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May 2020

Beds for Tall people: 7ft plus mattress guide

If you're a tall person, then only you will know the difficulty in finding a bed that will suit your needs as well as your budget. Not many manufacturers will take the time to specialise in beds for tall people, and even if they do you may be palmed off with a run of the mill cage sprung mattress at a vastly inflated price, or even worse a slab of foam! Here's our guide on the options for a tall sleeper.

Updated 2020: Producing a mattress suitable for your height is one thing, but an equal thought has to be applied with regards to your body weight as well.  If you are taller than average (6ft 6 and above), then randomly sticking a pin in a list of beds is definitely not the way to go about it. You’re going to need some sound expert advice to get you the perfect night’s sleep for your height. Given that most retailers beds will be a maximum length of 6ft 6 inches you’re going to struggle.

The Soft Artisan Luxury Mattress for tall people from John Ryan By Design
We can make all of our Artisan range in extra long sizes for taller sleepers. This guide explains how.

Beds for Taller Sleepers

There is no doubt about it, you are going to be paying more for a longer than average bed, so whichever one you choose, the first consideration must be the longevity or lifespan of the mattress. As a tall sleeper, you don’t want to be fobbed off with an overpriced foam mattress just because you’re tall. Heavier sleepers shouldn’t be penalised for exceeding 18 stone, and your height shouldn’t be an issue either. We cater for all sleepers, and nearly all of our mattresses are suitable for tall people whilst still providing exceptional sleeping quality.

Mattress Brands usually only stock up to 6ft 6 length beds

Most beds designed for tall people are made of memory foam. Why is this? It’s because foam can be cut to size easily and cheaply, meaning manufacturers don’t really need to put in any real expertise to create a longer mattress for tall sleepers.

Just because you’re taller than average it shouldn’t mean that you expect a poorer than average mattress. We provide a full range of mattresses that can be custom made for your exacting requirements. Let’s discuss in more detail what you need to look out for when shopping for an extra long mattress.

What type of mattress is suitable for a tall person?

Firstly, a taller sleeper needs slightly different support requirements from their mattress. As the bed is extra long the best spring system are hand-tied pocket springs. This is because the hand-tying gives extra support over the additional length. A dreaded open coil or foam layer will start to sag near the centre without this. You’ll also need more springs to extend the support system: usually around 2000 once you get to the 7ft length bed size.

Our bespoke mattresses for taller people are made in extra 6″ /15cm increments. So if you’re 6 ft 6 then you may need a 7ft mattress or 7ft 6 mattress in some cases. No one wants their toes hanging over the edge of the bed!

White mattress with feet showing

Mattress requirements for a taller sleeper:

  • Pocket Springs that are hand-tied
  • Tailored spring tension based on weight vs height ration (ideally a 1.4 or 1.6 spring gauge)
  • At least 2000GSM of upholstery fibres to provide comfort layers
  • Natural fibres where possible will last far longer and add more resilience for the taller sleeper
  • Two-sided
  • Zip & Link Beds (make for fa easier turning especially when bespoke lengths)
  • 7-10 Year Guarantee

The additional benefits of this are that a two-sided mattress can be fully turned, unlike memory foam and boxed mattresses. This means you get twice as much for your money!

Mattress Support for Tall Sleepers

Pocket springs (of course) should be the support unit in an extra long mattress. Extra-long beds should be based on a 2000 unit, but the extensions will be utilising more individual units, so the count will obviously be a lot higher depending on the size ordered.

The spring insulator and comfort layers should not just be polyester, as this has the shortest shelf life and resilience of all mattress fibres. You’re going to need a more robust set of spring insulators, such as Mohair or Coir.  Although the price will be initially more favourable, there is just no way that this will give you an expected lifespan.  The layers must be sandwiched with each individual component to complement what is above and beneath.

Pollyester 800G
Taller beds require more than just polyester

The choice of the base should also be manufactured to take into account the additional weight of the extra long mattress.  Obviously, a divan base will be cheaper than an extended bed frame but, even so, this should be manufactured with extra strengtheners and a more robust platform top that will not prematurely dip. All of our mattresses are suitable for taller sleepers and our expert team can create bespoke orders to meet your height requirements.

How much will a bed for a tall person cost?

As this is a specialised market your retail mattress choice is usually extremely limited and, therefore, the price will be at an unnecessary premium. The average price for a 1500 pocket sprung unit will be well over a £1300 for a 5ft x 7’3″ Divan Set.  By comparison, the same size bed using a substandard basic open coil unit would be in the region of £800 or so. A staggering 40% more than the standard cost! We’ve written extensively here on how much you should expect to spend on a new mattress.
However, we offer all of our Artisan mattress range in bespoke sizes at an additional cost of 10% per 6inch/15cm increase or reduction in size. This makes it really easy for you to be able to choose the perfect tailored mattress without paying the 40-60% cost increases you may see on other specialist websites or mattress shops.
A luxury Artisan 1500 extra long mattress in a room
Our Artisan 1500 beats all retail competitors in its price range. It can be made as a 7ft mattress for taller sleepers.
As an example, our Artisan 1500 Hand Made mattress in a super king-size retails at £1170 and – made to a 7ft length – it costs an additional 10% £117 at £1287. If you’re wondering what your money can usually get you when buying a new mattress, we have a handy guide below.
How much to spend on a double mattress?What can I expect for my money?
Under £500Will not get you much at best a 13.5 gauge open coil/cage sprung with a thin polyester layer or a solid foam mattress.
£500Entry level spunbond springs with some form of synthetic upholstery. Usually one sided mattresses.
£750The 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.
£1000Should get you away from most low ranges and into the mid-range pocket spring models.
£1250Should get you a decent pocket sprung mattress with some Natural Fibre content.
£1500Should get you many manufacturers mid-range models with Natural Fibres
£1500-£2000Should 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.
Summary

Just because you’re tall, it shouldn’t mean that your feet are hanging out of the end of your bed or that you’re paying over the odds. Why not get in touch with our small expert team for some advice on what your options are? All of our models are hand made here in the UK and can be made to specific lengths as a bespoke order.

Get in touch today for our free advice on the ideal mattress or bed for tall people, saving you time and discomfort with shop-bought tall sleeper mattresses. Give our small friendly team a call on 0161 437 4419 or drop us a message in the form below.

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