AIR BED: A vinyl mattress filled with air, usually covered with cushioning and ticking

BAFFLE: A structure which reduces wave motion in a waterbed mattress. Baffles float within the mattress and may have serpentine, cone, coil or cylindrical shapes.

BONNELL COIL: An innerspring mattress coil with an hourglass shape.

BORDER ROD: Heavy wire that forms the outer edge of an innerspring unit. The border rod is usually clipped to the outermost coils and the ends of the helicals.

BOXSPRING: A boxspring is designed to support an innerspring mattress. A mattress and boxspring together comprise a sleep set (see innerspring construction).

BUILT UP FOUNDATION: A boxspring supported solely by wood and foam.

BULB AND CAPILLARY: A type of temperature control unit that utilizes a sensor that consists of a copper bulb filled with ethylene glycol that will expand and contract according to the temperature of the mattress.

BUTTSEAM: A type of seam used to produce a waterbed mattress in which the vinyl is overlapped at right angles to the mattress and heat sealed.

CALIFORNIA KING: A bed that measures 72 inches wide and 84 incheslong.

COIL COUNT: The number of innerspring coils in a mattress. The standard for a double bed is 312.

COIL SPRING: Spirals of wire in varying heights, sizes and gauges which form the supportive structure of an innerspring mattress.

CONTINUOUS COIL: An innerspring mattress coil configuration where each row of coils is made from a single piece of wire.

CUSHIONING: Polyurethane foam, cotton felt or other materials that lie above the insulator and below the ticking of an innerspring mattress.

DECK: Also known as the pedestal decking or platform, the deck is a flat board which sits on a waterbed pedestal and below the frame.

DENSITY: The weight per cubic foot of foam. Density is independent of firmness but is considered an important indicator of foam quality.

DISH: An undesirable characteristic common with four and five inch low density mattress cores. When weight is placed in the center of a low density foam mattress, the corners rise and bow in response to the deep compression.

DOUBLE BED: Also known as a full or regular size, a double bed measures 54 inches wide by 74 inches long.

DOUBLE EXTRA LONG: A bed that measures 54 inches wide by 80 inches long.

FATIGUE: A softening or loss of load bearing capacity. A condition which is a cause of complaints with innerspring bedding and low quality foam mattresses.

FIBER WAVE REDUCTION: The use of a polyester fiber pad floating inside a water mattress to reduce wave motion.

FILL AND DRAIN KIT: A package that contains all of the attachments needed to properly fill and drain a waterbed.

FIRMNESS RATIO: The measure of the tendency of a spring to become firmer as greater weight is placed on it.

FOAM: Polyurethane foam is used as padding material in innerspring mattresses and forms the edges of hybrid waterbeds. It can also be used as the major supportive material.

FOUNDATION: (See boxspring)

FUTON: A flexible, usually cotton filled mattress which is often used as a dual – purpose mattress and sitting surface.

FRAME: A ridged support system enclosing and confining a water mattress.

FULL FLOTATION SYSTEM: A type of mattress that makes use of a wood or ridged frame.

FULL MOTION: A waterbed that does not have wave reduction systems.

GAUGE: The thickness measure of the wire used in innerspring mattresses. A lower gauge number denotes a heavier wire.

HELICALS: Wire spirals that usually hold together adjacent rows of coil springs.

HIGH RESILIENCE: HR foam is a variety of polyurethane foam which is more supportive, comfortable and durable than conventional foams.

HYBRID: A flotation mattress which is self supporting and looks like a conventional innerspring mattress.

IFD: Indentation Force Deflection is a measure of the load bearing capacity or firmness in polyurethane foams.

INNERSPRING UNIT: The s

pring and wire unit made up primarily of coils, helicals and border rods which forms the heart of an innerspring mattress.

INSULATOR: A tough fiber padding, wire or netting that separates innerspring mattress coils form the cushioning.

LAP SEAM: A high quality seam type used in the manufacturing of waterbed mattresses. The vinyl is overlapped, and dielectrically heat sealed to become one piece of vinyl.

LATEX: A natural foam product often used to make premium quality latex foam mattresses.

LINER: A vinyl sheet which lies under the water mattress and protects against water damage due to leaks or punctures.

MIL: One thousandth of an inch. 20 mil vinyl is usually used in waterbed mattresses.

MOTIONLESS: A waterbed mattress that incorporates wave reduction devices to stop wave motion.

MOTION REDUCED: A waterbed mattress that incorporates wave reduction devices to reduce wave motion.

OFFSET COILS: An innerspring mattress coil that has an hourglass shape and a squared off section at the top and the bottom of the coil.

PEDESTAL: A supporting box-like structure that sits on the floor and below the deck of a waterbed.

PILLOW TOP MATTRESS: A top finishing treatment where a big pillow of soft materials is sewn over the entire surface of the mattress.

POCKET COILS: Cylindrical innerspring mattress coils, enclosed in separate flexible fabric pockets. The pockets are attached to adjacent pockets.

PRESSURE POINTS: The points at which capillaries will close due to pressure against the body. This undesirable effect can be reduced by a mattress that supports evenly.

QUILTING: Patterns that are sewn into the mattress ticking. For surface softness, many manufacturers quilt the ticking to soft urethane foam of varying thicknesses.

RESILIENCY: Surface liveliness and spring – back ability.

SAFETY LINER: A vinyl liner placed under a water mattress to contain water if leaks or puncture occur.

SOFT SIDED WATERBED: A waterbed in which high density urethane foam is used to contain the mattress instead of a frame (see hybrid).

TEMPERATURE CONTROL UNIT: A device which adjusts the temperature of the water in a water mattress, usually between 70 and 100 degrees F.

TEMPERING: Tempering or stress relieving of coils, helicals, border rods, etc. , with heat or electricity assures that the wire will return to its original height after compression.

TICKING: Ticking is the outer fabric covering on a sleep set. These fabrics are often attractive prints or woven damasks.

TOPPER PAD: Insulation and padding material that lies on top of the spring assembly in an innerspring mattress.

WATER CONDITIONER: A chemical solution which is added to the water in a water mattress to prevent algae growth.

** Content source: FurnitureFind.com