Caravan Corner Cut Mattresses

Caravan Corner Cut Mattresses — Made to Your Exact Shape

A corner cut mattress is one of the more unusual shapes we make — and one of the most satisfying to get right. A sharp diagonal cut off one or more corners of an otherwise rectangular mattress sounds straightforward enough, but getting the angle, the position and the cover finish exactly right requires the same precision as any other bespoke shape. We have been making corner cut caravan and campervan mattresses for over 40 years. Any number of cuts, any angle, any size.

Corner cut mattresses are less common in touring caravans than French bed shapes or island beds, but they appear regularly in drop-down motorhome beds, campervans and van conversions where the bed platform has to accommodate wheel arch housings, structural pillars, cab intrusions or other fixed features. Every corner cut mattress we make is cut and hand-finished to order in our Birmingham workshop.

Where Corner Cut Mattresses Are Typically Found

In a touring caravan, corner cut beds are relatively rare. They appear occasionally in fixed double beds where one corner of the platform is cut away to allow access to a rear washroom or wardrobe without the walkway clearance of a full French bed. If you have a caravan with a double or single bed that has a straight diagonal cut off one corner, this is the page you need.

Corner cut mattresses are considerably more common in motorhomes, campervans and van conversions. Drop-down motorhome beds frequently have one or more corners cut away to clear cab headrests, seatbelt housings, B-pillars or other structural intrusions when the bed is in the lowered position. Van conversion beds often need corner cuts to sit around wheel arch housings or to fit within the tapered geometry of the van body.

The Swift Select 184 campervan is one of the most common corner cut mattress orders we receive — the bed platform requires a specific corner cut shape that no standard mattress will accommodate. The Vauxhall Vivaro-e Life Ultimate is another — the van conversion bed layout requires a bespoke shape that varies from vehicle to vehicle depending on the conversion specification.

Corner Cut Examples — What These Mattresses Look Like in Practice

Single Corner Cut or Multiple Corner Cuts

Most corner cut mattress orders involve a single diagonal cut off one corner — typically at the foot end where the bed platform meets a structural feature. Some beds require two corner cuts, one at each end, where the platform narrows at both the head and foot. Occasionally we make mattresses with cuts on both corners at one end — for example where the foot end of the bed sits around two symmetrical pillars or housing features.

There is no practical limit to the number of corner cuts we can make. Each cut is specified by two measurements — how far in from the end of the mattress the cut starts, and how far in from the side of the mattress the cut ends. Those two dimensions, combined with the overall length and width, give us everything we need to cut the shape accurately.

How to Measure a Corner Cut Mattress

Measuring a corner cut is straightforward once you know what you are measuring. Always measure the bed base itself — not the old mattress. Take the following measurements:

Overall dimensions first: the full length of the platform at its longest point, and the full width at its widest point.

Then the corner cut: measure how far in from the foot end (or head end) the cut starts along the side of the mattress, and how far in from the side the cut ends along the foot of the mattress. For example, a cut might start 30cm in from the foot end and end 20cm in from the side — those two measurements define the diagonal precisely.

If you have more than one corner cut, repeat the two measurements for each cut. A photograph of the bed base alongside a tape measure is always helpful — send it over and we can check your measurements against the photo before cutting.

Corner Cut Mattress Thickness and Specification

For most drop-down motorhome and campervan corner cut beds, the right thickness depends on clearance when the bed is in the raised position and on the weight capacity of the lifting mechanism. We always check both before recommending a specification. For fixed caravan corner cut beds there are usually no clearance restrictions and 15cm is a comfortable standard depth.

Corner cut mattresses are available in reflex foam, memory foam and pocket sprung options. For drop-down beds, reflex foam is usually the most practical choice on weight grounds. For fixed beds with no weight restrictions, all three options are viable and the choice comes down to personal comfort preference and budget.

The Cover Finish on a Corner Cut

The diagonal cut edge of a corner cut mattress is where most suppliers fall short. A cover that simply folds around the cut edge will bunch at the point of the diagonal and pull away from the corners. Our seamstresses cut and sew the cover to follow the diagonal edge cleanly — the fabric is shaped to lie flat along the cut surface with a neat, finished seam at each end of the diagonal. It is the same attention to detail we apply to every shaped mattress we make, and it is something that cannot be done by machine.