What Is a Box Top Mattress?

Construction

Box top mattresses, similar to the more common pillow top style, arecomprised of an innerspring mattress with 2 to 6 inches of padding and cushioning on top. This cushioning is stitched securely around the perimeter of the mattress top to create a box of padding instead of a pillow with loose edges.

Benefits

The soft, thick cushioning relieves painful pressure points on the body, while the firm mattress below provides support. Those who suffer from back and neck pains often find relief after sleeping on a box top mattress. The large, flat box top also provides an even sleeping surface, allowing users to sleep on the entire bed without feeling as if they will roll off the edge.

Padding

The soft cushioning layers on box top mattresses are composed of a variety of materials including memory foam, latex foam, polyester foam batting, goose down and cotton or wool fibers. These give box top mattresses their extra thick cloud of softness to keep you from tossing and turning all night. The padding materials are also breathable, so you sleep cooler than you would on a traditional innerspring or memory foam mattress.

Considerations

Look for a box top mattress with hand-stitched padding to better retain the shape and comfort than machine stitching. Once the padding begins to sag and wear out, it cannot be removed and replaced. Adding a separate pillow top mattress pad will not alleviate the compressed area; replacing the mattress is the best remedy. Box top mattresses come with a higher cost than other innerspring mattresses, a;though they typically last longer than most pillow top mattresses.

Care

Box top mattresses should be rotated head to foot two or three times a year to evenly wear the padding and extend the life of the mattress. They are typically one-sided and therefore cannot be flipped over. Protect the mattress from dust, bedbugs and body oils by covering it with a mattress protector with a zipper closure.