How long will mattress last?
Oct 23, 2011 9:28 AM
Joined: Oct 8, 2011
Points: 6
I know it's at best a guess, but I would like a general estimate how how long a high quality mattress would be expected to last under the following conditions.  No pets, no kids on the mattress, good hygeine, frequent rotation, use of a latex topper.  The only aggravating factor would be weight -- my wife is just slightly heavy but I a bit more than that, weighing 240 or maybe a bit less.  I would be buying a firm or luxury firm.  I assume the weight isn't so excessive that I can buy one of the major brands and expect it to last a decent while, but really don't know much about it.  Thanks.
Re: How long will mattress last?
Reply #2 Oct 23, 2011 12:08 PM
Joined: Aug 5, 2010
Points: 227
It depends on your definition of a high quality mattress.  I bought a Simmons Beautirest World Class that lasted about 9 months before it started to sag and causes back pain for my wife and me.  It is more important to buy a bed that is durable and comfortable than one that is a name brand at a big box store or mattress chain.  But then again if you want to buy a new one every year or so, anything comfortable will do.  Having a latex topper on a bad mattress won't help much.  Plush and pillowtop are the most likely to fail early.
Re: How long will mattress last?
Reply #3 Oct 23, 2011 1:39 PM
Joined: Oct 8, 2011
Points: 6
I have read that Stearns and Foster has a very durable coil construction that should support a bit of extra weight?  I was looking at the Newgate Luxury Firm.  Ideally I will lose weight but if not hope to get 5 years +, is that unrealistic?
Re: How long will mattress last?
Reply #4 Oct 23, 2011 5:12 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
S & F sucked  and their warranty was awful too.   The first part of a mattress that will wear out is the foam comfort layer.  Coils are positively the last part to wear and sag. 

I haven't been on the list for awhile, but I've been thru the gamut of beds....everything except the Tempurpedic, because I know memory foam and I don't want to sleep on a slab of it. 

You need to figure out which coils you like the feel of...the thicker the steel(pocket coils are the thinnest), the longer they should hold up.  Then you figure out the layers on top, because of course you don't sleep directly on the coils.  That's where beds wear out the quickest.  Polyurethane foam is most commonly used and is the quickest to wear out...but it has different grades.  Cheapest is Chinese, they don't have the quality controls we do here.  Latex is the longest lasting, and there are many different densities.  Even it will wear out in time.  Mine took 7 years(latex mattress). 

I figured out that I like the feel of offset coils, so I had a bed made with these made from a thick, quality, steel.  My bedmaker uses cotton batting over the coils over burlap, which is the old fashioned way(when beds lasted so long!).  Three years ago I had my bed made, but I did not make it duvet(open up the pillowtop area with a zipper)style, but used the comfy P/U foam for a small pillowtop instead.  Lasted three years that way(LONG time for me...I can feel wear on a bed in three months typically).  So just brought it back and had the duvet zippers added, and had two inserts made.  One 2" latex with one inch p/u foam and the other with just 2" of p/u foam.  Ahhhh. My back so much better after the first night...my rear was supported!  But, by night two, the soft p/u foam was not as firm as I needed, so tonight I replace with the latex insides. 

I highly recommmend finding a qualtiy bedmaker to make you what you want and need.  They can be there for you to replace/repair as needed too.  Often they are cheaper than buying a ready made bed....no middle men and advertising to eat up their profits!  Even after buying the bed, and having it later worked on, I paid LESS than I did when I bought a S&F bed about 5 years ago...which broke down awfully in three months...got worse and worse from there.

Good luck!

Re: How long will mattress last?
Reply #5 Oct 23, 2011 5:39 PM
Joined: Oct 8, 2011
Points: 6
S and F I was looking at (for what it's worth, highly recommended on a blog I was reading) has 13.75 gauge 825 density coils, seems very strong from what I have read but I am not expert.
Re: How long will mattress last?
Reply #6 Oct 24, 2011 12:58 PM
Location: Yosemite area
Joined: Sep 10, 2008
Points: 249
The coils can be wonderful....but the foam on top is what can wear out pretty fast.  That's why pillowtops can be a nightmare...too much soft foam, wears out in the heavier spots, then your low back hurts.  Most of us don't ever get down to the coils.  My entire issue is with the foam part.  Hence the duvet.

Kait

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