Waterbeds

Today waterbeds are a popular item of bedroom furniture and you can buy them in all sizes from super single up to queen and even king.

The basic idea behind the water bed is to manage the conflict between support and comfort. In many ways the water bed performs the same functions as memory foam. The water filled mattress distributes your weight and avoids pressure spots. Some people also like water beds because the vinyl mattress doesn't collect dust and mites. This might be useful for people who suffer from allergies or asthma.

There are a variety of accessories you can buy from specialist supply stores, for example puncture repair kits. Many people use a special waterbed conditioner to condition the interior of the mattress and prevent the buildup of bacteria.

There are two main types of water bed on the market, hard sided and soft sided. As the names suggest, a hardside waterbed has a solid frame - usually wood - in which the mattress sits. A softside waterbed has a cushioned edge and looks at first glance similar to a normal bed.

Most waterbeds come complete with a special built-in heater. This is usually adjustable to ensure that the bed is never too hot or too cold but kept at the best temperature for you.

When filled with water the mattress is very heavy. However with the correct frame or support this weight is distributed across the entire area of the bed rather than concentrated on four corner points.

Most people have two concerns about water beds: one is that they will feel seasick, the other is that the mattress will burst.

A water bed is unlikely to make you seasick. Most are filled to between 75% and 95% capacity and designed to avoid any "wave" effect. A high quality waveless water bed should move only when you do.

As to bursting... well it is possible to accidentally puncture a modern water bed - but not easy. If a puncture does occur then they are designed with a safety liner. You might like to buy a puncture repair kit from the supplies store - just in case.