Do you need a box spring? The Purpose, Modern Use, Evolution and Necessity of A Mattress Box Spring
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There is one question old couples, new parents, voluntary bachelors, busy young adults, and the single workaholics have been asking for decades now – “Does my bed need a box spring?” If you are awake night after night, tossing and turning in your bed, it is unlikely that this question is driving your sleep away.
However, it is very likely that you need a box spring to be more comfortable in bed. Box springs add more comfort to your bed and give you a better night’s sleep. However, before you make the purchase, there are things you need to know.
Modern mattresses come with complete support, and they do not necessarily need the help of a box spring to offer complete comfort. A box spring or a foundation is the base component that can provide optimum support to the mattress. This protects them from wear and tear for long periods of time. People sometimes manage to use the same mattress for more than a decade.
A survey shows that families who manage to preserve the integrity of their mattresses for extended periods of time usually opt for the right box spring while installing the mattress. Any good box spring provides a buffer zone between the bed frame and the mattress. Direct contact between the soft outer cover of a mattress and the wood or metal of the bed frame can increase the wear and tear over the next few years. The presence of a box spring structure can help spread out the impact and absorb the pressure evenly across the entire area.
Any traditional box spring design usually includes a wooden frame and steel support rings. However, modern box springs rarely make use of the springs inside wooden frame designs for the same purpose. Several box springs use heavy gauge wire coils and added steel reinforcements within the wooden grid to improve the support. The top cover of the mattress is usually skid-resistant fabric that can act as a dust-proofing for the mattress and the foundation below. Au contraire, a semi-solid grid box spring consists of a wooden frame and a stiff metal grid that acts as the mattress support.
Many modern manufacturers no longer use real springs in the designs. Many modern designs hold a candle to the old engineering concepts that worked together with the mattress design to provide complete support. They consist of pre-bent birch or beech slats that join the opposite ends of the wooden frame with flexible rubber sockets or shoes. The number of slats dictates the support for the mattress. The closer they are, the more support they provide. These foundations are perfect for memory foam mattresses and latex mattresses. Experts usually refer to the modern box spring designs as foundations as they are more aptly the base of a mattress rather than the shock absorption grid system they used to be.
Most manufacturers can consider a warranty void if the buyer does not use their new mattress with a box spring. In many cases, the warranty papers and instructions for mattress maintenance does not come with explicit directives to use it with a box spring but coupling it with one always ensures that you get the best warranty services. It provides better support to a sleeping body, and at the same time, the presence of added springs can make a stiffer mattress seem softer.
Another huge advantage of using a box spring is the added height that the mattress receives with the box spring to boost it from below. This makes removing, cleaning and placing the mattress on the bed a much easier task. The biggest advantage of using a dedicated traditional box spring design is the extension of the mattress’ longevity. Buying a costly, ergonomic mattress becomes an investment rather than a recurring expense with the purchase of a traditional, shock absorbent box spring.
Many users believe that modern mattress designs do not need box springs to function. You should consider a box spring if you use a both-sided innerspring mattress. When the coils of the box spring move with the springs inside the mattress, it can effectively spread out the pressure on the mattress while a person sleeps.
As per expert opinion, a single-sided innerspring or no-flip coil mattress does not last as long as box springs on the bed. At the same time, they also state that if you were to use latex mattresses, you could directly use them on a box spring irrespective of your bed height and type. Nonetheless, latex mattresses are not popular for the preservation of their integrity, and your mattress could sag prematurely if you were to put them directly on box springs.
Both the mattress types we have mentioned here perform much better with a little help from foundations or platform beds. Platform beds do not require a box spring to support latex, memory foam gel or no-flip mattresses.
Currently, almost all mattress and box spring manufacturers address the personal need of their customers. They design box springs and foundations as per the individual necessities instead of mass producing them like in the past.
As a result, they are always available in pairs for the best fit. Manufacturers always construct them as per mattress specifications. They usually have the same size as the mattress for optimal support. In case, you want to order or pre-order your box spring set, you should refer to your mattress manufacturer’s size chart.
Here is a general idea about the average size chart of box springs or foundations for your mattresses –
| Size | Width (inches) | Length (inches) |
| King | 76 | 80 |
| California king | 72 | 84 |
| Queen | 60 | 80 |
| Full | 54 | 75 |
| Twin | 38 | 75 |
| Twin XL | 38 | 80 |
A lot of customers are interested in split box springs for split mattresses for the king, California king or queen beds. Experts state that the general bedspring designs for King, California king, and queen beds are ideal for split-style mattresses as well as regular mattresses.
Those who are thinking about using their old box springs for new mattresses need to read the next part. Consumer services state that old box springs can contribute to substantial amounts of wear and tear to your new mattress. This usually happens due to uneven pressure on the old springs over the last few years. If you are ready to invest in a new mattress that will give you comfort and support, then you should also be ready to invest in a box spring fresh from the mint to protect your mattress. Nonetheless, it can help you save a lot of money on mattress maintenance and reconstruction.
The price of a bedspring will depend on the size of the mattress, the hardness of the mattress (the support it needs) and the manufacturer or brand value. While shopping for a box spring, it is, of course, wiser to find one from a reputable retailer. Experts and reliable consumer reports will tell you to choose a box spring from the mattress dealer you have been shopping from for years. The right box spring may set you back by a good couple of hundreds, but you will not have to worry about your mattress or your back for the coming decade!
Box springs have been around since time immemorial. In the US, the UK, and other European countries, the design has been consistent with the eponymous wooden grid structure and steel springs since the mid-19th century.
Gradually, the use of coil spring mattresses coupled with bedsprings has spread to other countries in the east like China, Japan, India, and Singapore. Box springs offer significant benefits that have led to their widespread acceptance and popularity.
However, modern homeowners often prefer platform beds to box springs since the former comes with storage space. This is ideal for apartment living that understandably creates a dire need for storage. You can easily store containers or add drawers under your platform bed without any added adjustments. Additionally, they are also more aesthetically pleasing.
Most modern homes use memory foam mattresses since the provide complete body support and platform beds are quite ideal for these mattresses. Although they are difficult to move around, platform beds are quite suitable for beds with cheaper and softer mattress types.
Every rose has its thorn, and every box spring has its con. There might be several advantages of using box springs for your mattresses, but there are a few drawbacks you must consider before you go ahead and invest in one.
A good marketer will always tell you about the disadvantages of a traditional box spring as well as that of a platform or foundation before you can take your credit card out.
However, platform beds have their share of cons too. They do not provide as much support to the vertebra and getting up from sleep each morning can be challenging for people with back problems and arthritis. In fact, the amount of support and comfort you get from your platform bed depends on the quality of the mattress you pick and not the platform at all! This is in sharp contrast to the box springs that provide the infrastructure of support to the entire bed.
While buying a mattress, wonders about the necessity of the box spring at least once. Do people need to spend the extra cash? How much should the best box spring for your bed cost? Will that help you save more money in the long run?
In reality, most mattress companies consider their warranty void if you do not use a box spring along with it. In fact, you should think about investing in the box spring that comes with the mattress for the ideal protection of the warranty. If your mattress delivers less than optimum performance while within the warranty period, you can confidently walk up to the seller and challenge their USPs.
A new box spring can cost you between $150 and $200. However, the lack of a box spring can revoke your right to ask for post-sales services or replacement in many cases. It is common belief that box springs protect the structure of a mattress and sellers uphold this belief.
Due to the lack of storage and aesthetics, a lot of homeowners and interior designers forego box springs altogether. They often settle for replacements and alternatives that can somewhat serve the same purpose as box springs.
Here are a few alternatives people have been using in place of box springs for years now.
These alternatives and substitutes have been around for quite a few decades. They do not always serve the exact purpose as the box spring for your mattress, but they can fulfill the support necessities of your mattress to a certain degree. In case you want to go for any of the alternatives instead of a traditional box spring design, you should consult your mattress company about warranty requirements.
A mattress warranty usually covers all kinds of physical defects that include sagging. However, this does not mean you can take your mattress back to the seller after two whole years. It simply means that if your mattress sags while no one is on it immediately after buying it or unpacking it, that is a serious warranty issue. Several manufacturers offer a 0.75-inch margin for non-use sags, but the general threshold for mattress sagging is around 1.5 inches for most manufacturers. You will find the fine prints on the warranty papers that you must always double check before leaving the store.
You can measure the level of sagging in your mattress by using a string or a straight line across the surface. Measure the exact level of sag by measuring from the string to the bottom of the sag. You can use a standard ruler for this. Be careful to stick to either the metric system or the imperial system during measurement. This will help you make the correct comparison.
Many customers are not aware of this, but a mattress warranty also covers coils breaking, coils popping from the sides and bunching up of foam at the top. In fact, breaking the seams and other manufacturing defects are also inclusive of the mattress warranty. First, you need to contact your mattress merchant and convey your problem. In case, that does not work out; you need to go to the manufacturer.
A warranty does not cover comfort issues you might be having with your mattress. That means in case your mattress “feels” lumpy or provides uneven support to your body; you might be out of luck. The level of warranty coverage can vary from one manufacturer to another. However, there are several other incidents can void a warranty.
When you are shopping for a new mattress, you are looking forward to spending quite a pretty sum. You should always consider the warranty and the conditions of the same before you complete your purchase. Warranties can cover more than faulty manufacturing, defective parts and structural flaws for mattresses. For enjoying the full perks of the after-sale services from the manufacturers, always read the fine print of warranty conditions very carefully before paying.
Your mattress needs support either in the form of a box spring or an alternative. Either way, you need to research into the advantages and disadvantages of all the prospective support designs you choose before you make the purchase. As we have seen by now, you need a suitable base for your mattress to keep the mattress warranty valid. A perfect box spring can serve you and your bed for decades to come, that’s precisely why you should not think of buying one as an added expense.
Picking the right kind of support for your mattress might seem daunting irrespective of your experience in housekeeping. It is a big expense and a formidable responsibility since it can determine your health and the health of your loved ones too. Now, to find out if your current model of the mattress or your new mattress needs a box spring, you need to ask yourself a few questions.
Answering these simple questions with “yes” and “no” can help you understand if your new mattress at all needs a new box spring or a foundation or a new platform bed.
Co-founder of Counting Sheep and Sleepaholic