For this test, I purchased an IKEA Grimsbu metal platform bed.
For testing the strength and sag of the side rail I used my homemade concrete plates that I use for powerlifting training while spending the winter off-grid in Thailand. You can also see me test the IKEA Tarva wood model here, and the IKEA slats here.
Weight and sag summary
| Weight | Sag in inches |
| 285.1 | 1/4 |
| 312.1 | 1/2ish |
| 336.9 | 3/8 |
| 354.5 | 3/8 |
Checking the starting measurement
The distance between the floor and the bottom of the metal rail (clearance) before adding any weight is 9 5/8″. The frame is straight as we just opened the box and assembled it for performing this research.
IKEA bed rail sagging
I skipped forward as there was no, or very little, bending with many of the first concrete weights.
The metal rail is starting to sag 1/4″ with 285.1 pounds of weight on top. This is better than I expected as the metal is thin, small, and light.
And it is CHEAP, but let’s see how it holds up with more weight.
312.9 lb
Now with 312.9 lb, the metal is bending and the clearance underneath the rail is reduced to 3/8″ now.
336.9 lb
I am attempting to have as much weight over the bed frame as possible to reduce the amount of weight distributed by the slats
Hopefully, I have a video of this that I can add later as it is balancing precariously and I am worried about the concrete plates tipping over…onto my toes haha.
Actually, I am finished. I don’t trust the bed to hold more weight and I don’t want it to break and spill the concrete plates.
354.5 lb
This is as far as I am going. The bed frame is detorting at the footboard as I add more concrete and I think this is enough to determine that this model should be more than adequate to handle heavy sleepers.
This test is testing the static strength so there is no way of knowing how it would handle live loads such as heavy sleepers moving during sleep, or other bedtime activities.
The frame is failing
The metal rail did not only affect the area between the headboard corner and middle leg. The bending actually forced the footboard corner leg to elevate approximately the same amount of the total sag measurement, 3/8″.
The leg returned to the floor and the rail sag reverted back to its original shape. This is good news as I plan to donate the bed to a local child once I am finished with my testing of this IKEA model.
