be just as good?

6 - 1/2 in. x 4 ft. x 8 ft. A2 Birch Plywood, $128, FORGET IT!!!!

Thanks in advance - John

We used shelf liner and covered the plywood. we also went around the edges. The bed slides back easier to make it now and the shelf liner was left over from our last move.