If You Go Tempur-Pedic, Get the Base
I was an early adopter of the “space age material” now known as memory foam. My wife and I bought a Tempur-Pedic mattress in 2003, but we passed on the solid one-piece optional base that the mattress sits on. Tempur-Pedic even warns that, depending on the base used by the customer, it may invalidate the warranty.
We like to spend money on top quality products when we deem them important, but we also skimp on peripherals. We used a queen sized box from an old mattress set, and that box squeaked like nobody’s business when either one of us would toss or turn. Despite the television commercial where one person jumps up and down on one end of the sofa while a glass of wine stands undisturbed at the other end, the noise from our creaky mattress box was disturbing enough when either of us had to get up in the middle of the night.
In hindsight, I would have found a way to purchase the one-piece Tempur-Pedic base if for no other reason than to have a silent and durable base. But did I learn and go back to buy one? Of course not. I went to Home Depot and bought sheets of plywood. After laying plywood between the box and the heavy mattress, we eliminated most of the squeaking. Unfortunately, we now have a ghetto bed setup with strong corners just waiting for unsuspecting shins to mangle. It’s a mommy blog catastrophe waiting to happen.
Your bedroom lighting is important. Your bathroom design says something about how you pay attention to detail. But if you’re considering a Tempur-Pedic or other memory foam mattress, take my advice and get the solid stationary base. Less noise. Guaranteed.
