Is spring or memory foam the best mattress for solid base beds?
Although we put a great deal of emphasis on finding the right mattress for a good night's sleep, the bed frame or base itself is also incredibly important. The frame or base not only plays a role in supporting the body properly for comfortable sleep, but it also affects the longevity of a mattress.
It is vital that you consider how a mattress and bed base work together to provide the optimum level of firmness, support and comfort.
In this article, we'll help you to find the best mattress for solid base beds so that you can get good quality sleep night after night and for many years to come.
What is a solid bed base?
A solid base is a divan base constructed with a strong, rigid top panel. This panel is non-sprung and usually made of hardboard, therefore the base does not have any give to it at all. Compared to sprung edge divans in which springs are mounted on the top of the base, or firm edge divans in which springs sit inside a wooden sided frame, solid bases are significantly firmer.
Solid bases tend to be cheaper than other types of bed bases because they do not contain any springs. However, they have additional benefits other than their lower price.
Many people like the way that a solid base distributes their weight evenly across the entire surface. This can help to prevent the sensation of sinking into the bed. Furthermore, solid bases are incredibly durable which is important for those looking for heavy-duty beds.
A downside of solid base beds is that they don't absorb any pressure, which means the mattress alone is responsible for absorbing the full weight of the body. In order to extend the lifespan of a mattress, many people opt for a divan base with a spring-loaded top that can absorb some of the pressure and reduce the impact on the mattress springs.
What is the best mattress for solid base beds?
Since solid bases are incredibly firm, it is particularly important to choose a very durable mattress that is deep enough to ensure the hardboard will not be felt beneath it.
Getting the right firmness is important too. A mattress that is too soft risks feeling uncomfortable if the body sinks too low into it. However, an incredibly firm mattress is likely to feel even firmer when placed on a solid base and the lack of bounce might be uncomfortable.
Open coil spring systems tend to provide plenty of bounce, which can help to offset the inflexible nature of a solid base. However, sometimes open coil mattresses are so bouncy that they squash down too easily against a solid base and their lifespan is reduced.
Pocket sprung mattresses are often a better choice because they give way to key pressure points in localised areas rather than sinking across the whole surface.
Many people consider memory foam as the best mattress for solid base beds. The dense foam conforms to the shape of the body for comfort while dispersing the weight of the body across a wide surface area.
Memory foam mattresses are likely to offer a better lifespan with a solid base than a sprung mattress. However, without any springs in either the mattress or the base, there will be no bounce whatsoever which might be a problem for those with mobility problems who find that springs help them to get up out of bed.
A hybrid mattress, with both a spring system and a memory foam layer, might be the best compromise for a solid base.
How do solid base beds compare to slatted beds?
Slatted beds usually offer a certain amount of give and flexibility in order to provide a degree of springiness. They tend to work really well with spring system mattresses because they complement the bounce of the mattress. However, heavy-duty mattresses, which tend to be very thick and heavy due to their durable nature, often weigh too much for ordinary slatted beds. That's why solid base divans are such a popular option for our sturdy mattresses.
If you would rather have a wooden bed frame with a slatted base than a divan bed with a solid base, consider our solid pine wood heavy-duty beds. These are made with extra thick, solid slats and have additional bars for reinforcement, which make them durable enough to support even very heavy mattresses.
If you're looking for a base or bed frame for a memory foam mattress, you might want to steer clear from slatted beds. Due to its dense, moulding nature, the memory foam might push through the base slats and become distorted, thus reducing the mattress's lifespan. Solid base beds or mesh base beds are a better solution for memory foam because they even support the entire surface of the mattress.
A downside of solid bases is that they restrict airflow to the mattress since the underside is never exposed to air. This might mean that the mattress retains more heat than a slatted base, which can make it feel warm and uncomfortable during hot weather. However, good quality mattresses such as our own are constructed with vents on their sides to improve the circulation of air and keep the mattress as cool as possible.
Get in touch for help in choosing the right mattress for your bed
It can be difficult to choose the right base and mattress combination. You need to consider your sleeping position, your preference for mattress softness, and any health or mobility issues that need to be accounted for. If you'd like more help in choosing the right bed, be sure to contact us at Reinforced Beds for more information.