How it works
A mattress is a thick pad for sleeping on, made of a core wrapped in layers of upholstery and a fabric cover. This drawing cuts an innerspring mattress open to name seven parts, then two more on its coils.
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From the outside in
The ticking is the fabric cover. Its panels are joined at the tape edge, a seam closed with binding tape. Under the ticking comes the quilt, then the middle upholstery, which is the cushioning. The insulator lies on the springs and keeps the upholstery out of them. The core is the main support; in an innerspring mattress it is a unit of steel coils, laced together by helical wires. The mattress rests on a foundation, such as a box spring.
- Quilt or ticking? The ticking is the fabric. The quilt is the soft layer stitched under it.
- The core is the whole layer of springs. A coil is one spring in it.
Questions and answers
What are the parts of a mattress called?
From the outside in: the ticking, the quilt, the middle upholstery, the insulator and the core. In an innerspring mattress the core is made of coils joined by helical wires. The base underneath is the foundation.
What is the fabric on a mattress called?
Ticking. It is the outermost layer of fabric and covers the whole mattress. The top panel is often quilted, which means stitched through to the soft layer beneath it.
What is inside a mattress?
A core that gives support, and upholstery layers round it. The core may be steel springs, foam or latex. The upholstery is usually foam, fiber or felt, with an insulator between it and the springs.
What is the base under a mattress called?
A foundation. A box spring is one kind: a rigid frame with heavy springs in it. Other foundations are made of wood or metal slats.