Community Forums

calico · 12-05-2011, 12:54 PM

We have a short queen bed in our coach, I've been buying standard queen sheets and modifying them to fit. No problems making the bottom fitted sheet six inches shorter, but the top sheet doesn't stay tucked in because of the mattress overhang at the end of the bed. The mattress extends about six inches beyond the plywood base. Last time I stitched the top sheet to the bottom sheet, always had a tangled up mess on laundry day. This time I stitched some velcro to top and bottom sheets near the bottom elastic, will see if that works any better. What is everyone else doing??? Am trying to save a few bucks instead of buying sheets made for the short rv beds.

nosticks · 12-05-2011, 04:29 PM

My last cruising boat had an odd shaped berth. I modified a set of King sheets to fit. I solved the problem of the top sheet pulling out by stitching velcro to the bottom and top sheets. I think you will find it will work well. The tangled mess you mentioned by stitching them together won't be solved however as the velcro finds it's mate every time in the dryer. The good news is you can easily pull them apart.

calico · 12-05-2011, 05:07 PM

Darn, didn't think about that!!! I also thought about stitching some extra fabric to the bottom of the top sheet to make it long enough to tuck under the mattress and catch the plywood.

LadyFitz... · 12-05-2011, 05:38 PM

Since you already have a queen short mattress, I'm finding it odd the plywood is 6" shorter than the mattress. That would also make it rough to sit on the end of the bed. Is there any reason you could just replace the plywood with some long enough to fully support the mattress?

Cougarkid · 12-05-2011, 06:15 PM

Not the same issue, but a solution:

Not sure why your mattress hangs 6" over the end of the wood.

We replaced the short queen mattress in our old rv with a standard queen mattress. We wanted the extra length, pillowtop, and needed a new one anyway.

The mattress hung 6"+ off the end of the plywood base due to added length. A new piece of plywood (4'x8') would not fix the problem. It was too short to work. The original piece was longer that 4' and wider than 4'.

Our base was also a storage space. It was hinged near the back of the rv (head of the bed) with a flat piece screwed to the base. The solution was to replace the short piece at the hinge.

I removed the plywood base, hinge, short piece and all. I replaced the shorter, screwed down piece with one that allowed the mattress to fit correctly. I had to relocate the bracing on the underside of the larger piece to fit back into the base, also.

Sheets fit great and the mattress doesn't hang over any more.

It's a bit of work, but worth it in the end.

Mike

calico · 12-05-2011, 06:33 PM

That's another good idea, making the plywood longer! We can't go with a standard queen length, our mattress bottom comes within inches of touching the drawers when the slide is in now. I've already shortened these sheets. Maybe next summer we can redo the plywood, ours has a hinge for storage too. We're getting stuff ready now to head to Arizona the day after Christmas. Yahoo, can't hardly wait!!! We did a 'practice run' last winter for five weeks to see if we could stand each other living in a tin can. It went well!

TurtleKent · 12-05-2011, 06:39 PM

I stapled some of the rubber non-skid shelf liner to the top of the plywood at the foot of the bed. Maybe that would help.

TAZ · 12-05-2011, 07:12 PM

In the past I have replaced my boat mattresses with a full queen. Our current RV has a full sleep number queen and it overhangs about 3 to 4 inches. The mattress kept slipping down and sheets had the same problem described by OP. I attached a 6 inch foot board with 6 inch angle brackets. Holds the mattress in place as well as the sheets.

ernest917 · 12-05-2011, 07:29 PM

Safety pins..... The mattress cover to the mattress; bottom & top sheets to the mattress..... They absolutely stay in place.... Put them down the sides and across the bottom...

calico · 12-05-2011, 07:41 PM

Now you're talking! I like the safety pin idea, will try that! Last trip the top sheet came loose and was in a wad around my neck. I knew there would be some good tips!

**NLOVNIT** · 12-05-2011, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ernest917

Safety pins..... The mattress cover to the mattress; bottom & top sheets to the mattress..... They absolutely stay in place.... Put them down the sides and across the bottom...

Do you find the pins tear at the cover/sheets? I move around a lot & would be afraid the squirming & tugging would stress where they attach.

Lori-

Wayne M · 12-05-2011, 08:01 PM

Okay! Here's my suggestion.

They sell "sheet stays." They are like suspenders but single instead of crossed and sewn together. Maybe even just purchasing an individual suspender strap. These both have the snap and hold ends. Attach two suspender straps to the edge of the sheet and towards each end but still about a foot or two towards the center. Cross the straps underneath the mattress and attach to the bottom edge of the fitted sheet. There should be enough pressure on the suspender strap to hold the sheet in place. If you get a long enough set of straps you could go from bottom of top sheet to top part of the edge of the fitted sheet.

I use this same method on my bottom King size sheet on an RV king bed but I do it across from side to side and it hold the bottom she, not fitted , well in place. I don't have a problem with the top of bottom of the sheet as I have a full piece of plywood to tuck the sheet underneath.

Happy trails.

ernest917 · 12-05-2011, 08:06 PM

Safety pins are fantastic..... No - they don't harm the sheets and the sheets DO NOT MOVE.... Been using this method for years.... I put them about a foot apart all the way around the bottom and about two feet or so up each side....

TAZ · 12-05-2011, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

Okay! Here's my suggestion.

They sell "sheet stays." They are like suspenders but single instead of crossed and sewn together. Maybe even just purchasing an individual suspender strap. These both have the snap and hold ends. Attach two suspender straps to the edge of the sheet and towards each end but still about a foot or two towards the center. Cross the straps underneath the mattress and attach to the bottom edge of the fitted sheet. There should be enough pressure on the suspender strap to hold the sheet in place. If you get a long enough set of straps you could go from bottom of top sheet to top part of the edge of the fitted sheet.

I use this same method on my bottom King size sheet on an RV king bed but I do it across from side to side and it hold the bottom she, not fitted , well in place. I don't have a problem with the top of bottom of the sheet as I have a full piece of plywood to tuck the sheet underneath.

Happy trails.

Didn't we use the same thing in our Bravos to hook our socks to our shirts to keep the socks up and the shirts tucked in tight?