Brooklyn Bedding’s founders were early pioneers in the online boxed mattress industry, getting started back in 2008.
Among the brand’s many innovative and high-quality hybrid and foam mattresses, the Plank Firm stands out as Brooklyn Bedding’s most unique design. It’s an all-foam construction, but if you’re picturing cushy memory foam, think again: Brooklyn Bedding literally recommends that if you want a firmer sleep surface, then you should consider sleeping directly on the floor (their words, not mine).
The Plank Firm is two mattresses in one, thanks to its flippable design. One side is “firm” and the other side is “extra firm.”
The Plank is also available as an upgraded Plank Firm Luxe. The luxe model is a hybrid, constructed of foam plus a coil core. The Plank Firm Luxe costs around 20% more than the Plank Firm.
Are you a firmness fanatic who’s considering the Plank for your next mattress purchase? In this guide, we’ll cover all you need to know, including construction, sizing, pricing, and performance. We’ll also compare and contrast this mattress to the most popular designs from other leading brands.
Plank Mattress Pros:
- Firm and supportive. The Plank’s extra-firm surface is perfect for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and heavy-bodied sleepers.
- Two for the price of one. Thanks to its flippable design, the Plank Firm offers two distinct firmness levels to choose from.
- Trial period and warranty. The Plank Firm comes with a generous 120-night sleep trial period as well as a 10-year warranty.
Plank Mattress Cons:
- Too firm for many sleepers. Firm beds are ideal for some sleepers, but uncomfortable for others. Side sleepers who weigh less than 130 lbs may find it hard to get comfortable on this mattress.
- Not enough contouring. The Plank Firm is not soft enough to offer significant contouring. Sleepers with severe hip pain or other pressure relief needs may prefer a mattress that more gently gives way under the pressure of body weight.
What Does the Plank Mattress Feel Like?
Foam mattresses are generally linked with softness and deep contouring, but foam is actually a variable material class; foam mattresses can be made at any firmness level. In the case of the Plank Firm, this mattress is quite stiff, bearing little resemblance to squishy memory foam mattresses that permit deep sinking.
The Plank Firm’s dense layers of foam create an even plane for sleep, providing ample support for the back, hip, and shoulders. Almost no sinkage or contouring occurs, allowing sleepers to rest “on” the mattress rather than “in” it.
The quilted top layers offer a pleasant texture but don’t significantly soften the overall feel of the bed.
Additionally, Brooklyn Bedding offers an optional GlacioTex Cooling Cover. Since foam tends to trap body heat, this extra layer is useful for hot sleepers. The cover is a panel made from phase change molecule (PCM) fabric, designed to dissipate body heat and keep the mattress cool to the touch.
Firmness
The “right” level of mattress firmness depends entirely on an individual’s preferred sleeping position, body weight, and pressure relief needs.
Rather than relying entirely on terms like “firm” or “soft,” many manufacturers, including Brooklyn Bedding, use an unofficial 1–10 firmness scale, as follows:
- 1/10 indicates an extremely soft mattress that permits deep sinking
- 10/10 indicates maximum firmness, allowing virtually no sinking or conforming
- 6.5/10 is considered the industry standard for a medium-firm mattress
According to Brooklyn Bedding, here are the firmness ratings for the two sides of the flippable Plank Firm:
- Firm side: 7.5-9/10
- Extra firm side: 9.5-10.5/10
The ratings are a bit odd, since Brooklyn Bedding uses number ranges rather than single digits, while also claiming that the mattress’s extra firm side exceeds the upper limit of the scale (giving 110%?).
However, you get the picture: it’s a very firm mattress. In Brooklyn Bedding’s own words, “it’s the firmest, flattest sleep surface on the market.”
What Type of Sleeper Is the Plank Mattress Best For?
What type of sleeper does best on a super-firm all-foam mattress like the Plank?
Here’s how this mattress fares for various sleep styles, body types, and couples.
Sleep Styles
Stomach sleepers and back sleepers who like a more medium-firm feel will prefer the Plank’s firm side, which provides plenty of support around the hips and shoulders along with a degree of contouring.
Stomach or back sleepers who favor maximum firmness will appreciate the extra firm side. This side permits minimal sinkage around the hips, preventing the lower back pain that sometimes comes as an effect of these sleep positions.
Side sleepers, especially those with light body weights, typically prefer more cushioning around the hips and may find the Plank Firm to be too stiff.
For combination sleepers (those who rotate positions throughout the night), this mattress is easy to move around on. You can switch from one position to the next without feeling like any body parts are getting “stuck” and need to be uncomfortably dragged along.
Body Types
The Plank Firm is best suited for people with body weights between 130 and 230 pounds.
For many light-bodied sleepers, the Plank is likely to be too firm. Folks who weigh less than 130 pounds typically prefer softer beds that don’t require heavy pressure in order to offer cushioning and contouring.
For a heavy-bodied sleeper who wants an all-foam mattress, this is one of the best options on the market, since most foam mattresses don’t provide sufficient support for larger bodies. However, compared to innerspring or hybrid mattresses, foam mattresses don’t always hold up as well over time under the weight of heavy bodies.
Heavy-bodied sleepers may be more interested in the Plank Firm Luxe, which offers a similar feel to the Plank Firm but also includes a coil core for extra support and durability.
Couples
When discussing a mattress’s performance for couples, we consider these two qualities: motion transfer/isolation and edge support.
Motion transfer refers to how pressure and movement ripple across the surface of a mattress. Excessive motion transfer means that when your partner rolls over, you feel it. Motion isolation refers to a mattress’s ability to restrict the effects of movement to a small area. Motion isolation permits one sleeper to bounce around on the bed without bothering their partner.
The Plank’s high-density foam layers are incredibly effective for motion isolation. Firm mattresses often send annoying shockwaves across the surface when pressure is applied, but the Plank restricts motion transfer to an impressive degree.
Edge support involves reinforcement and pressure resistance around a bed’s perimeter. When a mattress has great edge support, you can lie or sit on the edge without feeling like you’re sinking or falling off.
Foam mattresses are often lacking in edge support. However, the Plank’s overall firmness extends fairly well to its perimeters. In lying down positions, most sleepers won’t notice any edge sloping at all. If you sit on the edge, however, the mattress does sink down considerably.
What Is the Plank Mattress Made Of?
The Plank Firm is an all-foam mattress with four distinct layers. Unlike innerspring mattresses or hybrids, this mattress does not have a core of coils.
From top to bottom, the extra firm side’s layers are ordered like this:
- 0.75” quilted top
- 7” high-density base foam
- 2” Titanflex™ comfort foam
- 1.5” quilted bottom
For the firm side, the order is reversed, with a slightly thicker quilted top providing just a touch of softness.
The high-density base foam forms the main support core for both the firm and extra firm sides, providing stability and durability. On the extra firm side, this high-density foam is directly underneath the quilted top, creating a resilient surface that doesn’t sink or contour.
On the firm side, there’s a transitional layer of Titanflex™ comfort foam on top of the base foam. This material provides some contouring, like memory foam, but it’s more responsive. The material yields slightly under pressure but quickly regains its shape, making it easy to move around on top of the bed.
How Much Does the Plank Firm Mattress Cost?
The Plank is around the middle of the boxed mattress price range. Brooklyn Bedding is known for aggressive discounts and coupons, so shoppers should always check to see if the current sale price offers appealing value.
Another Brooklyn Bedding brand feature is the manufacture of mattresses in non-traditional sizes, including sizes designed to fit into RVs. Brooklyn Bedding beds are useful for furnishing rooms that have tight or atypical dimensions.
Here are the prices for the Plank Firm mattress:
| Size | Price |
| Twin | $749 |
| Twin XL | $849 |
| Full and Short Full | $999 |
| Queen | $1,332 |
| King and California King | $1,532 |
| Split California King | $849 |
| Olympic Queen | $1,532 |
| Short King | $1,532 |
| RV King 72 x 80, 70 x 74, 70 x 80 | $1,532 |
What Are the Other Popular Mattress Designs From Brooklyn Bedding?
As a flippable, all-foam, extra-firm mattress, the Plank Firm is an outlier among Brooklyn Bedding’s collection of medium-firm hybrids. If you’re interested in a Brooklyn Bedding mattress but the Plank Firm isn’t for you, here are a few more of the company’s designs.
Firmness ratings are provided by Brooklyn Bedding, based on the unofficial 1–10 scale (10 = firmest, 1 = softest, and 6.5 = the industry standard for a medium-firm feel).
Note that most of the mattresses listed below are available in multiple firmness options, all of which are included in the table below under Firmness Rating.
| Model | Mattress Type | Firmness Rating | Best For | *Price |
| Bowery | Hybrid | 5 | Most Sleepers | $874 |
| Signature Hybrid | Hybrid | 3, 5, or 7 | Couples | $1,332 |
| Aurora Luxe | Hybrid | 3, 5, or 7 | Side Sleepers | $1,874 |
| Spartan | Hybrid | 3, 5, or 7 | Couples | $1,999 |
| Bloom | Latex-Hybrid | 5 or 6 | Most Sleepers | $1,999 |
| Sedona | Hybrid | 5 | Shoulder Pain | $2,399 |
The Plank Mattress vs. Other Boxed Mattress Brands
Brooklyn Bedding’s Plank Firm is a unique mattress with some appealing benefits, but online mattress shoppers have plenty of other great options to choose from. Let’s compare the Plank to a few other leading online mattress brands.
Plank vs. Saatva
Saatva provides an extensive inventory of innerspring, hybrid, foam, and latex mattresses, and offers additional customization by providing three firmness options: Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm.
Saatva’s best features include edge support and overall quality. Compared to the Plank Firm, most Saatva designs are pricier.
Learn more about Saatva in our Saatva vs. Helix comparison guide.
Plank vs. Purple Mattress
Purple is one of the most popular and innovative online mattress companies. Purple’s signature feature is the GelFlex Grid, which provides a pleasant mix of firmness and comfort.
While the Plank Firm targets a specific group of sleepers (folks who want max firmness), Purple’s mattress designs hold broader appeal.
Most Purple mattresses are pricey. However, the Original Purple mattress is priced similarly to the Plank.
Plank vs. Helix Sleep
Helix makes hybrid mattresses that range from very soft to very firm. Helix’s firmest models, the Twilight and the Dawn, offer similar firmness to the Plank, although the Plank’s extra firm side is slightly firmer than any of Helix’s designs.
As hybrids, Helix’s mattresses contain foam tops along with coil cores to provide both comfort and firmness. Helix boasts one of the most thorough inventories among online mattress brands, making it possible for any type of sleeper to find their ideal firmness level.
Check out this Helix mattress guide for reviews of seven different Helix designs.
Plank FAQs
Should You Rotate a Plank Mattress?
Yes. Brooklyn Bedding recommends rotating your Plank every six to eight months in order to evenly distribute the effects of use.
How Long Does It Take for a Plank Mattress to Expand?
After its plastic cover is removed, a Plank mattress expands to nearly its full size within just a few minutes. Full decompression takes about 24 hours.
How Much Are Plank’s Shipping Costs?
The Plank Firm, along with all Brooklyn Bedding mattresses, ships free within the continental United States. Shipping to Alaska or Hawaii starts at $125 and shipping to Canada costs $250 per mattress.
Find the Best Mattress for You With Home of Cozy
If firmness is one of your top priorities for a good night’s sleep, then the Plank Firm should be on your new mattress shortlist. It’s a great fit for back sleepers and stomach sleepers who prefer to sleep “on” their mattress rather than “in” it. At Home of Cozy, we provide comprehensive furniture and mattress reviews that help you quickly learn the key facts before you buy. Browse the Home of Cozy homepage to find more helpful online mattress reviews and buying guides, like the Best Mattresses in 2023.