This is a question we often hear. Our rule of thumb...if you have foundations (a box with NO SPRINGS) your new mattress should wear just fine. A foundation has either limited deflection metal support that doesn't give at all, or is a covered box with no give. If you have a "real" box spring, ie with metal modules inside that act as shock absorbers (Sealy uses this type of box) you will need to replace the boxes. The real boxes do experience metal fatigue after a period of time, and will cause your new mattress to get the same wear pattern as your old, worn out mattress.

The test for what type of foundation you actually have?...Put your hand on a corner of the box. If it flexes when you push on it, you have a real box. It the entire surface of the box is stiff with NO give, it's a foundation.

As stated above, the majority of your investment is in a new mattress.. the boxes are a very small part of the overall cost. The warranties are designed to help the manufacturer, not the consumer, so be forewarned that if you have a warranty issue, old boxes are an easy way for the company to deny your warranty.

Depends what bed you buy. If it is a 1 sided coil or foam mattress, you need to be sure your foundation is a firm, non-yielding platform. The more like the floor the better. If you are buying a flip-able bed, you can use the box spring with actual springs or a flat platform.

You will hear from some of the public that they put a board underneath their mattress to firm it up a bit. They do that because the box springs have coils and are squishy/flexible. When they aren't firm, your mattress will sink into the box spring causing a softer feel. Make it a flat platform and you got yourself a firmer mattress.

So if you have the flat platform foundations(also still called a box spring), you should be alright. If they are old, take your mattress off and make sure the top is still flat, no holes punched through or places where it sinks. Make sure the corners are all still intact. If it still looks good and there are no sink holes, any mattress you put on it should do okay.

Kick that old foundation to the curb....along with all the dust mites and their Feces that collect in an old foundation. Would you buy a new car and put on your old tires? Listen, it should be everyone's goal to have a clean sleeping environment for the sake of their respiratory system! This is especially true for children and the elderly. A new foundation will cost a fraction of a penny per night over it's expected lifetime. Please get a new foundation with your new mattress! You will breath easier by making this a smart choice!

Hi Scot. I agree with Beatrix, it is smart to always go with a new set. The age of your box spring, as well as its quality, will determine whether or not it will hold up with a new mattress. Also, is this a mattress you will be sleeping on every night? You say you aren't concerned about warranties. If it is a higher end, more expensive mattress then you might want to be. Lets say you spent $800 on a mattress that has a 10 year warranty. 3 weeks down the road it starts sagging in the middle. You call up the retailer, they come to your house and tell you its due to a defective box spring. Your warranty is void and you are stuck with a mattress with a sag in it that you payed $800 for. Totally your call here. However, the odds are against you if you don't invest in a new set. Good Luck. Nick-

Working for a mfg i agree with most of what was said here but it goes deeper than that. A few years ago. California created a strict fire code that manufactures had to meet. Each mattress set had to be certified to meet a certain burn standard. (TB603). Not long after the federal government adopted a similar regulation... the code number escapes me at the moment. But as a result manufactures stores will always try to sell you the set because the mattresses have been certified with the boxsprings/foundations to these fire codes. It is considered to be a safer practice then ising your own exiting parts. Otherwise just about everything else that was posted is correct.

It's always best to purchase a set. The current boxes have to be flat and straight with no dips and no give. Then it may be ok. Consider the age of the boxes. If the boxes are not in the best condition the new mattress will conform to the new boxes in about six months. Most of the cost is in the mattress.

Get the set.

Most mattresses law label say's "to be used with our without matching foundation." Have you bought your mattress yet?

Hi Scott,

You can do as you please. On our website, we show both...set prices and mattress only prices. There will be a warranty issue when you use a new mattress with an older boxspring, but it seems you're prepared for that.

Thanks, Pete