I thought I’d do some research on another popular Wayfair model and this helpful article to explain the pros and cons of the Shaker platform foundation.
The Shaker platform bed had good and bad points. Pros include solid pine construction including an attractive headboard and large legs, three stain finish options, and mattresses won’t slide. The cons include long assembly time and some buyers claim slat gap is 4″ rather than 2.5″, shipping issues.
Continue reading more to find out the pros and cons of this stylish bed frame.
The Good
- The smell of pine wood. I love the smell of wood so this is a pro for me.
- Three polyurethane stain options, Walnut, Cherry, Espresso. This is my favorite benefit as it is so much more attractive and warm compared to cold black metal frames (but I love wood so I am biased).
- This is a reasonable price for an all-wood platform bed frame.
- FSC Certification through the Forest Stewardship Council.
- Made in Brazil, not China.
- It is light for being constructed with wood. Somehow all three sizes weight 90 lb.
This could also be a con depending on the strength, sturdiness, and durability of this design, but it seems to be a pro so it is in the Good list. - The mattress won’t slide around on you as it is locked into place by sitting 3″ within the bed frame.
- Very sturdy and the slat gap is only 2.5″, one of the narrower gaps on the market.
- Comes with an attractive wood headboard and a 15″ footboard, which may or not be seen with a comforter.
- Has solid 3″ wood legs.
- You don’t need a box spring, but if you have one you can use it.
The Bad
- Easy to assemble. But, it can take a bit of time (2 hours+)
- Some buyers complained of shipping issues by FedEx
- Some buyers complained the headboard developed cracks between one month and four years after purchase.
- It can’t be used without the headboard, which may block a window in the location where you want to install it in the bedroom.
Is The Shaker Platform Bed Worth It?
The shaker platform has 3100 reviews, with an average rating of 4.7/5. This is an impressive number of reviews.
Looking at the information available it is clear the Shaker is so popular because:
- It has an attractive design. It just looks good. It will make your room look more luxurious. You can’t hide it’s sturdy and sweet smelling frame. It comes in three distinct colors. So, you can match it to your carpets, curtains, and bedside tables.
- Solid wood construction. It is made of solid pine. A solid wood bed has a unique feel that people love. Giving you a feeling of stability and security as you sleep.
- Well priced for the quality. Because you have to put it together yourself it comes in a lot cheaper than similar assembled models.
But I still don’t think it is worth it. I think Wayfair’s McGovern is a better option and you should check out my review here before you buy one.
I am writing a review about this model and it is looking very strong at a reasonable price and much better than the Shaker.
The technical specifications you need to know
Knowing your measurements will make sure your new bed fits in your room. Every room is unique and knowing what you’re trying to fit helps a lot. So, below I will give you all the technical specifications for the Shaker.
The frame
As previously mentioned the frame is made from solid pine. It has a pleasant scent of pine. You can order it in one of three colors. Walnut, cherry, and espresso.
It is made from over 11 pieces that you need to screw together. The assembly is straightforward. But, assembling takes longer than a steel slat bed.
| Size | Length x Width Inches | Capacity Pounds |
| Twin | 80.75×43 | 300 |
| Full | 80.75×59.25 | 500 |
| Queen | 86.00×64 | 500 |
| King | NA | NA |
Although the weight capacity of the twin bed is 50 pounds more than most similar models. It will still not safely hold two people. Unless they are small and light.
This would mean both people would need a weight of less than 150 lb each on average. So, keep this in mind if you are looking at getting a twin size.
The price difference between the sizes is so slight that if you are buying for two people you should get a full size or large.
Slats
It has 12 slats and they only have a gap of 2.5″, which is excellent as some companies produce bed frames with slat gaps up to 6″ inches!.
They are also made of solid wood. You only need to screw in 8 of the slats to securely fasten them to the frame.
The height from the floor to the top of the stats is 11.5″.
Headboard and Footboard
The Shaker headboard height is 49.5″ and you need a minimum 11″ thick mattress to ensure that there isn’t a visible gap between the mattress and headboard with a lovely view of the wall.
The footboard is 15″ high and likely won’t be seen if you have a long comforter draped over the footboard.
TIP: If you have a mattress that is less than 11″ thick you can simply position two or three pillows leaning against the headboard to hide the gap. Of course, this strategy allows for pillows and cell phones to fall through the gap when sleeping.
It says a footboard comes with it. But, this isn’t a proper footboard. Because only the end of the frame is included in the images and in the assembly instructions, so shame on you Grain Wood Furniture.
The headboard can’t be removed and must be used with this frame. Some have detachable headboards, but this is not one of them.
Quality
The quality and craftsmanship of this bed are clearly evident in their positive ratings. They score a 4.7 out of (of course it does, all Wayfair products magically have a 4.7 or higher rating) 5 after 3100 reviews.
Based on the reviews that I consider legit I would say the quality is suspect.
Price
Price Per Frame Size
| Size | Price* | Shipping |
| Twin | $390.54 | Free |
| Full | $440.21 | Free |
| Queen | $339.21 | Free |
| King | NA | -NA |
*Prices updated August 3 2020.
Storage Underneath
Ther is 9.5″ of clearance underneath when placed on a hard floor surface. If it is on carpet the usable storage space underneath is likely closer to 9.0 – 9.5″.
In Conclusion
The shaker platform is an attractive wooden frame and the drawbacks are that it must be used with the headboard, and the back of the headboard is not finished, which may cause future issues.
The Shaker does not come in king size, which is very surprising as this is the first model to not offer one of the standard sizes that I have seen.
I do not recommend the Because of the Shaker Platform bed frame as there are better options available in the same price range.
