Whether you acquired a bed as a family heirloom or through some recent antiquing finding the right mattress for your new treasure can be difficult. There are a variety of antique mattress sizes and Custom Mattress Makers can accommodate nearly all of your needs.

Why do many antique beds require custom mattresses?

In the era of pre-industrialization many beds were made to order. Prior to factories and standardization bespoke artisans crafted beautiful frames made to order. As a result, mattresses didn’t conform to the sizes we have become familiar with today such as king, queen, full, and twin. Custom Mattress Makers can produce the comfort of today to match the lasting beauty of yesteryear.

The most common size for an antique mattress is 48 x 75.  While that suits many of your needs it is best to verify it by measuring. The first step to purchasing a new mattress is measuring your existing mattress, box spring, or frame. Here are the necessary steps:

1. Have a piece of paper or your phone nearby to note each measurement.
2. Take off the sheets and any pillows.
3. Use a measuring tape.
4. Width. Measure from left to right from the widest point of the mattress to assure accuracy. A mattress may bow some so it is important to be careful in finding the widest point. Simply measure from edge to edge once you have located this point.
5. Length. To calculate length measure your antique mattress from front to back. Again, take note of the curvature of the mattress when doing so and measure from edge to edge. Keep in mind that you may want to leave a half inch on each end of the mattress to allow for easy sheet tucking. Having a very tight fitting mattress may make it difficult to make the bed.
6. Height. Measuring height is the easiest portion of this project. Simply measure from the lowest point of the mattress to the highest point.

Ready to take the next step? Start checking out mattresses for your antique bed here. Still not ready? Contact Custom Mattress Makers to ask any question you might have.