How to Stop A Metal Loft Bed From Shaking? Ultimate Guide

A squeaky and shaking loft bed can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep; hence it’s important to know how to stop a metal loft bed from shaking.

In this article, you'll learn what makes your loft bed shake, how to fix it, and how to prevent it from happening in the future.

Faulty springs in an innerspring mattress, loose connections in the bed frame, or feet rubbing against the floor can all cause squeaks and shaking.

If your loft bed is shaking, check all the bolts. If one of the bolts turns loose, use a wrench to tighten it. Add a washer between the frame and the bolt if you can’t do it.

Other methods will help you quiet your shaking bed to sleep soundly finally!

Let us learn in detail!

WhyYou Should Fix a Shaking Loft Bed

Improve Sleep

The biggest culprit of a shaking metal loft bed is your sleep. When your turn and change sleeping positions, you may suddenly have to wake up if you’re on a shaking bed.

This can be irritating, especially if your sleeping patterns are already messy. The most common sound made by a bed is certainly it’s own creaking.

This noise can be amplified in our sleep-deprived state, so ensuring the bed won’t make noise should be your priority.

If that doesn’t work or you’re unsure where the noise is coming from, then it could easily be any number of other things.

Fact: A loft bed that doesn't shake will certainly improve your quality so you can have the nice dreams unimpeded.

Injuries

When a metal bed shakes, there are a few loose bolts.

If unchecked, the shaking will increase, and finally, you may fall if the bolts can’t sustain your weight anymore.

Loft beds are often built higher than normal beds, so falling from such a height could easily cause some serious injuries or fractures.

Shame or Embarrassment

If you’re hosting a guest, you may have to assign the guest to your loft bed for the night.

A shaking loft bed could cause embarrassment to you and your family, especially if it inconveniences the guest.

This could be worse if the bolts are let go and the guest falls to the ground, and you may have to deal with a bigger problem.

Ways to Stop a Bed from Shaking

Shaking loft beds is notoriously difficult to fix because the noise sources can come from different areas in the bed.

Here are the several tips and tricks on how to stop a metal loft bed from shaking:

Mismatched Socks

Use mismatched socks to eliminate noise from your loft bed.

First, remove the mattress, then use old socks or an old piece of fabric on the slats of the bed frame.

This will keep any metal in place and reduce any noise emanating from it.

Wax or Lubricant

To find the shaking joint, slowly rub your hand across the metal loft bed, and listen carefully for a squeak and shaking.

Start by tightening the bed. When you tighten the screws and bolts, you may need something to make them smoother if there’s some resistance.

Apply wax to the contact points after rubbing on a few coats. One way to take care of this is by rubbing a candle over the shaking spot.

WD-40 Lubricant

In place of wax, there are many other lubricants you can use to fix shaking beds.

One way is to use WD-40 to lubricate the joint that makes the bed shake. If you don’t have WD-40 around, vegetable oil should work too.

You should also put a towel down before spraying for drips and protecting whatever surface below the bed.

Note: Beeswax will prevent any rust and make your bed frame move smoothly. If there is no beeswax or WD-40, a dry soap or piece of soap could work just as well.

Pieces of Cork

If your metallic loft bed frame is shaking, you can use small pieces of cork to tighten it and stop the shaking.

If the shaking persists, apply cork all around the pegs or joints in the back.

This will reduce the shaking and make it easier for you to sleep.

Folded Sheets

Another easy way how to stop a metal loft bed from squeaking is to use folded sheets.

The main cause of the shaking loft bed could be the legs of your bed frame.

Dampen the sound by putting folded sheets under the leg of the frame so that it’s touching the floor.

Another solution is to move your bed away from uneven wood on the floorboards.

Towel

Here is another trick to reduce noise around your bed.

Once you find the squeaky area, place an object, such as a book or towel, under the mattress where you fixed it.

Fact: With proper support and elasticity, this can be effective, and with a good quality mattress, you might not notice any negative effects on sleep.

Fix the Casters

If squeaks are coming from casters, the fix is easy. The squeaks will be eliminated by placing a rubber caster cup below each wheel.

Rubber caster cups can be purchased from hardware stores for about $2 and often do not need to be replaced.

Flip the Mattress

Badly placing the mattress can cause your loft bed to shake and squeak due to weight imbalances.

Try flipping the head of your mattress to the foot of your bed.

This might alter how weight is placed on the bed frame and eliminate the noise.

After you test whether or not the squeak has subsided, you should feel comfortable enough to receive a well-deserved night’s rest.

Mattress Topper

Mattresses tend to squeak when you lie down, but adding a mattress topper will help to dampen the sound or reduce the shaking.

Most squeaks come from the pressure on an innerspring, so it’s best to use a mattress that absorbs much of this pressure when lying down.

Memory Foam

If you ascertain that it’s the mattress causing your bed to shake or squeak, get to its bottom.

A squeaky mattress keeps you up at night; it might be time to replace the noisy parts with memory foam.

The past five years or so have seen an explosion in the popularity of these mattresses, thanks in large part to their noise-free designs.

Memory foam is a popular product because it distributes the weight on the bed evenly.

This is like in commercials where people jump on one side of the bed and an unbreakable glass of wine is standing on the other.

However, some can be too soft for comfort, and others retain heat. You may not even need to rotate memory foam mattresses.

Latex

If you don’t mind smelling latex and prefer to go for a more durable surface, then a foam or latex mattress is the right choice.

Depending on which surface you like to sleep on, you can purchase these materials separately and put them together.

Note: Rotating or flipping your mattress regularly with help it last longer. However, it's best to rotate or flip it every six months to distribute weight evenly and improve longevity.

Plywood and Felt Tape

Fixing a squeaky and shaking metal loft bed can be done using a piece of 4-inch plywood to minimize the pressure on bad glue joints or springs.

Ensure that your bed does not make noise by adding felt tape to the two pieces of wood (stringers) of on the headboard and footboard.

The stringers rub when you move in bed which leads to bad noise.

Replace the Screws or Frame

If the screws and bolts on your loft bed frame are rusted, take them out carefully before replacing them.

Rubbing the surface underneath the braces with beeswax can help as well.

I’m sure some people don’t mind the loud sounds. You may be too sensitive to the noise and need to find an alternative solution.

If you're still not sleeping well even after eliminating the squeaks, it may be time to purchase a new bed frame.

Final Thought

There are undoubtedly numerous ways how to stop a metal loft bed from shaking.

As opposed to hiring a handyperson for the issue, you can fix it yourself and do so pretty quickly.

If your mattress is the culprit, you may want to get a new one. However, sometimes people can fix the problem without buying anything!

You have to rotate the mattress, and your head will now be where your feet use to go.