Ottoman Bed Problems: How to Fix a Bed That Won't Stay Up, Won't Close or Squeaks

An ottoman bed has one moving part doing nearly all the work: a pair of gas struts that take the weight of your mattress when you lift the base. So when something goes wrong, it almost always comes back to those struts, the weight sitting on them, or the frame they're bolted to.

Most of these faults can be traced in about ten minutes. You'll need an empty storage well and a second pair of hands. Below, we go through each symptom, what normally causes it and what to do about it. If your bed came from us and is still within its two-year warranty, read the section near the end before you order any parts.

Quick Diagnosis: Match the Symptom to the Cause

Two Safety Rules Before You Start

The platform and mattress together are heavy. A worn strut can let them drop without warning.

• Never put your head, hands or body under a raised base unless someone is holding it or it's propped securely with a length of timber.
• Never cut, drill, heat or try to open a gas strut. They hold gas under high pressure.

Also take everything out of the storage well before you test anything. You want to see how the bed behaves on its own.

How the Gas Lift Works

Each strut is a sealed metal cylinder with a thin rod sliding out of one end. The gas inside pushes that rod outwards. That push does most of the lifting for you, and it's also what holds the base open.

Every strut has a force rating in newtons, printed on the cylinder (for example, 800N). The rating is chosen to suit the weight of a particular platform and mattress. With too little force, the base won't stay up. With too much, it won't stay down. Almost every fault in this guide comes from that balance going wrong.

Why Won't My Ottoman Bed Stay Up?

The struts are fitted the wrong way round

On most beds, the thicker cylinder sits at the top and the thin rod points down. Fitted upside down, a strut can lose its grip on the load. This happens most often after a house move, when the bed has been taken apart and rebuilt in a hurry. Compare the struts with your assembly instructions or a photo of the bed when it was new, and refit them if they've been swapped.

The struts have lost pressure

Struts wear out gradually. The seals age, a little gas escapes each year, and the push gets weaker.

Signs of worn struts:

• The base drifts down on its own.
• You have to hold the base up while you get something out.
• One corner sits lower than the other.
• There's an oily film on the rod.

To check, lift the base halfway with just the mattress on it and let go carefully. If it sinks, the struts need replacing. Always replace both at once, even if only one looks worn.

The mattress is heavier than the struts were built for

Maybe you've switched to a deep pocket-sprung mattress with a pillow top, or added a thick topper. Struts that coped perfectly with your old mattress can now be outweighed. You have two options: go back to a lighter mattress, or fit struts with a higher newton rating. Ask the bed's maker before you go stronger, because oversized struts put strain on the hinges and can stop the base closing.

Why Won't My Ottoman Bed Close?

Something is in the way

This is the most common cause, and the easiest to fix. Look for:

• a storage box that's slightly too tall
• a duvet corner caught in the hinge
• a coat hanger leaning against the rim

Leave a hand's width of clear space around the edges of the well. Soft vacuum bags squash down, so they work better than rigid boxes.

The mattress is now too light

This is the opposite of the problem above. Say you've replaced a heavy sprung mattress with a lighter foam one. The struts now push harder than the load needs, so the base rises on its own or needs holding down. A heavier mattress fixes it, or struts with a lower newton rating. If your bed has a catch or strap to hold the platform shut, check it's engaged.

Why Does the Base Sit Unevenly or Leave a Gap?

If the platform closes on one side but gapes on the other, the frame has probably twisted slightly out of square. Measure corner to corner in both directions. The two diagonals should match to within a few millimetres.

If they don't:

• Loosen the main frame bolts a little.
• Push the frame back into square.
• Tighten the bolts in stages, working diagonally across the frame, much as you'd tighten the wheel nuts on a car.

Two other things to rule out:

• The floor. Old houses often have sloping floors. Put a spirit level on the closed platform and pack under a foot if needed.
• A single failing strut. If one strut is weaker than the other, one side will sit lower. It's another reason to always replace struts as a pair.

Why Is My Ottoman Bed Hard to Lift?

Check these in order:

• Mattress and bedding weight. The struts lift the platform, the mattress and everything on top of it. A topper, a heavy winter duvet and a pile of cushions all add up.
• Weak struts. If the bed used to lift easily and now doesn't, they're losing pressure.
• Something snagging underneath. Anything stored in the well stays put when you lift, so it doesn't add weight. But if something is pressing up against the underside of the platform, it will drag.
• Where you're lifting from. Pulling from one corner twists the platform against the hinges. Use the handle or strap, or lift from the middle of the edge with both hands.

Why Does My Ottoman Bed Slam Shut?

Struts don't only lift the base. They also slow it down on the way back. When they start losing pressure, the platform closes faster than it should.

Don't keep using the lift once it starts slamming. It's hard on the frame and dangerous for fingers, and more so if children or pets are around. Replace the struts.

Squeaks, Creaks and Clicks

Upholstered bed frames are mostly timber, and new timber settles over the first few weeks. As it does, bolts that were tight on delivery day start to loosen, and loose joints squeak.

To stop it:

• Go round every bolt about a month after delivery and snug it up, then again every few months.
• Don't overtighten. You can crush the timber or strip the thread.
• If a single corner keeps creaking, the frame may be slightly out of square. See the section on uneven gaps above.

Other noises to check:

• Clicking from the slats. Sprung slats sit in plastic end caps and can tick as they move. Make sure every slat is fully seated, curving upwards like a rainbow. A strip of felt between two surfaces that rub will quieten it.
• Noise from the hinge. A tiny amount of silicone spray on the metal pivot points helps. Keep it off the strut rods.

If you can't find where a noise is coming from, get someone to lie on the bed and roll over while you listen at each corner. Every so often, the squeak turns out to be a floorboard.

How to Replace Ottoman Bed Gas Struts

Struts are a standard part, and swapping them is a job most people can manage with a screwdriver and a helper.

What to buy. Match these three things on your old struts:

• the newton rating printed on the cylinder
• the length when fully extended
• the type of fitting at each end

Buy them as a pair.

How to swap them:

• Empty the storage well. With a helper, raise the base and prop it firmly with a length of timber.
• Take a photo of how the old struts are fitted, especially which end is at the top.
• Release one strut at a time. Most are held by a clip or a small bolt at each end.
• Fit the new strut the same way round as the old one, then do the other side.
• Take the prop away slowly and test the lift a few times before you put anything back underneath.

Old struts still hold gas. Take them to your local recycling centre as scrap metal rather than crushing them or putting them in the household bin.

How Much Weight Can an Ottoman Bed Hold?

People often mix up two different limits here.

• The weight you sleep on. While the bed is closed, the frame and slats carry you, not the struts. That limit depends on how the frame is built.
• The weight the struts lift. That's the platform, mattress and bedding. This is where mattress choice matters, and why the listed mattress weight is worth checking before you buy. Our guide to choosing a mattress for an upholstered bed covers this in more detail.
• Things stored in the well sit on the base, so they aren't lifted each time you open the bed. You can fill it with heavy items, as long as nothing sticks up past the rim. What you shouldn't do is sit on the edge of an open platform or pile things on top of it while it's raised.

Habits That Keep the Lift Working for Years

• Lift from the middle of the edge, not a corner.
• Guide the base down instead of letting it drop.
• Keep a clear gap around the rim of the storage well.
• Don't let children climb into the well or ride the platform.
• Check the bolts twice a year.
• If you change mattress, check the lift still balances.

When to Contact Us Instead

Every Deeplay bed is assembled in your room by our delivery team. A little settling in the first few weeks is normal. If the lift feels wrong from the start, though, tell us rather than living with it.

All our beds come with a 24-month warranty covering the frame's structure and craftsmanship. If yours is within that period, contact us before you buy replacement parts. Send your order number and a short video of the problem, and we'll check whether it's covered.

Stop using the lift altogether and get in touch if you see:

• a bent strut rod
• a cracked weld on the hinge
• split timber where a bracket is fixed

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do ottoman bed gas struts last?

Several years with normal use. How long exactly depends on how often the bed is opened, and on how well the mattress weight matches the strut rating. When the base starts drifting down or needs holding open, the struts are wearing out.

Can I replace just one gas strut?

It's better not to. A new strut next to a worn one pushes unevenly, which twists the platform and strains the hinges. Always change them as a pair.

Why won't my new ottoman bed close?

Check for bedding caught in the hinge or anything stored above the rim first. If the well is clear, your mattress may be lighter than the struts were chosen for, which is common with lightweight foam mattresses.

Is it safe to store heavy things in an ottoman bed?

Yes. Items in the well sit on the base and aren't lifted with the platform. Keep everything below the rim so the bed closes flush.

Should I choose a divan instead to avoid these problems?

Divan drawers have no gas parts, so there's less that can wear. On the other hand, ottoman struts are cheap and easy to replace, and you get far more storage. Our ottoman bed vs divan bed guide compares the two properly.

Can I fix an ottoman bed myself?

Most problems, yes: retightening bolts, clearing the well, squaring the frame and swapping struts. Anything involving damaged metalwork or split timber needs a professional, or the manufacturer if the bed is under warranty.

If you're still choosing a bed and want storage that's built to last, have a look at our ottoman beds. New to them? Start with what an ottoman bed is and how it works.