Mattresses - FAQs

Yes, to a certain extent.  First and foremost is the quality of the pocket spring.  You want a high quality pocket spring providing progressive support - this is the engine of your mattress.  Once you have this, you can compare spring count, and so long as the springs are comparable in quality, as a general rule of thumb the higher the number of pocket springs in the mattress, the more supportive the mattress.  Some manufacturers will try to inflate spring count by using thousands of mini springs, however these do not provide the same level of support as a full size spring, so whilst there may appear to be more pocket springs, the level of support will not be as good.

The tension refers to the thickness of the wire that is used in the spring and the amount of support this offers. The thicker the wire the firmer the resistance and more weight would need to be applied. Therefore for a heavier person a firmer mattress tension will offer a higher level of support, for a lighter person a softer mattress tension will be more beneficial. If you are too light for a spring tension, you will find you do not get the best level of support as you are not able to engage the springs and get the full benefit, instead you would just be resting on top of the springs.

Pocket sprung mattresses are made up of thousands of individually wrapped springs that can react and move independently based on when and where pressure is applied. This means that the springs can closely contour to the body’s weight and shape to provide the optimum level of support.

Choosing the right mattress is a very personal experience that is different for everyone. Many factors should be considered when purchasing a new mattress, such as: body height, body weight, the number of people using the mattress, who the mattress will be used by etc. For guidance and help with your choice use our helpful buying guides and ensure you find the right mattress for you. Alternatively, speak to a member of our friendly team who are very experienced and have specialist knowledge, or visit our large Hampshire showroom.

Yes. As all our luxury mattresses and divan bases are made to order, so our manufacturers can make bespoke sizes. If this is of interest to you, please contact a member of our team who can provide you with more details. 

Natural upholstery fillings do prove to be a higher quality filling than those such as foam as they allow your mattress to breathe, regulate body temperature and wick away moisture from the body. However, some manmade fillings, such as Solotex and recycled eOlus, do also offer qualities like this, therefore these can also be beneficial to a mattress. Our manufacturers pride themselves in offering traceable, sustainable and recyclable upholstery fillings in each of their mattress models.

Bodily impressions of where you have been sleeping is very normal. Where most people tend to sleep in the same position on their mattress every night, body impressions are a positive indication that the manufacturer has used generous amounts of upholstery when making your mattress and that it is supporting both your body shape, weight, and sleeping pattern where required.

Do not panic if upon delivery your mattress is shorter than your divan bed or frame. In some cases, mattresses can compress slightly during transportation. This is perfectly normal and with use will soon relax to its full shape and size.

Like many new items, such as a new car, you may notice a slight odour after your mattress has been taken out of it’s protective packaging. This is very normal as natural fillings will occasionally release a smell; however it is no cause for concern. It is always beneficial to leave your mattress uncovered for a few hours to allow it to breathe.  As it does this the odour will start to dissipate.  Fresh air and ventilation will also help speed up the process.

The mattress tension is normally determined by your body shape and weight, together with the feel you find most comfortable.

Generally, a heavier frame suits a firmer mattress with a more supportive spring. A lighter frame needs a softer spring so that the body’s weight can properly engage the spring and get the support it really needs. If a spring is too firm for the body’s weight, the person will just be lying on top of the mattress and not getting the full benefit.

“Firm or orthopaedic is best for my back” is a common myth. Instead what is right, is the correct level of support for your body weight. This doesn’t need to be rock solid! Even with a firm spring you can still have added softness from the layers of upholstery in the mattress.

A correctly supporting mattress will see your spine lying straight. If the mattress is too soft, your spine will bow downwards. If it is too firm, it will bow upwards.

If a couple shares the bed, it is important to consider the different weights and shapes of both people, however, depending on the mattress size you are choosing and whether or not a combination tension is available, you will need to be guided by the weight of the heavier person. A mattress topper can always be added if the lighter person then requires more softness.

A simple test to find the best tension for you:
Slide your hand beneath the small of your back and the mattress. If it slides in too easily, the mattress is too firm. If it has to be forced under, it is too soft. It should be a snug fit. If you like to nestle into the mattress then we would recommend going for a softer tension or one with lots of generous upholstery.

A pocket spring mattress is made up of thousands of individual springs nested in cotton pockets and hand laid in a honeycomb pattern. Each individual pocket spring works independently and reacts according to the weight that it receives, delivering a high level of support to the body as the springs are able to closely contour the body's shape and weight and provide progressive support.  

An open coil mattress is a traditional spring type made from a continuous piece of steel and forms one large spring. It is a very hardwearing spring type but it is not able to react in the same way as pocket springs, where each independent spring can adjust to the different weight and shape of the body.  The open coil spring does of course react to weight but a much larger area of spring is forced to move when put under pressure and the spring cannot contour the shape of the body so closely, so the level of support is not comparable.

No, this is a common misconception. What is important when buying a new mattress is that you get a good supportive mattress to suit your bodyweight. This can still include soft layers of upholstery for excellent comfort.

If you choose a mattress that is too firm for your bodyweight, you will not be able to engage the springs and get the full benefit and support of the mattress, instead you will simply be lying on top of the mattress.  Equally, if you are buying a mattress that cannot support your bodyweight, you will be crashing through the mattress and again not getting the correct support to suit you.

The mattress tension will normally help guide your choice, together with an individual’s preference to a firmer or softer feeling mattress, their age and any previous back problems. For instance, an elderly person may prefer a firmer mattress as they may find it easier to get up out of.  Whilst a lighter weight person may prefer a finer gauge (soft spring) so that their body has more support and more contact points with the mattress.

It is also important to consider the base you are putting the mattress on and how this might alter the feel of the mattress.  

By getting a mattress that is tailored to suit you, such as a pocket spring mattress that will respond to your body’s shape and weight, you will get a much higher level of support and excellent comfort.

Here at snuginteriors, we are bed specialists, and our team are highly experienced and well trained to advise our customers on the best mattress to suit them, so if you would like any help in choosing your next mattress, please do not hesitate to give us a call.

A combination tension mattress is a one-piece mattress offering two tensions on the left- and right-hand side of the mattress.  They are available on selected mattress models in king size and above.  They are designed to suit couples with differing body weights, allowing the lighter person to go for a softer tension and the heavier person to go for a firmer tension. This gives a better level of support to the two differing bodyweights and ensures greater comfort.  There is no additional charge for choosing a combination tension. 

It is not possible to have a combination tension in a double sized mattress, this is because there is not enough space to have two different tensions. In this case, you will need to select the mattress tension that best suits the heavier weight person so that they are adequately supported, and you do not roll into each other.  You can then consider adding a mattress topper for additional comfort for the lighter weight person.

A zipped mattress is a pair of mattresses joined together with a zip to make a larger one piece mattress, such as a pair of 90 x 200cm mattresses to create a one piece Super King 180 x 200cm. They are most commonly associated with Super King sizes and above and are popular for three reasons:

1) to allow people to separate the one piece mattress into twin mattresses (often zipped mattresses are paired with linked divan bases which can also split into two and provide twin beds.

2) They are a great option when somebody is looking for a larger size mattress but they have access issues getting a one piece mattress to the room of choice.

3) Turning two smaller mattresses is much easier than turning the weight of a very large and heavy one piece mattress.  Regular turning of mattresses ensures even usage and helps customers get the most out of the mattress for the long-term.

The main thing to consider when choosing between a one-piece or zipped mattress is whether the one-piece mattress will fit into your property. A one-piece super king mattress is very heavy, and whilst it will bend around a corner, it will not bend in half, so we advise you to double check all measurements from the front door to the room of before ordering, to save any disappointment later down the line when it comes to your delivery.

A zipped super king mattress is an excellent choice if access is tight or if you are not able to turn the weight of a one-piece mattress.  Having the mattresses made in two pieces makes turning much easier and therefore makes us much more inclined to do so, which really helps look after the mattress for the long term.

Having zipped mattresses allows each individual partner to choose the correct tension to suit them, and if somebody is particularly conscious about feeling their partners movements, zipped mattresses are going to ease this concern as they are separate mattresses.

Something to bear in mind is that a one-piece mattress will always feel slightly softer than zipped mattresses (made in the same tension), as the mattress borders are further apart.

A no-turn mattress only has upholstery on one side of the springs, therefore resulting in one sleeping surface. These mattresses can only be rotated and therefore make for easy maintenance. They are a great choice if you know you do not want, or are not able, to turn a mattress.  To care for a no-turn mattress and get the best out of it, we do still recommend (if possible) rotating a no-turn mattress, ideally regularly during the first three months, and with the seasons thereafter.

A double-sided mattress has upholstery on both sides of the springs, therefore resulting in an enhanced, deeper level of comfort and two sleeping surfaces as the mattress can be turned. We do feel this gives the very best comfort and would recommend a turnable mattress if you are able to do so (or able to ask somebody to help).  If you do not turn a turnable mattress you will still get excellent comfort but will only benefit from one sleeping surface and cannot get such an even usage of the mattress, which helps with life span of a mattress.

Yes, a mattress will feel softer when paired with a pocket sprung or open coil sprung divan base, compared to a slatted base or solid platform top divan base.  This is because you are getting additional support and upholstery from the base. The springs in the divan base will work in unison with the mattress springs, allowing your shoulders and hips to nestle further into the mattress ensuring the narrowest parts of your body also get the support they need. 

Putting a mattress on to a slatted or solid base will make any mattress feel firmer and means the mattress has to work harder to provide all the comfort and support as the base is solid.  If you are putting a new mattress on this type of base, you may want to consider buying a higher specification mattress for a more luxurious feel.

Please note, that whilst a sprung slatted base (where you can see an arch or bow to the slat) has a little movement, it will still provide an overall firm base for the mattress to sit on.  The same mattress would feel firmer still on flat, solid slats.

Hand-side stitching is a process used in the traditional, luxury handmade mattress manufacturing process and ensures structure and additional support to the edges of the mattress. It means that you can sleep right up to the edge of the mattress and still feel well supported, without feeling like you are going to roll out of the bed.

Machine side stitched borders give a faux hand-side stitched appearance, but do not give any additional structure or support to the edge of the bed. You can see this when you lie on the bed as the border often billows and puffs out from the expelled air.

The mattress ticking is the outer fabric cover used on the mattress and creates your sleeping surface. All of our mattresses are made using chemical free mattress ticking for a clean, healthy sleeping surface.

A mattress tuft is often a small and round disc that can be made from wool or felt. They are used in the traditional hand-made mattress manufacturing process to help keep the deep layers of mattress upholstery fillings in place either side of the pocket springs.  The mattress tufts are deeply sewn into the mattress and create even, uniform undulations across the mattress. It is a sign of a high quality, well-made mattress.