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The Bed & Mattress Glossary
The Complete Glossary Of Terms and Phrases Linked To Beds and Mattresses
The world of beds and mattresses can confuse and baffle the best of us with all its jargon and technical terms used ever so often. Instead of sounding blissfully ignorant, it is not difficult to educate yourself about what each term means. It is important to know these terms to be able to identify whether the features of a bed or mattress as propounded by sales personnel are actually quality enhancing or simply an advertising gimmick.
The following is a list compiled with all the possible words you could come across, with a brief explanation of each. Though not all terms are frequently used in Singapore, hope this would be a useful reference when you do your mattress and beds shopping!
A
Adjustable Bed - A type of bed that can be bent or elevated into reclining or upright positions. Usually has two parts of which one can be raised. Used most frequently in hospitals.
Advantage loft - A high quality blended polyester fiber used for making the most luxurious quilts. Resists impressions of the body and is blissfully soft yet resilient.
Advanced comfort - The peaks found in convoluted padding and the fluffed up fibers that enhance body comfort with additional cushioning.
Air Bed - A bed that has air filled into its core to support the body, instead of foam, cotton or coir. Equipped generally with small motor pumps to pump air into the air chambers, the level of firmness provided can be modified according to individual preference. Made out of vinyl, the mattress is covered with a cushioned top and ticking.
Air Chamber - Refers to the area of the bed where air can be pumped in.
Air Mattress - A mattress that is inflatable, or have air injected into it with the use of pumps, manual or electric, and used for camping trips, for guests or any activity requiring quick installation of a mattress. It is the most portable form of mattresses, since it can be packed into a small bundle.
Air Vents - small openings on the side of the mattress to allow air circulation and help in maintaining the mattress, keeping it clean and odor-free.
Allergens - Any substance that can cause an allergic reaction in some people including children. Special treated materials help to fight the intrusion of allergens like dust, mold, fungi and others.
Allergen resistant - Some specially treated materials that are able to resist the intrusion of bacteria, fungi and other germs and organisms responsible for allergies. Allergen resistant materials in mattresses help them last longer and are more hygienic. Most of the top brands use allergen resistant material, especially for infant cribs and children’s rooms.
Alpaca - An expensive natural fiber that stays warm in winter and cool in summer. Used in some of the most luxurious mattresses.
Alternating coil - A coil system used in an innerspring mattress, to minimize motion while keeping the support system intact.
Angora - A premium natural fiber that gives better results than any other form of cushioning, with its comfort and support.
Anti-Microbial Fiber and Foam - Any fiber or foam used for mattresses that has been specially treated to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, fungi, dust mites and other germs.
Articulation - The process of bending an adjustable bed. An adjustable bed is considered to have a single point articulation if it folds and can bend in one place, divide the bed into two parts, and can be elevated or angled individually to provide comfort according to individual preference.
B
Baffle - is a chamber that blocks the movement of substances like water.
Batting - refers to multiple layers of cotton felt to add thickness.
Bedboard foundation - A support system including a wooden frame for firming up the support of the mattress from below.
Bed Dimensions - The measurements of the bed and its parts including the length, width, and height, which leads to its classification as King, Queen, Single or Super Single, or variations of these basic sizes.
Bedding - Refers to all that is placed on top of the mattress before lying down. This includes bed sheets, comforters, blankets, pillows and other accessories.
Bed Frame - A wooden or metal base, usually rectangular in shape, used to place a mattress on top, resting on attached legs or kept flat on the floor. It is the foundation to which a headboard and footboard can be attached.
Bed Rails - Are the L-shaped sides of a metal or wooden bed frame that give it the basic shape and hold the frame in its place.
Bed riser - Additional blocks or cones not attached to the beds, used to raise the level of the bed higher off the ground.
Bedstead - The frame that supports the bedsprings, including the mattress placed on top.
Bedsprings - uncovered wire fabric box spring or open spring that does not have upholstering material on top
Bed Support - refers to the frame and the rails on the sides that prevent the bed from sagging or getting disfigured.
Bladder - is the compartment in a waterbed mattress where water is filled.
Blended latex - is the latex made by combining natural and synthetic latex to yield a more durable material.
Body Alignment - The relative position of the spine, the muscles and joints of the body.
Body Impression - is the indentation on a mattress that takes place with a person sleeping in the same position in the same place. The compression of the mattress in that area appears like a curve and indicates that it is time to change the mattress.
Bolster Pillows - Decorative pillows that are long and rounded instead of flat and used with futons or regular beds more for visual beauty but also for reclining against.
Bonnell Coil - is the oldest, original form of hourglass coil used in mattresses to give them a firm base. They are laced together with the aid of cross-wire helicals to make the innerspring part of the mattress. Also called Bonnell Spring-they are the oldest and most reliable form of springs.
Border Rod - is the heavy wire put on the outer edge of the box spring to maintain the shape of the mattress.
Border Wires - used to keep the mattress in shape they are wires of heavier gauge and used inside the mattress. They help to increase the lasting value of a mattress.
Bounce - refers to the level of firmness of the mattress and its ability to spring back upon exertion of weight.
Box beds - beds that are designed with a box like structure as a base meant for storage. Useful in places where space is scarce.
Box Pillow Top - is the best of the pillow top style mattress with the pillow area being thicker and made out of superior quality foam instead of fiber.
Box Springs - Are the frame used to support a mattress at a level above the ground. They act as shock absorbers when weight is exerted on the bed. They are cone shaped wire coils and form the foundation of the bed. Generally used on top of a metal frame, the box springs last longer and it is the mattress that needs to be replaced after a few years.
Box Top - refers to the top of a mattress that helps in adding extra comfort in big boxy shapes.
Built - up foundation-A foundation made of a wooden frame with slats across the top and a fabric cover.
Bunk beds - A set of two beds stacked one on top of the other to save space, very commonly used in children’s rooms or in dormitories and armed forces quarters.
Buttseam - A special seam used in waterbed mattresses to have the vinyl overlapping at right angles to the mattress and is heat-sealed to prevent leakage
Bycast Leather - combines natural leather hides that are bonded to a man made surface, which is then covered with a polyurethane surface that gives a glossy appearance and prevents scratches.
C
California King - A large size of mattress measuring 72” by 84” that is a bit longer but less wider than the regular King size. Preferred by people who are taller and better built than the average users.
California Queen - Slightly longer than the regular queen size mattress, it measures 60” by 84”. Meant for taller people.
Canopy - A fabric like lace, net or cotton, hung from a high level above the bed that falls down as a drape to seem like an enclosure for the bed. Often hung from bedposts.
Carding - A process of cleaning and stretching materials like wool and cotton, to separate the waste and dirt, leaving untangled clean material.
Chiropractic Mattress System - A system that endorses the mattresses ideally suited for the back. Recommended for people with back problems.
Coils - The single wire springs forming the innerspring unit of a mattress.
Coil Configuration - A specific pattern in which coils are arranged inside a mattress.
Coil Count - The number of coils in an innerspring mattress, and used to compare different types of mattresses. A minimum coil count is found in all mattresses.
Coir - A natural coarse fiber made from the fibrous outer shell of the coconut fruit, and used to fill mattresses along with springs. A preferred choice of those wanting harder mattresses.
Comfort - The feeling of the body when it reclines on the surface of the mattress. The level of comfort felt varies according to the hardness or softness of the mattress.
Comfort Quilt - The top layer of the mattress like a quilt meant to provide softer cushioning.
Continuous coil - The use of a single piece of wire to make rows of coil that complete the innerspring configuration.
Contouring - The ability of a mattress to adapt to the natural curves or contours of the body to cushion each part.
Convoluted Foam - Foam that is designed like an egg crate with mounds and depressions, and provides additional cushioning on top. Softer to feel, it helps increase blood circulation.
Core - The inner most part of the mattress, especially in the case of latex. Latex core implies a solid block of latex foam rubber.
Corner Guard - A protective piece of plastic that protects the corners of the mattress foundation.
Cotton - A natural fabric made from cotton grown all over the world.
Cotton Felt - A compressed layer of treated cotton fabric woven out of thick cotton fibers and used in mattress upholstery.
Cover - The top fabric case of the mattress, also called ticking. It is a protective sheet of fabric that prevents exposure to dust and other pollutants.
Coverlet - Any kind of cover used to cover the body to keep warm like a sheet, blanket, duvet, comforter or bedspread.
Crown - A type of mattress that is made to be higher in the middle to provide additional back support. The convex shape results from lower sides and higher middle.
Cushioning - The layers of material that make the base of the mattress softer to feel. The material is placed between the quilting and insulation of the innerspring mattress. Cushioning can be in any material like foam, latex, coir, cotton, polyester, wool and the expensive silk and cashmere.
