Get a Spring in Your Step!!

Enough about the foam!! Let’s take a look at what puts the bounce in the different spring mattress types…

Innerspring mattresses have a steel coil support system, but the way the coils are arranged varies in each unique type. The shape, design, coil gauge and the number of coils also differs between mattresses. The coils are always covered with some sort of padding like latex or memory foam, fibres or smaller springs. When someone speaks of the “coil count” of a mattress, they are referring to the number of coils in the mattress – the greater the coil count, the more points of the support the mattress has and it has a better weight distribution.

Mattress Types

• Bonnell coils have an hourglass shape and the thinner part of each coil is what compresses with soft pressure. Bonnell coil mattresses are of the first types of spring mattresses made. They are very affordable and ideally suited for children or for dormitory and guest rooms. Although of excellent quality and support, these are the least durable of all the spring mattresses.

• A continuous coil mattress is comprised exactly as its name implies – it is one single length of steel wire, twisted into individual coils. The coils are connected by helical lacing that runs from top to bottom of the mattress. These helicals assist in preventing movement transfer between sleeping partners. This coil type offers very good support and are ideal for those suffering from lower back pain. These mattresses are quite durable as well.

• A tied coil mattress is made up of individual coils all connected by helical lacing. This allows it to conform to the specific contours of an individual’s body, while still offering very sturdy support to the torso. This is one of the mattresses with the stiffest overall support and thus the most durable, but because of this stiffness it is not the best at reducing motion transfer between sleeping partners.

• Marshall coil or pocket spring mattresses are much softer than the rest and have an individually wrapped coil system where each coil is bound in its own separate pocket. The pockets are then all joined together. These mattresses are the best at conforming to an individual’s unique body shape and almost completely eliminate all motion transfer. They are slightly less durable than the other mattress types but they are perfect to use on an adjustable bed base.