Full Bed Frames with Storage

Why storage under a full bed?

A full size room is usually the room with the least spare floor, which is exactly why the space under the mattress is worth using. Drawers built into the base hold what would otherwise need a chest of drawers, and that chest is often the piece a full size bedroom cannot fit. The bed footprint does not grow; only its usefulness does.

What size is a full bed?

A full mattress is 54 by 75 inches. The frames here are 54 to 57 inches wide and 76 to 83 inches long, with the extra coming from rail thickness and, at the longer end, a footboard. Full is sometimes called a double, and the two words mean the same size. It sleeps one person generously and two people tightly.

Drawers, trundle or shelves

Side drawers pull out from one or both long sides and hold folded clothing or bedding. A trundle is a second mattress on casters that rolls out from beneath, turning a full bed into occasional sleeping for two. Shelves in the headboard or footboard hold books and a phone. Some frames here combine a trundle with drawers at the foot.

Check the clearance before you buy

This is the mistake people make with storage beds. A side drawer needs its full depth of clear floor beside the bed to open, so a bed pushed against a wall on one side loses half its storage. Measure the gap between the bed and the opposite wall or wardrobe. Where clearance is tight, choose a frame with drawers at the foot or a lift-up base instead.

Headboards and charging

Headboards run 41 to 71 inches high, so this spans a plain low panel through to a tall upholstered or shelved design. Several frames here include a USB charging station in the headboard, which suits a full size room where the bed often sits away from the only outlet. Measure to the window sill before choosing anything above about 55 inches.

What are they made from?

Engineered wood, plywood, wood and upholstered panels in linen. Storage beds carry more load than plain frames, because the drawer boxes and their contents hang off the base, so check that the drawers run on rails fixed to the frame rather than sliding directly on the floor. Floor-running drawers jam on carpet. Construction: engineered wood and MDF on most models.

Do you need a box spring?

No. A storage bed base is a solid or slatted platform by design, since the drawers occupy the space a box spring would fill. Put the mattress straight onto the deck. Adding a box spring on top would raise the sleeping surface several inches and make the headboard look short.