As with many other products, there are also different types of waterbeds. A distinction is made between waterbeds based on their frame and the design of the water mattress. In addition, there is a differentiation based on the inserted water mattresses.
Hardside water beds
The structure of the Hardside waterbed basically corresponds to the waterbed designed by Charles Hall from the 1960s. As can be derived from the English term “Hardside”, a hard frame (made of wood or derived timber products) is the special feature of this water-based sleep system. The up to 22 cm high water mattress is placed in the strong hardside frame. The water mattress is supported from below by a stable base plate, which in turn is supported by weight distributors.
The Hardside bed frame fulfills a load-bearing function, as it absorbs the (water) pressure from the water mattress or water mattresses arising from the side or outwards. In the case of a hard-side waterbed, the bed frame or bed frame is accordingly a solid and load-bearing component of the sleeping system. The frame is usually connected to the base plate.
The hard bed frame makes getting into and out of the hard-side waterbed a bit uncomfortable, as the thighs always have to be guided over the hard frame element of the sleeping system.
In the meantime, the hard-side water beds have largely been replaced by the soft-side water beds.
Softside water beds
The softside waterbed is seen as a further development of the hardside waterbed. With the softside waterbed, however, there is – as one can derive from the English name again – a soft or soft frame. This soft frame is made of foam. As with the hard-side waterbed, the foam frame on the soft-side waterbed also serves to absorb (water) pressure from the side. In order to achieve greater stability, the foam frame of the softside waterbed is often firmly connected to the base plate of the bed, for example with screws.
With a softside waterbed, there is no fixed bed frame. A softside waterbed can therefore be easily integrated into most conventional bed frames, where it then replaces the slatted frame and the normal mattress. With regard to the bedroom furnishings, you benefit from a lot of freedom with the softside waterbed and you can design your bedroom according to your wishes and in any style. Visually, it is usually not noticeable that the bed is a water-based sleep system. In this context, we also speak of built-in water beds (see also: Inside water beds ), although there are models that, due to their construction, can only be used in conjunction with a classic bed frame.
Softside water beds are mostly designed as free-standing beds that do not require an additional bed frame. There are also special designs such as the so-called split water beds. In softside waterbeds of this type, the foam frame is divided and the lower part is usually upholstered in color, which gives it a particularly attractive look.
A form of the softside waterbed that is now quite popular is the so-called box spring waterbed. With a classic box spring bed, which offers a box filled with a spring core as a spring base for the mattress, box spring waterbeds only have one look in common. With a box spring waterbed, the waterbed structure is placed on one or two boxes (depending on the size). Since the waterbed mattress / s do not need a spring base, these boxes are designed without spring cores. For a perfect box spring look, there is usually a strikingly designed headboard, which is fixed to the box or boxes, as well as a modified top plate or a modified cover, since the topper usual for box spring beds is usually integrated here. In contrast to most box spring bed structures, the topper on a water bed with a box spring look is usually not only on instead, it is firmly connected to the water mattress cover with the help of a zipper. Usually water beds do not need a topper, but the toppers for box spring water beds are by no means purely decorative elements. Depending on the design, the topper on the waterbed with a box spring look can, for example, refine the feeling of lying down, provide additional heat insulation or even take on protective functions.
Thanks to the foam frame with seat edge, getting in and out of the softside waterbed is much more comfortable than with the hardside waterbed. The other advantages of the softside compared to the hardside waterbed include better thermal insulation due to the foam and a lower water requirement, which results from the higher volume of the wedge-shaped foam frame. – The space occupied by the softside frame simply does not have to be filled with water, which has a particularly positive effect on the energy requirements of the heating and thus on the maintenance costs of the waterbed. Due to the wedge-shaped design of the foam frame, however, the effective lying area is also lost, which is when choosing the size for the softside waterbed should be noted.
Inside water beds
Inside water beds combine features of the hard side water bed and the soft side water bed. This type is intended for installation without exception. With the Inside waterbed, there is an approx. 2 cm thick all-round reinforcement on the edge, which provides support. With the Inside waterbed, the water mattress can protrude up to 10 cm above the frame, which is why it is easy to get into the bed and just as easy to get out of. Since the Inside waterbed also has a foam frame, the effective lying area is also reduced here (see: How big should a waterbed be? ).
