Today there are many different mattresses on sale, ranging from quite expensive water or air mattresses to more budget options, in which the filler role is played by furniture foam rubber or cotton wool. An incorrectly selected mattress can cause many problems with the musculoskeletal system, therefore, when choosing this product, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances.
Which mattress is better - foam or cotton?
In terms of price, both foam rubber and cotton products are approximately at the same level and are among the lowest price category. Their orthopedic effect is not at all high level, but in any case, such mattresses can also be considered as a temporary option.
cotton wool
If we talk about mattresses with cotton filling, then their main advantage is the use of synthetic material, but cotton, which is harmless to the body. In addition, this material retains heat well, so the bed will be more comfortable.
However, cotton wool as a filler also has many disadvantages:
- The service life of a cotton wool mattress is unlikely to exceed 5-7 years, even with careful care and regular washing of the cover.
- It happens that various insects infest cotton, and it is very difficult to fight them.
Foam rubber
Polyurethane or foam rubber can also be used to fill mattresses. In this case, the density of the foam plays a huge role. Due to the specifics of factory production (in a liquid state, polyurethane foam is poured into a special mold), over time the filler of such a mattress does not clump into clumps.
The main disadvantage of products made from foam rubber is that over time it tends to be pressed, in addition, any foam rubber is very sensitive to moisture - it worsens its properties.
The service life is also short - the same 5-7 years, provided regular care. However, the price differs in big side In comparison with a mattress filled with cotton wool, the cost of foam rubber is still slightly higher than that of cotton wool.
Important! If a special, so-called intelligent polyurethane is used to fill the mattress, then the cost will increase even more. This mattress filler is suitable for those who have problems with the musculoskeletal system. He knows how to “remember” a person’s favorite pose and adapts to it.
Which foam is more suitable for mattresses?
When answering the question of which type of foam rubber is best for making a mattress with your own hands, mention should be made of the classification of foam rubber. The main indicators used in classification are its elasticity and porosity.
Mattress foam must satisfy two main criteria:
- on the one hand, it must be sufficiently elastic and elastic;
- on the other hand, to “be able” to recover your shape after stress.
Let's consider different types to understand which one is preferable to buy:
- Very soft HS grade foam rubber is used exclusively for sound insulation. It is highly porous and should not be used as a mattress filler.
- Typically, in the production of furniture in the mid-price range, polyurethane of the EL and ST brands is used; material of these classes is also undesirable for use for mattresses.
- Only material grades VE and HR, which is used for luxury furniture, can successfully act as a mattress. Sometimes this furniture polyurethane is called latex or highly elastic. Products using this material are much superior to cotton ones, since while sleeping on it a person is in correct position, which makes it possible to fully relax.
Important! Many people, when choosing a mattress, doubt whether foam rubber is harmful to health. During the combustion process, of course, a sufficient amount is released into the atmosphere harmful substances. But when normal use this material is completely harmless and does not pose a danger even to allergy sufferers.
DIY mattress
Experts advise using only orthopedic mattresses in everyday life, because in addition to full-fledged and comfortable rest, it is also the prevention of many diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Unfortunately, the cost of factory-made products is quite high and not everyone can afford it. Meanwhile, making a mattress with your own hands from foam rubber step by step is quite possible.
When making a mattress, you can go in two ways:
- Make the task as simple as possible for yourself and use a thick layer of highly elastic material as a filler. After cutting, all you have to do is trim the edges of the material, then cover it with fabric and put a cover on top.
Important! A 10 cm thick foam mattress made in this way will be quite comfortable and convenient.
- But you can complicate the task and combine a polyurethane layer and a spring base in the mattress. In this case, the result will be an analogue of a factory-made orthopedic product.
Important! One of the most best options A spring base with independent springs is considered. In this case, a person can be guaranteed to take a position that is comfortable for him.
Materials for work:
- In the proposed design option, the spring base will be placed in a box, which is glued together from pieces of foam rubber.
- For the side edges, material approximately 30 mm thick can be used, but for the bottom and upper parts- at least 50 mm.
- You will also need braid, felt and fabric for sewing a cover and covering the mattress itself.
Main part of the mattress
The basis of the mattress is a structure that consists of:
- two layers of polyurethane;
- two layers of felt;
- spring base located between them.
Manufacturing principle:
- After cutting felt and foam rubber to any horizontal surface first lay a foam layer, then a layer of felt, a spring base, again a felt layer and cover this “pie” with another layer of foam.
Important! Felt is used here to prevent the springs from damaging the surface of the polyurethane under load.
- The free space on the sides must be covered with inserts made of the same foam rubber, the result should be a closed box.
- For gluing individual elements This box is better to use special glue. You can get by with “ liquid nails” or ordinary PVA. But in this case, the drying time of the glue will increase, and a hard crust will appear at the gluing site, which will simply crack when deformed.
Important! To create additional strength, you can place a board on the foam rubber during the gluing process, and place a load on it.
Sewing a cover
To sew a mattress with your own hands, you should also make a cover for it:
- To do this you will need fabric and batting.
- During the cutting process, you should simply take into account the dimensions of the foam “box”. And, of course, leave some extra for finishing the edges.
- On initial stage the batting is sewn to the fabric. On flat surface The fabric and batting are combined with each other and hand stitched along the long side of the rectangle several times.
- After this, you can begin to process the edges. First, the excess batting protruding beyond the fabric is cut off, and then a blanket stitch is sewn around the perimeter of the future cover.
- Next, you can sew the narrow parts of your cover into one piece.
- Large parts must be sewn on using decorative tape that hides the seam. First, the braid is sewn along the perimeter of the large part, then the edge of the narrow part is applied to the same braid, the braid is folded and stitched.
Important! Using the same principle, a zipper is also sewn on, so that in the future it will be possible to remove the mattress for washing.
DIY air mattress
It turns out to do air mattress DIY is also possible. To do this:
- Take dense material, which can be either plain or multi-colored - it depends on your desire.
- The shell for the future product is sewn from it.
- Next, we divide it into four equal compartments, the size of which is 170 by 80 cm.
- It is advisable to provide the side compartments with lacing. This is best done to ensure access to them.
- Next, take regular, not fully inflated balloons. Place an average of 5-7 balls in each compartment (the number will depend on the size of your product).
- Lace up the sides and start using the product for its intended purpose.
Bought a new one orthopedic mattress, but instead of the expected comfort, do you experience discomfort during rest and sleep poorly? Or has the old mattress worn out and begun to cause discomfort?
Perhaps yours sleeping place does not have the required degree of rigidity. Is there any way to fix this?
Increasing the firmness of the mattress - is it suitable for everyone?
In what cases should the rigidity of the mattress be increased and is it necessary to do so? Increasing hardness is recommended:
- if available excess weight, impressive build;
- if you have a habit of sleeping on your back or stomach;
- for health problems in the upper spine, stoop;
- at adolescence when the correct anatomical position of the spinal column and eliminating the possibility of its curvature is very important;
- at the age of 25-45 years, even in the absence of health complaints.
How to change the hardness of a sleeping place
It is impossible to make the mattress itself more rigid. But changing the hardness of the sleeping place with the help of additional means is quite possible. To do this, you can buy a thin mattress with orthopedic properties, or an orthopedic mattress cover.
The product may have different heights (3-10 cm) and have varying degrees of rigidity. To prevent slipping, it is attached to the main mattress using special elastic bands.
Coconut mattress cover (topper) is the best solution
One of the most effective ways To increase the rigidity of a sleeping place, purchase an orthopedic mattress cover (topper) with a layer of coconut coir - long fibers growing on coconut shells that prevent the nut from splitting if it falls. Coconut coir is an environmentally friendly and hypoallergenic product.
Topper fillers are produced in two versions:
Important! orthopedic mattress covers with a layer of coconut coir cannot be bent or twisted - this can lead to breakage of the natural fibers.
Benefits of coconut coir toppers
Coconut mattress covers not only improve the orthopedic effect of the mattress, but also have a number of other advantages. They are well ventilated, waterproof, not subject to rotting, have an antibacterial effect, and microorganisms do not multiply in them.
Have high degree strength and durability, smooth out unevenness. At correct use are not deformed. The coconut topper extends the life of the main mattress, as it protects it from various contaminants and dust, hides existing defects.
While sleeping on a mattress with a coconut coir mattress pad, the human body takes a comfortable position in which uniform distribution stress on the whole body, muscle relaxation, correct location spine.
Attention: orthopedic toppers made of coconut fibers must be stored strictly horizontally!
Making the right choice of topper
When choosing a topper, you should pay attention to the color of the coconut fibers. High-quality, ripe coir is dark brown, with elastic and strong fibers. Inexpensive mattress covers are often made from unripe coir.
The thickness of the filler affects orthopedic properties mattress cover. If the filler contains 100% coconut fibers, the topper should have a thickness of 3-8 cm. If the layer of coconut fibers is less than three cm, the composition should include additional fillers.
When choosing, you should also take into account the weight of the person for whom the mattress cover is purchased. With weight not exceeding 90 kg, just have a topper 3 cm thick. If weight more than 90 kg, then you need a thick mattress cover 6–8 cm.
Advice: To increase the service life of a coconut coir mattress cover, you need to turn it over periodically.
However, not all people are recommended to use hard mattresses. Contraindications here are diseases of the lumbar spine, age over 50 years. In these cases, the opposite effect may occur - increased existing pain, a feeling of discomfort, bad dream. Therefore, people who fall into these categories need to choose a mattress with great care.
Increasing the rigidity of the mattress with the help of an orthopedic (topper) made of coconut coir will allow you to get a comfortable sleeping place that can give you a feeling of comfort, sound sleep, a healthy spine and will eliminate the need to purchase a new, more expensive mattress.
Nowadays, making a mattress yourself can be more profitable than purchasing it in a store. It’s not surprising: the cost of the materials required to sew it is significantly lower than the cost of a finished factory product. The only thing you need is large quantities- this is time.
The most common filling for homemade mattresses is polyurethane foam (also known as foam rubber). There are many types of this synthetic material. All of them have different hardness, density, elasticity and, depending on their properties and characteristics, are used in various areas of production.
Characteristics of high-quality foam rubber for mattresses:
- The material should be soft and elastic;
- Foam rubber quickly returns to its shape after loading.
The main indicator of the quality of polyurethane foam is density. The density of foam rubber for a mattress ranges from 25 to 40 kg/m³.
Making products from pillows
The advantage of such a mattress is that it can be transformed into a chair, and also serve as the basis for a children's “house”. Even a novice seamstress can make a mattress out of pillows with her own hands, because sewing requires only straight stitches.
So, for work you will need:
- Several pillows;
- Threads and needles;
- Ready-made pillowcases or just fabric;
- Scissors;
- It is advisable to use a sewing machine, but not necessary.
To sew a mattress from pillows, you can use two methods:
After prolonged use, the soiled mattress cover can be removed and washed in a washing machine.
Children love these mattresses very much, as they are very comfortable during games, for day and night rest. In addition, it is lightweight, and the child can move it to places for play or relaxation.
Homemade orthopedic mattress
To make an orthopedic mattress with your own hands, you need the following materials:
- Dense polyurethane foam (for laying along the edge);
- Main filler;
- Fabric for the cover;
- Glue (it is important that it is safe, does not emit toxins or a strong odor, it will be needed for gluing the layers of filler).
The main filler will be foam rubber. It would be best to lay it in one piece. Layer-by-layer application together with PPU (polyurethane foam) of coconut fiber will improve the user properties of the bed. This is one way you can do the mattress is harder, because the moderate rigidity of the mattress is very beneficial for the spine. In this way, mattresses of different hardness can be made. To do this, you need to lay on one side coconut fiber, and on the other, foam rubber.
Another solution is to use struttofiber, a dense material with vertical fibers, together with polyurethane foam. It will also provide good support for the spine. You can place struttofiber on both sides, and fill the middle with polyurethane foam, or you can alternate it with coconut slabs.
The cover is traditionally sewn from dense natural fabrics. The best for these purposes are calico and natural linen..
Master class on making
Before it starts production process, it is necessary to measure the dimensions of the bed. To do this, you can use a tape measure. Then you can proceed to assembling the holding box (frame). The material for it will be dense polyurethane foam with a thickness of 50 to 100 mm.
It is advisable for the mattress to be at least 14-15 cm thick. If it is thinner, it will be uncomfortable to sleep on.
It is necessary to achieve accuracy in the dimensions of the bed and mattress components. This determines how strong and dense the final product will be. In addition, carefulness in size is necessary so that it lies tightly on the bed and does not slide to the sides, and the sleeping bed is stable.
After this, the filler is laid. If you manage to get a big one whole piece polyurethane foam required thickness, you need to measure the free space in the assembled frame and, using a stationery or shoe knife, evenly cut out the required fragment.
If the bed mattress consists of several foam layers, then the sheets are glued together. Otherwise, the product will not have the required density. The mattress will “walk” under a person lying on the bed.
How to sew a cover
Once the padding is made and placed in the box that holds it, you can begin making the mattress cover. The pattern should consist of two pieces of fabric with a margin for seams and side parts (usually about 3 centimeters on all sides).
The cover must be very dense so that it is put on with a certain effort, this will add strength and elasticity to the mattress. All seams must remain inside. To sew a durable and high-quality cover, you must use only natural fabrics and thick threads. You should not skimp on your health and comfort. Often, someone’s help is required to put on a cover, because it is quite difficult to pull the thick fabric evenly on oneself.
After the cover is stretched, it can be sewn up. However, for convenience, it is permissible to sew a zipper on one side. This cover is considered as permanent, not removable. But you need to sew a removable one on it, which will be equipped with two zippers. This is very convenient, because it can be removed and washed at any time.
If you don’t want to go to the trouble of sewing a cover at home, you can buy a mattress cover of a suitable size. True, it may need to be adjusted (if you have a child or custom size product).
The completed mattress will need to be ventilated in the fresh air. This will get rid of unpleasant odors of foam rubber or glue.
Attention, TODAY only!
Making a foam mattress with your own hands is great idea for those who want to provide themselves with a comfortable sleeping place, but at the same time spend a minimum cash. Depending on the materials used, you can save up to 50% of the cost of the finished product.
Types of structures
Most often, cotton wool and foam mattresses. The advantage of the first of them is the naturalness of the materials, and the main advantages of the second are that foam rubber:
The disadvantages of this material are sensitivity to moisture, deformation (punching) when long-term use.
Homemade mattresses come in two types:
- Springless mattress. His optimal thickness is 10 cm. Such a product is extremely easy to manufacture: it is enough to cut out the previously prepared material, process its edges, cover it with fabric, and put on a cover.
- Mattress with springs. This design is similar to a factory orthopedic mattress. The most beneficial for health are spring bases with independent springs, but if such a design cannot be found, you can use a standard spring block. The manufacturing process consists of two stages. On the first of them, a box is assembled, acting as a base, and on the second, a filler is placed in the box. For the top and bottom parts of the box, foam rubber with a thickness of at least 5 cm is used, and for the side edges, material with a thickness of 3 cm is suitable.
When making any of these designs, the craftsman will need thick fabric for covering and strong threads.
Manufacturing a springless product
Let's try to figure out how to make a mattress with your own hands without using spring blocks. To work you will need:
- dense polyurethane that will support the structure on the sides (its thickness should vary from 5 to 10 cm);
- main filler (at least 14-15 cm thick);
- thick fabric for sewing a cover.
It is advisable to use a single piece of foam rubber of a suitable size as a filler. If you couldn’t find a sheet of the required dimensions, you can take several pieces of material and glue them together. To make a sleeping place with increased rigidity, it is recommended to purchase coconut coir and place it between layers of foam rubber. You can also make a structure with different rigidity of the sides, in which case coconut fiber is placed on one side of the filler, and polyurethane foam is placed on the other.
In addition to materials, the master will need tools, namely: a sewing machine, a sharp knife, scissors, and a tape measure. It is necessary to purchase a special glue with which the elements of the product will be connected. It is important that the glue is safe for health, does not emit toxins, and does not have unpleasant odors.
Step-by-step assembly begins with the manufacture of the frame. When it is ready, you need to measure the length and width free space inside it, and then adjust the piece of foam rubber to size and place it in the frame. It is recommended to cut the material using a sharp shoemaker's or stationery knife.
Then you should sew the cover. First, the mattress is measured, and after that two pieces of fabric are measured. When cutting fabric, it is important to leave reserves for the thickness of the side parts and seams. The seams should be left approximately 3 cm on each side. It is desirable that the cover is dense and fits onto the frame with some difficulty. In this case finished product will be quite elastic and durable (foam rubber will not “walk” inside the case).
It is better to sew a cover from natural fabrics, this will reduce the risk of developing allergies, in addition to natural fabric much more pleasant to sleep. The threads used must be strong, since the durability of the product largely depends on them. The finished cover must be placed on the mattress and sewn up on the free side. This cover is non-removable, but if desired, you can make another one, removable cover, equipped with zippers or buttons. The finished mattress needs to be placed on fresh air(on the balcony or loggia) to ventilate unpleasant odors.
Assembling the structure with springs
Now let's take a step-by-step look at the manufacturing process of a product with springs. First of all, you need to cut out all the elements of the future product, and then put a layer of foam rubber on a horizontal surface, on top of it - a layer of felt, a spring base, another layer of felt and a layer of foam rubber. Felt is necessary so that the springs do not damage the foam. The sides of the structure are covered with foam inserts.
To connect all the elements with each other, a special glue is used; if necessary, it can be replaced with ordinary PVA. Some craftsmen use liquid nails, but a hard crust forms in the places where they are used, which can crack during use of the product.
To make a cover you will need thick fabric and batting. From them you need to cut out parts of suitable sizes, and then sew the batting to the fabric, and stitch the resulting rectangle in several places. This is necessary to ensure that the batting does not move during use.
Then the protruding edges of the batting are trimmed, and the rectangle is stitched around the perimeter with a blanket stitch. After this, the parts of the cover are connected to each other using decorative braid. First, it is sewn to large parts (to the top, bottom of the future mattress), and then narrow parts are applied and sewn to it. At the request of the master, the cover is equipped with zippers, allowing it to be removed from the mattress for washing.
In this world, unfortunately, nothing is eternal. The same applies to mattresses, which over time begin to lose their original characteristics. They sag or bulge in some places. Sleeping on such mattresses is no longer very comfortable. So you decide to buy a new one.
What should those whose financial situation does not allow them to purchase another mattress do? Or for those who love original and unusual things? There is a way out - make a mattress with your own hands.
It is clear that you will not be able to build an orthopedic mattress on your own. But still, you will definitely be able to reconstruct the old one and make it more convenient.
Before you begin this peculiar procedure, you need to prepare. First, set aside free time for work. And secondly - stock up necessary material. You will need:
- padding - your choice;
- strong threads
- sewing machine
If you are going to reconstruct a stationary mattress, then in addition to everything you need to prepare:
- wooden slats,
- springs,
- arm yourself with big nails,
- hammer,
- and of course, with a stapler.
First you need to decide on the padding, that is, what kind of material you want to use.
To do this, you need to know exactly how you will use your mattress in the future - whether it will be removable or stationary. As a rule, for removable models they use soft padding (foam rubber, synthetic padding), which allows them to be easily folded during operation.
Step-by-step process of working with a removable mattress
So, spread the foam rubber on work surface, and apply the markings you need. You can use two options: cut the foam rubber lengthwise into two parts or leave it as a whole piece, and also cut the foam rubber into 2-3 squares. This way, it will be easier to fold it, pack it and put it in a secluded place if you do not intend to use it constantly.
This option is very convenient as a spare, for example, for guests. For the procedure of cutting foam rubber, it is better for you to use the help of a friend who will help you stretch the material, and at that time you can carefully cut it according to the markings.
So, the foam rubber is prepared, all that remains is to correctly cut out the blank for the cover. Remember to allow allowance for the seams as well as the thickness of the padding itself. Do correct measurement foam blanks and lower them a few centimeters on each side.
A good alternative is a removable cover, which can be easily removed for washing during use. To do this, you still need to leave 20 cm along the length of the pattern, which in the future will act as an overlap. You can sew Velcro tape or a zipper to the overlap area - at your discretion.
Let's start sewing the cover. The process must begin with cross sections. After this, sew the cover lengthwise, placing the corners in the middle. Unfold it with the seams in the middle and put it on the prepared foam rubber. If yours is not removable, sew the raw edge with a sewing machine or by hand.
If you prefer soft padding or synthetic padding, then first you need to sew a cover.
In this case, you need to carefully measure the size of the bed and add to this the thickness of the future mattress. Make the pattern according to your measurements, leaving seam allowances. Sew the seams on sewing machine and the case is ready.
Fill it up soft upholstery taking into account that it will soon begin to nail down and become thinner. To prevent it from getting into lumps, it is recommended to stitch the mattress in several places with strong thread, attaching dense pieces of fabric to both sides. Such mattresses are softer, and their service life is much shorter than their foam rubber counterparts.
How to reconstruct a stationary mattress with your own hands?
Now let's consider the option of creating with my own hands stationary mattress with springs. Let's say your old mattress has worn out. Here and there springs stick out, the cover has already acquired an unkempt appearance, and you decide to dramatic changes– reconstruct the mattress.
Here you can do two things - tighten the old springs with strong twine, replace some of them, change the padding and, if possible, the cover. But you can radically reconstruct your mattress, and ultimately, find a completely new product - one that you made yourself. Such things are most valuable!
To do this, prepare spring blocks, the number of which should correspond required size. Place them in vertical position. Make sure that the outer level of the springs is level. You need to secure their lower part to 2-centimeter slats, the width and thickness of which are no more than 7 cm. Prepare the nails and drive them in end side your sleeping area at the level of all spring rows. Start tying the springs.
First of all, the transverse row. Then along the row and finally diagonally. Check the upper level of the springs again - it should be level! At this stage, lay the material prepared in advance on top. Almost any thick fabric will do. Place padding, such as padding polyester. AND, last layer– upholstery. It is better to fix it with a furniture stapler.
The mattress is ready!
That's all - yours homemade mattress already ready! The best part is that you were able to do it yourself, spending a little time on the process, while saving a lot from a financial point of view. In addition, you sewed a mattress cover from a fabric whose colors you and your family like.
You no longer need to run around the shops looking for the color you need - this also has its advantages. And don’t despair if on the first try you didn’t manage to do everything the way you would like. Any business requires practice, and you have already passed the first stage. Now you can offer your help in reconstructing mattresses with your own hands to your loved ones, relatives and friends. Enjoy your holiday.