It makes no sense to build a beautiful mansion on a crumbling foundation, or to manufacture a car on a rusted, weak frame. No matter how nice the components of a product are, the base and foundation of that product impacts the rest of the quality. Mattresses and bedding are no different.
The predominant focus in the world of bedding these days are foam comfort layers and toppers. These are the things we’re in direct contact with, and it would seem that’s the most important part of an enjoyable sleep experience. But while the comfort layer of a mattress is obviously important, the foundation of a bed is what has the greatest bearing on the long-term functionality and enjoyment of a bed, especially with foam mattresses.
The foundation in a foam bed provides structure and support to the rest of the mattress, as well as the sleeper. A weak foundation diminishes the ability of a bed to support a body evenly in the ways it needs to. An old, broken down foundation can lead to misalignment and sagging comfort layers.
In all-foam mattress builds, a foundation needs to be the strongest part of the build. A foundation that’s softer than the sleep layer will not offer support and will break down quickly. Materials like high-density open-cell foam make great foam foundations, as will high-quality latex foam bases. A comfort layer will make no difference in the enjoyment of your bed if the foundation you’re using doesn’t allow it to!