Slats have damaged my mattress. How can I fix it?

Hi Richard,

Thanks for getting in touch with us about your mattress and the issue your slatted base is causing. Sorry to hear your mattress has failed by dipping. This is all too common with one-sided memory foam mattresses like the Belvoir firm. Let’s help you rectify the base and then we can make some mattress recommendations to help you.

Slats Damaging Mattresses Advice:

Mattresses can get damaged by slats if they are too far apart or are too skinny. With both these circumstances, the mattress may end up being squeezed between the gaps or will be damaged by thin slats focusing too much pressure on the mattress over time.

We always advise that slatted based should be boarded over to prevent damage to the mattress. This is really easy and doesn’t cost much. We advise using plyboard or MDF to basically add a protective cover over the slats. You can also put a cheap duvet over the top of the boards and slats which then helps protect your mattress from being nipped or plucked by the slats. See below for an example of a boarded over slatted bed base.

How much should I spend on a bed?

The next issue is the mattress you’ve been using. It’s important when buying a new mattress that you consider the lifespan of your purchase. We appreciate that everyone has a price point and budget to work too but sometimes it can be a false economy buying an entry level/value mattress, like the Belvoir (which retails around £350).

Simply because at that price point there’s very little quality you can expect for the budget. This, in turn, leads to mattresses only lasting a couple of years and then you’re back to sinking £350 for another couple of years. The mattress you have is only one-sided meaning you’re only ever going to get half the life span of its 2 sided equivalent.

We have written extensively about why one sided mattresses should, for the most part, be avoided.

It can make more sense to spend a bit more, in the £550+ price point and receive many more years of successful comfortable sleep. Especially if you can turn and rotate the mattress each month. Which helps level out natural mattress settlement and provide a more consistent sleeping experience.

How much to spend on a double mattress?	What can I expect for my money?
Under £500	Will not get you much at best a 13.5 gauge open coil/cage sprung with a thin polyester layer or a solid foam mattress.
£500	Entry level spunbond springs with some form of synthetic upholstery. Usually one sided mattresses.
£750	The beginnings of a basic pocket springs unit with 800 – 1000 count. No substantial amount of filling other than foams and synthetic materials. Two sided models.
£1000	Should get you away from most low ranges and into the mid-range pocket spring models.
£1250	Should get you a decent pocket sprung mattress with some Natural Fibre content.
£1500	Should get you many manufacturers mid-range models with Natural Fibres
£1500-£2000	Should get you a Hand Made primarily Natural Fibre Quality Mattress
£2000+	You should expect 100% Natural Fibres and Traditional Hand Made Construction Method.
£5000+	A Bespoke Hand Made Sleep System, High-end Spring Units & Featuring the Worlds Most Luxurious Natural Fibres.

Why memory foam fails:

The fact that the Belvoir mattress only uses memory foam as its primary comfort layer gives an indication as to why it may have failed and started to dip in the middle. This is because memory foam has an incredibly short life span when used in smaller / budget-friendly amounts. It compresses quickly, so unless you couple it with other supportive layers it can lead to dips and sags really quickly. Due to its slow rebound rate its not the most resilient of mattress upholstery types.

You’re far better off with a synthetic fibre, such as polyester than memory foam when it comes to getting a cost-effective mattress lifespan. Once your mattress has dipped in the middle with memory foam, there is no coming back I’m afraid.

Mattresses for Slats:

As an alternative in a firmer feel have a look at the Origins Reflex 1000 below which is one of our entry-level models. It is hand made in the UK and is both two-sided and contains far more fillings than other mattresses at the same price point. It’s a great model to use to compare with other retailers to see what you can get for your money. However, most retailers will refuse to tell you exactly whats in their mattresses. This should make you question, why not?

Origins Reflex Mattress

1: 750GSM VERY SOFT POLYESTER

2: ONE INCH REFLEX FOAM LAYER

3: 270GSM POLYESTER

4: ONE INCH REFLEX FOAM LAYER

5: 1000 SPUN BOND POCKET SPRINGS (MED OR FIRM TENSION)

TOTAL: 1020GSM

DEPTH: 33-35CM

We hope that helps and gives you further mattress buying guidance Richard. If you have any more mattress related questions please get back in touch on [email protected] or 0161 437 4419.

Sleep well
John & Ryan