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Hi jasonsmith,

But figured the cost of the platform may be similar as you would save on having to buy a box spring and expensive dust mite cover.

You would need to buy a mattress protector (or an encasement if you have more severe dust mite allergies) either way. There is more about mattress protectors in post #89 here and more about allergy or bed bug encasements in post #2 here .

I'm looking at the Dutch Craft flippable mattresses.

I would always want to know the quality of the materials in any mattress I was considering ( see here ) but Dutch Craft certainly makes some good quality mattresses.

Phoenix

Phoenix wrote:

Hi jasonsmith,

But figured the cost of the platform may be similar as you would save on having to buy a box spring and expensive dust mite cover.

You would need to buy a mattress protector (or an encasement if you have more severe dust mite allergies) either way. There is more about mattress protectors in post #89 here and more about allergy or bed bug encasements in post #2 here .

I'm looking at the Dutch Craft flippable mattresses.

I would always want to know the quality of the materials in any mattress I was considering (see here) but Dutch Craft certainly makes some good quality mattresses.

Phoenix

Yes, I would have to get a mattress protector. What I was saying is I already have a bed frame that uses a box spring. But if I were to buy a platform bed frame so I didn't need a box spring. Then it may even out on the cost because I wouldn't have to buy a box spring and a dust mite encasement for the box spring when I get a new mattress. So the money saved on that may pay for all or most of the platform bed frame. Just would need one that is tall enough as I've seen alot that are low to the ground. Don't want to have to reach UP to get something off my nightstand. It was just something I was thinking about as an option.

But of course I'd be getting a mattress protector for my mattress.

I know about going with quality of the materials in a mattress but I'm on a budget. The mattress I'm looking at Dutch Craft is around $600 and is flipable. They say they only use solid foam in their mattresses, so the foam should hold up better than convoluted foam that the big companies use. I think Dutch Craft is about the only non-name brand mattress you can order/get in my area. I picked one out that I was able to lay on but haven't ordered it yet until I figure out the Full XL and headboard and possibly getting a platform frame. A plus is the mattress is flippable unlike all of the name brands.

Good thing is I'd be going with a Full size, so that gives me 4 spots to use. As I can rotate it and/or flip it. So should last a while.

Hi jasonsmith,

Yes, I would have to get a mattress protector. What I was saying is I already have a bed frame that uses a box spring. But if I were to buy a platform bed frame so I didn't need a box spring. Then it may even out on the cost because I wouldn't have to buy a box spring and a dust mite encasement for the box spring when I get a new mattress. So the money saved on that may pay for all or most of the platform bed frame. Just would need one that is tall enough as I've seen alot that are low to the ground. Don't want to have to reach UP to get something off my nightstand. It was just something I was thinking about as an option.

That makes perfect sense to me

I know about going with quality of the materials in a mattress but I'm on a budget.

You will find mattresses that use higher quality and more durable materials and others that use lower quality and less durable materials in every budget range so if you know the specifics of what is inside any mattress you are considering then you can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses (in the same budget range) and identify any obvious weak links in a mattress regardless of the budget range you are in.

They say they only use solid foam in their mattresses, so the foam should hold up better than convoluted foam that the big companies use. I think Dutch Craft is about the only non-name brand mattress you can order/get in my area. I picked one out that I was able to lay on. A plus flippable.

The durability of the foam and the mattress itself will depend mostly on the type and density of the foam (which is why I would always want to know regardless of your budget range) and I suggest slightly different guidelines for a two sided mattress than a one sided mattress (see post #4 here ) but there is certainly a durability advantage with a two sided mattress compared to a one sided mattress that uses the same materials on only one side (see post #3 here ).

The good news is that Dutch Craft is usually transparent about the quality/density of the materials they use in their mattresses.

Phoenix

Phoenix wrote:

Hi jasonsmith,

Yes, I would have to get a mattress protector. What I was saying is I already have a bed frame that uses a box spring. But if I were to buy a platform bed frame so I didn't need a box spring. Then it may even out on the cost because I wouldn't have to buy a box spring and a dust mite encasement for the box spring when I get a new mattress. So the money saved on that may pay for all or most of the platform bed frame. Just would need one that is tall enough as I've seen alot that are low to the ground. Don't want to have to reach UP to get something off my nightstand. It was just something I was thinking about as an option.

That makes perfect sense to me

I know about going with quality of the materials in a mattress but I'm on a budget.

You will find mattresses that use higher quality and more durable materials and others that use lower quality and less durable materials in every budget range so if you know the specifics of what is inside any mattress you are considering then you can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses (in the same budget range) and identify any obvious weak links in a mattress regardless of the budget range you are in.

They say they only use solid foam in their mattresses, so the foam should hold up better than convoluted foam that the big companies use. I think Dutch Craft is about the only non-name brand mattress you can order/get in my area. I picked one out that I was able to lay on. A plus flippable.

The durability of the foam and the mattress itself will depend mostly on the type and density of the foam (which is why I would always want to know regardless of your budget range) and I suggest slightly different guidelines for a two sided mattress than a one sided mattress (see post #4 here ) but there is certainly a durability advantage with a two sided mattress compared to a one sided mattress that uses the same materials on only one side (see post #3 here ).

The good news is that Dutch Craft is usually transparent about the quality/density of the materials they use in their mattresses.

Phoenix

Problem is I'm limited on what I can check out as most places only carry the name brand stuff. Which generally it is recommended to avoid those companies as they generally use the bad foam in their beds. About the only non-name brand mattress I've found in my area is the Dutch Craft. Though Dutch Craft also has sublines as well that go by different names. But Dutch Craft told me their Dutch Craft branded beds are the best compared to their subline brands. I spent alot of gas driving around to different towns to check their mattresses, so pretty much decided to go with Dutch Craft as I didn't feel like spending more gas driving out looking for other branded beds. Besides I don't think many mattress companies still make flippable mattresses.

As far as knowing what the mattress is made of. I've asked Dutch Craft many times for the materials in some of their mattresses. But they won't tell me much. It's alot of work talking to them trying to get the info, but the MOST I've been able to get out of them was the spring count, and the foam thicknesses. That is pretty much all I could get them to tell me. They do claim to use top quality foam, but won't tell me what the foam is or it's density. I know you have recommended Dutch Craft as a company you can get this info from, but I've tried for over a year and have only gotten the info that you can already find on the display cards at the bed store.

Other thing is I wanted a fire-retardant free mattress, and Dutch Craft have stated that they can make a fire-retardant free mattress with prescription. But I asked them what their fire-retardant is, but they won't tell me. As reason I asked is because some mattress companies can't make a fire-retardant free mattress because their materials already come in that have been sprayed with fire-retardant material. On the other hand, I explained some companies don't use any sprays but use a fire-retardant barrier that can easily not be used on a fire-retardant free mattress and some companies spray their own materials and so could NOT spray the materials for the fire-retardant free mattress.

But Dutch Craft claims they can make a fire-retardant free mattress, but I can't confirm that because they won't tell me how their mattresses are fire retardant. Reason I'm suspicious is because the people who answer their phones don't really seem to be too knowledgeable on basic questions as they usually have to go ask someone else all the time.

Hi jasonsmith,

I spent alot of gas driving around to different towns to check their mattresses, so pretty much decided to go with Dutch Craft as I didn't feel like spending more gas driving out looking for other branded beds. Besides I don't think many mattress companies still make flippable mattresses.

The only step that I would take in addition to to what you've done wouldn't take any gas and would only involve a phone to ask the retailer you are dealing with to talk to Dutch Craft and find out the information that you need to make an informed choice so that you also have the peace of mind of knowing that there aren't any surprises or weak links in the mattress you are considering. It's much more likely that your retailer will be able to find out this information than you will by calling Dutch Craft directly. Having said that ... you will always be the best judge about the information that you need to be comfortable with a mattress purchase or the "risks" you are willing to take.

On the other hand, I explained some companies don't use any sprays but use a fire-retardant barrier that can easily not be used on a fire-retardant free mattress and some companies spray their own materials and so could NOT spray the materials for the fire-retardant free mattress.

"Sprays" are very uncommon in the mattress industry and the most common fire barriers in the mattress industry (as opposed to the furniture industry) are inherently fire retardant non woven fabrics. There is more information about fire retardants in post #2 here and in post #4 here .

Phoenix

Phoenix wrote:

Hi jasonsmith,

I spent alot of gas driving around to different towns to check their mattresses, so pretty much decided to go with Dutch Craft as I didn't feel like spending more gas driving out looking for other branded beds. Besides I don't think many mattress companies still make flippable mattresses.

The only step that I would take in addition to to what you've done wouldn't take any gas and would only involve a phone to ask the retailer you are dealing with to talk to Dutch Craft and find out the information that you need to make an informed choice so that you also have the peace of mind of knowing that there aren't any surprises or weak links in the mattress you are considering. It's much more likely that your retailer will be able to find out this information than you will by calling Dutch Craft directly.

On the other hand, I explained some companies don't use any sprays but use a fire-retardant barrier that can easily not be used on a fire-retardant free mattress and some companies spray their own materials and so could NOT spray the materials for the fire-retardant free mattress.

"Sprays" are very uncommon in the mattress industry and the most common fire barriers in the mattress industry (as opposed to the furniture industry) are inherently fire retardant non woven fabrics. There is more information about fire retardants in post #2 here and in post #4 here .

Phoenix

On the gas part, what I meant was driving around testing mattresses. I had tried out a flippable plush Dutch Craft that was priced okay for my budget and felt alright, so planned on just getting that and not do anymore driving around doing mattress testing.

I'll give Dutch Craft a try again first before I try a mattress retailer. As I find mattress retailers to be full of dumbasses. They themselves can't even answer basic questions about things they should be able to answer. It's not just mattress retailers, its also other similar type of businesses and situations and places like the government. A lot of it is just laziness, as they don't want to take the steps to get the information to answer your question or provide you with correct info. So they usually just BS you with made up stuff, or try and act like the answer to your question isn't needed, etc.

For example, I was at one of the mattress retailers that sell Dutch Craft. And some of their signs weren't up. But I asked what the height was of a certain mattress. And just trying to find that out was a chore as the guy acted like he didn't want to find out the answer. But he ended up just grabbing a ruler to measure it. But I had to ask him if the mattress height he just measured was the same for all the different sizes as the size on the floor wasn't the size I was looking at. And he still didn't go find the answer but told me he assumes all sizes had the same height.

So in that example it was a lot of work just to find out the height of a mattress, and even then didn't even find that out as the size mattress I was planning on going with wasn't even on the show room. Plus who knows if the guy even knew how to measure correctly with his ruler. He should have went and found the information the proper way. So I'm pretty sure it will be a failure to depend on someone like this guy to found out things like spring count and gauge, foam thickness, density, foam type, etc.

Hi jasonsmith,

Unfortunately ... and as sad as it may be ... I agree with your comments and anyone that has spent more than an hour or two on this site will most likely know more meaningful information about mattresses and the materials inside them than most of the salespeople in the mainstream industry.

Phoenix

Does anyone know of a good bedsheet forum? If there is even one. Figured I would ask around on there to get reviews of the quality of the custom bed sheet products.

Thanks

Hi jasonsmith,

I did some searching just out of curiosity (which I'm sure you have as well) and I didn't find any forums that are dedicated to sheets and bedding although there are many forums that have topics about it.

I also came across a reference to NeatSheets which carries full XL sheets with different pocket depths and have a 60/40 cotton/poly blend and appear to be good quality (I'm not familiar with them personally) although they are also over $100 which may be more than you want to pay.

Phoenix

The problem with the $100 sheets like that is I don't think they are probably worth it. I'm betting they are probably $10 sheets in a custom length. Now it would be different if their quality actually matched that of other fancy $100 sheets. Also those custom places have the poly/cotton blend sheets at 200TC which is at the bottom.

I did find that one place that had custom sheets for $50. So I'll keep that in mind if I can't find anything.