MTFCA Forum

I did a search (MTFCA mattress) and have not seen where anyone made seats from mattress springs...then burlap, cotton, covering, hog rings...
Anyone ever done that?
I used a spring or two from a mattress maybe two years ago to fix my existing seats and they seem to be the exact shape and size.

Generally it is not a good idea. The small area on which one sits takes a far greater concentration of weight than the whole body imprint made on a mattress. Mattress springs are usually taller than seat springs and of lighter wire gauge than seat springs. I have used childs cot springs in the backrests. These are lighter weight and lower in height .
Be aware that seat cushion springs are much stiffer than seat backrest springs.
Others may have different thoughts.

Allan from down under.

I took a mattress apart to do just what you are thinking. The wire used to make those springs about 1/2 the diameter of car seat springs. They might be ok for back rest, but not the seat.

So, I tried to take the mattress & box springs, steel only, to the scrap yard a year or so ago and I was denied.

Then I got the idea to repurpose it as a seat - that looks like a fail.

Problem solved...cutting it up to stuff the springs into some other scrap metal container and be done with it. I'm sure there is a word for that but it's no longer a mattress.

I had to make seats and backrests for the Lamsteed Kamper. Both seat and backs had to be the same height as the backs become the second half of the beds when the sides are folded down. The only suitable springs available were too high as the backs of the seats when vertical sat behind their seat. I had contact with a club member who was an upholsterer. He told me the springs could be shortened by heating the middle of the coils and when red hot pressing down the to the required height and let cool. To get them all to the same height I used to place the spring over the jaws of the lathe chuck, set the distance and put a stop for the tool carriage, heat up the spring, wind in the carriage, let the spring cool and repeat the process, all up there were 96 springs to be done for two double beds and two front seats. You should be able buy suitable springs from the parts dealers. 20 plus years still no problems. All the materials were available here when I did this, don't know about now as finding any older materials is hard to do now days. There was special hard tempered wire for the edges of the seats as well as special clips to join the springs together and they needed a special set of pliers. Luckily I had access to these.

If I dump out the plastic bag mine are stored in, they would come out in a clump like that photo!