Select Comfort bed cover tearing apart inside

AFChap · 07-30-2008, 07:34 PM

I would be interested to know if anyone else sees this problem with their Sleep Comfort mattress in their motorhome. We are fulltimers, so use our mattress nearly every night.

I talked with the Sleep Comfort rep at GNR about our mattress cover (top actually) ripping apart inside. The DW had been complaining about a hole/depression on her side of the bed right where she sits when getting into and out of bed -- the depression stayed there after she would get up every day. I spilled some water on the bed a few months ago and unzipped the cover to dry it out. When I pulled the cover back I discovered the gauze-type material on the bottom of the top cover was pulled apart on both sides where we sit getting into and out of bed -- her side much worse than mine. It was also pulled apart a little at the foot of the bed where I sometimes sit to put socks on. The Sleep Comfort rep said "It shouldn't be doing that" and replaced our mattress cover at no charge.

The new cover wasn't all that difficult to put on -- just required totally taking the mattress apart. But in the process I believe I discovered the real problem, and the reason for the mattress cover coming apart! And I am convinced the new cover will do the same thing unless I find a way to cure the problem! The problem is that the bed platform is not quite wide enough for the Sleep Comfort mattress, and when it slips over the edge of the platform when you sit on it, the top pulls over and that is obviously what tore the inner material on both sides. At the bottom, the mattress hangs over the platform apx 4", and sitting on it there will exert the same kind of pulling force on that inner material. I added non-slip shelf liner to the side and foot edges, but it did not totally cure the problem of the mattress sliding off the edge.

I suppose one cure would be to put a sheet of thin plywood on top of the bed deck to add support further out on each side and across the foot, or maybe just add strips of thin plywood two feet or so wide along each side up to the hinge area, and across the foot. The deck itself is surprisingly fragile -- it is NOT solid!! -- when putting the mattress together I got on it with my knees and found much of it is hollow -- lots of snap, crackle & pop as I moved around on it, and the noise was not my knees!!

I plan to try a different cure first, and if it doesn't work I will have to go to extending the deck with plywood. Today I bought two 1/2" x 4" x 48" Oak boards at Menards, and a package of #8 x 1 1/4" deck screws. I plan to round off the square corners of both boards on one side, and then attach them to the sides of the bed deck to contain the sides of the mattress within the width of the bed deck.

AFChap · 07-30-2008, 07:34 PM

I would be interested to know if anyone else sees this problem with their Sleep Comfort mattress in their motorhome. We are fulltimers, so use our mattress nearly every night.

I talked with the Sleep Comfort rep at GNR about our mattress cover (top actually) ripping apart inside. The DW had been complaining about a hole/depression on her side of the bed right where she sits when getting into and out of bed -- the depression stayed there after she would get up every day. I spilled some water on the bed a few months ago and unzipped the cover to dry it out. When I pulled the cover back I discovered the gauze-type material on the bottom of the top cover was pulled apart on both sides where we sit getting into and out of bed -- her side much worse than mine. It was also pulled apart a little at the foot of the bed where I sometimes sit to put socks on. The Sleep Comfort rep said "It shouldn't be doing that" and replaced our mattress cover at no charge.

The new cover wasn't all that difficult to put on -- just required totally taking the mattress apart. But in the process I believe I discovered the real problem, and the reason for the mattress cover coming apart! And I am convinced the new cover will do the same thing unless I find a way to cure the problem! The problem is that the bed platform is not quite wide enough for the Sleep Comfort mattress, and when it slips over the edge of the platform when you sit on it, the top pulls over and that is obviously what tore the inner material on both sides. At the bottom, the mattress hangs over the platform apx 4", and sitting on it there will exert the same kind of pulling force on that inner material. I added non-slip shelf liner to the side and foot edges, but it did not totally cure the problem of the mattress sliding off the edge.

I suppose one cure would be to put a sheet of thin plywood on top of the bed deck to add support further out on each side and across the foot, or maybe just add strips of thin plywood two feet or so wide along each side up to the hinge area, and across the foot. The deck itself is surprisingly fragile -- it is NOT solid!! -- when putting the mattress together I got on it with my knees and found much of it is hollow -- lots of snap, crackle & pop as I moved around on it, and the noise was not my knees!!

I plan to try a different cure first, and if it doesn't work I will have to go to extending the deck with plywood. Today I bought two 1/2" x 4" x 48" Oak boards at Menards, and a package of #8 x 1 1/4" deck screws. I plan to round off the square corners of both boards on one side, and then attach them to the sides of the bed deck to contain the sides of the mattress within the width of the bed deck.

John_Canfield · 07-31-2008, 11:46 AM

Paul - ours only overhangs about 2" on each side so maybe your outriggers are a good idea. At least you caught the problem before/during the rally

We like our Sleep Number bed so much, it's on our list of things to buy for our house to

replace our year-old mattress set that we don't like.

cyko · 07-31-2008, 12:16 PM

We had exactly the same problem with our sleep comfort bed. They gave my wife a new cover at GNR, but I agree that the problem will most likely reoccur. I'm wondering about putting on side extensions like you describe, but I am thinking of extending only one side only, the side away from the slide. I will have to look at the details when I go to storage and look at our coach.

AFChap · 07-31-2008, 04:36 PM

What kind of platform/frame/etc does Sleep Comfort recommend/sell when you buy one of their beds for your stick house? I know they say "no foundation required," so does it just sit on bed slats laying across a standard frame??

John_Canfield · 07-31-2008, 06:55 PM

Good question Paul - don't know

I'm guessing the mattress will work on regular box springs, but we're not close enough to purchase to have a good clue.

AFChap · 07-31-2008, 08:23 PM

I did some surfing -- it does require a relatively firm foundation (like many things in life!!). The RV mattress info says, "Since typical RV mattresses rest on a firm, platform-style surface, no foundation is required." When you buy one for your stick house, they will sell you a foundation that fits in most bed frames if you don't have something suitable. You can see an example at http://www.selectcomfort.com/air_mat...foundation.cfm

FlyingDiver · 08-01-2008, 05:43 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by John_Canfield:
Good question Paul - don't know

I'm guessing the mattress will work on regular box springs, but we're not close enough to purchase to have a good clue. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, it needs a solid foundation, not box springs. SC will sell you one if you need it to fit a standard bed frame.

joe