A split mattress is exactly what it sounds like: a queen or king size mattress split into two halves. They’re most often used on beds that have mechanisms to adjust the position of the mattress (think hospital bed). Each mattress sits on separate foundations, but the foundations are connected so that, when flat, the 2 extra-long twin size mattresses appear as a single king size mattress. Split mattresses are definitely a less common type of custom mattress than an oversized bed like a Texas King, so they have their own sets of opportunities and challenges. But for some people, they’re perfect.
Advantages of Split Mattresses
The biggest thing that split king or queen mattresses have to offer is versatility. And that word – versatility – has several meanings when it comes to split mattresses:
1. Couples with different sleep styles can choose position preferences. Maybe one of you snores and needs to be tilted up when you sleep. Maybe one of you hurt your ankle and needs your side of the bed to have the leg area raised for a few weeks. Split mattresses let you deal with those kinds of issues easily so you’re both comfortable.
2. There’s no transfer of motion from one side to the other, because you’re technically each sleeping on an extra-long twin mattress. This is great for couples who work different shifts or have opposite schedules.
3. If you and your partner are just not on the same page when it comes to mattress preferences, have each side of the split mattress custom made. You can have one super-firm side and one soft side. Or, if one of you has allergies to certain materials, you could have one side a memory foam mattress and the other side a custom latex mattress.
4. Split king mattresses are way easier to move than regular king size mattresses. Does your home have narrow stairs, doors or hallways? Having your queen or king size mattress made split in 2 means you need half the width to get it through narrow spaces.
5. Personal space. While it’s not any bigger than a standard king size mattress, a split king mattress is literally two separate beds. Some people hate cuddling when they’re sleeping and need to feel like their sleep space is their own, but still want to sleep with their partner at night. Split mattresses are the solution.
Challenges with Split Mattresses
There’s not necessarily disadvantages to split mattress so much as there are little inconveniences to work around. Things to think about when considering a split queen or king size mattress are:
1. The gap. The middle of your bed is now the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea. While custom latex mattresses tend to sit together much more tightly than their memory foam counterparts, there’s still really no sleeping in the middle of a split mattress.
2. You need to get creative with how you do a headboard, if having a headboard is your style. Don’t worry- there’s DIY solutions to that, like having a headboard that’s mounted on the wall and not attached to the bed frame.
3. Split mattresses take longer to set up since the bases are a bit more complicated and often have mechanized parts.
4. You’ve got to buy two sets of bed linens (or three) instead of one.
Choosing Custom Bedding for Your Split Mattress
Here’s another great thing about split mattresses: Yeah, you have to buy two sets of extra-long twin bed sheets, but that means that if you and your partner have fabric aversions or allergies, you can choose sheets made of different materials. Some people choose to have those two sets of custom fitted sheets made and then cover them with a standard king size bed set, which is a great way to go if you don’t need to adjust the beds’ positions at all.
Point is, while split queen and king mattresses are a unique kind of custom bed, they’re not rare, which means they’re not hard to have made and it’s not hard to have perfectly-fitting bedding made for them either. If you and your partner’s opposing sleep styles have caused problems with sleep quality (and relationship quality – yikes), having a split mattress made for your bedroom might end those sleep-on-the-couch-or-in-the-guest-room nights.