The significance of mattress edges is
consistently overlooked by a large portion of their manufacturers, although they are an important element of a
good mattress, as they influence its comfort. Here, specific types of
polyurethane foams used in their construction play a significant role. Choosing the type of foam used for
mattress edges can ensure their stability.
Various
types of mattresses are often encountered, where the edges are made of a different material than the center. Most commonly, they consist of strips of
closed-cell foam, available in many densities and firmness levels. The low cost and high availability of foams of this kind encourage their use. However, their closed cells
quickly break down, causing them to collapse. Therefore, their application in
mattress edges does not deprive it of significant functionality.
Ideally, the mattress should be made of
layers of foam, without blocks on the sides. Furthermore, the first layer in a
functional mattress is made of durable foams. Therefore, it is recommended to use
high-resilience foam (HR foam), which will be sufficiently dense and firm. This type of foam is characterized by the
best dynamics and elasticity, making it considered ideal worldwide. Using
HR foam in the first layer of the mattress ensures that the
mattress edges also maintain stable support.
A different situation arises with
memory foam, whose advantages and disadvantages need to be considered. It is a type of
polyurethane foam that possesses viscosity. However, this foam fundamentally
lacks dynamics, which is problematic. Using it in the first layer of the mattress causes it to
sink under the body, resulting in a suction effect. Therefore, it does not provide sufficient stability when
sitting on the edge of the bed or getting up from it, but this problem can be solved. It is effective when it constitutes the
second layer of the mattress, thus being under the HR foam.