SleepTech Magazine / May - June 2017

96
Lightweight, reduced-size and
reduced-thickness air mattresses
specifically intended
for camping and backpacking
are sometimes called sleeping
pads, especially when a layer
of foam insulation is added
under the air chambers. Better
quality air chambers, which
are designed for permanent
use in the home, are constructed
of vulcanized rubber,
covered in canvas or of
polyurethane. These chambers
are then installed into a cloth
shell or ticking. Permanent
airbeds will look almost like
conventional beds with the
exception of having a hose
(one air chamber) or hoses
(two air chambers) coming out
the boxsprings. The mattress
foundation or boxspring adds
another level of support to the
mattress. Most mattress manufacturers
also produce foundation
mattresses or boxsprings
that lie directly beneath
the mattress, resting on the
frame of the bed. Usually, the
foundation is made of either
wood or springs. Springs will
give the bed a plusher feel
while wood will provide more
support. If you prefer wood,
make sure the material is
free of cracks and constructed
straight.
One of the most common
types of boxspring foundations
uses a spiked coil configuration,
in which the springs
are narrow at the bottom but
spiral to a wider diameter at
the top. While a spring system
provides the most common
type of boxspring support,
torsion bars are also sometimes
used. Other foundation
mattresses contain no springs
at all but consist of a built-up
wooden frame.
Some contemporary mattresses
don’t have a foundation,
but these are not common.
of the head of the bed. These
hoses will be connected to an
air inflation device, with two
outlet valves, that will have
a remote control so that each
person can adjust the firmness
of his or her side to his/her
own needs. The firmness can
be adjusted up or down, with
the simple push of a button on
the remote.
FOUNDATION
Rounding out the list of mattress
components is the mattress
foundation, often called