How export beds are built in India
Almost every bed shipped from India is knock-down. A typical frame is a headboard, a footboard, two side rails, a centre rail with one or more support legs, and a set of slats, joined on site with bed bolts, cross dowels or hook-in metal brackets. Slats sit in a ledger strip screwed to the side rails, in plastic holders, or on a fabric or webbing strap that keeps the spacing.
The weak points are in the joints, not the timber. A bolt hole drilled slightly off line means the rail will not meet the post. A bracket screwed into end grain pulls out. A centre leg cut a few millimetres short leaves the middle of the mattress unsupported, which a sleeper notices before anyone else does.
Mattress sizes differ by market
The frame's internal size is set by the mattress your customer will buy, and there is no single international size. A bed made to a US queen will not take a UK king or an EU 160 cm mattress properly.
| Market | Common nominal mattress sizes | Note |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Twin about 38 × 75 in; Full about 54 × 75 in; Queen about 60 × 80 in; King about 76 × 80 in; California King about 72 × 84 in | Sizes published by the International Sleep Products Association; makers vary by about half an inch |
| United Kingdom | Single 3 ft × 6 ft 3 in; Double 4 ft 6 in × 6 ft 3 in; King 5 ft × 6 ft 6 in; Super king 6 ft × 6 ft 6 in | Still made to imperial sizes; metric figures quoted vary (a double is listed as 135 or 137 cm wide) |
| Continental Europe | 90 × 200, 140 × 200, 160 × 200 and 180 × 200 cm are common | No single official standard; check the retailer's range |
The inspector measures the internal length and width at the slat level and at the top of the rails on each sampled frame, and checks the result against the mattress size and clearance in your specification.
What we check on a bed
| Check | How it is checked | What fails |
|---|---|---|
| Assembly from the carton | Full frame assembled with only the supplied hardware and instructions | Holes that do not align, missing bolts or brackets, wrong-length bolts, unclear instructions |
| Slats | Count, gap between slats measured, slat thickness and width, fixing to holder or strap | Gaps wider than specified, cracked or knotty slats, slats loose in holders |
| Centre rail and legs | Leg length against rail height; frame loaded at the centre on a flat floor | Leg short of the floor, rail that bows, missing leg on a double or larger bed |
| Side-rail joints | Bolts tightened; joint racked by hand; brackets checked for fixing into end grain | Joint movement, stripped threads, bracket screws pulling out |
| Headboard fixing | Headboard pushed and pulled at the top once assembled | Flex or rattle, panel loose in the posts |
| Noise | Inspector sits and moves on the assembled frame | Creaks or knocks from joints or slats |
| Storage beds | Lift-up base or drawers cycled; gas struts checked for hold | Base that drops, finger trap at the hinge, drawers that hit the legs |
Common bed defects
| Defect | Usual class | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Bunk or loft bed guardrail or ladder fault; lift-up base that falls shut | Critical | Risk of falls, entrapment or crushed fingers |
| Frame cannot be assembled from the carton | Major | The bed is unusable |
| Internal size outside the mattress tolerance | Major | Mattress will not fit or slides |
| Slat gaps wider than specified, cracked slats | Major | Mattress damage; may void the mattress warranty |
| Centre leg short or missing | Major | Frame sags or slats break |
| Joints creak or knock | Major or minor, as agreed | Heard every night; hard to fix once delivered |
| Finish marks on rails hidden under bedding | Minor | Cosmetic |
Rules that apply to beds
- Children's bunk beds, US. Bunk beds for children must meet 16 CFR 1513, be tested by a CPSC-accepted lab and be covered by a Children's Product Certificate, with tracking labels. See CPSIA children's products.
- Bunk and high beds, EU. EN 747-1:2024 sets safety, strength and durability requirements. Adult beds are covered by EN 1725:2023, based on users up to 110 kg. Both are voluntary; the legal duty is the GPSR.
- Upholstered headboards, UK. Beds and their headboards are within the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988; fillings and covers must comply and carry the permanent label. See UK furniture fire safety.
- Wood and composite parts. TSCA Title VI for plywood or MDF slats and panels, the Lacey Act for US imports and EUDR for the EU.
- Motorised bases. Motor-operated beds fall under UL 962 in the US and electrical rules in the EU; see UL and ETL listing.
Lab tests to these standards need an accredited lab. We pull and seal the samples through lab testing coordination.
Packing risks and what to specify
Beds travel as several long, narrow cartons. Side rails split at the bolt holes if the carton is dropped on its end; carved headboards chip at the corners; slat bundles shed slats when the strapping breaks. The inspector checks that each carton is marked "1 of 3", "2 of 3" and so on, that the hardware bag is in the carton the instructions say, and that a full set ships together.
In the purchase order, state:
- The mattress size per market and the internal clearance you want.
- Number of slats, maximum gap, slat section and fixing method. Check the gap your mattress suppliers require.
- Number of centre legs, and adjustable feet if floors vary.
- Bolt and bracket type, with a hardware list per carton.
- Headboard height and fixing, and fire labels for upholstered headboards.
- Carton count per bed and the marking of each carton.
Sources
- CPSC business guidance: Bunk Beds (16 CFR 1513)
- SIS: SS-EN 1725:2023, Beds, requirements for safety, strength and durability (abstract)
- EVS: EN 747-1:2024, Bunk beds and high beds (abstract)
- Bed size: ISPA and National Bed Federation sizes (summary)
- UL Standards: UL 962, Household and Commercial Furnishings