Every mattress word, explained once.
If a word on this site could make you think of another question, it is on this page. On every other page, the first time one of these words appears you can hover or tap it for the same explanation.
Sleep on it for 30 nights. If the feel is wrong, a Soft Top topper first, free; then one swap for another chapter, collected and delivered in one visit.
A firm, springy foam used as the base under the springs, or as the core of a foam mattress, so it sits level on your bed.
The British fire-safety standard for mattresses. "Low hazard" is the level required for homes. Every Chapter build is tested to it.
The top 5 to 10 cm of the mattress: memory foam, latex, fibres. They set how it feels. The springs and base underneath set how it supports you.
A woven cover fabric with a raised pattern, used on traditional and hotel mattresses.
Not rolled, compressed or boxed. Carried in by two people exactly as it was built, to the room you choose.
How much material is in a cubic metre of foam, in kilograms. It predicts how long the foam lasts. Under 40 goes soft in a few years; 50 and up stays level for eight to ten.
How well the sides hold up when you sit on them or sleep near the edge. A foam rail or a steel rod does the job; cheap mattresses have neither.
Foam cut with an egg-box surface so air can move through the channels.
A cheap fire barrier used in some imported mattresses. Harmless while sealed, dangerous if the cover comes off. We never use it; we use a woven barrier.
A firm foam frame around the springs so the sides do not collapse when you sit on the edge of the bed.
Memory foam with gel mixed in. Slightly cooler for the first hour; still memory foam.
Memory foam with graphite added and a more open structure, so heat moves away from you instead of building up.
How much force it takes to press the foam down. Low hardness feels soft. It is separate from density, which is about lifespan.
A soft, stretchy, breathable top fabric that moves with the comfort layer instead of fighting it.
Rubber foam, natural or blended. Springier and cooler than memory foam.
Built for you after you order, in 10 to 14 days, rather than pulled off a shelf. It is why tension is free and why nothing is rolled.
A dense foam that softens with your body heat and moulds to you. Comfortable and pressure-relieving, but it holds heat, which is why we keep it off the top of the cooler chapters.
Small springs a few centimetres tall, in a layer above the main springs. They add a lively feel and let air through.
How little you feel your partner move. Pocket springs carry some movement; a foam core carries almost none.
Wool, cotton and silk layers that breathe and move moisture. They settle slightly in the first months, then stay; they do not sag like cheap foam.
Sleep on one side only. Turn it head to toe every three months so it wears evenly. Do not flip it over.
A finish on the cover that absorbs heat as it warms and releases it as it cools, so the surface stays cooler for the first hour or so.
A separate cushion of soft fillings stitched onto the top of the mattress: a plush surface over firm support, the hotel feel.
Latex made with pin-holes through it, so air can move and the latex stays cool.
A soft, low-hardness memory foam: the sink-in feeling. In The Hotel Bed it sits under natural fibres so you get the sink without the heat.
Steel coils each sewn into its own fabric pocket so they move on their own. That is why you feel less of your partner turning. The count is quoted for a king size.
Quilted means the cover is stitched to a thin layer of padding. Unquilted means nothing between you and the layer underneath, which is cooler.
The border is stitched through to the springs, by hand or machine. The traditional sign of a well-made mattress; it keeps the edge firm for years.
A different tension on each side of a king or super king, under one comfort layer, so there is no ridge in the middle.
The block of springs in the middle of the mattress. It does the supporting; the comfort layers on top do the feeling.
A steel rod along the top and bottom edges of the spring unit, the strongest way to stop the sides sagging.
A springy support foam used under the comfort layer in UK-made mattresses. CMHR stands for combustion-modified high-resilience. The number after it is its density.
Natural rubber foam made by the Talalay process: open, springy and cool. It does not take a body impression and it lasts.
A soft fibre made from wood pulp. It moves moisture away from you and dries fast, which is why it is used for hot sleepers.
How firm the support underneath is. Medium suits most people; Firm is for heavier builds and front sleepers. The feel on top does not change. It is free.
Our 5 cm topper in soft memory foam or Talalay latex, with a Tencel cover and corner straps. Makes a firm mattress plush on top.
A breathable border fabric that lets air out of the spring unit as you move, so the mattress does not trap heat.
The thickness of the spring wire in millimetres. Thicker is firmer and lasts longer. 1.8 mm is a typical medium; 2.0 mm is firm.
The springs under your hips are firmer than the ones under your shoulders, so your spine stays level when you lie on your side.
A word we have not explained? Ask Chapter and we will add it here.