Mattress Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Innerspring=== Innerspring mattresses commonly consist of just the spring core, and the top and bottom upholstery layers.<ref>{{cite book |title=Back and Bed: Ergonomic Aspects of Sleeping |url=https://archive.org/details/backbedergonomic00haex |url-access=limited |first=Bart |last=Haex |publisher=CRC Press |year= 2005 |isbn=978-0-415-33297-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/backbedergonomic00haex/page/n68 57]}}</ref> ====Core==== {{main|Mattress coil}} The core of the mattress supports the sleeper's body. Modern spring mattress cores, often called "innersprings" are made up of steel [[coil spring]]s, or "coils". The [[American wire gauge|gauge]] of the coils is one factor which determines firmness and support. Coils are measured in quarter increments. The lower the number, the thicker the spring. In general, higher-quality mattress coils have a 14-gauge (1.63 mm) diameter. Coils of 14 to 15.5-gauge (1.63 to 1.37 mm) give more easily under pressure, while a 12.5-gauge (1.94 mm) coil, the thickest typically available, feels quite firm. Connections between the coils help the mattress retain its shape. Most coils are connected by interconnecting wires; encased coils are not connected, but the fabric encasement helps preserve the mattress shape. There are four types of [[mattress coil]]s: * '''Bonnell coils''' are the oldest and most common. First adapted from [[Horse and buggy|buggy seat]] springs of the 19th century, they are still prevalent in mid-priced mattresses. Bonnell springs are a knotted, round-top, hourglass-shaped steel wire coil. When laced together with cross wire helicals, these coils form the simplest innerspring unit, also referred to as a Bonnell unit. * '''Offset coils''' are an hourglass type coil on which portions of the top and bottom convolutions have been flattened. In assembling the innerspring unit, these flat segments of wire are hinged together with helical wires. The hinging effect of the unit is designed to conform to body shape. LFK coils are an unknotted offset coil with a cylindrical or columnar shape. * '''Continuous coils''' (the Leggett & Platt brand name is "Mira-coil") is an innerspring configuration in which the rows of coils are formed from a single piece of wire. They work in a hinging effect similar to that of offset coils. * '''[[Marshall coil]]s''', also known as wrapped or encased coils or '''pocket springs''', are thin-gauge, barrel-shaped, knot-less coils individually encased in fabric pockets—normally a fabric from man-made, non-woven fiber. Some manufacturers pre-compress these coils, which makes the mattress firmer and allows for motion separation between the sides of the bed. As the springs are not wired together, they work more or less independently: the weight on one spring does not affect its neighbors. More than half the consumers who participated in a survey had chosen to buy pocket spring mattresses.<ref name=which>{{cite web |url=http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/choosing-the-best-type-of-mattress/find-the-perfect-bed-mattress/ |title=Mattresses: Choosing the best type of mattress |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150312040242/http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/home-improvements/guides/choosing-the-best-type-of-mattress/find-the-perfect-bed-mattress/ |archive-date=12 March 2015 |website=[[Which?]] |publisher=Consumers Association}}</ref> ====Upholstery layers==== Upholstery layers cover the mattress and provide cushioning and comfort. Some manufacturers call the mattress core the "support layer" and the upholstery layer the "comfort layer". The upholstery layer consists of three parts: the insulator, the middle upholstery, and the quilt. The insulator separates the mattress core from the middle upholstery. It is usually made of fiber or mesh and is intended to keep the middle upholstery in place. The middle upholstery comprises all the material between the insulator and the quilt. It is usually made from materials which are intended to provide comfort to the sleeper, including flexible polyurethane foam (which includes convoluted "egg-crate" foam), viscoelastic foam, latex foam, felt, polyester fiber, cotton fiber, wool fiber and non-woven fiber pads. In Europe and North America, mattress makers have begun incorporating gel-infused foams, soft-solid gels layered over foam, and poured gels in the top comfort layer of the bed.<ref>James, Gary. "[http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2012/09/gel-foams-meet-fast-growing-mattress-industry-demand/ Gel foams meet fast-growing demand] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005001203/http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2012/09/gel-foams-meet-fast-growing-mattress-industry-demand/ |date=2012-10-05 }}". ''BedTimes Magazine''. October 2012. Retrieved 2012-9-26.</ref> The quilt is the top layer of the mattress. Made of light foam or fibers stitched to the underside of the ticking, it provides a soft surface texture to the mattress and can be found in varying degrees of firmness. ====Foundation==== There are three main types of foundation or [[bed base]]: * A traditional box spring consists of a rigid frame containing extra heavy duty springs. This foundation is often paired with an innerspring mattress, as it extends the life of the spring unit at the mattress's core. * An all-wood foundation usually has seven or eight support slats disposed below [[paperboard]] or [[beaverboard]]. This foundation, variously called a "no-flex", "low-flex" or ''zero-deflection'' unit, as well as an "ortho box", provides support similar to a platform foundation. All-wood foundations have become increasingly prevalent as U.S. mattress makers shifted to super-thick, one-sided mattresses.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Nelles |first=Barbara |title=New features rev up steel frames & support systems |journal=BedTimes Magazine |date=February 2012 |url= http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2012/02/new-features-rev-up-steel-frames-support-systems/ |access-date=11 February 2014}}</ref> * A grid-top foundation bed base is a type of bed foundation that features a grid-like structure made of metal or wood slats. The slats are spaced apart to provide support for a mattress and improve airflow to keep the mattress cool and dry. This type of bed base is often used as an alternative to traditional box springs, which may be less durable and may not provide adequate support for heavier mattresses. Grid-top foundation bed bases are typically more durable and may offer greater stability for the mattress. The grid-top design also allows for better weight distribution and can reduce pressure points, which can be beneficial for people with back pain or joint issues. Additionally, the open design of the foundation can make it easier to move and store compared to bulkier box springs. Typically the measurements of a foundation will be about 1–2″ shorter than the measurement of a mattress. ====Fabric cover==== [[Ticking]] is the protective fabric cover used to encase mattresses and foundations. It is usually designed to coordinate with the foundation border fabric and comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. Mattress fabrics can be knits, damask or printed wovens, or inexpensive non-wovens. During the past decade, along with the rise in popularity of all-foam beds, stretchy knit ticking on the bed's top panel has become a standard look on both innerspring and foam beds. Most ticking is made with polyester yarns. More expensive mattress fabrics may contain a combination of polyester with rayon, cotton, silk, wool or other natural yarns.<ref>Nelles, Barbara. [http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2009/11/dress-up/ "Dress up: Mattress fabrics take on many roles"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104150022/http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2009/11/dress-up/ |date=2013-11-04 }}. ''[http://bedtimesmagazine.com BedTimes Magazine]'', November 2009. Retrieved 2011-8-21.</ref> Up until the early 2000s, beds were normally upholstered with a single fabric. This was usually a damask ticking or, for inexpensive bedsets, a non-woven fabric covering all surfaces of the mattress and foundation. Today's bedsets are covered with up to six different fabrics: A better quality circular knit or woven damask on the top panel—the bed's sleeping surface; a matching or contrasting (usually woven) fabric on the border of the mattress; a matching or contrasting (usually woven) fabric on the foundation side panels; a 'non-skid' woven or non-woven fabric on the surface of the foundation and reverse side of the mattress; and a non-woven dust cover on the under side of the foundation. Some North American mattress producers are beginning to use furniture upholstery fabrics on the bed's borders giving beds a more European, home furnishings look.<ref>Nelles, Barbara. [http://bedtimesmagazine.com/2011/10/judging-a-bed-by-its-cover/ "Judging a bed by its cover"]. ''[http://www.bedtimesmagazine.com BedTimes Magazine]''. October 2011. Retrieved 2012-1-2.</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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