by: Michael O`Brien

Anyone who owns a traditional hard sided waterbed knows that sheets and bedding items can be difficult to find. By design, hard sided waterbeds utilize a hard wooden frame that supports a vinyl safety liner and the water mattress. As a result, the physical dimensions of hard sided waters differ widely from the standard sizes of traditional beds.

The design dimensions of newer soft sided waterbeds are roughly the same as standard bed sizes. Soft sided waterbeds also referred to as hybrids, do not require a wooden frame. These types of waterbeds are designed to be the same size as standard beds so conventional bedding can be used. If you do need sheets for a soft sided waterbed, make sure the sheets have deep corner pockets.

Faced with the special sizes needed for a hard sided waterbed, finding a convenient local retail source can be next to impossible. The answer is to shop online where a savvy shopper can find a wide variety of style, color and fabric options at reasonable prices.

The original designs for waterbed sheets were a big departure from the standard bottom and top sheet design most of us were used to. Waterbed sheets featured a deep pocket bottom sheet with a top sheet sewn to the foot of the bottom sheet. The reason for this was to help keep the top sheet in place since it was difficult to tuck the top sheet under the mattress. This design makes for a very long sheet which is hard to fold and store properly.

In the early days of waterbeds, some folks were so unfamiliar with the concept of two sheets being sewn together they would sometimes return the sheets as defective.

For taller sleepers, having enough foot room can be an issue. The area where the top sheet and the bottom sheet are sewn together can be a little cramped. Many newer designs for waterbed sheets have addressed the problem of foot room by adding a deeper pocket where the top sheet joins the bottom sheet.

As with traditional bedding, quality can vary widely when it comes to waterbed sheets. The type of fabric material, thread count, sizing and stitching are important considerations when selecting a set of waterbed sheets. There is a mis-impression among many folks that waterbed sheets are substantially more expensive than standard bedding just because they are for a waterbed. The online marketplace can offer bedding shoppers many different styles, level of comfort and quality that are very competitive with standard bedding.

Cotton is still the most popular choice when it comes to bedding material and waterbed sheets are no exception. Cotton is durable, comfortable and most of all affordable. Whether you buy sheets made from more expensive Egyptian cotton, organic cotton or domestically grown cotton from the American South, there is a cotton waterbed that is right for you. Concern over the use of pesticides, many people are opting to purchase cotton waterbed sheets that are made from one hundred percent certified organically grown cotton.

Some folks find the feel of cotton flannel sheets very comfortable and warm, sort of like sleeping on top of flannel pajamas. As with traditional bedding, sateen, percale, satin and other similar fabrics have been popular choices since the early days of waterbeds. I personally didn t like the feel of sliding around on the slick satin while my waterbed sloshed back and forth but many folks would disagree with me.

If you prefer the feel of mattress pad under the sheets, remember that the same rules for size apply to mattress pads for hard sided waterbeds. Like waterbed sheets, there are mattress pads widely available in the online marketplaces that are sure to fit your budget and comfort needs.

About the Author

Michael O`Brien is a writer for many popular websites.