Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

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Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby jakofin » Sun Jan 21, 2018 11:27 am

I'm looking for a diy and cheap solution to get air flow under our mattress in our tiny camper. My husband is reworking the interior to accommodate a bigger bed and the mattress will be on a solid plywood platform. I want to prevent moisture and mold issues under the mattress.

I have looked at some of the things you can buy, like Hypervent and coir rug, but I am wondering if there is a do it yourself solution that is cheaper.

I would appreciate any recommendations!

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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby Greg M » Mon Jan 22, 2018 9:53 pm

Look up rain screen drainage mat. There’s probably something cheap at your local building store.
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby tony.latham » Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:07 pm

jakofin wrote:I'm looking for a diy and cheap solution to get air flow under our mattress in our tiny camper. My husband is reworking the interior to accommodate a bigger bed and the mattress will be on a solid plywood platform. I want to prevent moisture and mold issues under the mattress.

I have looked at some of the things you can buy, like Hypervent and coir rug, but I am wondering if there is a do it yourself solution that is cheaper.

I would appreciate any recommendations!

jakofin


We've never had any moisture, let alone mold under ours. Have you had a mold problem?

Tony
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby ae6black » Tue Jan 23, 2018 12:59 pm

Here in the East it can be a problem. Not only the humidity but also the changes in temp with that humidity. Since my mattress is in three sections, I just pile them up in the center of the camper and allow air flow to get to the walls. I've heard of some that let a light bulb on in the closed up camper to help dry out the moisture. 124616

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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby Andrew Herrick » Tue Jan 23, 2018 2:45 pm

Perforated raised floor tiles might be cheaper and available locally.
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby Esteban » Tue Jan 23, 2018 6:51 pm

Andrew Herrick wrote:Perforated raised floor tiles might be cheaper and available locally.

:thinking: 12" x 12" interlocking Bar Mats that cost about $2 per square foot might work (well?) to provide air flow under a mattress. They may also provide a little extra cushioning under a mattress. In cold weather they may help reduce (conductive) heat loss from a mattress to a cold floor.
webstaurantstore.com/choice-12-x-12-black-interlocking-bar-mat

:) They are interlocking and can be cut to size. For about $64 (plus shipping) 32 bar mats could support a queen sized mattress.
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby JuneBug » Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:06 pm

Also consider the possibility of putting some insulation (like Ensolite pads) on top of the plywood/under the mattress, so there's no possibility that moisture can condense against the colder plywood.
REI and any camping store will carry ensolite pads, like this Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOLite Sleeping Pad
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby working on it » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:53 pm

  • I never perceived a dampness problem under my mattress, probably since I use rubber/carpeted commercial floormats, cut to size, between the floor an the mattress. But, I did have a water under the mattress problem, which I tried to forever avoid again, if possible.
  • from another thread
    working on it wrote: but I am going to use plastic shelving material under my mattresses, 2 Ikea Sultan Florvag twin foam pieces, as a spacer/waterproofer airgap (I had a tremendous door seal leak flood my cabin-not going to get my mattress(s) wet-goldarn it). Since the mattresses already have covers on them, and will also have a 5 mil thick waterproof bag over all...
    ...I most likely will not have a wet mattress to sleep on , anymore.
  • plastic shelving under mattress for airflow & waterproofing.jpg
    plastic shelving under mattress for airflow & waterproofing.jpg (114.45 KiB) Viewed 1871 times
  • I tried it out, on a three-day camp-out, but since I had cut-down one of my mattresses to form an angled/inclined bed, the steep angle coupled with the super-slick waterproof mattress cover, combined to cause me to constantly slide downhill. I'd wake up in a ball at the far end of my cabin, with a back-ache. Another great idea, but poorly executed. The bed spacer will stay, but the sliding mattresses will go. I'm switching over to a four-part folding 4" mattress, with a zippered cover (for cleaning between outings, if needed), and using one of two sleeping bags (one summer weight, and the other for colder weather). I won't miss the difficulty changing my bed-linen, anymore, which has been especially difficult, using two mattresses, and having my doors at the very foot of the cabin, with the head area beyond my reach! I think the folding bed will be firmer than the Ikea mattresses, so my bed-spacer will not be felt pressing thru, but if it does, I'll find a way to fix that, too...the mods keep on 'a rollin', as they say....
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Re: Cheap & diy ways to get air flow under mattress?

Postby shootr » Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:53 pm

Not sure if you have an Ikea or Big Lots nearby, but seems like they sell wooden bedframes that are just wood frames with wood slats to hold the mattress - maybe one could be cut up/modified to fit in your trailer...

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80185066/
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