Information AboutMattress |
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In the United States it is typically constructed of multiple layers of made with metal springs in a wooden frame. Mattresses made mainly of foam materials such as latex foam, Viscoelastic Foam and other Polyurethane -type foam, are becoming more common. Mattresses can be constructed to use almost any support system such as air, water, foam, or springs. If a mattress is permanently covered in fabric, this fabric is normally called the Ticking . HISTORY
The expression "sleep tight" comes from the 16th and 17th centuries when mattresses were placed on top of ropes that needed regular tightening. circular promoting home production of cotton mattresses]]
MATTRESS DIMENSIONS Most mattresses have a thickness from 6 to 18 inches. WHEN DOES A MATTRESS NEED REPLACING?
COMPONENTS OF AN INNERSPRING MATTRESS A common innerspring mattress consists of three components:
SPRING MATTRESS CORE The core of the mattress is the most important part in the support of the body. In most modern mattresses (except for the foam-only ones), it is made up of steel Coils springs, also known simply as coils. The spring mattress core is also called innerspring. It provides support to the set. Proper support is where the wire coils push back in response to weight deflection to hold the body in alignment. The steel coil spring was invented during the industrial revolution and was first patented for use in a chair seat in 1857. Then, in 1871, Heinrich Westphal invented the innerspring mattress. He lived in Germany and died in poverty, having never profited from his invention. Number of coils In the past, conventional wisdom said that the more coils a mattress has, the more support it will give the user. This is not necessarily true today. The coil construction will determine the amount of support the user gets. Generally, but depending on the mattress size, they come with 300 to 800 coils. Depending on the size, 500 to 800 coils is considered firm. However, some expensive and comfortable mattress only have around 400 coils, and it takes as few as 312 coils in a full mattress to provide decent support. This is due to the use of a heavier gauge wire, resulting in more steel. Assuming that the overall coil count is decent, a heavy duty innerspring mattress may also increase the longevity of the mattress for large users. Additionally, there are some other misconceptions as far as coil count and firmness are concerned. Doctors once said that a firmer mattress will give better support. This was actually only true with a small percentage of people, back and stomach sleepers. Most people sleep on their side, and as the side of the human body is not flat like the back, better body conformity provides better support because it put the spine into proper alignment or it's natural resting position. Usually this is achieved with an individually wrapped coil system (see below.) Gauge of the coils Most would think that obviously heavy gauge (thick) coils will offer a great deal of support while light gauge coils will give less support. This couldn't be farther from the truth. Some mattress manufacturers will compensate for a higher (thinner) gauge of steel by using a higher coil count. A low coil count and heavy gauge wire can pass as a firm mattress in the store, but it is likely that this mattress will become lumpy quickly because it does not have enough coils. Many premium mattresses feature 14-gauge (1.63 mm) coils. Coils are measured in quarter increments. The lower the number, the thicker the spring. With coils of 14 to 15.5 gauge (1.63 to 1.37 mm), it is important that the total coil count be high to compensate for the fact that they give so easily under pressure. A 12.5 gauge (1.94 mm) innerspring, the thickest typically available, may feel rock hard in a double mattress even with a coil count of 400 or less. Connections between the coils Generally, the number and quality of these interconnecting wires is not published by the manufacturers. If there are too few of these interconnecting wires a mattress can lose its shape more quickly than one that has an adequate amount. Mattresses that sag quickly usually have few interconnecting wires. There are some manufacturers that make individually pocketed coils, which avoid movement on different sides of the bed because they are not interconnected. However, the special pockets provide the support required by the coil instead of the interconnection with other coils. Types of coils Construction-wise, most manufacturers claim to have the best coil-to-gauge ratio. However, there are only a few innerspring manufacturers and four general types. One thing to remember is that while there are many different types of coils and many manufacturers, most manufacturers have their coils made by one company, Leggett & Platt. Bonnel coils These are the oldest and most commonly used. They were adapted from Buggy Seat springs of the 19th century. They are still prevalent in low priced mattresses. They have an hour-glass shape, and the ends of the wire are knotted or wrapped around the top and bottom circular portion of the coil (round-topped and self tied). Marshal coils Also called "pocketed coils." Each coil is wrapped in a fabric encasement, and is usually tempered twice, once with heat and once with electricity. The brand Simmons uses pocketed coils in their mattresses. Simmons also does some things that other brands that use pocketed coils don't. They "pre-compress" their pocketed coil, which means that they pack the coil into a "pocket" that is shorter (usually by a couple inches) than the coil. By "pre-compressing" the coil, it becomes firmer (sort of) because the coil is already in action (it is always pushing up.) Additionally, when two people sleep on the same mattress, the individually wrapped (or individually pocketed) coil provides motion separation (when one person tosses and turns, the other doesn't feel it.) This is important because when one person tosses and turns, it may not completely wake the other person, but, it can take them out of a deep sleep which is when the body does all of its regeneration. When a sleeper is undisturbed at night they can fall into that deep sleep faster, stay in a deeper sleep longer and wake up feeling more refreshed because it allows the sleeper to get more use out of their sleep. Offset coils Bonnell coils evolved into Offset coils, which are currently popular, but happen to be the most expensive ones. They are almost identical to the Bonnell coils, except that the top and bottom circular part of the coils have flat or straight sides, which allow for better hinging action when they are placed together in a spring unit, and which can be easily aligned. An evolution of the offset coils brought the elimination of the knot that tied the end of the wire to the coil. In other words, offset coils might be tied off or feature a loose end (sensory arm). These are called "open end offset coils". These improvements gave offset coils an extra turn of working wire for greater spring action on each end of the coil. Continuous coil They look like double wire spirals or loose ringlets, creating a network of wire running nonstop through the entire bed. The brand Serta uses continuous coils in their mattresses. Kingsdown also uses such a system. The idea is that with a continuous coil system, each coil is connected to the next so that it can draw strength from it. This type of coil system does tend to be the strongest, however we must remember that strength does not dictate support. FOUNDATIONS Although in the past the foundation actually contained springs, increasingly today it functions primarily to elevate the mattress, although a good box spring can help prolong the life and comfort of the mattress. There are three main types of foundations: Traditional wood foundation It is usually made of pine or similar hard wood. It usually has seven or eight support slats, covered with cardboard or beaverboard. This type of foundation, called by the industry a ''zero deflection unit'', increases the feeling of firmness or stability. Box spring It features extra-heavy-duty springs. If the springs match the mattress it is called a ''coil upon coil'' box spring. Since a box spring has coils, it generally increases the give in the mattress, which in turn produces a softer or bouncier feel. Today, the boxspring is all but extinct. research showed that boxsprings had too much give to them and caused coiled mattresses to sag prematurely. Most mattress manufacturers have switched to a rigid foundation with little or no fluctuation. By doing this and putting a high density block foam directly underneath the coils, the mattresses last longer. Grid foundation It is a combination of steel and wood. UPHOLSTERY LAYERS The mattress core is covered by several soft materials, providing cushioning and comfort. Some manufacturers call the mattress core by the name "Support layer" and the cushioning materials by the name "Comfort layer". The "Comfort layer"can be divided into three sub-layers — Insulator, Middle Upholstery and Quilt. Aside from the number and gauge of the coils, the upholstery layers are used to differentiate the different "qualities" of mattresses that manufacturers produce. Insulator This layer separates the mattress core from the upholstery, and it is usually made of fiber or mesh, with the intention of keeping the middle upholstery in place. Middle upholstery The middle upholstery comprises all types of materials on top of the insulator and beneath the quilt. It is usually made from materials that give maximum comfort — regular foam, viscoelastic foam, felt, polyester fibers, cotton fibers, egg-crate foam, non-woven fiber pads, etc. Quilt The quilt is a top layer of the mattress made of light foam or fibers stitched to the underside of the ticking, and provides the immediate soft texture that the user feels when lying on a mattress. The quilt can be firm or soft and plush. The protective fabric cover, which encases the support and comfort layers of the mattress, is called ticking. It is usually made to match the foundation and comes in a wide variety of colors and styles. Most ticking is made of synthetic fibers like polyester, latex and acrylic, or of natural materials such as cotton, silk & wool. The ticking produces the look and feel of the mattress, so it is usually soft to the touch and attractive to the buyer (at least that is what manufacturers intend to create). CHOOSING A MATTRESS There is no proven scientific way of finding the right mattress, so the best advice is to try it out. Testing a mattress
What to look for
Sealy (21.3%), Simmons (15.4%), and Serta (13.9%) are the largest three mattress manfacturers in the industry. The number listed in parentheses is the market share of each company in 2004. Firmer or softer There are three main sleep positions — Back, stomach and side. During a night's sleep, most people use more than one position. The sleeping position determines which part of the body will interface with the mattress, which in turn determines the amount of stress to the body. It is a common misconception that a "firm" or hard mattress provides better support. Doctors used to say that when they were rather oblivious about people's sleep habits and thought that everybody slept on their back 100% of the time. Now that we know that a majority of Americans sleep mostly on their side, further research tells us that a mattress that conforms better to the shape of the body provides better support. Firm preference
Soft preference
Not firm nor soft
Firm AND soft The brand Simmons currently produces King and Queen sized mattresses with a softer side and another firmer side, for the different tastes of the sleeping partners. Furthermore, there is a "Sleep number" bed that inflates and deflates inner air chambers to make it harder or softer, with separate controls and air chambers for both sides of the mattress, also to adjust to the different comfort preferences of the sleeping partners. Fluff and sag Fabric is the most expensive element of mattress construction. Wool, silk, foam and cotton all increase the cost of the mattress. Thick layers of padding are more likely than the springs to compress to the point of feeling like the mattress is sagging. The fabric, foam or cotton eventually become concave because thick plush or pillowtop components eventually break down even if the springs do not. Unlike an eggcrate or other forms of padding, the mattress inner components cannot be removed and replaced when damaged. Size In the United States Twin and Double/Full/Matrimonial size are 75-78 inches long, depending on manufacturer. Queen and King are 80 inches long. "California" sizes, such as California King are 84 inches long. Extra Long sizes take the length to 80 inches. See Bedding for more sizes. A mattress should be at least six inches longer than the tallest person who will be sleeping on it. MAINTENANCE AND CARE
GLOSSARY
TRIVIA In '' Life, The Universe And Everything '' by Douglas Adams , mattresses are "... large, friendly, pocket-sprung creatures which live quiet private lives in the marshes of Squornshellous Zeta. Many of them get caught, slaughtered, dried out, shipped out, and slept on. None of them seem to mind and all of them are called Zem." Very few mattresses actually come back to life and attack the sleeper. ''See Races And Species In The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy '' United States law requires all new mattresses, pillows, upholstered chairs, and similar . Some states require tags on used bedding as well. {Link without Title} SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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