Most people think of shipping their mattresses over when they’re moving across the country or state. The thing, though, is that mattress shipping is not as easy as it may seem and many people try to avoid it.
However, this may be the only option for you. So, instead of diving into it headlong, why not read these tips of ours on how to ship a mattress?
The Best Way to Ship a Mattress
Nowadays, the cost of packaging and shipping mattresses is on high. As a matter of fact, both FedEx and UPS have increased the rates of ground shipping by 4.9 percent.
Shipping is good but maybe simply replacing your mattress is better. There are many intricacies involved, and we’ll be showing them to you here.
However, considering how high shipping costs are today, replacing your mattress can be the more prudent option, especially when you’re thinking about shipping both the foundation and the bed.
In situations where your bed is new and very valuable, or when you’re transporting it to a place where the rate is low, shipping your mattress may be a good option.
Step 1
Take the measurements of the mattress and also estimate how much it weighs. Usually, a twin mattress has a weight of 60lbs, a double bed will weigh around 90lbs, the king size mattress typically weighs about 125lbs, and a queen mattress will weigh close to 105lbs. If you’re adding a mattress foundation or box spring, they tend to weigh between 50 to 75lbs.
Step 2
The second step is to go to an online shipping rate comparison website. You’ll be required to input the zip code you’re shipping the bed from as well as the zip code you need the mattress to be sent to.
You’ll also be required to provide an estimate of the bed’s dimensions and weight. If you’ve carried out the first step, providing this necessary information will be easy.
Step 3
Since the shipping company is going to recommend that you ensure your mattress, you have to decide whether or not you’ll go ahead and protect it. Since you’re willing to ship the mattress despite the cost, your bed is probably valuable enough to require insurance too.
This is necessary because anything can go wrong while the bed is in transit. A part of the bed could get damaged, and if you already have the bed insured, it’ll help you soften the blow a bit.
Step 4
This is the fourth step. Make sure to package your mattress in a mattress carton appropriately. If you own a memory foam mattress or an extra-thick mattress, you’ll need a special mattress carton for packaging. You’ll find this mattress carton up for sale either online or in any moving company.
Before you start packing make sure you have all the materials you’ll be needing. Stretch wrap, bubble wrap or high-density packing foam, Polyurethane mattress is moving a bag of about 2-4mm thick, packing peanuts to fill extra spaces, a mattress box, a mattress tape that is pressure-sensitive, and maybe plywood of the same size of the packed mattress. After packaging, seal and label the box.
Step 5
A memory foam mattress should not be kept in an upright position for too long. If it is kept upright for too long, the layers of the foam will begin to separate.
This is why you need to mark the mattress “lay flat— Memory Foam”. This way, your bed will be stored in a flat position as it is transported.
Step 6
If you can’t transport the mattress to the shipping counter by yourself, make arrangements for the shipping company to come to pick the bed up at your place, or anywhere else you’d prefer.
How to Compress a Foam Mattress
Mattress Manufacturers usually compress and roll their mattresses up before bagging and shipping them. While this is done with the help of a compressing machine which you probably don’t have, it is possible to also shrink yours too before packing and transporting. Keep in mind that if you do this, you’ll be saving space.
To shrink your bed, you need a vacuum cleaner and a special vacuum bag for mattresses. Put the foam mattress inside the bag and, using the vacuum cleaner, suck the air out of the bag.
To prevent air from leaking out, make sure to seal the bag well. When you’re done, roll the mattress and place it inside a different plastic bag.
When the mattress is delivered, you need to give it some time to recover from the shrinkage. You will get vacuum bags for beds online.
How to Pack Your Box Spring and Mattress
This is no doubt an essential aspect of shipping your bed. If you don’t package your mattress well, it will be more prone to damage and the parts may get missing. However, you don’t just get a bag and stuff your mattress in it. There’s a right way to pack your bed, and that’s what we’ll be telling you how to do here.
To package your mattress, you need first to separate its parts. However, before doing this, make sure to measure and weigh your mattress first. Of course, different mattress size will have different weight so you’ll need to find that out yourself.
Next, remove the beddings, which is your quilt, duvet, mattress, and the likes. Package all these items separately. Then, go ahead to wrap your mattress and box spring in either a bubble wrap or a packing foam.
You can use a protective bag for the bed to keep moisture from getting inside your mattress or box spring before placing them inside a box. Once everything is packed and placed in a box, fill up the extra spaces with other stuff to prevent the bed from moving around while being transferred.
How Much To Ship Mattress?
The cost of shipping a mattress varies depending on the size and weight of the bed. Also, the shipping company will take into account the distance of transport.
Usually, the average cost of shipping a mattress is around $0.70 per mile if the transport is a long one. However, for a shorter distance, they’ll probably charge approximately $2.50 per mile.
The minimum amount you’ll be required to pay to ship your mattress is $350. When other services like full-service packaging and shipping of both the bed and the mattress are involved, the fee is likely to cost up to $600.
This price may be worth it if your mattress is high-priced or an invaluable one. But if not, it may not really be worth it. There are different shipping companies out there that you can choose to help you out. You’ll find some online, or you can decide to visit your local park and ship stores.
Bottom line
The cost of shipping a mattress is undoubtedly high. If, however, you’re one of those people that can’t sleep comfortably on other beds apart from theirs, then you should definitely ship your mattress.
This how to ship a mattress post is for you. However, if your bed is already saggy and won’t make any significant difference, you might want to consider replacing it.
