Futons Vs. Mattresses

Basics

• The most common mattress type is an innerspring. Other mattresses include foam, memory foam or air mattresses. Futons are a form of mattress, although they are considered more of an upholstered piece of furniture. Futons are considered a combination mattress and cushion, according to Colorado State University Extension. In addition, people sometimes use the word "futon" to mean not only the mattress or cushion portion, but also a frame for it. Although a futon can be used without a frame, people often buy a frame that converts to a sofa or chair during the day.

Futons

• Futons originated in Japan, where they are made of cotton and are quite thin, only about 2 to 3 inches. Futons in Japan are laid on the floor on top of mats made of rice straw, and the futons are rolled up in the morning and stored. Futons in North America are about twice as thick and usually are used on a wooden frame that unfolds flat at night, then folds up to convert to a sofa or chair to sit on during the day. Although North American futons are thicker than those in Japan, they still are thin enough to fold. Futons usually are kept encased in an upholstery fabric, and many people simply put a sheet over it at night, then remove the sheet during the day. Futons come in twin, full and queen sizes of the same width and lengths as conventional mattresses in those sizes.

Mattresses

• While futons in North America are designed to be a convertible piece of furniture, a mattress is designed to serve only as a bed. When selecting a mattress, ConsumerReports.org recommends considering an innerspring mattress first because it often is the least expensive. Innerspring mattresses are rated by the number of coils. A number that is higher than 390 in a queen size is considered sufficient. If you are buying a twin or full mattress, check the number of coils in the queen size for that brand and the coils for the other sizes are proportional. Other frequently-purchased mattresses are memory foam, which is heat sensitive and conforms to the body, and air mattresses, which allow users to adjust the firmness of the mattress.

History

• By 3400 B.C., Egyptians were sleeping on raised pallets often made of cotton. Beds during the time of the Roman Empire saw the introduction of mattresses stuffed with hay, reeds, feathers and wool. The first coil spring bed was patented in 1865. Innerspring mattresses and upholstered foundations occurred in the 1930s, followed by the introduction of the futon to North America in the 1940s and airbeds in the 1980s.