Mattress Weight Rating: Why It Matters Most

It is the specification most people skip, and the one that decides whether a bed lasts three years or ten. Every mattress carries a mattress weight rating — the mass it is built to support per sleeper — and buying below yours is the fastest way to end up with a dip in the middle.

What the number means

The rating is per person, not for the bed combined. A queen rated 100kg is built for two sleepers of up to 100kg each, not 100kg in total. We list ratings from 90kg up past 150kg, so there is a correct answer for every body — the trick is simply to look.

What happens when the rating is too low

• A visible dip or body impression within the first year or two.
• Springs that lose their rebound on one side of the bed.
• Edge collapse, so sitting on the side of the bed becomes uncomfortable.
• Back and hip pain from a surface that no longer supports the spine straight.
• A warranty claim that gets declined, because the bed was used outside its rating.

That last point is worth dwelling on. Sagging caused by exceeding the weight rating is not a manufacturing fault, so it is not usually covered. Choosing correctly at the outset is far cheaper than replacing early — the same argument we make in replacing your mattress.

Choosing your mattress weight rating

Take the heavier sleeper and add a margin. If one of you is 105kg, do not buy the 110kg model — go to the next band. Weight fluctuates, and a mattress spends a decade under you. Where partners differ a lot, buy for the heavier one; the lighter sleeper loses nothing by having more support underneath them.

Rating and firmness are not the same thing. A higher rating means a stronger build, not necessarily a harder surface — you can have a well-supported plush bed. Our firmness guide covers feel, and our mattress types guide covers construction. A heavy-duty spring mattress is built for exactly this.

Support the mattress properly too

Even a correctly rated mattress fails early on a tired base. Replace both together where you can — bed sets pair a matched base and mattress — or check our bases range if the mattress is still sound.

Tell us the heavier sleeper’s weight and we will point you at the right builds — browse mattresses or ask us.