Jun/090
What is MDF?
MDF, Medium Density Fiber in full, should not be an unfamiliar name if you have bought furniture or had your house renovated recently. For those who have no idea what it is, this post is here to introduce this wonderful material.
It is an engineered wood product formed with wood fiber mixed with resin adhesive. These materials are widely used in the construction and furniture industry, substituting timber and other wood based materials.
More than 100 years ago, before MDF was invented, all furnitures are made with wood. In the past, there wasn’t much variety on the furniture choices as there wasn’t such thing as lifestyle living. Those who can afford huge pieces of wooden furniture were the royals and the rich.
Many make do with simple wooden furniture, which are usually crafted by the neighbourhood carpenters , or most if the time, by the man of the house. Of course, solid wood furniture last a long time. Some of you probably still have the antique wooden trunk left behind by your great grand father.
It is true that MDF furniture do not last as long as solid wood. But they are good enough to last through until your next renovation. You would probably want to change the furniture in your home for a new look by then. Unless, you intend to keep the solid wood closet as a family heirloom for your great grand children.
Back to MDF, there are many reasons why furniture manufacturers favour MDF to solid wood nowadays.
MDF are flat, very smooth, dense and flexible. The smooth surface makes it easy to be painted on to create beautiful textures and attractive finish. The edges are fine and smooth after cutting, can be easily joined to create furnitures and interior effects.
Interior designers especially favour MDF for its flexibility on curved walls. MDF being a very versatile material, can be cut, sawed, glued and stapled.
Its cost saving factor is of course also one of the reasons why manufacturers are choosing them over timber. With the low cost, that is why more and more consumers nowadays have MDF fixtures and furniture in their home.
Finally, the good reason will be MDF are environment friendly. Less trees are being cut down after the introduction of MDF. And these materials can be broken down and renewed. These properties makes MDF a very popular world wide material.
Some of the everyday items which are made with MDF are floorings, wall panels, shelves, cornices, fitted kitchens, furniture and the list goes on…..
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Jun/091
Do not buy a second hand mattress!
Every now and then, I had enquires from customers on whether we sell second hand mattress. Initially I did not bother so much as there were only a handful of people who asked us the question. Then, it dawned unto me that there may be more people who are actually considering buying a 2nd hand mattress, and that thought caused a little shiver down my spine.
Here are 5 reason’s why you should never even think of purchasing a used mattress.
1) Firstly, Think about all that goes on in a bedroom. Everynight, the previous owner will excrete bodily fluid and and dead skin cells on the mattress. These disgusting things gets deposited into the mattress. And bear in mind, bacteria thrives on these organic deposits. Do you really want to sleep on someone else’s body fluids especially their sweat? Also you don’t know whether the mattress belonged to a person who had a contagious disease.
2) When you buy secondhand you are also buying the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergen. Allergens are not good for anyone who suffers from asthma or allergies. These Allergens can cause serious issues with your allergies and especially asthma. They can aggravate your problem. I repeat, allergens are a very serious problem.
3) The risk of bedbugs. Sometimes they are not visible to the naked eye as they hide inside the mattress. Bedbugs are tiny parasites that feed off of dead skin on your body. Bedbugs are so digusting that if you got them, you would propbably burn the mattress. You could refer to this article to find out more Bed Bugs- Preventions And Remedies
4) It will not provide the support that you may be looking for. Used mattresses are well worn and already conformed to the original user’s body contours of its initial users. So it will be very difficult for you to get comfortable. This is especially true for someone who suffers from lower back pain.
5) Cost – This is the most ironic reason. Why do someone actually considers buying a secong hand mattress? To save money right? This is where it becomes illogical.
A Queen size second hand mattress may cost $100, you add in the transportation charges $50 and it adds up to $150.
Do you know that you can actually purchase a brand new, highly rated queen size spring mattress for $150? Yes, same price as a 2nd hand mattress. See this Wasaly Luxury Mattress.
Jun/092
Improve your sleep with the correct pillow
Stiff neck? Change your pillow. Shoulder Pain? Change your pillow. With the wrong type of pillow, you would probably end up with severe stiff neck, giddiness and even headache.
To pick the right bed pillow, first, get to know how many types of pillows are there.
Then, base on your usual sleeping pattern, pick the ideal one and pain will soon become history.
If you are a back sleeper, pick something of medium height , medium firm to firm, that will support your head and neck.
For a side sleeper, go for a pillow that is high, medium firm to extra firm, keeping your spine straight while you rest.
A tummy sleeper should get a low or flat pillow so the tension on your neck do not build up.
Below is a simple guide on few of the most common types of pillows in the market.
Synthetic Fiber Fill Pillow – Uses polyester fiber, easy to wash. Allergy and odor free. Generally lower in price. Soft to medium firm. Ideal for cuddling as it can be easily squished.
Foam Pillow – Foam pillows are firm and never lose its shape for a long long time. Foam pillows provide good support for the neck. Recommended for side sleepers. Shaped foam mattresses are very popular for their contoured shape, which provides additional support for the neck during sleep.
Cotton Pillow – Cotton pillows are usually flat. Firm but has a springy feel. Cotton being a natural material, is hypoallergenic. Ideal for people who suffers from allergy. Disadvantage is it flattens quickly. Recommended for back or tummy sleeper.
Memory Foam Pillow – Memory foam conforms to the contour of the neck and head, providing all rounded support. They are usually heavy and last longer. The foam springs back to its original shape after you move away. With these properties, memory foam pillows will not go out of shape. For back and side sleeper.
Latex Pillow – Latex, an extract from rubber trees, is a natural material. Hypoallergenic , dustmite free, anti bacterial. Ideal for asthma and allergies sufferers. Latex pillow do not sag and can last for a long time. With the pin hole technology that is used to manufacture this pillow, it breathes, keeping you cool and dry. For back and side sleeper.
Feather and Down Pillows – Feather and down pillows are very popular since the olden times for the luxurious feel. Down pillows are soft, fluffy and moulds around the neck and head. Do not provide as much support compared to firmer pillows. You may want to get one which is specially treated to be allergy free.
Retweet this postJun/093
5 types of Pillows Recommended by Othorpedic Specialists
Other than mattress, pillow plays a huge role in contributing to a good night’s sleep and waking up fresh without aches. There are many types of pillows which can improve your sleep, helping to maintain a good sleeping posture.
Get to know what types of pillows are there and what are the advantages. Below are the few common ones.
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- Knee Pillow
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- Body Pillow
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- Neck Pillow
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- Lumber Pillow
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- Donut Pillow
Knee Pillow –Knee pillows are used to reduce strain for the lower back by placing between the knees when sleeping at the side and the back of the knees while sleeping on the back.
Body Pillows – A body pillow is long, as long as an adult body, provides very good support for the whole body during sleep. Excellent for side sleepers, and pregnant women especially.
Neck Pillows – These pillows support the neck, they are contoured to fill the space between the head and the neck, providing excellent support in keeping the spine straight while you rest.
Lumber Pillow – A lumber pillow is placed under the lower back, to support the lumber spine curve. Especially useful when sitting in a car, the shock and gravity forces are absorbed.
Dounut Pillow – The dounut pillow, as the name suggest, has hole in the middle, placed on the chair. Mostly used by people who suffer from tailbone injury. Recommended for pregnant woman as well, to reduce pressure for comfortable seating.
Retweet this postJun/093
Box Divan with Springs vs Box Divan without Springs
Obviously, the difference is that one comes with springs inside and the other, without springs. So that’s it, end of post. Uhm…. No wait….
I guess what you really want to know is whether you should buy a divan with springs or without springs? Which one is better? what’s the difference in comfort? What’s the price difference? What’s the benefit of divan with springs? Where can you buy them? Right?
Ok, i got it. Please read further…..
A little history. When Box Spring Divans first appeared in the market, many years ago, it was used as an alternative to the traditional bedframes. It serves the basic same function as a bedframe, that is to elevate the mattress from the ground. The original box spring divan, looks, feels and have the same size with the mattress it is supporting. It even uses it same fabric material as the mattress. It is constructed using a wooden frame that contains springs and wrapped are in fabric.
The Box Spring Divan was marketed as a luxury support for the mattress. It was suppose to make the mattress last longer and giving you a more comfortable sleep. But unfortunately, the Box Spring Divan itself doesn’t last that long.
Box Soring Divans are usually sold as a package with the mattress. A box spring divan sold separately is quite costly, usually in the range of $500 onwards. Not everyone can afford a Box Spring Divan.
A Box Divan without Springs is an evolution of the traditional Box Spring Divan. It was later found that the springs within the box divan doesn’t affect your sleep at no way at all. In fact, you wouldn’t even be able to tell if your mattress is lying on top of a box spring divan or on the floor.
The modern Box Divan is identical to the Box Spring Divan but without the springs and much cheaper and looks better. Anyway, why would you want to pay extra money for your mattress to be lying on top of another “harder mattress”?
The modern box divan are now wrapped in leather, looks stylish, extremely durable can be purchased for less than $200 (if you buy it at the right place, for example at Beds.sg).
Along with the modern Box Divan, also came along the Divan with Headboard. It is basically a box divan with a headboard. The Divan with headboard comes in a variety of elegant designs and could be purchase for less than $300. (Again, that is if you are purchasing from right place, example Beds.sg)
Just in case you skipped through the whole post and jumped in to this last paragraph for the conclusion (which is a good move), here it is :
-A box spring divan is an outdated, expensive, useless piece of bedroom furniture. Buy a divan without springs.
Modern Divan without Springs
Modern Divan with Headboard
Jun/092
What You Need to Know About Bedsheets
Now, after getting your newly purchased mattress (hopefully from us), the next step is, to get the right sheets on. Bed sheets are like clothes that makes a girl pretty, and at the same time, most be comfy.
Nice luxurious sheets instantly beautify the bed and even the entire bed room! And what’s more? A good & comfortable bed sheet can make your sleep better.
So, just how many types of bed sheets are there? The most common type that you see selling in the departmental stores are :
* Cotton mix polyester
* 100%Cotton
* Cotton Sateen
* Silk
Firstly, the most common type that can be seen selling almost every where, from neighbourhood shops to super markets to departmental stores, are the cotton mix polyester. These fabric are wrinkleless and easy to iron. They usually come in colourful prints and has low thread count. The price for these linens starts from $10. Cheap right? Yeah, and they are usually found in the bargain corner 
.
Thread counts refers to the number of threads horizontally and vertically in a one inch fabric. The higher the thread count, the softer and smoother it will be. Thread count can range from 80 to 1000.
A linen with thread count of 400 & above is considered luxurious. A linen with lower thread count are usually lower in price, the higher the thread count, the more expensive it gets.
Next is the 100% cotton linen. They are strong and feel softer and more comfy than the cotton mix polyester and are easy to care for, can be machined washed. And there are also a few types of cotton, the Egyptian cotton and the Pima cotton being the more high end ones. They are soft, comfy and gives a very luxurious feel. Prices of 100% cotton linen range between $20- $200. (Again, prices varies depending on the thread count).
As people are getting more health conscious in recent years, organic cotton linens are getting very popular, and the price, yes, are very high.
The cotton sateen are fabric made with cotton to feel like satin. They are smooth, soft and has a sheen on the surface. It is a good alternative to silk since the price is, lower. The design on the cotton sateen are usually sewed on, instead of printed on. The printed on design kind of “spoils” the quality, making the fabric not so smooth anymore. Prices usually are $50 and up.
And now, the bed linen fit for king , queen, prince , princess and whoever, TAH DAH! The Silk Linen.
Silk quality are measured by its weight, called Momme. The heavier the silk, the higher the momme grade, and higher the price. The best of the best type of silk, would be the mulberry silk, which is rounder, smoother and finer. Silk linen are hypoallergenic, recommended for people with allergy and adjusts to body temperature, so it don’t make you hotter in hot weather. Many believe that sleeping on silk linen is actually healthy for the skin and hair !
However, they are not really easy to care for, but they last a long long time since it’s a natural material. Prices for natural silk linens are usually $500 and above.
Not forgetting the bedding accessories – quilt covers , duvets, comforter, pillows and cushions. Getting a decent nice complete set of quality bed linen may be costly, but it’s definitely worth it. Nice sheets are like nice outfits, it compliments your bed and your bedroom.
After all, a person spends most of his life in bed!
Retweet this postJun/094
The Secret to Mattress Shopping
I read an article 9 years ago, written by a guy named Seth Stevenson, who lives in the U.S. I came across this article again just a couple of days back and it striked me how similiar the mattress industry was like in the U.S. in the year 2000 as it is with Singapore now, in 2009.
The article is titled “Going to the Mattresses” I would strongly recommend a reading, it contains the secrets in the mattress industry – unkown to the average mattress shopper. I have summarized the article in point form, in case you are super busy person….
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the mattress industry is one big scam
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mattress salespeople could never be trusted
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mattress manufacturers rename their mattress for different stores so that you can’t compare apple to apple. Thus, they can mark-up the price however they want to, and you can’t compare prices.
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most mattresses manufacturers get their spring from the same company, we should ignore brand names and focus on the actual piece of mattress.
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Coil counts are just overrated, we should simply ignore them.
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Thickness of mattress is just a ploy to make mattress look comfy in showrooms. No other benefits.
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Box springs, totally uneccassary and waste of money.
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Firm mattress is good for the back – It’s not true, it is a myth.
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Extra Features like Ticking and Quilting, Non-Flip and warrenties are purely marketing gimmicks, don’t even think about it when deciding your purchase.
The parting shot of the article…. “If you can’t tell the difference between a $200 and a $900 mattress, go for the cheaper one…….. Once you’re asleep, every mattress feels the same.”
Well, that’s my summary of the article, here is the link to the article again “Going to the Mattresses”
So… any tips I have for you?
Yes, 2 tips i have.
First tip
Since, you can’t compare apple to apple, because of the way the mattress industry works. You can get the specifications and price of a certain model/brand from one mattress store. Then, walk into another mattress store (or call us) and ask for the equilevant model. Chances is that the other mattress store (or us) is able to get the exact same model for you, but with a different label (does it matter at all if the label is different?) The price would be cheaper.
Second tip
Don’t listen to salespeople, listen to other consumers who had bought the same mattress. Your fellow consumers have no incentive to cheat you. Where to get these mattress reviews? You could search on the the internet, or visit our site www.beds.sg, our site is full of mattress reviews from consumers who have bought them. (sorry I can’t help myself, I just have to promote Beds.sg)
Happy Mattress Shopping!
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