Possible to test drive a mattress?

HeidiHeidi

Does anyone know if it's possible to "test drive" a mattress properly before purchase, to see if it actually suits?

I have a bed and mattress - neither were cheap - which I suspect are wrecking my lower back.

The bed is a wooden frame with horizontal latts, there's none broken and it's absolutely fine (only about 7 years old) so I can't see that it's the problem.

The mattress was what I thought was a very good one at the time (still do, for what that's worth!). It's pocket sprung, quite firm which would be to my taste, shows no sagging or signs of wear, and on paper it should be absolutely fine.

However my back is in ribbons lately, and I've reluctantly narrowed it down to the bed. I wake every morning in agony, and can't lie in at all (which is a tragedy to me )

Now both of these cost me a small bomb at the time, and I really thought they were excellent quality - but clearly some bit of the arrangement doesn't suit my body at all.

Obviously I don't want to make the same very expensive mistake again if I do decide to change the bed/mattress.

Can anyone suggest where I might find out what sort of a mattress would actually suit me? When I sleep in my spare room on a bog-standard divan, it feels so much more comfortable, yet that bed is ancient and wasn't half as expensive at the time. (My own bed is a king-size, the spare one is a double so they're not interchangeable, plus I'd quite like to keep my own bed-frame if possible).

I really can't go on long-term as I am - I think it's the mattress is the problem, but how can I figure out what I should invest in next (I'm assuming it will be an investment-level price) without making another mistake?

Help!!!

(Mods, apologies if this is the wrong place for this question - it was the best location I could find - if there's a more appropriate forum please feel free to move)

peter_dublin

Are you sure the mattress is suited to the bedframe, most pocket sprung seem to be for Divan bases specifically, we had the same issue with a Rest Assured Mattress on a Bo Concept bed, we resolved it by fitting pegboard over the latts to support the pocket springs properly.

tenifan

That's like asking can you test drive an electric toothbrush.i doubt many shops would allow it.

I think a firm mattress is best, but i can sleep on anything.

The problem might be you. Poor posture, or not enough/too much exercise, or leaned over a desk all day, or on your get ask day. Just thinking about my dad and his endless quest to find a comfortable pillow.. Memory foam, soft pillows, firm pillows, feather pillows, big, small, double... The problem's him, not the pillows!

HeidiHeidi

peter_dublin wrote: »

Are you sure the mattress is suited to the bedframe, most pocket sprung seem to be for Divan bases specifically, we had the same issue with a Rest Assured Mattress on a Bo Concept bed, we resolved it by fitting pegboard over the latts to support the pocket springs properly.

I didn't buy the mattress from the bed supplier, but got it direct from the manufacturer - as I recall it was the identical one that was being sold (for twice the price) by the bed shop.

tenifan wrote: »

That's like asking can you test drive an electric toothbrush.i doubt many shops would allow it.

I think a firm mattress is best, but i can sleep on anything.

The problem might be you. Poor posture, or not enough/too much exercise, or leaned over a desk all day, or on your get ask day. Just thinking about my dad and his endless quest to find a comfortable pillow.. Memory foam, soft pillows, firm pillows, feather pillows, big, small, double... The problem's him, not the pillows!

Yeah, I know, the title was kind of tongue in cheek

I do have a ropey lower back anyway, which I manage as best i can. I have a fairly varied and reasonably active lifestyle - I'm not at a desk 8 hours a day - I definitely don't suffer from too much exercise!!! But I am fairly active.

Up to a few years ago if sleeping was an Olympic sport I'd have been a gold medallist. On a bed of nails if necessary. But I really think that the bed/mattress is very bad for me for some reason, and I'm just afraid I'll make another very expensive mistake again if I change without finding what the problem actually is.

I might try the first poster's suggestion and get a solid board for underneath the mattress and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for the replies!

peter_dublin

peter_dublin wrote: »

Are you sure the mattress is suited to the bedframe, most pocket sprung seem to be for Divan bases specifically, we had the same issue with a Rest Assured Mattress on a Bo Concept bed, we resolved it by fitting pegboard over the latts to support the pocket springs properly.

I think you missed my point, often the Pocket Sprung mattresses are not suitable for a bed frame with latts, Rest Assured do a specific range for bedsteads as they call them, the rest are for their sprung divan base which match the mattresses.
You can get around it with pegboard which supports the full weight of the mattress.

HeidiHeidi

peter_dublin wrote: »

I think you missed my point, often the Pocket Sprung mattresses are not suitable for a bed frame with latts, Rest Assured do a specific range for bedsteads as they call them, the rest are for their sprung divan base which match the mattresses.
You can get around it with pegboard which supports the full weight of the mattress.

That's what I meant when said I'd get a solid board for underneath!

Any suggestion as to where I might come by a pegboard? (and does that actually differ from a solid piece of say plywood?)

Thanks for the advice.

peter_dublin

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

That's what I meant when said I'd get a solid board for underneath!

Any suggestion as to where I might come by a pegboard? (and does that actually differ from a solid piece of say plywood?)

Thanks for the advice.

You can't use a solid wood such as ply as it will cause a moisture buildup which can result in mould hence you need pegboard which allows the mattress breath. I got mine from irish woodworkers cut to size.

http://www.woodworkers.ie/prices/p_special_sheet.shtml

HeidiHeidi

peter_dublin wrote: »

You can't use a solid wood such as ply as it will cause a moisture buildup which can result in mould hence you need pegboard which allows the mattress breath. I got mine from irish woodworkers cut to size.

http://www.woodworkers.ie/prices/p_special_sheet.shtml

That makes sense.

Cheers for that - nice and local to me too, will investigate asap.

HeidiHeidi

peter_dublin wrote: »

You can't use a solid wood such as ply as it will cause a moisture buildup which can result in mould hence you need pegboard which allows the mattress breath. I got mine from irish woodworkers cut to size.

http://www.woodworkers.ie/prices/p_special_sheet.shtml

Well all I can say is cheers and thanks a million for this tip

I have no idea how or why it worked, and my family thought I was just mad to even try it as it makes no sense whatsoever to me or them - but the bed is definitely a LOT better with the board underneath.

I cheated and got MDF as the cheapest possible option because I really didn't think it'd make any difference, so I suppose I'll have to splash out at some point and get some holey stuff - but I turn the mattress regularly so I'm not going to panic about it just yet.

But in the short term at least I'm out of the spare bed and back in my own.

Thanks again :D