Is there an optimal amount of pocket springs in a mattress that will provide the best night’s sleep ever? Is more pocket springs a good idea, and does it improve the comfort of the mattress?
Find out this information and more by reading on as we discuss some key points, such as:
- Does body weight affect a spring pocket mattress?
- Is having more springs better?
- How the thickness of the wire of the spring impacts the mattress
- Which spring pocket mattress is best for a bad back
Let’s jump in and uncover the facts.
Do more springs make a better mattress?
Not necessarily so. As a rule, if your mattress has a 1000-pocket spring, it should be quite comfortable. If you drop below 1000 pocket springs, things can become shaky.
The pocket springs support your body, and hopefully, they sag so you get the support in the right places while sleeping.
If you are looking for a top-quality mattress, you should be looking for a minimum of 2000 pocket springs, obviously depending on the size of the mattress.
The more pocket springs you have, the firmer the mattress will be, and you should sleep better.
Does body weight affect the pocket spring count in a mattress?
Yes, if you are lighter or heavier than the average person, your weight will impact the pocket springs.
If you are looking at standard off-the-shelve mattresses, then a quality mattress can cope with around 500 pounds in weight. That’s 250 pounds per side.
Although this sounds like a lot of weight (and it is), with expanding waistlines, mattresses have to be pretty robust these days.
What’s the difference between 2000, 3000, and 4000 pocket sprung mattresses?
Firmness is the main difference. If you have a mattress with 1000 pocket springs, it will be pretty comfortable but maybe a little on the soft side, which is perfect if this is your preference or a young adult’s.
- 2000 pocket springs. It’s a great mattress bordering on soft to medium firmness. The springs are working independently, giving you a comfortable night’s sleep.
- 3000 pocket springs. The mattress is getting firmer, with a soft touch for comfort. The pocket springs are going to be stacked in this type of mattress. Stacking is a subject of debate, but bed manufacturers say 3000 pocket springs are an excellent choice for comfort and firmness.
- 4000 pocket springs. If you struggle with back ailments such as lower back pain or posture-related pain, this could be the mattress you are looking for. Again the springs are stacked and work independently from each other, giving perfect support.
Why do some mattresses have more pocket springs than others?
Comfort and firmness. You can see that a super king-size mattress will have many more springs proportionally than a smaller mattress. There is also a need to place more pocket springs into a larger mattress.
In general, the more springs your mattress has, the better it should be. However, this is not true in all cases, as some manufacturers associate springs with a higher price tag and pack the mattress with as many springs as possible.
Pocket spring mattresses do not work this way; in some cases, more springs equal less comfort.
Does the thickness of the wire or wire gauge affect the spring?
Yes, the gauge of the wire is crucial to the pocket spring’s performance. A smaller gauge or thinner wire will not give quite enough support to a heavier person, so this is a formula for the gauge of wire to make pocket springs.
The table below indicates how the spring gauge plays an important role in your mattress:
| SPRING TENSION | WIRE DIAMETER (GAUGE) | WEIGHT RANGE |
| Soft | 1.2mm | Often a bespoke tension is required |
| Medium | 1.4mm | Upto 16 stone |
| Firm | 1.6mm | 16 stone plus |
| Extra Firm / Orthopaedic | 1.9mm | 20 stone plus |
What is a mattress spring gauge?
Gauge is an engineering term used for the thickness of a wire. If you speak to a mattress salesperson, they may often refer to the gauge of the mattress. This is a misnomer as the gauge refers to the thickness of the wire used in the pocket springs.
Typically the lower the number of wire gauges, the thicker the wire i=s and the more support it will give, or the firmer the mattress is.
In most cases, it means nothing to the customer, and the real litmus test of buying any mattress is to try it out.
What is the difference between spring and pocket spring mattresses?
It’s a different type of support. Innerspring mattresses offer a more generalised support system that does not have any real control over your posture.
Pocket springs are contained in individual calico pockets and stitched into place. The spring is inserted and moves in conjunction with your body’s posture.
Pocket spring mattresses are superior in quality and comfort that can be finely tuned to an individual’s own personal requirement in the case of bespoke beds.
How long does a pocket spring mattress last?
It depends on the use and the care. If you use your pocket spring mattress as a spare bed, it will last for a decade in the right type of environment.
However, using a quality 2000 spring mattress every day should last approximately 10 years.
Some factors such as weight shorten the life of a pocket spring mattress. If you gain weight over the years, the pocket springs will become more stressed and may even fail under the load at some point.
Which mattress is best for back pain?
A higher pocket spring count mattress. Most of you who suffer back pain will understand that a mattress’s firmness is a desirable benefit.
The saggy or soft mattress just doesn’t support the posture, and although they feel fine and comfortable prolonged use can cause spine issues.
A pocket spring mattress with a minimum of 2000 springs would be an ideal choice as the minimal trade-off between comfort and support.
You will know that if you have a bad back, you need to support your posture as close to nature as possible, so the firmness and independent spring movement provide this level of detail to relieve your aching back symptoms.