Give Your Mattress The Quality Wardrobe It Deserves

You've spent a lot of time picking out the perfect mattress, so why would you want to dress it in something of lesser quality? Before you head out to buy the sheets, there are some important things you should know about. It's not just about knowing the size of the mattress, you also need to understand things like thread counts, ply and different fabric weaves. Simply knowing what you are seeking will save you both time and money.

Sheet Size: Not Exactly What You'd Expect

I can think of few things worse for a good night's sleep than waking up at 2:00 A.M. with the fitted sheet bunched up under you hip. No matter how hard you pull, it just won't stay on that mattress. Chances are you went by the simple assumption that queen size sheets would naturally fit on your queen size mattress. That's just not the case. Not all brands are the same size so you need to measure carefully. You'll need to measure the width, length and depth of the mattress. When measuring depth, don't forget to add in the thickness of whatever you might be using for a mattress pad.

At one time mattresses measured between eight and twelve inches tall, but today some exceed twenty inches. Naturally the extra depth means you'll need a deeper pocket than what will come on most standard sheets. If you have a very thick mattress, find sheets with labels like "deep pocket" or "extra deep pocket".

Ply and Thread Count Means Comfortable and Soft

You don't sleep on the beautiful fabric that covers your mattress, therefore the fabric you will be sleeping on is very important. The hands down favorite is cotton. It is durable, but the quality varies greatly.

The thread count is the approximate number of threads per inch. You might find a beautiful sheet, but if it has only a 180 thread count, don't plan on a great night's sleep. Expect this sheet to be scratchy. On the other hand a sheet with a thread count over 300 will feel great and last about six months. Unless of course you have a pet that wants to dig through the bedding to the mattress while you are gone.

A higher thread count and longer threads will generally make a cotton sheet softer and wear longer. But a word of caution, extremely high thread counts does not necessarily mean better. These sheets are thicker and might pill and split when stressed.

The type of cotton used most in sheets is called Pima cotton. Supima cotton is a registered variety and is grown only in the United States. Many consider Egyptian cotton to be the best on the market, but check the label carefully. Legally, any cotton grown in Egypt can be labeled Egyptian cotton. It may not be the higher quality cotton you are seeking. Always double check the way the cotton feels before spending lots of money.

The Weave Puts It All Together

One final piece of the puzzle in buying sheets and mattress covers is how the threads are woven together. The typical over one, under one weave is called percale. This weave wears well, but it might not be as soft you would want. Thread count for percale begin at about 200. This is the lowest level for comfort. Sateen on the other hand feels smoother by going 4 threads over and one under. The drawback here is that sateen's durability is not as high because the threads get more wear from rubbing.

Just remember that when it comes time to buy new sheets, measure your mattress properly. Select a quality fabric with a good thread count. And choose the weave based on if you prefer more durability or more softness.