Why A Good Foundation Matters
A supportive bed base is just as important as the mattress itself. Like weve mentioned, an appropriate base can make the difference in keeping a mattress warranty valid. Foundations ensure that mattresses are properly supported and increase their longevity. They also allow for the customization the height of the mattress and provide air circulation benefits for cooler sleep. Lastly, they act as a protectant by raising mattresses away from dust, dirt, and mold.
Do I Need A Foundation
The type of base you need depends on your mattress and bed frame. Innerspring mattresses usually do well with a box spring and foundation. However, there are different types of beds that are designed to support a mattress. Adjustable beds and platform beds are two examples. It will also often work to place a mattress directly on the floor.
Latex beds and memory foam beds often feel better on a more solid surface than a foundation provides. They work well with an adjustable base or platform, but that’s not to say you can’t use a traditional foundation with them. It comes down to preference and what your warranty requires. The same goes for hybrid mattresses, which can work well with traditional box springs or the more modern solutions.
Learn more about different types of mattresses:
Related: Do I Need a Box Spring With My Mattress? and When Should I Buy a New Box Spring/Foundation?
Good Bases For Your Foam Or Hybrid Mattress
Like we mentioned before, a box spring won’t give your foam or hybrid mattress enough support and over time, your bed will start to sag through the gaps in your box spring. Don’t stresswe’ve broken down the different types of bases and foundations that will work with your Leesa or Sapira mattress so you can rest on.
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What Foundation Or Set Up Should I Use For The O Mattress
The foundation that is used for The O Mattress is almost as important as the blend of the OmniFoundation Compression Foam, OmniEvolution Luxury Foam, and OmniCool Cooling Gel Memory Foam that goes into each O Mattress. It can affect the lifespan and performance of the mattress.
If you are not changing your existing box spring or foundation when you order you O Mattress, we recommend using a Bunkie board between the mattress and box spring to provide even and continuous support for the mattress. The other options are a platform base or slats. Slats need to be thick enough and close enough together to support the mattress. More information can be found in our warranty document.
Is It Bad To Put A Mattress On The Floor
In most cases, no. A floor is a solid support for a mattress as long as you don’t mind being so close to the ground. It will not hard your mattress to use it on a floor.
One consideration is airflow. Using a box-type foundation or a bed frame raises your mattress off the floor, alloying air to flow all around it. If your mattress is on the floor, moisture and humidity can’t escape out the bottom. One idea is to periodically turn your mattress on its side and allow it to air out for a day before plopping it back on the floor.
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Is It Better To Have Your Bed High Or Low
The height of a bed, measured from the top of your mattress to your floor, is often 16 to 25 inches tall. Most people find their most comfortable bed height lets their feet rest on the floor, with their knees level with their hips when they sit on the edge of their bed. If your bed frame is too short, you can invest in a pair of bed risers and raise it by an inch or two.
Bed Frame And Mattress Foundation Guide
Learn which bed frames and foundations will protect your mattress from wear, ensure sound sleep, and increase the longevity of your mattress.
Once youve chosen the perfect mattress, its important to find the right base. A base, sometimes called a foundation, sits under your mattress to support it and protect it from wear. A quality base will extend the lifespan of your mattress and has the potential to improve your sleep. In fact, many mattress companies require that a specific base type be placed under the mattress in order to file warranty claims.
Read on to learn about the types of foundations available today and which might be right for you based on the type of mattress you own and your personal preferences.
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Wooden Slat Bed Supports
These are sets of wooden slats arranged for optimal ventilation on a platform. They’re usually supportive for heavy mattresses, noise-free and offer a remarkable amount of space underneath for storage. They aren’t too pricey and work as a great budget option for those who find full frames too expensive.
What Are The Differences Between A Box Spring A Foundation And A Platform
ITS VERY EASY to be confused about these three mattress terms foundation, box spring and foundation especially since the industry routinely misuses the terms . We asked one of our Comfort Coaches, Nancy Quesada, to help explain the differences.
Box Spring
A true box spring is made of wood and springs or coils in a steel grid pattern. The springs inside the box spring provide give to the innerspring mattress on top. The mattress industry moved away from using traditional box springs almost 20 years ago, replacing them with foundations. However, the term box spring is still frequently used because so many people are accustomed to it.
Foundation
Today, most manufacturers make foundations. A foundation is a sturdy flat structure that is usually constructed of wood, with a flat corrugated board on top. Some foundations may include metal in the construction. Foundations offer superior support for a wide variety of mattresses, including memory foam, latex, innerspring, and airbed mattresses because the solid surface helps to prevent premature sagging of the mattress.
Platform
A platform bed is a piece of furniture that doesnt require a foundation or box spring. With this type of bed, you put your mattress directly on the platform. Platform beds are typically made of wood, and contain a series of wooden slats that run across the bed. A flat piece of wood can be used instead of slats to offer a solid surface for better support.
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Consider Style And Design
Many foundations will be covered by a bed skirt or other bedding materials, which makes this factor less relevant, but there are some beautiful bed frames that can really serve as a statement piece to your bedroom.
Even if style is not top on your list, youll definitely want to make sure your foundation fits your mattress and fits in your room. If youre planning to use an existing headboard, make sure you map out the dimensions to see if it will still work with your new foundation.
What To Consider When Choosing A Foundation
Selecting a foundation for your mattress will depend on several factors, the most important of which is your mattress type. Here are a few guidelines:
- For foam and hybrid mattresses, we dont recommend a box spring, since box springs are designed to support innerspring mattresses. Instead, choose a base with solid reinforcement, like a foundation or platform bed.
- A foundation and metal bed frame is an affordable, simple bed set that raises your mattress off the ground, provides extra storage space and works well with most mattress types.
- Consider investing in a platform bed if you like a stylized, decorative, or modern look. This will take the place of the bed frame and the foundation, and there are hundreds of options and styles to choose from at a variety of price points.
- Adjustable bases increase the versatility of your mattress and are a great option if you want to lounge, relax, read, and sleep in your bed.
- If you have an all-foam mattress, which may sleep warm, consider a slatted foundation or slatted platform base to improve airflow.
- Dont discount the size of your mattress. If you have a queen, king, or California king, it will require a foundation that can support its weight, especially in the middle of the mattress. See: Best Mattresses for Adjustable Beds
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Why Is It Important To Support Your Mattress
Ensuring that your mattress is properly supported is good for both you and your mattress. Mattress support can help you sleep better and help keep your mattress in good shape for longer. When you place your mattress on a flat and supportive base, it is provided with enough stability to absorb shock and prevent shifting and sliding while you sleep. It also makes the mattress more comfortable and allows you to fully reap the benefits of a well-made bed because the base helps the mattress evenly distribute weight. When your mattress and the base that it rests on offer the proper support, you are far less likely to wake up with an achy back or sore hips.
Keeping your bed on a good foundation also prolongs the lifespan of your mattress. The support that a base provides to your mattress minimizes premature sagging and wear, which keeps your bed looking newer longer.
Keeping your bed lifted off of the ground with a base adds height to the mattress. This helps to keep the bed cleaner and free from allergens like dust and bacteria that can easily accumulate when it is too close to the floor. Plus, it adds space for additional storage under the bed.
Mattress Foundation Thickness Guide
Mattress foundation thickness ranges from less than an inch to 18 inches thick. Box springs are typically 8 to 10 inches thick, bunkie boards are typically 1.5 to 3 inches thick, slats are usually ¾ of an inch to 2 inches thick, and platform beds range from 14 to 18 inches thick.
Some mattress foundations, such as platform beds, are very thick. However, some mattress foundations, like slats, are usually quite thin. Depending on which type of mattress you have and how high you want your bed to be, you may want to choose a thicker foundation to raise it, or you may want to choose a thinner foundation to make it lower.
Below, weve included a summary of the thickness of each type of mattress foundation, as well as an example of a foundation that matches this thickness.
| Type of Mattress Foundation |
| ~$90 |
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Do You Need A Box Spring If You Have Slats
In a situation where your bed already has built-in slats, you dont need a box spring. Using a box spring with these slats will not add any support to your mattress, itll only make it higher and weightier.
Platform bed slats are enough to support your mattress on their own. If, however, the slats are too far apart, it will not give adequate support, and your bed will begin to sag.
Bed slats have more advantages than other foundations. They are less expensive and easy to replace or repair. When a part of a box spring is ruined, the whole thing becomes useless. Bed slats are also easy to move and provide excellent airflow. Box springs, on the other hand, are unyielding.
- Metal vs. Wood
In as much as metal slats are more expensive, they dont tend to bend, break or sag as wooden slats do under the pressure of mattresses. Some metal slats are made to adjust themselves to fit different bed widths.
- Bunkie Boards
Bunkie boards are another alternative for box springs and bed slats. Actually, a Bunkie board is any solid material that is set on a slat and then enclosed in fabric. There are available high-tech Bunkie boards made with wood strips or chips. In fact, they can be more effective than box springs in giving support.
- Mattress Foundations
Just as box springs are designed for spring mattresses, mattress foundations are made to support latex, memory foams, and polymer mattresses. Mattress foundations are built with wood or metal and covered with a breathable cloth.
What About A Bunkie Board
If youve been Googling bed bases, youve probably come across a bunkie board. Typically found in bunk beds, thus the name bunkie, these boards are designed to work with traditional metal bed frames and provide support to mattresses that are being used without a foundation. A bunkie board is thick piece of plywood used to increase the firmness of box springs. Because of its solid, smooth surface, a bunkie board could be used to support your foam mattress, but may not be as good of an option as something more solid like a foundation, platform bed or adjustable base.
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Why You Should Trust Us
The SleepFoundation.org team is made up of experts in the sleep space. To compile our best-of lists, we use a comprehensive testing process that looks at how each mattress performs on various factors such as edge support, pressure relief, and motion isolation. As part of this process, we also measure how much heat the mattresses retain using a hot water bottle and a thermal camera.
Our in-house testing team, which includes people of varying body types and sleep position preferences, combined objective results with their own subjective opinions to provide you with this look at the best gel mattresses currently on the market.
What Is A Foundation
A mattress foundation is a wooden box with wood slats across the surface, usually covered by a breathable fabric. Unlike box springs, foundations are designed for more support than give. The strong support may cause the mattress to feel firmer.
The spacing between the slats determines the support provided by the foundation. The less space in between slats the better the supportusually 2 to 2.75 inches apart.
Foundations are compatible with most mattress typessturdy enough to bear the weight of heavy latex, memory foam, or hybrid mattresses. However, innerspring mattresses are best paired with box springs. Foundations may be placed on a platform bed too, to enhance support.
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Best Cooling Mattress Foundation: Zoma Foundation
The Zoma Foundation is another great foundation to consider. Like the Amerisleep Foundation we discussed above, the Zoma Foundation works as a replacement for a box spring or as a stand-alone base. We like the Zoma Foundation because it features dark upholstery to match nearly any decor and contains a slat-pack system that offers superior support.
The Zoma Foundation is easy to assemble with a corner-clip design, you can easily snap all four corners of the base into place. Then, the slat pack rolls out on top of the foundation to provide your mattress with even, sturdy support. The slats in the slat pack are only three inches apart, so theyre fit to support almost any mattress type.
Always be sure to read the warranty your mattress comes with, as that will detail the support needed to meet warranty guidelines.
Zoma uses 100% pine wood in this foundation as both the legs and the side rails. They also back their foundation with a 1-year warranty to ensure you get the most for your money.
Zoma sells its products online-only if youre interested in purchasing or learning more about their foundation, visit the Zoma Sleep website. A Zoma Foundation is normally priced at $300 for a queen.
Zoma Mattress Foundation
Best Foundations For Innerspring Mattresses
An innerspring mattress consists of steel coils to uphold the shape of the cushion. Its typically padded with comfortable foams or fibers. Innerspring mattresses are relatively sturdy. As such, theyre compatible with nearly every type of foundation, including slatted foundations, solid bases, or box springs.
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What Is The Difference Between A Box Spring & A Mattress Foundation
A box spring is a wooden or metal frame with steel coils inside arranged in a grid. You set your mattress directly on top of this spring system, which adds an extra bounce to your bed.
While a foundation offers a flat surface to lay your mattress on, a box spring provides a bed of coils. The biggest issue with box springs is their tendency to damage the bottoms of mattresses, especially foam, which will void your warranty.
When To Skip The Box Spring
Many of today’s modern, bed-in-a-box mattresses are made either all or partially of memory foam or latex foam. It’s typically recommended to skip the box spring when setting these up, foam mattress brand Casper explains, because “the slats on older box springs are too apart to support the weight of a foam mattress, and that lack of support can cause it to sag.” Instead, the company suggests a platform with slats closer together. Eco-friendly mattress brand Avocado Green also advises strongly against using box springs with its hybrid and latex mattresses, recommending firmer, sturdier foundations instead.
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How Does It Feel To Sleep On A Gel Mattress
Gel infusions can be added to various types of foam, with the primary intent of making it sleep cooler. This versatile material may therefore appeal to many different sleeper types, especially those with a tendency to overheat or those who live in warmer climates.
Gel memory foam contours more closely and provides a classic hug-like feel. Gel-infused polyfoam varies in firmness, but it is almost always more responsive than memory foam, and it doesnt tend to conform as closely. Some mattresses also use different formats such as gel pods, ridged cutouts, or a thicker layer in the lumbar section to modify the mattress performance.
Whereas many mattresses are made with a single layer of gel foam over a foam or coil base, mattresses may also have a thinner layer of gel foam tucked between other layers of wool, polyfoam, or other materials. All of these designs can alter the feel of the bed.
