Made in Britain
Rolled mattresses
A rolled mattress arrives compressed, vacuum packed and boxed, so it's easy to carry up narrow stairs. You can usually sleep on one after a few hours, and full shape takes 24 to 72 hours. Most can be delivered the next working day.
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What is a rolled mattress?
A rolled mattress is a mattress that has been compressed, vacuum packed, rolled up and boxed, and that expands to its full size once you open it. You'll also see it called a mattress in a box, a boxed mattress or a vacuum packed mattress.
Rolling changes how a mattress travels, not how it's built. Support, comfort and lifespan still depend on what's inside: the foam, the springs, the comfort layers and the depth.
Can every mattress be rolled?
Not every mattress can be rolled: foam mattresses roll well and many hybrids can be rolled, but many pocket sprung mattresses can't, so they're delivered flat instead.
- Foam: memory foam mattresses and other foam mattresses compress and recover well, so they're well suited to rolling.
- Hybrid: many hybrid mattresses, with pocket springs under a foam comfort layer, can be rolled too.
- Pocket sprung: some pocket sprung mattresses roll, but many can't, so those arrive flat and fully wrapped, ready to use.
How do I unbox a rolled mattress?
Unbox a rolled mattress soon after it arrives, in the room where it will be used, and unroll it straight onto the bed frame or base. A box is far easier to get upstairs than an expanded mattress, so let it grow where it's going to stay.
- Carry the box to the bedroom. Bigger sizes are heavy, so get a second pair of hands for a double or larger.
- Slide the roll out onto the bed base and cut the outer wrapping, keeping the blade pointing away from the mattress.
- Unroll the mattress, then carefully open the inner vacuum layer. Air gets in and the mattress starts to expand straight away.
- Remove all the plastic, open a window and leave the mattress uncovered for a few hours.
- Make the bed once it has had those few hours. It will carry on filling out after that, which is normal.
How long does a rolled mattress take to expand?
A rolled mattress can usually be slept on a few hours after it's unboxed, and it reaches its full depth and shape within 24 to 72 hours.
You can help it along. Open it soon after delivery rather than leaving it compressed in the box. Give it room, without heavy bedding piled on top while it recovers. In winter, keep the room at a normal temperature, because memory foam reacts to warmth and recovers more slowly in the cold. A faint new smell is common when a rolled mattress is first opened, and it fades with airing.
Judge the comfort once the mattress has reached full shape, not in its first hour out of the box, when it can still look and feel thinner than it will once it has settled.
Rolled or flat delivery: which should I choose?
A rolled mattress is the better choice when getting it into the room is the hard part; a flat mattress is better when you need to sleep on it straight away or want one that can't be rolled.
| What matters to you | Rolled and boxed | Delivered flat |
|---|---|---|
| Narrow stairs, tight landings, loft rooms | Easy, as the box is compact | Needs room to turn |
| Sleeping on it | After a few hours | Straight away |
| Full shape | Within 24 to 72 hours | On arrival |
| Types that suit it | Foam, memory foam, many hybrids | Pocket sprung mattresses that can't be rolled |
Flat delivery is the honest recommendation if someone needs to sleep on it within hours of it arriving, if you want to judge the feel properly on the first night rather than after it has settled, or if you've chosen one of the many pocket sprung mattresses that can't be rolled. Rolled delivery makes most sense for cottage staircases, loft conversions, flats with small lifts and anyone getting the mattress upstairs themselves.
Each mattress page says whether it arrives rolled or flat and shows its delivery time. Our next day delivery mattresses include both, and the delivery and returns page has the details.
We sell rolled and flat mattresses side by side, and as a family-run business we've no reason to steer you towards either. If you can't decide which suits your stairs, tell us about the room and we'll help you choose.
Rolled mattresses: your questions answered
Can't see your question? Ask us and we'll get back to you.
How soon can you sleep on a rolled mattress?
You can usually sleep on a rolled mattress a few hours after unboxing it. It carries on expanding for 24 to 72 hours before it reaches full depth and shape, so it may look a little thin at first. Open it soon after delivery so it has that time before you need it.
Are rolled mattresses as good as normal mattresses?
A rolled mattress can be just as good as one delivered flat. Rolling is a way of packing a mattress, not a type of mattress, so quality still comes down to the foam, the springs, the comfort layers and the depth. Compare those, and where it sits on our 1 to 10 firmness scale, rather than how it's delivered.
Can you roll a mattress back up?
A mattress can't be rolled back down to the size it arrived at, because it was compressed by machine before being vacuum packed. Some foam mattresses can be loosely rolled and strapped for a house move if the maker says that's fine. Never fold or roll a sprung mattress unless its maker says it's designed for it.
Why does my rolled mattress look thinner than it should?
A rolled mattress that looks thin is usually still recovering from being compressed. Full depth can take 24 to 72 hours, the edges and corners often fill out last, and memory foam is slower in a cold room. If it's still clearly short of its listed depth after 72 hours, measure it and contact us.
Can a pocket sprung mattress be rolled?
Some pocket sprung mattresses can be rolled and many can't; it depends on how each one is made. The ones that can't are delivered flat, wrapped and ready to use as soon as the packaging comes off. Each mattress page says whether it arrives rolled or flat, so you'll know before you order.
Does a rolled mattress smell when you open it?
A rolled mattress can have a faint new smell when it's first unwrapped, which is common with a new mattress that has been sealed in packaging. The smell fades with airing: take off all the plastic, open a window and leave the mattress uncovered for a few hours before you make the bed.
How long can a rolled mattress stay in its box?
A rolled mattress is meant to be unboxed soon after delivery rather than stored compressed, so time your order for when you can open it. If you're buying ahead of a move or a new bed frame, there's rarely a need to order early: most mattresses can be delivered the next working day.
Should I unroll a mattress on the floor or on the bed?
Unroll a rolled mattress on the bed frame or base where it will stay. Once it has expanded it's full size, floppy and awkward to move, so it's easiest to let it grow in place. If you do open it on the floor, move it onto a base soon, because a mattress left on the floor can trap moisture and grow mould underneath.
Not sure which mattress?
Tell us about your bed and how you sleep, and we'll suggest a few that fit.