How to Buy the Perfect Foundation for a Latex or Memory Foam Mattress
by Andre Willis
Congratulations! After weeks months of searching, you finally found the perfect mattress for your sleep style.
And yet...
You still need to find the perfect foundation for your best sleep ever.
No matter the type of sleep surface you've purchased, choosing the right foundation for your bed is critical. Proper center support will help maintain the structural integrity of your mattress and increase the life of your purchase; it may also enhance pressure point comfort and spinal support.
Importantly, choosing the wrong type of foundation for your mattress may void the manufacturer warranty—making it doubly important to explore your options.
If you've settled on either a latex or memory foam mattress, you're in luck. Finding the right foundation for those two types of sleep systems is as simple as following four simple guidelines:
Guideline #1: You don't actually need a foundation... but you probably want one.
If you're sleeping on a latex or memory foam mattress, it's not actually necessary to have a foundation. Unless you're comfortable lying on or just a few inches above the ground, though, a platform or foundation is important—both aesthetically and functionally. In addition to providing critical center support, adding a platform or foundation beneath your mattress will help keep your mattress clean and give you a bit of storage space underneath (depending on the foundation type).
Guideline #2: A slat foundation works great... but only if the slats are no more than 8" apart.
Plenty of modern, low- to mid-price bed frames and foundations use slats to support the bed. These slats provide critical center support for your mattress, but still have enough flexibility to avoid the "bottoming out" or overly firm feel of certain foundations. The rule of thumb for latex and memory foam mattresses is that slats should be no more than 8" apart from each other,with the recommended spacing only 3". That's because an all-foam mattress does not have an innerspring at its core to maintain its shape—leaving too much space between supportive slats can create a dipping or sagging that's detrimental to both your spinal alignment and your mattress.
Guideline #3: Placing your mattress on plywood, such as a platform bed, can work perfectly fine.
The beauty of latex and memory foam mattresses is their versatility when it comes to choosing center support. Plenty of modern bed frames and platforms are designed to be minimalistic and low profile, which means they often have the mattress resting on a surface that is solid enough to maintain spinal alignment, but flexible enough to withstand movement in sleep. Just make sure the platform you're resting your bed on is free of imperfections that could cause it to split with too much movement or cause damage to the underside of your mattress.
Guideline #4: No matter the type of memory foam or latex mattress foundation you choose, ditch anything that sags or is unsupportive.
Even if you prefer a much softer mattress, support is still a key element of your sleep surface. (There's a reason sleeping on a couch or old mattress gives you aches and pains.) Spinal alignment is a major consideration in choosing all types of sleep systems, but a foundation play a major role in supporting both you and your all-foam mattress.
Best Types of Foundations for Latex or Memory Foam Mattresses
Box Spring Alternative Foundations
The look and feel of a box spring is a popular choice among those who prefer a more classic bedroom look, but traditional box springs have become increasingly hard to find. A great alternative is a box foundation, sometimes considered a box spring alternative, that has the look and feel of a box spring but offers convenient bi-fold or tri-fold design (no more tetris trying to fit a box spring into your house!). The Ascension™ Bi-Fold Foundation has an easy-to-assemble bi-fold design with a zippered cover for the best of both worlds.
Steel Grid Platform Foundations Durability and utility are sometimes at the top of the list when it comes to finding the best foam mattress foundation. If that's where your priorities lie, steel grid foundations are a great choice. Not only do they offer unmatched durability but a well designed grid foundation offers an easy-to-move tri-fold design and a taller format for great under-bed storage. Try the Heavy Duty High Rise Platform for a foundation that ticks all the boxes.
Adjustable Foundations Gone are the days that adjustable foundations were reserved for hospital beds and retirement facilities. The enormous health benefits of sleeping on an adjustable bed have finally made the leap into the mainstream. Enhanced lumbar support, greater versatility and total customization are just some of the reasons that adjustable foundations are quickly becoming the creme de la creme of bed foundations. For a model that has adjustable power base convenience at an affordable price, check out our Ascension™ adjustable bases, designed to work all mattress types perfectly.
If you're in the market for a new foundation, and need more information on all the different options available, you can talk to a sleep expert to ensure the perfect fit for your mattress.
