Shopping for bunk bed mattresses for sale should take you as much time and energy as shopping for the bunk beds themselves. Mattresses are a sizable expense, and choosing the right mattress is a matter of convenience, comfort and even safety. Your job is not done when you have purchased and even assembled your new bunk beds for your children. It’s actually just begun.

The good news for you is that you have our experience and expertise to rely on. With one of the most reputable collections of bunk beds, mattresses and other specialty furniture, including nursery furniture, we have the history and in-depth knowledge to help you make the right purchase.

The Importance of the Right Mattress

The right mattress can make the difference between a comfortable, restful night’s sleep for your children, and a dangerous situation. Not all mattresses are created equal, and it’s important that you pick out a mattress with the right features to help secure comfort, security and practicality. Of course, it would be nice to have a few bonuses as well, such as ease of cleaning.

With that said, we’ve put together this list of highlights from our collection to make your search for a new bunk bed mattress, or a pair of them, as easy on you as possible. Take a short look through some of these features and see if you can find them in our collection. Many of our bunk bed mattresses for sale have them - you just need to find the right combination of features to make the right purchase.

Look for these traits while you’re shopping and you’ll save yourself some time down the line.

1.First things first: Make sure the size is right!

The most important thing you can look for is probably the most obvious. It’s so obvious we even thought about not including it but then decided otherwise. The mattress you choose has to fit your bunks. Of course, no one would intentionally choose a mattress that doesn’t fit, but what this means is that you can’t get too wrapped up in the other features and lose sight of the most basic requirement.

If your bunks take twin mattresses, then you need a twin. A lot of them will, but that’s no excuse not to double check. You can see it right in the product listings, and of course, if you have any questions you can always give us a call to make sure you’re picking out a mattress that is sized appropriately.

2.A snug fit is important

Size is an important prerequisite factor, but so is a snug fit. Two mattresses that are the same size won’t occupy the same space in exactly the same fashion, and this is why the experience of a reputable seller can be so valuable. You want to minimize clearance space around the sides of a mattress. This will help to ensure that a fitting sheet stays in place and it will also protect your child from pinches or from dropping things through the cracks.

It’s also, unfortunately, not something you can tell from a picture, so if you have questions about suitability or exact sizing, we’re your best resource. Get in touch with us and ask questions before buying. It’s a big purchase, ask ahead and make the right choice the first time around.

3.Lightweight will make your life easier

Here’s something else you should look for to make your life as a parent easier, if you are making the choice to involve bunk beds in the design of your child’s room. A light mattress is, all things considered, a more useful fixture of a bunk bed than a heavier one with equivalent features. Let’s not forget that before anyone can actually use the bunk bed, you need to lift the mattress up into the bunk.

Some mattresses are packed tightly in plastic, in such a fashion that you can lift them into the bunk bed, simply cut the plastic, and the mattress will expand to fit the bunk. Many of these are lightweight and easy to maneuver, but even a mattress that does not collapse is more valuable if it has shed some ounces.

You won’t just need to lift it to get it into the bunk bed the first time. You will also need to lift it any time you are going to remove or replace the sheets, and whenever you need to clean it. That makes weight a top consideration for bunk bed mattresses for sale - especially the one you use on the top bunk.

4.Look for a variety of certifications

Since you need to trust the bunk bed you buy and the mattress you pair with it with the safety of your child, it’s important to look for a mattress that provides some certification to be free from known harmful chemicals and VOCs. Many of our bunk bed mattresses for sale do, and you can see the certifications listed right on the product pages.

For example, many mattresses come with the coveted GREENGUARD Gold Certification that ensures they are extensively tested to be free of more than 10,000 known harmful chemicals and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Even without specific certifications like this one, you can still delve into the specifications of given products. Many of our mattresses are certified free from VOCs, ozone depleters, chlorofluorocarbons and heavy metals that are hazardous to health. Naturally, it’s imperative to protect your children’s health from contaminants like these. Many are also free from contaminants like phthalates, formaldehyde and others and specifically list these out. Even some of our mattresses made with synthetic materials like Rayon are guaranteed free from a range of chemicals.

This is safety we’re covering here, so it pays to do the research ahead of time. A mattress will be with you or your child for many years. Trust your family only to the best!

5.Meet flammability standards!

On the note of safety, it is also critical to meet flammability standards with whatever mattress you ultimately choose. Granted, that’s pretty much a built-in feature nowadays, as mattresses and materials need to be guaranteed safe in a variety of different ways (including against fire) before they can be sold.

Still, it’s something to be sure of, and you can learn more about the various ratings held by our bunk bed mattresses for sale on the product pages, or of course, contact us to learn more about them.

6.Dual-sided design or dual density is a bonus if you can find it

This is something that’s actually really more of a requirement for crib mattresses, as it is unsafe to let young children sleep on soft surfaces. Also, it’s also something to look at if you’re going to pair your bunk beds with box spring mattresses, as you can’t flip these over. However, with some mattresses, you can, and being able to reverse them might enhance the suitability of the mattress to more than one sleeper.

As children age they may prefer a harder or a softer mattress, which is something you can easily account for if you get one that can be flipped. However, and as we stated, this is more common among crib mattresses, so what you can theoretically do instead is find a mattress topper that is more comfortable for your child if sleeping preferences change. Just make sure that that topper meets all of the requirements on this list and provides plenty of clearance from the safety rail included with the bunk bed.

7.Get a tough, tear resistant mattress if you can

Another thing you should look for is a mattress that has a high degree of resistance to tearing. We all know mistakes happen and there are a million ways that a tear can happen. It could be a tear caused by some mishap on the part of a child, but it could easily also be caused by carelessly handling the mattress, such as when lifting it over the side of the rail.

A tear will tend to migrate, so it’s ideal if you can find a mattress with tear resistance that can stand up better to this in the first place. Besides, tougher is better, and a tough mattress will last longer.

8.Waterproofing is a nice bonus as well

You might also be well served by a mattress that has a waterproof cover or itself has some waterproof features. It’s also worth noting that children are more likely to spill water or juice than they are to rip a mattress or even a mattress cover. A waterproof mattress or mattress cover will also be easier to clean in the event of nighttime accidents.

Many of our mattresses come with waterproof or water resistant features, which makes them more practical, more valuable, and will ultimately enable them to last longer, especially with the proper care. All other things being equal, and all other criteria being met, opt for the one that is waterproof or water resistant.

9.A cotton blend cover may be beneficial for some sleepers

Some mattresses may come with cotton covers, even organic cotton covers, and there is a lot of value here for those that care enough to investigate. Cotton is not only amazingly comfortable and soft, but it is also hypoallergenic and breathes. That means that cotton retains heat in the winter but also can shed some excess heat in the summer. Also, since cotton breathes, it can keep the sleeper dry, minimizing the risk of irritation and infection.

Admittedly, a cotton mattress cover is a secondary characteristic and not tied directly to the mattress itself, but cotton is a useful material for many people, and since many mattresses come with covers, it’s worth the note.

10.For sensitive sleepers, get an odorless mattress or hypoallergenic cover

If you can’t find a mattress with a cotton cover, or you would prefer to get another material for some reason or other, it’s worth it to get a hypoallergenic cover, especially for a sensitive sleeper. Another thing that might be valuable for a sensitive sleeper is to get an odorless mattress. Some might not care, but a sensitive child might be put off by a mattress that isn’t odorless. That type of thing will affect all individuals differently, but in this instance, if it’s something you need, you can get it here.

11.Stain resistance is a good feature to have

One more thing about waterproofing. If you can’t find a mattress that meets your requirements and is waterproof, you might just be able to get one that is stain resistant. That way, if you do experience any spills or nighttime accidents, you’ll be able to clean up more easily. Not as easily, perhaps, as with a waterproof mattress or cover, but more easily than without one.

By the way, even if you can’t find a mattress that is stain resistant or waterproof that meets your other requirements, or the ones listed here, there’s a good chance you can find a mattress cover that is waterproof or stain resistant and will protect it. You just need to do your homework.

12.A warranty is nice, too!

Finally, if there’s one more thing to look for in a bunk bed mattress for sale, make it a warranty. If you can cover all of the other bases here and then find a mattress, you’ll have almost everything you need to guarantee that the mattress in question will serve you well. Also, you might not think of a mattress as an item that can “break” or with which something can go wrong, but if it does, the warranty should have you covered.

Call Us for Recommendations or Suggestions

If you’re looking for a mattress for a bunk bed, you’re in the right place. We have a large selection of mattresses for full size bunk beds, twin beds, and more, that offer a large variety in weight capacity, comfort and support.

Look through our product listings to see if you can meet all of the considerations listed in this article, and if you need help looking or would like recommendations, please get in touch with us at 925-778-2229.