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IntroductionIn your lifetime, you will spend over 200,000 hours in bed (that’s approximately 16 years). This means that far more time is spent in bed using our mattresses than any other purchasable household item – including the sofa, TV or kitchen item.

Buying the right bed and a comfortable mattress for your home is a seri-ous investment. A suitable mattress with a design that fits you can mean the difference between a restful night’s sleep and bouts of insomnia.

It’s important that the mattress you bring home will be something that you’re going to be happy with for years to come. As with any major pieces of furni-ture, it pays to be prepared and do research before you race into a decision.

JoondalupPhone: 08 9300 0433Email: [email protected]

Osborne ParkPhone: 08 9244 4043Email: [email protected]

The Essential Guide to

Buying a Bed

Things to Consider Before Buying a New BedBefore you head to the shop to start testing, get to know your options with our handy buyer’s guide.

Purchasing a bed can be a complicated and confusing process, so it’s import-ant you gather as much information as you can before walking into a store.

Start with this our buyer’s guide which we trust will help you avoid making some basic shopping mistakes and clarify which mattress is right for you.

Step 1 Understand Your Physical Needs

STEP 2 Choose the Right Size

STEP 3 Consider the Different Types of Support

STEP 4 Choose the Right Mattress

STEP 5 Consider Your Base

STEP 6 Decide How Much You’d Like to Spend

STEP 7 Check if You Can Get a Comfort Guarantee





Step 1Understand Your Physical Needs

Different sleeping preferences and body conditions will require different con-sideration. Factor the following elements into your deliberation:

Are you a side, back, or stomach sleeper? Some mattresses are designed to better accommodate specific sleeping positions. Look for a mattress that allows your spine to re-main in its natural position.

Do you have mobility issues? Some mattresses are designed to make getting in and out of bed eas-ier.

Your height and your partner’s height For some couples, a Double bed will be long enough. However, If you are more than six feet tall, a Queen or King-size bed is almost a ne-cessity.



Step 2Choose The Right Size

Measure the length and width of the base that the new mattress is going to sit on in your home. Many customers purchase a mattress, only to discover it’s way too big or small.

Most mattresses available in Australia are made to Australian standard sizes as follows:

Who’s it for?The bed should be the right size so you have adequate freedom of movement.

Here are some tips:

Measure yourself and your sleeping partner. The bed should be 10cm longer than the tallest person who will be sleeping in it. If however, both partners sleep on their sides there’s a good chance they pull their legs up a little and get into the foetal po-sition, if so they can get away with less.

It should be wide enough to allow both partners to lie side by side, hands behind heads, without elbows touching.

For a couple on the slim side, Queen would be adequate whereas a couple with larger frames would be better suited to a King size.

If you really require lots of room, a Super King is the answer.

Children grow fast, their mattresses should last 5-10 years, so ensure you take their size into account.

Will it fit?Before making a purchase, measure the space required for the bed to fit into and remember:

For the positioning of the mattress in the room, don’t forget to allow enough space for doors or furniture drawers to open.

It’s very important to measure any non-standard doorways the bed needs to come through.

Check for obstacles that may be restricting access and allow for them in your measurements.

Measure the effective space in staircases as they can be dif-ficult to negotiate.

Ensure the height or width is sufficient to allow for any turns in the stairway especially if you’re getting an ensemble base, as there is no flex.





Step 3Consider the Different Types of Support

Don’t buy the first bed you try. Make sure you go to a store that carries a large selection of different types of mattresses for you to sample.

A professional mattress retailer will carry combinations of spring and other support systems as well as various comfort layers that are found in a modern mattress.

Today you have a choice of beds that can be made with several different tech-nologies and components that are designed to;

• Help back pain sufferers• Minimise partner disturbance• Help allergy sufferers• Reduce heat• Help alleviate muscle and joint pains• Provide extra support• Cater for the individual’s different body weights

You have the choice of cheap springs, more expensive spring systems and a range of support systems that don’t use any springs at all. There’s a lot to con-sider.



Here are some examples of popular spring systems for you to consider

Bonnell Spring SystemIt is a budget spring. The Bonnell System has few-er, larger springs, which give a firmer impression.

It’s a traditional innerspring unit and is the most widely used system worldwide.

Used on all types of mattresses but especially popular for kids’ beds and the spare room.

Pocket SpringsThe ultimate spring for low partner disturbance.

It is made up of individually pocketed coils and has a much higher spring count.

Provides good contouring support and popular with couples wishing to avoid movement across the mattress.

LFK SpringsThis is a good contouring spring unit with a light-er gauge wire but substantially more springs than the Bonnell.

This gives solid support and is the first choice for chiropractors.



Step 4Choose The Right Mattress

Everyone asks; “Should I get a firmer or softer mattress, what do health profes-sionals recommend?”

Forget the old “The firmer the better” get the one that fits you. The two most important things are comfort and price (in that order).

A comfortable mattress will likely feel right because it’s supporting you by con-forming to your body shape, not pushing you or allowing you to slump into an abnormal position.

Try to get your spine to be as straight as possible when lying on your side and to maintain its natural curve when on your back.

Relax Bedding Tip: Don’t just sit on the bed or just push your hands into the mattress to feel the springs or test the softness.

You should lie on a number of beds, initially on your back and when you’ve narrowed down your selection get into your normal sleeping position, take a deep breath and relax, then give yourself a minimum of 3 minutes to experience the mattress properly.



Ask the salesperson about the internal components of the mattress and what benefits they can provide you.

There are potentially hundreds of different foams and other compo-nents, for instance:

Latex and Memory foam in the comfort layers are excellent for con-forming to your shape and providing better support for your body. • Ask about their thickness and quality.

Gel, either in layers or embedded in the foams will help reduce heat buildup.

The edge support system is important for sleeping close to the edge or sitting on the mattress.

The “Ticking” or cloth covering can be designed to reduce any mois-ture build up.

A good salesperson will be able to provide you with any information you need including the durability of the products, warranty information, etc.

Your body will still be the best guide to what works for you. If you’re getting the support that allows for proper spinal alignment and reduced pressure points you will feel more comfortable.

Relax Bedding Tip: Your spine extends above your shoulders make sure you have a durable pillow that matches with the mattress for your spinal alignment



Step 5Consider Your Base

Check the individual heights of your existing base and mattress before you start shopping in-store, especially if you’re only buying a new mattress.

That way you can take into account the overall height of the bed with the new mattress in place to compare with what you have or would like.

Ensemble bases allow some height adjustment by changing the castors but the bed frame is fixed.

It is possible to place a new mattress upon your existing base, however, you should ensure your base has either a platform or slatted top (firm base) and the surface is completely flat. The mattress will take up the shape of the base.

Relax Bedding Tip:

You can use a broom handle to check for flatness.

Make sure there is no give when weight is placed on it.

Check castors are OK and make sure furniture bed frames have a center support leg.



Ensemble bases can be supplied with a range of materials/colours as options, so you may wish to consider your bedroom colour scheme or bring some mate-rial samples for matching from home.

You should never place a new mattress upon an old sprung base.

Although it may look in good condition, the internal springs will have worn in the same dominant sleeping areas as the previous old mattress. Which means the new mattress will sink and follow the contours of the worn areas.

This will not only permanently damage the new mattress but also give you an uncomfortable sleeping unit and may invalidate the guarantee.



Step 6Decide How Much You’d Like to Spend

Some retailers say ‘spend as much as you can afford’, but we prefer to say stick to your budget but “spend as much as you need – to get what you want”.

A good mattress generally lasts between 7-10 years, so it’s quite an investment. Don’t shop on price alone. If the mattress is for your personal use it should fit you as best as possible.

You’ll spend around a third of your life in it so you want to be as comfortable as possible and if you get a refreshing night’s sleep you’ll perform better during the day.

Of course, you want the best price available but remember the cost per night on a 10-year guaranteed mattress is very small.



Step 7Check if You Can Get a Comfort Guarantee

Despite your best efforts to select the ideal mattress, you may find that it doesn’t feel as supportive or as comfortable as you determined in the store.

Before confirming your purchase, see if you can get a comfort guarantee, i.e. the ability to return and swap it if necessary.

Many retailers will offer this as a matter of policy and some may be coerced into it, it could save you a lot of heartache and money.

Written by Bill Hill, Director and Owner, Relax Bedding 2/470 Scarborough Beach Road, Osborne Park WA 6017 | (08) 9244 4043

Buying the right mattress and bed in-store might seem difficult and daunting. By tackling the process step-by-step, you can make it more manageable.

We trust that by reading this handy guide, you’ve gained an understanding of how to find a mattress and bed that’s ‘just right for you’.

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