Articles · Mattress buying guide

Mattress buying guide

Our mattress buying guide breaks down the decision the way our showroom staff would: by sleep position, body weight, temperature sensitivity, pain points, and budget. Every article below is researched against the brands we actually stock, Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, Helix, Diamond, Southerland, Englander, Eastman House, and tested against what real customers tell us after they sleep on the mattress for a week. Whether you're shopping for your first king-size, replacing a 10-year-old set, or trying to figure out whether memory foam will sleep too hot, start here.

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Wooden captain's bed with built-in storage drawers in the base, one drawer open, in a bright bedroom
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

What Is a Captain's Bed? Storage, Sizes and Who It Suits

A captain's bed is a frame with drawers built into a solid base. Here is how they are built, what mattress thickness works, the trade-offs, and whether they suit kids.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Mattress lifted to reveal the closely spaced wooden slats of a fabric-covered foundation underneath
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

What Is a Mattress Foundation? Types, Uses and When You Need One

A foundation is the rigid, evenly supported base your mattress actually sits on. Here is how it differs from a box spring, a platform bed and a bunkie board, and how to tell whether you need one.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Two single mattresses pushed together on a light oak bed frame to form one king-width bed
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Do Two Twin Beds Make a King? The Measurements That Actually Matter

Two twin mattresses give you king width but fall five inches short on length. Here is what the combination actually measures, why twin XL is the size that works, and how to deal with the gap.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Empty wooden bed frame with evenly spaced slats and a flat support panel laid across them
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

What Is a Bunkie Board? Sizes, Uses and When You Need One

A bunkie board is a thin, rigid platform that gives a mattress flat support without the height of a box spring. Here are the sizes, the situations that call for one, and when you can skip it.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Bare mattress inside a wooden bed frame with a measuring tape across it to check size fit
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Will a Full Mattress Fit a Queen Bed Frame?

A full mattress is six inches narrower and five inches shorter than a queen, so it will not fit a queen frame properly. Here are the exact dimensions, what goes wrong, and three ways to fix a size mismatch.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Hotel bed made with crisp white bedding, layered pillows and a plush pillow top mattress
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

What Mattresses Do Hotels Use? And How to Get That Feel at Home

Hotels buy contract mattresses built to a spec you cannot walk into a store and order. Here is what is actually inside a hotel bed, and how to recreate the feel at home for less than you think.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Adjustable bed base with the head section raised inside a low upholstered bed frame with a fabric headboard
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Can You Put an Adjustable Base in a Bed Frame?

Most adjustable bases are designed to drop straight into an existing bed frame. Here are the four measurements that decide whether yours will fit, which frame styles work, and how to keep your headboard.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
King size mattress on a low wooden platform bed in a sunlit bedroom with matching nightstands and lamps
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

How Much Does a King Size Mattress Cost?

What a king mattress actually costs by material and quality tier, the extras people forget to budget for, and the practical ways to spend less without buying a bed you will replace in four years.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Close-up of a natural cotton and wool mattress corner showing quilted cover and layered materials
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Mattress Certifications Explained: CertiPUR-US, GREENGUARD Gold, OEKO-TEX and GOTS

What each mattress certification actually tests for, what none of them cover, and how to read a label before you buy a foam, latex or hybrid mattress.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Queen bed centered against the wall in a standard size bedroom with clear walking space on both sides
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Average Bedroom Size: What Is Standard and What Bed Actually Fits

Typical bedroom dimensions for primary, secondary and small rooms, plus the clearance math that tells you whether a queen or king will actually fit.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Stack of folded stitched quilts in cream, sage and blue resting on a made bed
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

Quilt Sizes: Twin, Full, Queen and King Dimensions Explained

Quilt sizes are not mattress sizes. Here are typical dimensions for every size, how to work out the drop you need, and why a deep mattress changes the math.

By LA Mattress StoreRead
Low wooden toddler bed with white bedding beside an empty crib in a bright nursery
Mattress Buying Guide | Find Your Perfect Mattress

When to Transition From Crib to Toddler Bed

The age is less important than the signs. Here is when to move a child out of the crib, whether to buy a toddler bed or skip straight to a twin, and how to make the switch stick.

By LA Mattress StoreRead

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