Waterbed Terminology Explained: Simple Word Guidance for You

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Many people decide to ditch their mattress and box spring to return to a waterbed for its natural comfort and contouring to your body. This may seem like an easy task; however, the market has evolved to include many new items. Learning the waterbed terminology will help you to make decisions on a new waterbed.

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While exploring the ever-expanding world of waterbeds, you may have questions as to what some of the items are now. If you know what they are called and their use, it makes it easier to make decisions. Some items are the same as they always have been and others are new. It also helps to understand the waterbed terminology if you are trying to secure a part or an additional item.

Read on these waterbed terminology to find out all you ever wanted to know about waterbeds today.

Hard Side Waterbeds

A hard side waterbed is what you think of as a “traditional” waterbed. It has a sturdy wooden frame to hold the waterbed mattress and may also include a headboard. You can choose from a variety of sizes to fit your needs and a choice of two wood colors to coordinate with your existing bedroom furniture.

Soft Side Waterbeds

Soft side waterbeds are a newer model of waterbed. They can be very versatile because they sit on top of a heavy-duty metal frame like a traditional box spring and mattress. This allows you to use your existing heavy-duty frame and purchase only the soft side waterbed mattress. It also allows you to use all of your custom bedding that fits on a traditional mattress, so you don’t have to purchase new bedding. The soft side waterbeds are lightweight in comparison to the hard side mattresses, this makes them easier to move, and it’s much quicker to drain them. You can choose from a variety of bladder sizes and degrees of firmness in this style.

Waterbed Inserts

A waterbed insert is useful if you have an old hard side waterbed frame and you want to install a traditional mattress inside of that existing frame. You have many choices of waterbed inserts such as coil spring, memory foam and latex. Most of these inserts are two sided as they are made to flip over and last much longer than a regular mattress. Inserts are available in most sizes to fit your waterbed frame. You also have many choices in the construction, such as Euro Top, Pillow Top, Plush and Gentle Firm mattress tops.

Types of Waterbed Mattresses

The terms of bladder and mattress are interchangeable for the item that actually holds the water inside. They are available in several different types to fit your level of comfort.

A free flow mattress is the oldest, traditional waterbed mattress. It is also called a full motion mattress because the bladder is one large chamber that holds the water and it moves as you move in the bed.

A semi waveless mattress is one that has some motion when you move on it, but it stops rather quickly in comparison to a free flow mattress. Examples of these are the SPS Sapphire and the Luxury Support Reduced motion mattresses that are 60% waveless and stops moving in 8 seconds and the Coral Mattress, which is 70% waveless and stops the motion in about 4 seconds.

A waveless waterbed mattress, such as the Genesis 900 DXF, offers the firmest support with the top of the line wave motion rating of 0 seconds, meaning you feel no motion whatsoever on this mattress so couples can sleep soundly without waking the other when they enter or exit the bed.

Waterbed Heaters

Waterbed heaters are pretty much the same as they have been over the years for hard side waterbeds. They are full wattage but have been updates with an anti-flame coating for safety and in a newer style to use lower energy consumption while keeping your bed at the perfect temperature. Low wattage heaters are for any type of soft side waterbeds. They are smaller in size and can penetrate through a soft side mattress.

Waterbed Liners

Gone are the days when the old waterbed liners would sag and move around the perimeter of your waterbed mattress. The new and improved waterbed liners stand up on their own on all four sides of your mattress. They still serve the same purpose of containing water in the case of a mattress leak, hole or failure, so you don’t need to worry about a massive flood in your bedroom that can cause a lot of expensive damages.

Waterbed Mattress Pads and Covers

These items go on top of the waterbed mattress before your sheets to protect your mattress investment. They give you extra warmth and make certain to keep your mattress clean, as you can remove them and wash them.

Waterbed Pedestals

A basic waterbed box pedestal raises your bed up 9 inches from the floor for comfort in entering and exiting your bed. You can also choose pedestals with 4 to 6 drawers for storage space underneath the bed in heights of 9 to 14 inches.

These definitions of waterbed terminology will help you to make an informed decision about all the newer types of waterbeds, frames, bladders and firmness. If you still have questions, we will be happy to help you make a decision in the wonderful world of waterbeds.