Good Drying option under mattress

[Matlock]

I typically just turn my cushion bed on its side to allow for air circulation after a nights sleep. Keeps the mold at bay.
Lately I've grown tired of that and went looking for something cheap that is ideally a plastic mesh designed for mattress ventilation or a good substitute.
Unfortunately what is available for a single size bed has a starting price of $50. I'd usually buy it, but ..
Found some of these at amyzone....

12Pcs Drainage Interlocking Floor Tiles 11.8" x 11.8", Modular Interlocking Cushion Soft PVC Floor Non-Slip Splicing Waterproof Mat, $28.00​

Just copy/paste the bold text in amyzone to see the product.

These are in the price range for my budget. 0.55" thick and interlock. These should work fine without drilling any vent holes under the mattress.

Note: I have avoided drilling for venting because the plywood sheet under my bed is also the top of the drawers under the bed. When the drawers are closed they are sealed on all sides which keeps any small critters out of my clothing and bedding, etc. that is kept in the drawers. So, back to the venting options.
Anyone else have a suggestion that does not include a drill?

 

[bullfrog !]

I typically just turn my cushion bed on its side to allow for air circulation after a nights sleep. Keeps the mold at bay.
Lately I've grown tired of that and went looking for something cheap that is ideally a plastic mesh designed for mattress ventilation or a good substitute.
Unfortunately what is available for a single size bed has a starting price of $50. I'd usually buy it, but ..
Found some of these at amyzone....

12Pcs Drainage Interlocking Floor Tiles 11.8" x 11.8", Modular Interlocking Cushion Soft PVC Floor Non-Slip Splicing Waterproof Mat, $28.00​

Just copy/paste the bold text in amyzone to see the product.

These are in the price range for my budget. 0.55" thick and interlock. These should work fine without drilling any vent holes under the mattress.

Note: I have avoided drilling for venting because the plywood sheet under my bed is also the top of the drawers under the bed. When the drawers are closed they are sealed on all sides which keeps any small critters out of my clothing and bedding, etc. that is kept in the drawers. So, back to the venting options.
Anyone else have a suggestion that does not include a drill?

If you could elevate the bedding a few inches on upside down milk crates cut down and glued together maybe There would be enough air flow?

 

[Matlock]

If you could elevate the bedding a few inches on upside down milk crates cut down and glued together maybe There would be enough air flow?

That would work for sure but I don't have but two. I'd need another 6 for the whole bed and the cheapest I can find is home depot for $11 each.
Thinking it through, there are 5 sides to a milk crate. sooooo

 

[Matlock]

Yes if I cut up these two crates I'd have 10 pcs. Now how can I glue these together.... Hummm

I really like FFN
(free for nutt'in)

 

[bullfrog !]

Yes if I cut up these two crates I'd have 10 pcs. Now how can I glue these together.... Hummm

I really like FFN
(free for nutt'in)

You need to elevate the crate sides so air can flow with something like maybe wood strips from a discarded pallet, check Craigslist for free pallets. Maybe screw them to the wood instead of glue?

 

[maki2]

The easy solution is to keep moisture from getting into the mattress. That way it never gets underneath the mattress to condense against a cold surface. You can buy mattress covers and mattress pads for doing that. Not expensive or labor intensive

People get their heads all wrapped into what goes around and around in these forums never stopping to actually think through cause and effect. Then their ability for a fresh and sensible viewpoint as well as much easier alternatives goes out of sight, totally shut down, never getting tapped into. Mothers have to deal with this stuff for years by keeping their babies and toddlers wee-wee moisture out of mattresses.

Your body releases the warm moisture while you are sleeping. Warmth migrates to the cold taking the moisture with it. All you have to do is prevent the moisture from being absorbed into the mattress itself. An ounce of prevention and you do not need a carpentry cure. It is science but not very complex science. The solution is sold at Walmart in the section where they sell bedding.

 

[Matlock]

The easy solution is to keep moisture from getting into the mattress. (snip) An ounce of prevention and you do not need a carpentry cure. It is science but not very complex science. The solution is sold at Walmart in the section where they sell bedding.

My Cushions are 32x32X6" and I use 3 of them make up my mattress. They also double as my table seat cushions. I looked at what walmart has available and they do offer zipper plastic mattress covers, smallest is a twin. Along your thought process, I'm guessing someone makes a baby's crib mattress plastic cover that might cram inside the three 32x32 cushions I have. Great tip, I'll take google dive today.

 

[maki2]

My Cushions are 32x32X6" and I use 3 of them make up my mattress. They also double as my table seat cushions. I looked at what walmart has available and they do offer zipper plastic mattress covers, smallest is a twin. Along your thought process, I'm guessing someone makes a baby's crib mattress plastic cover that might cram inside the three 32x32 cushions I have. Great tip, I'll take google dive today.

When I sewed up the covers for the three cushions that make up my bed bought I bought a breathable, waterproof mattress cover. Then I cut it up to match the size of the fabric on the top and bottom of my new custom cushions. I left the fabric sides edges of the cushion unlined so that when I sat down the excess are could pass on out through the regular fabric. It has work out great, 5 years full time and still no moisture trapped under the bed cushions. Of course sooner or later I will need to replace the foam which is an easy enough job as I put zippers in for that purpose. For now I keep rotating them into the center position where my hips rest.
I learned to sew and make zippered cushions back in the1960s literally at my mother’s knees. I am fortunate because I can sew pretty much anything I need made including the popup canvas section for my vintage fiberglass trailer. Sail bags and helm wheel cover for my friend’s sailboat, tents, make repairs etc.

The YouTube channel Sailrite has lots of instructional videos on making custom cushions.

 

[Tony's Dream]

I have a system that I haven't heard of anyone using.......that being a rope bed. Just like 100 years ago. My bed is about 24" off the floor and allows for plenty of airflow. The roping is similar to the picture but without the headboards. I built the frame out of 2x4s. It only cost me around $40 to build. With my mattress, it is very comfortable.

 

[maki2]

I have a system that I haven't heard of anyone using.......that being a rope bed. Just like 100 years ago. My bed is about 24" off the floor and allows for plenty of airflow. The roping is similar to the picture but without the headboards. I built the frame out of 2x4s. It only cost me around $40 to build. With my mattress, it is very comfortable.

Great plan, I have certainly heard of rope beds but never seen anyone mentioning them for nomadic life. It is certainly a viable and cost effective option for bed construction. There are tensioning rope winding pegs used the old ones. Because overtime ropes do stretch from the human’s body weight. I am on too slow of a connection to find photos of those tensioners and a description of how to tension the ropes. Log cabin living history museum websites would be a good place to find photo examples. Some of the reprinted old books about making furniture for log cabins will also have illustrations for making those rope tensioners. I used to read a lot of those old articles. Making accurate historic miniature buildings and furniture requires lots of research. So I have traveled through many centuries of knowledge of such items. But I was also a voracious reader of books in my young school years and interest in such things from the time I started reading all such things fiction and non fiction that I found in the school’s library. I can still see some of that procedure being done in my mind’s file catalog of images but not in enough detail to give a step by step outline of all the movements required.

keywords “tensioning rope bed” will get you there for illustrations and directions.

 

[tradesman]

There are three types of ventilation for mattresses.Starting with the most expensive is The Froli System: https://nickleatlantic.com/?gad_sou...MIvsSvm5b5igMVRy2tBh3g4hpNEAAYASAAEgLTDfD_BwE

Then there's hypervent system:
https://www.create-a-mattress.com/product/hypervent-aire-flow-moisture-barrier/

And then there's the least expensive but almost identical:
https://www.amazon.com/Mortairvent-202-6mm/dp/B07VF8K1PN

I have used all three. The Froli is nice and adjustable but does wear down over time. Hyperventilating is simply an expensive version of the mortairvent.

 

[vanbrat]

When I sewed up the covers for the three cushions that make up my bed bought I bought a breathable, waterproof mattress cover. Then I cut it up to match the size of the fabric on the top and bottom of my new custom cushions. I left the fabric sides edges of the cushion unlined so that when I sat down the excess are could pass on out through the regular fabric. It has work out great, 5 years full time and still no moisture trapped under the bed cushions. Of course sooner or later I will need to replace the foam which is an easy enough job as I put zippers in for that purpose. For now I keep rotating them into the center position where my hips rest.
I learned to sew and make zippered cushions back in the1960s literally at my mother’s knees. I am fortunate because I can sew pretty much anything I need made including the popup canvas section for my vintage fiberglass trailer. Sail bags and helm wheel cover for my friend’s sailboat, tents, make repairs etc.

The YouTube channel Sailrite has lots of instructional videos on making custom cushions.

That sounds like a good idea. I have a problem with some mattress covers waterproof ones in particular they make my skin break out in hives. So, I made a quilted cotton cover to go over the waterproof cover. But that gets wrinkles and feels bumpy. I like the feeling of cotton though so I will except the bumps. It is also remove able for washing for when the dogo decides he needs to get up there and make it all stinky. (Mostly he doesn't unless he sees a squirrel or something.) Only once it has been that bad. But boy was I glad I could wash it. Also I like my cup of tea before bed and sometimes I spill even with grown up sippy cups.