Most bed frames come apart in under an hour. The problem isn’t the dismantling itself — it’s what happens when people skip steps, use the wrong tools, or don’t label anything and spend an hour guessing on the other end. This guide covers what you actually need to know.
Should I disassemble a bedrame for moving?
Yes. Assembled bed frames don’t generally get around corners or fit through standard UK doorways. That’s the main reason. Beyond that, a king-size frame can eat up a third of a medium van on its own when it’s still in one piece. You can pay a man and van service by the hour, you don’t want them doing your disassembly for you at £40 or £50 an hour. Do it the day before, or the morning of. It takes less time than you think.
Tools
Phillips head screwdriver for most wooden frames. Allen keys for IKEA and flat pack beds — usually 4mm or 5mm, but if you’ve lost the original, a metric set is under £10 from any hardware shop. Metal frames tend to use hex bolts, so an adjustable spanner or a socket wrench. A rubber mallet for stuck joints. And the thing most people don’t bother with but should: ziplock bags and a permanent marker. Label your hardware as you go. It takes 30 seconds per bag and saves you a serious headache later.
If you’d rather someone else handle it, furniture disassembly is a service you can add to a booking separately.
The process
1. Strip the bed first
Bedding off, mattress out of the room if you can manage it. Clear the floor around the frame too. Screws roll, and they always end up under the wardrobe.
2. Look before you touch anything
Spend a minute identifying how the frame actually connects before you start undoing things. Headboard, footboard, two side rails, slats or a base — those are the main parts. The fixings are usually bolts, screws, cam locks (IKEA), or hook-and-slot on metal frames. Take photos of the connection points now. Not because it’s complicated, but because reassembly is always three weeks later in a different house and you will not remember.
3. Slats out first
Lift wooden slats free and set them aside. Many are connected by a fabric strip — roll it up rather than pulling. Platform beds with solid bases sometimes need unscrewing from the rails, so check before you yank.
4. Headboard and footboard
Get someone to hold the headboard while you take out the last fastener. They topple. Lean both pieces against a wall with something padded between them and the wall. For larger headboards, especially heavy upholstered ones, this is also the point where a second pair of hands makes the difference between fine and a scuffed wall. Anything particularly bulky is worth handling carefully — oversized furniture moving is its own discipline and big headboards on narrow staircases catch people out.
5. Side rails
Should lift free once the headboard and footboard are off. Some frames have a centre support beam — detach that first. Metal frames often fold at a hinge in the middle once everything’s disconnected, which makes them much easier to carry.
6. Hardware goes in bags immediately
Not in a pocket. Not in a pile. Into labelled bags, taped to the frame. Headboard bolts separate from footboard bolts because they look the same but often aren’t.
Different frame types
Metal frames
Quickest to disassemble, usually. Wing nuts or hex bolts, sometimes just by hand. Most fold in half once the slats are out. Don’t force bent metal — it damages the frame and you still need it to go back together.
Wooden frames
Slower. Use the right screwdriver size or you’ll strip the heads, and once that happens you’re dealing with a problem you didn’t have before. Stuck joints after the fasteners are out usually mean either a hidden screw or wood that’s swelled a bit. Tap with a rubber mallet. Don’t pull.
IKEA beds
Everyone’s done one of these at least once. The cam locks inside the frame release with an Allen key — the arrow points toward whatever you’re disconnecting. They’re designed to come apart, but the particle board gets slightly weaker each time as the screw holes open up. Fine for a couple of moves. If you’re on your fourth reassembly, don’t be surprised if it’s wobblier than it used to be.
Divans
Split into two halves held by metal clips or velcro. Take the drawers out first. Makes the whole thing lighter and easier to angle through a door.
Storage beds and ottomans
More work. Drawers first, then internal dividers. Ottoman beds with gas struts: secure the lifted base before getting underneath it. Those struts drop without warning.
Adjustable beds
Unplug before you do anything else. Many fold for transport without full disassembly, so check the manual. Don’t disconnect wiring unless it specifically says to.
Mistakes worth avoiding
Power drills on bed frame screws will strip heads and crack particle board. Hand tools only. If a joint won’t move after the fasteners are out, look for a hidden screw before forcing it. Mixed up hardware is easy to prevent with separate labelled bags and annoying to deal with if you don’t. And if you skip the photos at the start, there’s a decent chance you’ll be staring at a pile of components later trying to work out which end the curved rail goes on.
Packing it up
Moving blankets on headboards and footboards. Side rails bundled and taped together. Slats rolled or stacked flat. Particle board corners chip easily so handle them carefully and keep them away from moisture. Metal components need edge padding if they’re going in with anything that can scratch.
FAQs
Should I take apart my bed frame to move?
Yes. The only exception is a basic metal folding frame that collapses without any disassembly.
How long does it take?
A metal frame, maybe 15 minutes. Standard wooden frame, 30 to 45. A storage bed with drawers, or an IKEA frame where the cam locks are stiff or you’re working it out for the first time, could be 90 minutes. Build in more time than you think you need.
Can I reassemble an IKEA bed after taking it apart?
Yes, that’s what they’re built for. The particle board does get slightly less solid each time, but it handles two or three moves without being obviously worse. After that it depends on the frame.
Why does my bed wobble after reassembly?
Usually it’s loose bolts, mixed up hardware, or cam locks that aren’t fully tightened. Check every connection point. If the screw holes have widened in particle board, wooden toothpicks with a bit of wood glue pushed into the hole before the screw goes back in will fix it. Works better than it has any right to.
I’ve lost the assembly instructions. What now?
IKEA has everything on their website — search the product name plus “assembly instructions.” Most other manufacturers do too. Try the support section rather than general search.
Do removal companies do the disassembly for you?
Full service removals usually include it. If you’ve booked a man and van by the hour, doing it yourself before they arrive means less time on the clock.
