What is the Difference Between Spring and Foam Mattress

The main difference between spring and foam mattress is that spring mattresses are firm by nature but offer little contouring while foam mattresses are soft and offer more contouring.

A spring mattress is a mattress that contains metal coils suspended in the other materials of the mattress while a foam mattress is a mattress that uses air trapped within aerated substances to offer support and bounce. There are also hybrid mattresses, which have memory foam around the coils.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is a Spring Mattress
     – Definition, Features
2. What is a Foam Mattress
     – Definition, Features
3. What is the Difference Between Spring and Foam Mattress
     – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Spring Mattress, Foam Mattress

What is a Spring Mattress

Spring mattresses are often seen as traditional mattresses since they were introduced before foam mattresses. A spring mattress contains metal coils suspended in the other materials of the mattress. A good quality spring mattress can provide comfort and foundational support to anyone. These mattresses support the body by exerting with a similar amount of pressure that the body applies on the mattress. Therefore, they are ideal for heavy people or those with back ailments. However, sometimes the body may not apply the same amount of pressure evenly across the mattress. Then, the areas like hips, chest, and head, which are the areas of the body that press down the hardest on the bed, will get the most pushback. Some sleepers will find this a discomfort.

The comfort level or impact of a spring mattress can depend on several elements, such as the type of spring, thickness of the metal from which the spring is made, amount of spring used and how they the springs connect with each other. There are four main types of coils as Bonnel coil, offset coil, continuous coil, and pocket coil. These provide different levels of support.

What is a Foam Mattress

Foam mattresses are mattresses that use air trapped within aerated substances to offer support and bounce. There are three general types of foam mattresses: memory foam, polyurethane foam, and foam latex. Memory foam is the most popular out of these three options. Memory foam mattresses have several soft layers of polyurethane or polyol foam. These layers usually have different thicknesses, creating an ideal foundation for a contouring feel and evenly-distributed support. This is why most say that memory foam mattresses are more comfortable than spring mattresses.

However, memory foam mattresses are more expensive than spring mattresses. Moreover, some non-gel foam mattresses may retain heat (depending on the foam used). If the foam used in the mattress is not of good quality, then mattress may not be very durable.

Difference Between Spring and Foam Mattress

Definition

A spring mattress is a mattress that contains metal coils suspended in the other materials of the mattress while a foam mattress is a mattress that uses air trapped within aerated substances to offer support and bounce.

Durability

Foam mattresses are more durable than spring mattresses since springs are prone to sagging and poking after a few years.

Firmness

Spring mattresses are firm while foam mattresses are softer and cushioned.

Contouring

Moreover, spring mattresses offer little contouring while foam mattresses offer more contouring.

Pressure Relief

While spring mattresses provide little to medium pressure relief, foam mattresses provide excellent pressure relief.

Body Type

Spring mattresses are ideal for average to heavyweight body types, whereas foam mattresses are ideal for average to petite body types.

Conclusion

The main difference between spring and foam mattress is that spring mattresses are firm by nature but offer little contouring while foam mattresses are soft and offer more contouring. While spring mattresses provide little to medium pressure relief, foam mattresses provide excellent pressure relief.

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