How long do futon mattresses last

You want an assurance that the futon mattress you buy will serve you long enough. Even if you only want it for occasional use, it should be sturdy and longer-lasting. Ordinarily, the lifespan of futon mattresses is between years. Others can last even for 20 years. However, a lot of factors determine whether your mattress serve for long or die prematurely along the way.

Obviously, the more you know about your futon mattress, the better you can take care of it. Before you make the purchase, make an effort to know how you can get value and keep your futon in good shape.

Here are factors that can influence how long futon mattresses last ;. You need to do the hard job of servicing them. Futon mattresses are made of different ingredients, and each will need a different care routine. If your futon mattress is made of foam or cotton, it will need adequate aeration to restore its fibers.

You can take the mattress out once in a while to bask in the sun and take a breath. The routine will deal with any moisture and kill any bacteria that might take root in the mattress if kept in a cold place. A premium futon frame and mattress can provide a level of support and comfort, but it will not match the combination of firmness and softness that you get with even a mid-range hybrid mattress.

Futon mattresses are usually firmer than bed-only mattresses. These mattresses need to be thin to serve as both a sofa and a bed. However, the overall firmness depends on the mattress, and also the type of frame that you have.

Regular foam futon mattresses are the firmest option, followed by memory foam products, which do a better job of conforming to your body. Coil futon mattresses can be soft or firm depending on the tension of the coils.

Some futons have firm cushions, but the mattress gets covered by additional pillows when it is in the sofa position. Luckily, you can try the Helix Sleep Quiz today to get started on your journey for the perfect mattress according to your body size, sleep style, and unique preferences. Allform by Helix Red Allform by Helix single line logo Allform Red Allform single line logo Allform Allform two line logo - blue Allform Allform two line logo award icon Birch by Helix Evergreen Birch by Helix single line logo Birch Single line birch logo without color soft feel soft feel represented by a bumpy square similar to bubble wrap.

Side sleeper person laying on their side to represent side sleeper Maximum Support A pillar used to represent maximum support. Softer Side A cloud icon used to represent soft side. Flippable Design Two arrows in rotation to represent repeatability or flippable. Star Icon Pressure Point A bullseye target used to represent pressure point.

Body contouring A trail, or thread in an s-pattern used to represent body contouring. Medium Feel Medium feel represented by a curved square. Shop Personalized Mattresses ». Shop Premium Modular Sofa ». Shop Organic Sleep Products ». Also, adding wool on top of the cotton will decrease the rigidity of the mattress while increasing how good the mattress is at regulating temperature. Wool also tends to increase comfort and maintains its shape better than cotton does.

Using polyester encasements instead of cotton will make a futon mattress lighter. Polyester is lighter than cotton, synthetic, and generally retains its shape better. Innerspring futon mattresses have a layer of springs that are encased in foam and batting normally cotton. These behave more like traditional mattresses, and provides separation between you and the slats on the futon frame. Pocket coils have individually wrapped coils and tend to be more expensive than innerspring mattresses.

They hold their shape better and tend to prevent motion transfer, so you and your partner s can sleep happily on the same bed without waking each other up. Take a look at this highly rated pocket coil mattress. Natural latex foam is highly elastic and durable, made from the sap or milk of rubber trees. Liquid latex is collected for use in many industries. Synthetic latex is made to mimic the properties of natural latex. Most manufacturers blend natural and synthetic latex. To make Dunlop latex, a mold is filled to the brim with synthetic and natural latex liquid.

As the latex pours, the heavier particles fall to the bottom and hence the bottom is denser than the top. Talalay latex is created by pouring a measured amount of the latex blend liquid into a mold and then sealing the mold. A vacuum inside the mold causes the liquid to fill the entire mold evenly.

Next, the latex is heated to cure the foam. Upon completion of the curing process, the material is removed and cut to make whatever product you want. So, as you can see, Dunlop latex and Talalay latex will have different structures. Dunlop latex will feel firmer and is usually used for base mattresses.

Talalay latex is more evenly textured, not too soft or firm, and is used for higher-end mattresses. Consider getting a talalay mattress topper instead of a full mattress in order to minimize costs and maximize comfort. Viscoelastic memory foam was developed by NASA in the s.

It is much more durable and responsive to weight and temperature than most synthetic or natural latex foams. It is also called memory foam because when it is created, it is viscous and has stickiness, but also has flow resistance, density, and the ability to return to an initial state, which is the elastic component.

Memory foam conforms to the body and doesn't push back as much as other foams, and naturally adjusts to your body weight and necessary pressure points. To summarize, cotton is the most common base material in futons. It provides flexibility as well as greater weight and firmness. It is not rigid meaning it does not hold its shape very well over time.

As you add more foam, the rigidity increases while weight and firmness decrease. Adding in polyester instead of foam decreases weight while increasing rigidity. A pure polyester mattress will be light, but not flexible. It will however hold its shape rigid and be firm.

Innersprings will increase weight and rigidity while decreasing flexibility. When thinking about high-end vs. Afterwards, we can discuss how much you would pay for each type of mattress. First, when discussing value, metrics like comfort may vary based on the materials used, but almost every high-end futon mattress will be more comfortable than its lower-end equivalent. This is because the higher-end constructions will feature more foam memory foam is especially expensive and polyester, rather than cotton.

Of course, the durability will depend on how well you take care of your mattress. Higher-end mattresses will also not be as lumpy as cheaper mattresses with high cotton content. Furthermore, cotton and wool tend to become more firm as they compress over time. Cotton will compress much faster over time. Latex foam and viscoelastic foams will tend to get softer over time instead of more firm.

This is natural as the foam breaks down. Why would a foam break down and become softer? However, smaller foam particles will trap more air than the pores in the original foam material. Hence, it will actually become softer over time. In terms of price differences, think about what budget you are comfortable with and how quickly you plan on changing mattresses. Are you thinking of having one mattress for the next 10 years?

Or perhaps just for a year or two before you have to buy something different? There are various considerations when choosing a futon mattress for sitting. How are you going to sit on the futon mattress? Depending on your sitting style, you need to choose the mattress that suits you best.

Note that the length of your backrest for the sofa will depend on whether you have a bi-fold or a tri-fold mattress. Tri-folds will have a shorter backrest than a bi-fold. Also, be sure to take a look at our section on futon materials for a comparison between different mattress types. This will help you determine what you need to provide adequate support while sitting.

This may additionally be a challenge when older people use the futon. A firm mattress will also help resolve this issue. You might also consider having several bolster pillows on your futon, especially for those who prefer the lounging position. Innerspring mattresses are more springy and firm. As we discussed above, sinking mattresses can be an issue and a firmer, springier mattress makes a better sofa. A tufted mattress will help durability and comfort over time. You also need to choose the right amount of firmness for you to feel comfortable.

Ensure that your futon mattress cover is thick and textured to prevent slipping off the frame. This also helps with aesthetics, because it will look more like a normal couch. Microsuede works well to provide softness as well as texture and thickness.

Finally, make sure your frame comes with armrests to ensure that you have adequate support for those using the sofa. A 4-inch thick wool futon mattress works well along with a carpeted floor - consider a woolen japanese style floor futon.

You should also consider the weight and size of your futon if it needs to be moved regularly. For example, many Japanese-style futons are normally put away during the daytime and laid out again each night.

A regular 20 cm thick futon is too thick to move easily, so consider getting a thinner mattress and adding a mattress topper, which can be moved separately.

Your mattress also needs space underneath to breathe properly. Consider using some slats or a tatami mat as an alternative to getting a full frame. Tatami mats and slats help draw away moisture below the mattress.

Having a hypoallergenic cover also helps, since it minimizes allergies note that dust collects more regularly close to the floor. When using a futon, get up slowly and stretch if you have knee and back issues.

This will help reduce your pain over time. As we discussed before, futons are still very popular for adults and children in much of Japan. In many other parts of the world, children regularly sleep on beds similar to futon mattresses, and there is no evidence that these children suffer back problems or other health issues. Mattress companies might present misleading information when they claim their products are better for children, but many other sources, such as this forum thread and several others , prove that futons are perfectly safe for children.

A futon mattress is especially comfortable for co-sleeping with your young child, and can be safer than a child bed because it is so low to the ground. Many parents choose to co-sleep with their young children rather than buy them a separate bed. Futons can be very comfortable and practical for this purpose, and if you sleep directly on the floor, you will not risk your child falling off the mattress.

However, there are other issues to be aware of. One possible issue with co-sleeping is that you can end up sinking towards the center of the mattress. Depending on the mattress you get, it can develop an impression of your body and hence some spots where you are likely to sink. In this case, you should buy a mattress or a mattress topper that is more firm such as those made with latex and is not likely to sink. If you are co-sleeping with a toddler on a futon mattress, another issue might be that the toddler will crawl away, so make sure your sleeping area is child-safe.

Also, to reduce the firmness of your futon mattress without risking sinking, consider a mattress topper, or a foam pad that you can place beneath your mattress. The trick is to make sure that you are placing your topper on a surface that doesn't sag or lack of support, since it needs to be flat. If you find that your futon mattress has different spots that sag or don't sag, then a topper is not going to help you.

This is a common issue when mixing different materials on a mattress. Further information on safe co-sleeping can be found here. Using a futon mattress might be better than using a toddler bed. Your toddler will be much happier being able to crawl out or walk out off the futon mattress, as opposed to being trapped inside the bars of a toddler bed. Another option is to just use a normal twin-size mattress, but this might be too large for a young child.

You might also consider co-sleeping with the child on a twin-size mattress, but remember not to have a pillow top mattress for a young child; you need something that is much firmer, or the child risks suffocation.

The only issue with having small children on a futon mattress is cleaning underneath it. This is especially challenging for recently pregnant women. You want the extra space that a futon allows, as this is the most comfortable, and you can comfortably nurse your child with the additional space.

Having a guardrail on your futon mattress frame is only advisable for some children, so be aware of your particular needs. If your futon mattress is on a frame rather than on the floor, you can also move the bed closer to the wall to prevent the child from falling over the edge.

First and foremost, the best way to avoid excess chemicals and irritants is by buying a mattress without added flame retardant. On top of irritating your skin, flame retardant chemicals may also aggravate breathing problems like asthma. The reason futon mattresses are often treated with flame retardant chemicals because foam is a synthetic fiber, and hence it is flammable. However, that cotton and wool are naturally flame retardant, so these additives are not necessary.

High quality cotton mattresses and wool mattresses can become charred but will not go up in flames like other synthetic materials. However, simply using a cotton mattress can also be dangerous for your baby. Remember that growing cotton requires a lot of pesticides, and can expose you to various harmful chemicals.

To get around this, you can use an organic cotton mattress--but be prepared to pay the price for organic materials. Another option is to get a wool mattress, which will be priced much more reasonably; but in this case, be aware that the wool odor may be strong at first.

The smell of wool is particularly noticeable in damp weather, so make sure to keep your mattress as dry as possible. For more information on how to reduce odor in your mattresses, see our section below on cleaning and caring for your futon mattress.

It is also important to note that what is safe or unsafe in a mattress depends a lot on your individual needs. For example, be aware of your relevant medical conditions, such as MCS or multiple chemical sensitivities. If you have any such sensitivities, avoid polyfoam in all furniture materials and stick to natural, organic materials such as cotton and wool.

However, be aware that many foam-free innerspring mattresses can be too soft for co-sleeping with infants, so be sure to look for a high ILD indentation load deflection rating when choosing your mattress.

Also note that a lot of information online on safe and organic materials can be misleading. Contrary to popular belief, there are many synthetic materials that are just as safe as organic materials.

The best advice is simply to know your individual needs. Personally, I try to find mattresses that have low VOC volatile organic chemicals content. For extra safety, use regular sheets, and a mattress pad with organic, quilt-like cotton to protect your futon mattress. You must be logged in to post a comment. In this article, we discuss several topics related to futons such as: basic background information, comfort and safety of futons especially toddler futon safety , how to operate and use futons ex.

Jump to popular topics: How to fluff a cotton futon mattress How to fluff a wool futon mattress Improving futon toddler safety Essential Information What is a futon?

How are futon mattresses different from regular mattresses? Futon mattress vs. Are futon mattresses comfortable? How can I make my futon mattress more comfortable? How can I fluff a cotton futon mattress? How can I fluff a wool futon mattress? How long do futon mattresses last? Sleeping on a futon long term Is sleeping on a futon bad for your back? Is it good for lower back pain? Benefits of sleeping on the floor vs. Do you use futon covers with a futon mattress?

Or just regular sheets? How do you fold a futon mattress? My futon doesn't fold well. What do I do? How do I clean a futon mattress? How do I stop my futon mattress from sliding off the frame? How to fluff a futon mattress Can you use a memory foam mattress on a futon frame? How do I choose a good futon frame? How do I choose a good futon mattress? Futon mattress sizes Different types of futon mattresses Difference between high-end and low-end futon mattresses Best futon mattress for sitting What is the best futon mattress to use on the floor?

Toddler Futon Mattress Safety: Are futon mattresses safe? How do I safely co-sleep with a toddler or child on a futon mattress? Comparison of a futon mattress vs. Japanese futon with tatami mat image from reviewingthis. Memory foam mattresses tend to be softer than futon mattresses. Futon mattresses are foldable and firmer since they are thinner, in general. Image from Overstock. Sleeper sofas look just like normal sofas. Futons, on the other hand, tend to look like folded beds.

Futons also tend to be easier to setup as beds compared to sleeper sofas.