Spindle Mattress logo
Spindle Mattress logo

All articles

ADJUSTABLE BEDUpdated 2 years ago

The simple answer is our mattress works on some adjustable beds.

We find our mattress pairs extremely well with adjustable beds, but there are some that aren't compatible with our mattress. With regrets, we don't know every adjustable bed out there. Here are a few tips some of our customers have found to be helpful in searching for the right match.

Motorized adjustable beds are a very popular option. They come in different grades and in this category you typically get what you pay for. Avoid value options which use a metal grid or wire to support the mattress. They will not provide the kind of stability you need. For an adjustable bed support, we recommend that the support system be a plywood or particle board with a metal frame below it for support. It should have a layer of polyester fiber over the plywood which acts as a moisture barrier to prevent mold and mildew growth.

Keep in mind that with the supporting system, it is not totally about the amount of weight that it can support, but more about the flex and give in the supports. If you and I were to try and lift a traditional mattress, it would maintain its shape and stay relatively flat. With a latex mattress, it would droop in middle. This is why a strong, non-flexing support is so important because a latex mattress isn't self supporting. Therefore, latex needs a different type of support than a conventional mattress. Unlike springs and other materials, when you exert force onto the latex, it transfers most of it to the supporting structure. Overtime, softer, thinner, more flexible supports, will deform causing the mattress to sag. In the end, if the mattress isn't supported properly, the mattress then needs to make up for the missing strength; and that translates into a softer, less supportive, or sinking feeling.

For example, this frame available on Amazon for $588 in a queen can support around 1,000 pounds, but isn't compatible with our mattress. In our experience, they don't hold up. The wire and steel braces aren't supportive enough. The problem is these are designed for innerspring mattresses which have a lot of support and rigidity. Plus, they have a built in shock absorber where as latex does not. So, when you exert force onto the latex, it is transferred to the support below and in the case of the metal foundations, the wire grid bends and deforms causing the mattress to sag.

Adjustable platforms from Leggett & Platt and a few other brands can be good options. You should expect to pay upward of $1,500. Look for :

  • Solid platform — [i.e.: plywood or particle board with metal under support + upholstered with a polyester fiber pad. NOT wire or mesh grid]
  • Motor with lift capacity +/- 750 lbs. [exceeding mattress weight + sleepers]

If you are interested in seeing a Spindle's performance on an adjustable base, Real Mattress Reviews, a mattress review site, gives some insight. 


Was this article helpful?
Yes
No