After being in our little yellow cottage for almost a year we discovered we needed to add a trundle bed to accomidate for over night guests. For anybody that is not familiar with a trundle , it is a second bed that pulls out from underneath a single bed and pulls up to make the single a double. It is a perfect space saving idea for tiny houses, or anyone that wants a spare bed. So in my search for this bed I remembered that my childhood bed was a trundle. A family member had acquired it several years ago, so I inqiured if they were still in need of the bed and to my surprise they were not. we made a trade .....my current single ...for my old bed. F.R.E.E..... who doesn't like a good old trade? There was one small problem, the old trundle mattress was so old it was dry rotted. No problem , I just need the frame and I will pick up a new mattress. Well just like anything there was one small challenge , it was not a standard size ! Yikes ......I could not find the size anywhere. Just have one custom made you say? NO WAY $800.00! I should be able to make one myself for a lot less . NO!!!!!....MY HUSBAND SAID! You guessed it......off to the store we go......I decided we would buy a 8 inch memory foam and cut it down to size . Just that easy right? LOL......... There are many situations that require a custom size mattress . Antique Beds, Platform Beds, Houseboats, Yachts, RV's, Cabin Cruisers, Sleepers in Tractor Trailers and trundle beds like mine. The most common requiring custom size mattresses are Antique beds . The majority of antique beds were handcrafted in the 17th and 18th century, and some early into the 19th century as well. Most were designed with a family or individual in mind. Size was dictated by the room size and the size of the person it was crafted for or simply the materials at hand. In many cases the bed was handcrafted by the handyman of the family to meet his own specifications , crafting a odd size mattress at the same time. This meant there were a multitude of sizes, shapes and constructions, none of which were a standard size. The the standard "Half" bed, which is now known as a "Twin" is 38 x 80 and my antique trundle bed was 35 x 75. When it comes to cutting or shaping memory foam it can be a very challenging process if you want it perfect . With the right kind of tools , you can overcome and go about cutting memory foam down to the required size. One of the most common issues faced when it comes to cutting memory foam we were told was it does not give you a clean edge. Being too aggressive with the right tool or starting out with the wrong tools altogether, contributes towards the foam becoming rough and jagged along the edges. You should use the right tool, with care , to ensure a smooth and clean cut . we used three tools for cutting and shaping the memory foam , a marker, a square and a chefs knife. we started by removing the mattress cover and cutting open the lining , peeling it back just enough to cut the mattress. A square was Ideal for cutting long and straight along the foam. We took measurements and placed the square on the foam to square it up. I would recommend Keeping your knees on top of the square so that it remains steady. The side of the square will act as your guide with the chef knife running along the edge to give you a nice, clean cut. We used a very sharp chef's knife on the memory foam. IMPORTANT.......Do not try to cut through it all at once. Start by making your first cut deep enough that you can follow it through and make a straight cut. the chefs knife worked well because the width of the knife helped keep the cut from wandering as you cut deeper into the foam. Just keep cutting down your line until you are through. Take your time and be careful and you will have a clean cut. Don't use a saw or hot knife you will just ruin your mattress. We found that it required a steady hand and patience. It was not perfect , but the mattress cover and sheets covered it.......... so no big deal. We are ready for guests now . We only spent $125.00 and it was truly easy . Who knew?
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For all your Jewelry needs or questions visit us at Sidney Thomas Jewelers in tax free Delaware in the Christiana Mall . I can also be contacted at rwrj@sidneythomas.com. |
Hello...I'm Rene trying to live my life simply with only the things that I love , and make my heart sing .....
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