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Conveniently located in the heart of the Eastern seaboard on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. Call 1.800.229.7571 for hours and directions.
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| Inside a Mattress |
INSIDE A MATTRESS
THE SUPPORT CORE
The mattress core is the basic support substance of the whole mattress -- for example an innerspring or a rubber core, which is then covered by materials, providing cushioning and comfort. The core is usually called the “Support Layer”, and it’s the basic foundation of the mattress. The better the core, the better the mattress. Read The Truth About Layers to find out why this is so important. In addition to this, be careful of "support cores" comprised of natural latex with foam as the base and/or memory foam visco-elastic.
THE INSULATOR
This layer separates the innerspring from the filling, and it is usually made of fiber or mesh, with the intention of keeping the materials from sinking into the spring coils.
THE COMFORT LAYER
The cushioning above the core is often called the “Comfort Layer”. It is created from all types of materials, on top of the insulator and beneath the ticking. It is usually made from materials that give maximum comfort — synthetic foams, natural rubber, polyester fibers, cotton or wool batting. Natural fibers are more expensive to produce and incorporate, and are most often found in more luxurious sleep systems. Pillowtops are additional comfort layers placed atop the mattress for even more softness on the surface.
THE TICKING
The outside fabric cover 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 and acrylic, however, some premium mattresses use natural materials such as cotton, silk, down and wool. Often a quilt-top layer is stitched to the underside of the ticking, and provides the immediate soft texture that the user feels when lying on a mattress. Since the ticking produces the look and feel of the mattress, it is usually soft to the touch and expertly finished — everything from wool-batt quilting to to damask fabrics to hand stitched edging. Look for mattresses with natural fiber ticking on the top, as well as the side panels.
THE MATERIALS
The various materials in all components — the core, insulator, comfort layers, quilting, and the ticking fabric — determine the quality of the mattress. Natural fibers tend to be more resilient and breathable, but keep in mind, they cost more to produce versus a bed made from synthetic materials.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR:
- The mattress should be designed to conform to the spine’s natural curves and to keep the spine in alignment when lying down.
- Innersping units should have perimeter edge support. Usually, this will be a heavy gauge border rod, however, in some high end models, a high density rubber or foam surrounds the spring unit to provide edge to edge comfort and support.
- It should be designed to distribute pressure evenly across the body to help circulation, decrease body movement and enhance sleep quality.
- It should be designed to minimize the transfer of movement from one sleeping partner to the other. The pocketcoil innerspring, and rubber core mattresses, achieve this better than traditional innerspring systems.
Fabrics and fibers are the most expensive elements of mattress construction. Fine, natural materials are considered “premium ingredients” in the industry. Wool, silk, feathers, down, bamboo, viscose, ingeo, natural foam rubber, and cotton all increase the cost of the mattress.
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