Our last innerspring mattress which we bought from a small local company lasted over 25 years. Which is pretty incredible considering what you read about mattresses these days only lasting 5 to 7 years and some less than that. And our old mattress really was still pretty comfortable at 25 years. We just felt it was time to replace it.
As I stated in a prior post we were lucky to find this website and based on that we knew our best move was to buy from the same company (Springfield Mattress Co). My question is about factors affecting mattress durability. Obviously a good mattress protector is important. But what about other factors?
Does using a topper possibly help protect the main mattress from additional wear and tear? We did use a eggcrate type topper on the old mattress for most of those years.
And what about box springs. Our old mattress had a " real working box spring". Our new set is a semi flex model with Leggett Pratt type springs. So it flexes a little but not much. Does a real box spring act as a shock absorber and enhance mattress lifespan? Or is that unimportant?
You can read more about the many variables that can affect durability and the useful life of a mattress relative to each person in post #4 here and the other posts it links to. In most cases … the weak link of a mattress and the “limiting factor” in terms of durability is in the comfort layers above the springs and not in the support system of a mattress (whether they are springs, polyfoam, or latex).
Yes … a topper can add to the useful life of the mattress underneath it because it will take up some of the compression forces which soften and break down the materials when you sleep on it but of course a topper can also affect the feel and performance of a mattress and if a mattress is already a good match for you in terms of PPP then adding a topper that is too thick or soft can make a mattress too soft and affect alignment.
There is more about different types of foundations and box springs, their functions, and the types of mattresses they are most suitable for in post #3 here and post #2 here. As you mentioned … a box spring can act as a “shock absorber” which can add to the life of some types of innerspring mattresses. The manufacturer of your mattress will know which type of box spring or foundation is the best choice for their specific mattresses.