Mattress Glossary

Have you ever wondered about some of the technical terms used in the world of mattresses?

Allergens
Substances that cause an allergic reactions in some individuals. Foam that is mildew and dust-resistant can be a good choice for allergy sufferers.

Baffle
A chamber used to obstruct the movement of a substance (for example, water).

Bed Frame
A frame that maintains the position of the foundation, headboard and footboard

Bed Support
The bed rails and frame that help prevent the set from warping, twisting and sagging.

Body Alignment
The relational positioning and balance of the spine, muscles and joints.

Border Wires
Heavier-gauge wire that keep the mattresses shape and increase its durability.

Box Spring
A foundation is made of cone-shaped wire coils.

Coil
A spring to provide resistance to applied weight.

Coil Configuration
The arrangement of coils in a specific pattern.

Comfort Zone
The layers of upholstery between the support system and the ticking of the mattress.

Continuous Coil
A mattress construction in which a single wire is formed into a row of coils. Also integrated coil.

Corner Guard
Made of plastic, its purpose is to protect the corners of the foundation.

Edge Guards
Heavy-gauge wires at the mattress edges that help prevent sagging at the edges. They can also increase the usable sleeping surface and maintain structural integrity.

Firmness
A term to describe how much resistance the mattress applies to body weight and the resulting "feel".

Foundation
The bottom component of a sleep set that transfers and distributes the weight of the mattress.

Frame
The structural system that supports a sleep set, often including the headboard, footboard and rails.

Helical
A small helix or spiral shaped wire that is used to connect coils.

Hypoallergenic
A term to describe objects that have a decreased likelihood of provoking an allergic reaction.

Innerspring Mattress
A mattress with wire coils as its support system.

Independent Coil
An innerspring mattress construction that uses individually wrapped coils. Coils move independently of each other, so if your partner moves, you are less likely to be disturbed. Also called pocket-coil.

Integrated Coil
A coil system that distributes your body weight evenly across an innerspring mattress, supporting and cushioning the shoulders, back, hips and legs.

Modular Coil/Modular Grid
Also known as a torsion grid, this refers to a square wire coil used in foundations to absorb weight and reduce lateral sway.

Offset Coil
A wire coil similar to an open coil, but with squared ends.

Open Coil
This is an hourglass-shaped wire coil.

Pillow top
The semi-attached layer at the top of a mattress that provides additional softness and support.

Pocket-Coil
A cylindrical wire coil that is wrapped in its own cloth sleeve.

Posture Box
A foundation that has no wire coil support system. It is made entirely of wood.

Pressure points
Points on the body that bear the most weight and pressure when lying down; common pressure points are the shoulders, hips and knees.

Semi-Flex
A foundation with a grid of wires that firmly supports a mattress.

Sleep Set
A general term to describe the combination of foundation, mattress, headboard, footboard and bed frame.

Support
Support is referred to in several ways:

• The support system of a mattress, such as coils or foam

• The structure that supports the sleep set, such as a bed frame

• The foundation of a sleep set that supports the mattress

• The level of firmness provided to the user

Support System
The basic supporting structure of the mattress. This structure could consist of various types of wire coils, foam, water or air.

Ticking
The fabric covering of a mattress or foundation.

Upholstery Layers
The foam, padding and fibers used between the support system and ticking of a mattress to provide cushioning and comfort.