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In the market for a mattress, but a little overwhelmed by all the confusing terms? Never fear, your trusty Dreamologists are here to help! Below, we explain all the mattress terms you need to know, from platforms to pillow-tops, and everything in between.

Adjustable Base

A bed base that can move into several different positions. Usually controlled with a remote to raise the level of the head or feet.

Air Bed

Usually best for temporary rest like guests or camping! Air beds are filed with–you guessed it–air! and can usually deflate in minutes for easy storage.

Border Wires/Rod:

Steel wire or rods around the outside edge of the mattress or box spring to help a bed keep its shape.

Box Spring

Typically goes under a mattress to provide extra support. It features vertical coils and a steel border rod and is usually covered in a sturdy material. You’ll need a box spring if your bed frame doesn’t have another form of support. Our True-Flex® features the patented Dyna-Lock™ interlocking grid system for extraordinary support and spring action.

Coil:

Steel wires shaped into a vertical spiral, often encased in fabric or foam, designed to support the body when sleeping. Usually flexible and springy to add extra comfort and motion support.

Day Bed

Used as a bed by night, couch by day. Whereas a sofa sleeper or hide-a-bed looks like a couch during the day, a day bed looks like a bed at all times–usually just with more pillows and padding.

Edge Guard:

Wire or extra foam padding placed around the outside border of a mattress to prevent the dreaded side sag.

Foundation

An alternative to box springs, a foundation is a bed base constructed using a sturdy wooden frame and, in some models, a steel non-flexing spring.

Hide-a-Bed

Otherwise known as the bed that folds up in your living room sofa, it’s also sometimes called a “sofa bed” or “sofa sleeper” or “sleeper sofa.”

Hybrid Mattress

A mattress made of various types of material, like coils, memory foam, latex, foam, and pillow tops.

Latex Natural Foam

No springs attached! Latex natural foam mattresses don’t have any coils inside and are made of buoyant rubber from the Amazonian rubber tree (hevea brasiliensis). Naturally antimicrobial and hypoallergenic.

Mattress Topper

A removable extra layer to customize your sleeping needs, a mattress topper can make your bed softer or firmer, cooler or warmer, and can be made of a variety of materials depending on your preferences.

Memory Foam

Sometimes called visco-elastic foam, memory foam is a Man-made foam primarily made of polyurethane, memory foam is known for its moldable, pressure-relieving properties.

Memory Foam Gel

Similar to memory foam, the gel provides additional temperature moderation and heat dispersal.

Murphy Bed

A space-saving design that uses hinges to fold a mattress up into a cabinet or wall unit until needed, at which time it lowers down into a regular bed.

Pallet Base

Sometimes called a “Bunkie-board,” a pallet is a 2? bed base constructed using a sturdy wooden frame. It’s usually covered with a thin upholstery and acts as a box spring alternative, especially with platform beds.

Pillow Top

You’ll recognize a pillow top mattress as one that has an extra, “separate” layer of padding sewn on top of the mattress to make it more soft and comfortable. This feature is an extra layer of padding on top of the mattress to provide a soft, extra-comfortable surface for sleeping. You may need to get sheets in a special “deep pocket” size to ensure they fit over the pillow top.

Pillow Top (Eurostyle)

Similar in idea to the regular pillow top, but instead of a separate layer sewn on top of the mattress, the extra stuffing is included beneath the cover of the main mattress for a sleeker look.

Platform Bed

Increasingly more common, platform beds are slowly replacing box springs. A simple pallet base or adjustable platform base supports the mattress, lifting it off the ground and allowing for under-bed storage at the same time.

Plush Top

In lieu of an extra layer of stuffing like a pillow top, this mattress is constructed with a softer top and a firmer bottom.

RV Mattresses

Like you guessed, these are designed specially to fit within the exact space of your RV. We can help you design one for maximum comfort and breathability.

Support Foam

The high-density foam usually found at the base of a one-sided mattress.

Trundle Bed

A two-fer design in which one mattress on wheels is tucked under the platform of the first mattress. The idea is usually to save space in smaller living areas.

Now that you’re in the know on all the main mattress keywords, come on down to our showroom and pick out your next good night’s sleep!

You’ve got a Goldilocks-approved mattress. Hurrah! Now, it’s time to find a pillow to make your good night’s sleep just right. With so many options out there, it’s important your pillow complements your unique needs and supports your overall quality of sleep. One style doesn’t fit all!

The key to long-term comfort is a neutrally-aligned spine. In other words, your pillow shouldn’t allow your neck to bend forward, backward, or to the left or right. “Loft” (height) is one key to proper alignment, as it raises or lowers the position of your head. Support is another, and it comes from the “fill” or insides of the pillow.

This little chart can help determine what level of support you might need: 

If you mostly answered:

Firm

…You need a pillow with a lot of support. This style is usually a bit thicker to lift your head off the mattress and straighten out your neck. Look for:

• Latex Natural Rubber: Naturally made from the foamed sap of the hevea-brasilienis rubber tree, hypoallergenic, and antifungal. Bounces back quickly and is very soft.
• Memory Foam (Solid Gel): Man-made and designed to help distribute weight, relieve pressure and contour around the head. The fill of a solid pillow cannot be moved around.
• Buckwheat & Millet: Filled with the hulls of buckwheat and millet seeds, allowing continuous airflow and ventilation. Retains shape and loft under pressure and conforms to head and neck shape.

Medium

…You probably sleep primarily on your back. A medium-firm pillow supports the neck and head but won’t throw off proper alignment. Look for:

• Latex Natural Rubber (Solid or Shredded): A less firm version of above!
• Memory Foam (Shredded Gel): The same ingredients as the solid, just in a shredded design that allows the sleeper to mold and move it around.
• Feather Blend (Duck and Down): Just as it sounds! A blend of quilled and down feathers provide medium support and allow you to fluff as needed.
• Polyester: Usually available in a variety of firmness levels and can be squished and molded. Hypoallergenic options are often available.

Soft

…You need minimal support. This is the softest and usually flattest of them all and best for those who generally sleep on their stomach. Look for:

• Latex Natural Rubber (Solid): Like “resting on air,” this soft style still provides adequate support but less loft.
• Down: High level of compression for those needing a softer pillow, made from clusters of fluffy down
• Polyester: Lightweight versions have the ability to feel similar to down and can easily compress.

Healthy mix of all: 

Consider a pillow with moveable, moldable fill with medium support.

When it comes to the right pillow, other considerations include allergies and conditions like sleep apnea. While we hope these tips offer a head-start on the best rest for your noggin’, the Square Deal Dreamologists are happy to help with a personal consultation. We sell all the options above, so come into our Sleep Center to find the perfect pillow for a good night’s sleep!

Mankind has always sought a better surface upon which to sleep. From the dawn of history and for thousands of years thereafter these surfaces were made up of grasses, leaves, twigs, furs, Spanish moss, corn shucks or anything at hand that was softer than the ground. Later, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, mattresses became manufactured items.

In 1920 Ennis Rife established Square Deal Mattress Factory to provide a quality bedding sets for Northern California. In the late nineteenth century, a bedspring of spring steel coils held together with a border rod was invented and became the “New Mattress”. The bedspring offered a new dimension of comfort that hadn’t existed before. Now there was an action surface upon which to place the upholstery filling materials over. Innerspring mattresses were filled the same on both sides and can be turned over or end-for-end periodically for added comfort and longevity. Mattresses with two-sides were still a struggle for one person to flip and most people ignored or forgot to follow the warranty directions. Unfortunately, this neglect causes the layers of foam and padding to compress or sag. The first one sided No-Flip design was introduced in 2000. Shortly after all the brand name manufactures changed over to the single sided beds making it the industries “New Mattress”.

Using today’s technology, it was suggested to be the improvement to the older designs and did not require flipping over. A maintenance free mattress sounds great to consumers and quickly became all the rage. In 2005, a safety law requiring all mattress sets built and sold in California to comply within a strict guideline for fire laws. On July 1st, 2007 (CPSC) the Federal government made this fire safety law a requirement on all mattresses built or imported into the U.S. Most two-sided mattresses were eliminated by manufacturers due to the additional material costs in having the mattresses fire tested. Square Deal Mattress Factory decided that this new design would lessen the quality of bedding sets and the company made a conscious decision to continue with a two-sided construction.

Today’s mattresses require just as much if not more maintenance than ever before. It is the recommendation to regularly service your new bed by monthly flipping and rotation. Two sleeping surfaces along with the latest development of innerspring coils, more durable padding materials such as high-density foams, latex natural rubber and visco-elastic foam will help to extend your mattresses life and keep you waking up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. Square Deal Mattress Factory is dedicated to continuing research, development and testing to assure that you are receiving the finest bedding sets available.

Personalize your bedroom with unique bedding and duvet covers, pillow cases, blankets & more!  At Square Deal Mattress we sell quality bedding accessories such as headboards, heavy duty frames, mattress protectors, pillows, blankets and sheets for your convenience.

There are so many ways to dress up your bed creating a beautiful look you have been dreaming of.

First, start with the base. Make sure your mattress and foundation are offering a good support. Adding a quality mattress protector will extend the life of your mattress and keep it clean and dust mite free for years to come. Select your inspirational piece that will inspire the focal point in the design. This could be something that you love like your favorite picture, chair, lamp, etc.

Now let’s get started with the sheets. I believe white sheets work every time. They give the eye a place to rest when you layer on print and pattern. In the local climate it is best to go with 100% Cotton sheet in the 400 thread count and up during the warmer seasons of Spring and Summer. A good quality microfiber or flannel sheet is suggested for the cooler months in Fall and Winter.

Next, comes the pillows. Choose your sleeping pillows based on comfort and your style of sleeping not the look.

Then, add some contrast by mixing a variety of decorative pillows in different shapes or sizes with patterns and colors. Match standard pillowcases to your sheets, and match Euro shams to your quilt or duvet. A great duvet cover and coordinating shams will tie the ensemble together. Don’t be afraid to play with pattern. A quilt is an easy way to layer in some color and contrast.

To complete the look, add a throw blanket or additional comforter in a solid print. In cold weather, sleep under the duvet and use your quilt as an accent. In warm weather, sleep under the quilt and fold the duvet at the foot of the bed. Whether you use a bed skirt or not may seem like a trifling decision, but it really does change the look of the bed and hence, your whole bedroom. If you do not like to use bed skirts we suggest placing a fitted sheet over the box spring to tie into the bedding and keep the box spring clean.

Get creative and have fun with dressing up your mattress and completing your space how you want it.