What is a a futon mattress? How many different types are there? Why are there so many different styles? Over the past ten or fifteen years futon mattresses have evolved from the handmade all cotton hard surfaces to a variety of materials made for durability and comfort. Futon mattress shopping gives you a chance to look and experience all the different types and feels. Try to select the best mattress for your intended use. Here are a few helpful basics to help you select what's correct for you.
What is a futon mattress?
It is a mattress made to be flexible enough to fold one or two times on a wood or metal frame. The mattress gives you the feel and comfort you want when sitting or sleeping.
Futon Basics: what to look for in a futon mattress.
1. Flexibility-How well does the mattress fold? If it only needs to fold one time on the frame it can be less flexible. If you have a trifold frame or lounger the mattress needs to bend easily. A futon mattress used for a platform bed can be more stiff and doesn't need to bend.
2. Rigidity-Will the mattress flop around or sit on its own? A futon mattress on a bifold frame needs to supportive and sit up and not slide off the frame. The newer materials like foam help keep the mattress sitting better on a frame.
3. Thickness-Actually this has to do with the finished thickness of the mattress including the inside material. Mattresses less than 6" fininished thickness will bottom out quickly. They are not as comfortable to sit on and you will feel the bars or wood slats quickly.
4. Firmness-How soft or hard do you want your mattress to feel? This depends on your intended use of the futon and how you sleep. Firmer does not mean better! It will depend of the material used as to how long the mattress will last. Softer and plusher premium costs more,usually last longer and feel more like mainstream mattresses.
5. Tufting-This is the stitching you see on the mattress itself. It appears like little ties and keeps the material in your mattress from shifting around. Better mattresses have more tufts. Some cheaper ones have none, making the mattress temporarily feeling fluffy BUT NOT FOR LONG. Some all foam mattresses do not need tufting.
Types of Futon Mattresses
*All cotton- These will be the thinest, firmest, and most foldable available. This original mattress design is still prefered by some customers.
*Cotton and foam combinations-The most popular and can be constructed in all sizes and thicknesses. They can go from very cheap to expensive depending on quality of materials used, thickness and contruction. They are usually medium firm to firmer.
* Innerspring and coil springs-Give a feel more like a regular bed mattress when sitting and sleeping. These can come in a variety of price ranges and thickness. Some can make a futon frame more difficult to open or close due to the springs. They can be less fexible and weight more than other mattresses. They have become very popular in he last few years.
* All foam or memory foam-These generally are the most expensive due to the cost of foam. They can be firm but usually are softer or plusher in feel and bend easily for opening and closing your frame. They are great for a well used living space and sleep comfortably at night.
* Other materials in use include: wool wrapped, all natural cotton, synthetic and polyester materials or combination of any of the above.
You want to know the finished size and thickness of a mattress to see how it will look and feel on your frame. In order to purchase the correct cover size you need to make sure of the correct dimensions also.
When buying a mattress consider the use it will get and how long you want your futon to last. A well made comfortable futon mattress is worth the extra expense.
