How Much Weight Can a Car Camping Platform Hold?
One of the first questions people ask before buying a car camping platform bed is: how much weight can it safely hold? Nobody wants to find out the hard way during a trip. Let’s look at how Teraglide platforms are built, tested, and used in real life.
Tested Weight Capacity of Teraglide Platforms
Our platforms are made from 17–18 mm birch plywood, CNC-cut for precision and strength. Each Teraglide unit has been tested to hold:
- Sleeping surface: up to 180 kg of evenly distributed weight (perfect for one or two people).
- Drawer: up to 50 kg of camping gear or food.
- Clip-on bamboo table: up to 15 kg, enough for cooking or meal prep.
This means your sleeping area stays safe and stable while the storage modules underneath take care of the rest.
Why These Numbers Matter
Some DIY builds use thinner plywood or MDF boards that flex and sag quickly. With 17–18 mm birch ply and reinforced connectors, Teraglide platforms remain stable even under heavy loads. The drawer runners are heavy-duty and lock in both open and closed positions, so they won’t slide out when you park on uneven ground.
Platform vs. Mattress on Folded Seats
If you just put a mattress on folded seats, sleeping won’t be comfortable: the surface is uneven, your body sinks into seat gaps, and “holes” appear. The second problem is storage — there’s no space underneath, so all your gear ends up next to you or on top of the mattress. A platform solves both problems: it creates a flat sleeping surface and provides organised storage underneath. For more details, see our article 10 Reasons Why Sleeping in Your Car with a Teraglide Camping Platform is the Best Choice.
A Bit of Engineering
Independent references show why birch plywood is a solid choice for load-bearing panels. The U.S. Forest Service’s Wood Handbook (Chapter 12) summarises mechanical properties for wood-based composites like plywood. If you prefer a manufacturer data sheet, see UPM’s WISA-Birch technical datasheet.
What About Extra Gear?
No problem. You can safely store bags, water jugs, or even a fridge inside the drawer system, while the sleeping surface stays clear. The Pro version even allows access to the sub-trunk, so you can fit a fridge without losing storage.
Conclusion
A Teraglide car camping platform bed is designed not only for comfort but also for reliability. With a tested load of 180 kg on the sleeping surface, plus 50 kg in the drawer and 15 kg on the table, you can travel knowing your setup is strong, safe, and built to last. Want to learn more about quick setup? Read our guide: Effortless Car Camping: Set Up Your Teraglide Platform in Minutes.