How to Raise Bed Height: 6 Ways, and How to Pick the Right Inches

Isometric platforms at different heights

The fastest way to raise bed height is to put risers under the legs or feet of the frame. For beds, lifts under 3 inches are the typical recommended starting point. Other risers may add about 3 to 8 inches, and some adjustable types reach a foot. Other options are a thicker mattress, a taller foundation, an adjustable base or a new frame. Which one fits depends on how your bed is built and how many inches you need. This guide covers each method, including platform beds, and shows you how to measure so you pick a height you will still like in a year.

Riserman

Set Your Bed to the Right Height

RiserMan makes custom 3D-printed risers to your measurements, including options for round or irregular bed legs.

Explore custom bed risers

TL;DR

Risers are the simplest fix for most frames. Match the riser’s leg pocket to your leg shape, or the bed can wobble.
Measure first. A good target is a mattress top near your knee height, and about 20 inches is a common upper limit if wheelchair transfers matter.
Platform beds with a solid base, center rails or unusual feet need extra planning. Check weight rating, stability and floor grip.
Custom-sized risers solve round, angled or irregular legs that stock risers do not fit.

Start by deciding how many inches you actually need
Six ways to raise bed height
How to raise a platform bed
Install risers safely: a short routine
Is your bed too tall now? Safety and access
What we see when people raise a bed
Get risers cut to your leg and your height
Common mistakes to avoid
FAQ
Sources

Start by deciding how many inches you actually need

Most people guess. “A few inches” turns into a bed that is too tall for short sleepers or still too low for a bad knee. Spend five minutes measuring before you buy anything.

Sit on the edge of your bed with your feet flat. If your knees sit well above your hips, the bed is low. If your feet dangle, it is high.
Measure from the floor to the back of your knee while you sit on a chair, shoes off. Sleep Advisor suggests a bed only about as high as knee level, and that you test by sitting on it.
Measure from the floor to the top of the mattress. The same source notes that most beds fall between 20 and 30 inches from the floor to the sleeping surface.
Subtract. The gap between your target and your current number is the lift you need.
Account for the floor. A thick rug under the legs changes the final height. Measure where the bed actually stands.

There is a health angle here too. In aged care research, a common belief is that a lower bed is safer. Biomechanical work on bed height and bed entry and exit looked at how height changes joint loading, because many hospital falls happen near the bed. A review of environmental changes in aged care points the same way: a bed that is too low makes standing up harder, and the goal is a height that matches the person’s body. A usual rule of thumb is hips level with or slightly above knees when sitting on the edge.

If you are choosing a height for someone with limited mobility, balance or a hip or knee replacement, ask their physical or occupational therapist for a target number before you order.

Six ways to raise bed height

1. Bed risers

Risers are blocks, cups or sleeves that go under each leg. They cost less than any other fix and install in minutes with no tools. They also open up space underneath for bins and bags.

Three things decide whether a riser works well:

Fit. The leg should sit deep in a recess, not balance on a flat top. Matching the riser’s shape to the leg, whether round, square or angled, is what prevents tipping.
Load. Add the frame, mattress, bedding and every sleeper. Pick a rating well above that total.
Grip. Hard floors let risers creep. Felt or non-slip pads under each riser help, and so does checking the bed for movement after a few days.

The trouble with stock risers is that they come in preset heights and a few pocket shapes. If your lift needs to be 1.75 inches, or your legs are tapered, round or splayed, you end up shimming or settling. That is the gap we built custom bed risers to fill.

2. A thicker mattress or a mattress topper

A taller mattress adds height with no hardware, but it changes how the bed feels and costs far more than risers. A topper adds an inch or two and some comfort. Neither creates storage space, and both raise the surface without changing the frame. If your complaint is that you sit too low when you get out, this is a slow, expensive route to a small gain.

3. A taller foundation or box spring

Swapping a low foundation for a deeper one adds a few inches and keeps the look clean, since nothing is visible under the skirt. It works only if your frame accepts that foundation, and the extra weight matters for slat strength and for risers if you add them later.

4. An adjustable base

Adjustable bases raise the head and foot, not the whole bed, so they do not solve a low-bed problem. They are comfort equipment. Count them as an addition, not a height fix.

5. A taller frame

If the frame itself is the problem, replacing it is the cleanest answer. It is also the most expensive, and a high frame can feel too tall once you see it in the room. Try risers first. If you like the new height, you have your number for the next frame.

6. Replacement legs

If your bed has screw-in or bolt-on legs, longer legs raise the bed directly and look intentional. Where the bed has no removable legs, or you want to keep a certain style, risers or custom furniture legs with a 2-inch pocket are the alternatives.

Method	Typical added height	Cost level	Adds storage	Best for
Risers	Under 3 inches recommended for beds; choose the lift you actually need	Low	Yes	Most frames
Thicker mattress	1 to 4 inches	High	No	Replacing a worn mattress anyway
Taller foundation	A few inches	Medium	A little	Frames that accept it
Replacement legs	Depends on leg	Low to medium	Yes	Beds with removable legs
New frame	Any	High	Depends	Frames that are worn out or unstable

How to raise a platform bed

Platform beds are the most common source of the search, and the most often done wrong. They have slats or a solid deck on a low box, so the sleeper has nowhere to add a foundation. A few features need attention.

Count the contact points. Many platform frames have feet at each corner, plus extra feet or a center rail along the middle. Every point that touches the floor needs a riser. If you lift the corners and leave the center, the middle sags and the slats take the load.

Platform bed support points needing risers

Check the foot shape. Platform beds often use square blocks, short cylinders, tapered pegs or a continuous rail rather than neat legs. Stock cups fit square legs and not much else. Measure each foot at the point where it meets the riser, and for tapered feet, measure the width at the depth the foot will sit.

Mind the weight. A platform frame is heavier than a metal frame, and the mattress is often foam or hybrid. Use the frame plus mattress plus sleepers, and choose a heavy-duty riser if two adults sleep on it. If your frame is a solid-sided box, check the manufacturer’s weight rating before you lift it.

Do not stack small risers casually. Stacked parts add wobble. One piece cut to the exact height is safer than two or three stacked. That is a practical reason to order a riser sized to the inch rather than combine stock sizes.

Keep the bed on a firm floor. On hardwood or tile, felt pads protect the floor and cut sliding. Over thick carpet, check the feet do not sink unevenly.

If you need another way to describe it: to make a platform bed taller, you either lift the whole frame on risers under every contact point, or you swap in longer feet if the frame has removable ones. Anything that raises only part of the bed will tilt it.

Install risers safely: a short routine

Empty the bed. Remove the mattress and bedding. Get a second person for a large frame.
Lift one end at a time. Do not drag the bed. Slide a riser under each leg on that side, then repeat on the other side.
Seat the legs fully. Each leg should drop into the recess, not rest on the rim.
Check level. Put a level on the frame. If one corner is off, fix it now, not after the mattress goes on.
Shake test. Push at the headboard and the foot. A well-fitted bed moves slightly as a whole, not at the joints.
Test again after a week. Joints settle, and new pivot points can loosen. Re-seat if you see a gap.

If you lift a bed with an adjustable base, or one with a heavy storage unit, do not attempt it alone. Have another adult help.

Is your bed too tall now? Safety and access

Higher is not always better. The National Park Service lodging guidance notes that a mattress top over 20 inches from the floor can be a challenge for many wheelchair users, since a standard wheelchair seat sits at 19 inches. For that reason, anyone who transfers from a chair needs a mattress top close to seat height.

For children and shorter adults, a tall bed means a step stool. For anyone with balance problems, a bed that is too high is just as risky as one that is too low. The right number is the one that lets you sit down and stand up with your feet flat on the floor and little effort. When in doubt, raise in small steps. A change of an inch or two is easy to feel.

What we see when people raise a bed

We make risers for a living, so here is our view, from what customers order and ask.

Most bed height problems are not about a missing number. They are about a mismatch between the leg and the riser. A standard cup built for a square leg will not hold a round or tapered foot securely, and a bed that sways is a bed no one trusts. We build each riser to the dimensions you enter, down to the hundredth of an inch, so the leg sits in a snug pocket and the height is exactly what you chose.

What we see when people raise a bed — overview diagram

We also think in terms of the whole room. A rise of a few inches can change how a bedroom works: bins slide under the bed, the sitting edge is easier on knees and backs, and the bed looks deliberate. That is why we offer finishes such as colors and metallic looks, so the risers blend in rather than showing up as black plastic.

Our advice is plain. Measure your knee height, pick a target, and buy for your heaviest realistic load. If you are unsure about the right number for someone with mobility needs, ask their therapist first, then enter that number in the configurator.

— Harris

Get risers cut to your leg and your height

Our configurator lets you enter the lift you need and the shape of your legs, and the cost updates as you choose each option. For beds, start with the bed risers page. If your frame is heavy, a platform with a solid deck or shared by two sleepers, look at heavy duty furniture risers.

Two add-ons are priced on the site as one-off charges per riser: wood grain texture at $2.00 each and extra stability at $3.00 each. The base price depends on the size and options you enter, so you see it before you pay.

The same approach works for the rest of the house. If the sofa is also hard to get out of, our couch and sofa risers follow the same method.

Common mistakes to avoid

Buying by the number on the box. Heights vary with leg depth in the pocket. Ask what the added lift is once the leg is seated.
Ignoring the center support. Platform and large frames need support in the middle, not just at the corners.
Using weak risers for two sleepers. Count the full load, including the mattress, and leave generous margin.
Skipping the floor. On slick floors, add pads. On deep carpet, check for sinking.
Raising too much at once. If you are unsure, start low. You can reorder, but you cannot un-sit on a bed that is too tall.
Forgetting the stairs of life. Think about kids, pets, partners and future you. The best height works for everyone who uses the bed.

FAQ

How can I make a platform bed taller without replacing it?

Put a riser under every point where the frame touches the floor, including any center feet. Measure the foot shape first, since platform beds often use square blocks or tapered pegs that stock cups do not fit. Choose a rating that covers the frame, mattress and all sleepers.

How high can bed risers raise a bed?

Most risers add about 3 to 8 inches, and adjustable or stackable types can reach roughly 12. Other guides cite 2 to 12 inches depending on the model. A single riser made to the exact height is more stable than a stack of small ones.

What is the right bed height for me?

Aim for a mattress top near your knee height, so your feet rest flat when you sit on the edge. If you use a wheelchair, remember that 20 inches is a common ceiling for easy transfers. For limited mobility, let a therapist set the target.

Can I put something on my mattress to make it higher?

A topper adds an inch or two and changes the feel of the bed. It does not add storage and costs more per inch than risers. For a bigger change, lift the frame instead.