Bed and Mattress Glossary: Terms Explained

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• Adjustable Bed

  What an adjustable bed is, how the motorised base moves, and which mattress and room checks matter.

• Bed in a Box

  What a bed-in-a-box or rolled mattress is, how it expands, and what to check beyond the delivery method.

• BS 7177 (Mattress Fire Label)

  What BS 7177 means on a UK mattress fire label, what low hazard is tested against, and why to keep the label.

• Chenille

  What chenille fabric is and how it is used on UK upholstered bed bases and headboards.

• Combination Mattress (Hybrid Synonym)

  What combination mattress means in UK bed retail — a synonym for hybrid layered spring-and-foam construction.

• Comfort Layer

  What a comfort layer is in a mattress, which materials are used, and how it differs from the support core underneath.

• Crib 5 (Fire Test)

  What Crib 5 means in UK fire safety testing, how it relates to foam fillings and BS 7177 hazard grades.

• Crushed Velvet

  What crushed velvet is and how it is used on UK upholstered beds and buttoned headboards.

• Day Bed

  What a day bed is, what mattress size it takes, and how it pairs with a trundle for guests.

• Divan Base

  What a divan base is, how platform-top and sprung-edge divans differ, and how drawers and headboards fit.

• Edge Support

  What mattress edge support means, how foam borders and reinforced springs work, and how to test the edge.

• Emperor Size Bed

  What an Emperor size bed is in the UK, why 200 × 200 cm is common but not standard, and what to check.

• End-Lift Ottoman

  What an end-lift ottoman bed is, where it is hinged, and which room layouts it suits compared with side-lift.

• Fill Power (Down)

  What down fill power is and how it differs from duvet TOG thermal resistance ratings used in UK bedding.

• Foam Density (kg/m³)

  What foam density in kg/m³ means on a mattress spec, why it is not firmness, and how it relates to durability.

• Foam Encapsulation

  What foam encapsulation is — high-density foam borders for edge support in spring and hybrid mattresses.

• Gas Strut (Ottoman Lift)

  What gas struts are in ottoman storage beds and why Newton rating must match mattress and platform mass.

• GSM

  Definition of GSM (grams per square metre) for bedding and mattress fabrics.

• Headboard Strut Centres

  What headboard strut centres are, how to measure divan bolt holes, and why there is no single UK standard spacing.

• High Sleeper

  What a high sleeper bed is, how mid sleepers and cabin beds differ, and which safety checks matter.

• Hollowfibre

  What hollowfibre is in UK duvets and pillows, how it compares with down and feather, and how TOG fits in.

• Hybrid Mattress

  What a hybrid mattress is, how springs and foam are combined, and what to compare beyond the hybrid label.

• ILD / IFD Foam Hardness

  What ILD and IFD foam hardness ratings are and how they differ from foam density and overall mattress firmness.

• Latex Foam (Dunlop and Talalay)

  What latex foam is in mattresses, how Dunlop and Talalay latex are made, and why the process does not prove natural content.

• Linking Bolts

  Definition of linking bolts used to join split UK divan and ottoman bed bases.

• Mattress Firmness Scale

  What a mattress firmness scale means, why each shop’s 1–10 rating differs, and how weight and position change firmness.

• Mattress Protector

  What a mattress protector is, how waterproof protectors and zip encasements differ, and why trials often require one.

• Mattress Topper

  What a mattress topper is, how thickness and foam density change the feel, and what a topper cannot fix.

• Mattress Tufting

  What mattress tufting is and how hand-tufted through-ties differ from micro-quilted surface stitching.

• Memory Foam

  What memory foam is, why it moulds slowly and changes with temperature, and how density describes its grade.

• Microcoil (Mini Pocket Springs)

  What microcoils or mini pocket springs are, where they sit in a mattress, and why they inflate the headline spring count.

• No-Turn Mattress

  What a no-turn mattress is, why most UK mattresses are single-sided, and how to rotate one correctly.

• OEKO-TEX

  Short definition of OEKO-TEX on mattresses and bedding — what the mark proves and what it does not.

• Open Coil (Bonnell)

  What an open coil or Bonnell spring unit is, how linked springs move, and how it compares with pocket springs in UK mattresses.

• Orthopaedic Mattress

  What orthopaedic means on a UK mattress label, why it is a shop term, and which specs to read instead.

• Ottoman Bed

  What an ottoman bed is, how the lift and gas struts work, and what to check before choosing one.

• Percale Weave

  What percale weave is for bed sheets and how it differs from sateen in hand-feel and structure.

• Platform Top (Divan)

  What a platform top divan is, how it feels compared with a sprung-edge divan, and why storage divans often use one.

• Plush Velvet

  What plush velvet is as a bed and headboard upholstery fabric in UK retail colourways.

• Pocket Spring

  What a pocket spring is in a UK mattress, how it differs from open coil, and why spring count alone is not a quality score.

• Reflex Foam

  Short definition of reflex foam used on UK mattresses and sofa beds.

• Roll Together (Mattress Motion Transfer)

  What roll-together means on UK mattresses and how construction types change couple motion transfer and shared centre sink.

• Sateen Weave

  What sateen weave is for bed sheets and how float yarns create a smoother surface than percale.

• Side-Lift Ottoman

  What a side-lift ottoman bed is, where it is hinged, and which room layouts suit it better than end-lift.

• Sleep Trial

  What a mattress sleep trial is, how long UK trials run, and the common rules to read before you buy.

• Small Double

  UK Small Double bed size: 120 × 190 cm (4ft). How it compares with a Single and a Double, and what bedding fits.

• Sofa Bed

  What a sofa bed is, how click-clack and pull-out mechanisms work, and how to check the open size.

• Spring Gauge (Wire Gauge)

  What spring or wire gauge means on a mattress spec, why thicker wire feels firmer, and how gauge relates to spring tension.

• Spring Tension

  What spring tension means on a mattress label, how wire and coil shape set it, and why it differs from the soft or firm surface feel.

• Sprung Edge (Divan)

  What a sprung-edge divan is, how it differs from a firm-edge or platform-top base, and how it changes the bed’s feel.

• Sprung Slats

  What sprung slats are, how they differ from solid slats, and why the gap between slats matters for your mattress.

• Super King

  UK Super King bed size: 180 × 200 cm (6ft). How it compares with a King, zip-and-link halves and delivery.

• Thread Count

  What thread count means on UK bed sheets, how it can be inflated, and what matters more than the number.

• TOG Rating

  What TOG (Thermal Overall Grade) is for duvets and bedding insulation measurements used in the UK.

• Trundle Bed (Truckle)

  What a trundle or truckle bed is, how it rolls out from under a bed, and what mattress and space to check.

• Zip and Link Mattress

  What zip-and-link mattress systems are for UK Super King pairs, delivery access, and dual adjustable bases.

• Zoned Support

  What zoned support means on a mattress, how springs or foam create firmer and softer areas, and what zoning does not prove.

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