How to Set Up a Soft-side Waterbed

Frame

• 1

  Place the side rails on the floor and the headboard at the head of the location where the bed will sit.

• 2

  Insert the side rails into the headboard notches. Attach the cross-rails to the side rails with nuts and bolts. One cross-rail is located at the head of the bed, one is placed in the center and one is located at the end of the rail.

• 3

  Place the feet into the crossbars so that the bed is supported on the floor. Each of the cross-rails has three feet that are inserted from the bottom.

Mattress

• 4

  Place the foundation mattress in the frame. Place the mattress cover on top of the foundation. The cover has a zipper. Unzip the cover and let it hang down on the side of the foundation so it's out of the way.

• 5

  Place the four foam pieces in the foundation. The two shorter pieces are put in the foundation first, with one at the head of the bed and one at the foot of the bed. Place the two longer pieces on the sides of the bed inside the foundation. This is the shell for the mattress.

• 6

  Place the heater on top of the fabric foam cavity. The wire for the heater is run out through the precut hole in the cover and foam to the side where the heater control will be mounted. Make sure that the heater is flat, with no wrinkles or creases in it.

• 7

  Place the waterbed vinyl liner on the heater and foam pieces. The liner is large enough to fold the liner over the sides of the foam pieces. Make sure there are no wrinkles over the top of the heater.

• 8

  Place the water mattress bladder in the foundation on top of the vinyl liner. Spread the mattress out so that each corner is flush with the foundation corners. Make sure there are no wrinkles underneath the mattress over the heater.

Filling the Mattress

• 9

  Fill the mattress with the waterbed fill kit. There is an adapter that winds into the plastic connector on the mattress. The hose is connected to this adapter and to a faucet. Fill the mattress with warm water to the firmness you prefer.

• 10

  Disconnect the hose and the adapter on the mattress connector. Screw on the cap to the mattress connector and push it down in the mattress. Do not fill the bed with hot water.

• 11

  Place the mattress cover on top of the filled mattress and bring up the side of the foundation cover. Zip the cover to the foundation to conceal the waterbed mattress. Turn on the heater and allow the bed at least 24 to 48 hours to heat.