mattress spec's for adjustable base

[phoenix]

Hi goldilocks,

I am still doing research on the king size mattress we will buy soon, and am seriously considering an adjustable base. Does this mean I should be looking for certain features in the mattress?

In general terms most foam mattresses (memory foam, latex foam, polyfoam) that aren’t more than about 12" thick and most pocket coil mattresses will be flexible enough to work well on an adjustable bed but when you are over about 12" thick then the mattress may not contour to the adjustable bed as effectively. While in general terms thinner mattresses will tend to be more flexible than thicker mattresses and will contour to the adjustable bed more effectively … this can also depend on the specifics of the mattress layers and components and staying below about 12" thickness is only a general guideline because some mattresses that are a little more than that which use more flexible materials may still be fine and some mattresses that are less than that may be less flexible and not work as well but 12" is a good general guideline.

Latex is certainly a very flexible material and works very well on an adjustable bed so a thicker latex mattress may contour more effectively than a thicker mattress that uses less flexible foam materials (such as polyfoam) but it’s certainly not the only option you have. The most reliable source of information about whether any specific mattress would be a suitable choice for an adjustable bed will be a knowledgeable and experienced retailer or the manufacturer that makes the mattress.

One salesperson told me that it would be best if the mattress were made of unwrapped layers of latex encased in a single mattress cover because, even if encased in a zippered mattress case/cover, if the latex layers are wrapped in cotton gauze or if I use a separate topper, they will be “slippery” and will shift as we use the adjustable base.

There is more information about the pros and cons of wrapping individual layers with a thin fabric in post #2 here. “In theory” a wrapped layer would probably have a slightly higher chance of shifting over time but with a component mattress it’s also fairly simple to unzip the cover and “wave” the layers back into position again.

Also, I am wondering if I should select a mattress that has piped edges and straight sides rather than the type with rounded edges (like the Sleeptek Euro 4) so as to minimize shifting of layers.

I don’t think the edging will make any difference.

Is this something important to take into consideration, and are their other features of a latex mattress I should look for or avoid so that it works well with the adjustable base? Or should I avoid an adjustable base altogether?

Latex in general works very well with adjustable beds and there are many people that are very happy that they chose an adjustable bed to go with their latex mattress (or other types of mattresses) as well.

There is more information about choosing an adjustable bed in post #3 here and the main adjustable bed topic that it links to that can help you choose an adjustable bed based on price vs features comparisons and also includes some retailers that you can use as good sources of information about the features of the adjustable beds they carry and as pricing references as well (in post #6 in the main adjustable bed topic). Of course there are many other sources as well and prices can change on a regular basis so I would also include some internet searching in your research and I would also keep in mind that online advertised prices are often price controlled so make sure you call the stores you are considering to find out their best prices rather than just looking at websites.

Phoenix