While searching for mattress shooping information I stumbled upon this weebsite and its forum and the information available here is amazing and some times confounding for a new member. I did not start looking for a latex bed but upon reading this forum I am gravitated towards it. I looked up options on the common websites mentioned on this forum like flobeds, sleepez etc. I could not understand how the DIY model works. To take an example the Sleep EZ 13000 series King mattress. The current price is $2400 for the All natural 100% latex option. If I build it on my own from the components it is costing even more as each 3'' layer is around $600. I looked up on FBM site and it is coming to $1800 for just the 12'' layers and it does not include any cover etc and have only two ILD choices at each layer. So that brings me to my questions below.

1) What exactly is the DIY model. 

2) What are some of the sources to buy quality material for good price?

3) How much different is the cost for a DIY model vs a finished product like Sleep EZ 13000 mattress? 20%? 30%? 

Some info about what I am looking for in the bed. I am 5'9'' and 200lbs and my wife is 5'4'' 120lbs. Occasionally our two toddlers slip in between us for the night, so to accomodate that I am looking for a Eastern King mattress. We both have some backpain issues as my current 10yr old sealy posturepedic ultra plush is sagging and should be replaced. I convinced my wife that we might need a slightly firmer mattress to get rid of the backpain issues. We are mostly back and side sleepers. I am thinking 3'' 42-44 ILD and 3'' of  34-36 ILD as the core and 3'' 25-28 ILD as middle and 3'' 19-22 ILD as top layer across the board with out any split (specially at the top layer). Any recommendations are appreciated. In terms or material I have seen forum members mention blended latex gives the same quality for a cheaper price but atleast on Sleep EZ site I don't see the difference in price unless its 100% organic. What gives?

Thanks in Advance

Ik.

1- There is no single DIY model, as you'll see if you lurk around this site enough. You can come up with any number of hybrid scenarios, do surgery on an existing bed, change out layers, start over, etc.

2-  Since you mention Sleep EZ, they are a good source. I recently had a very good experience with them, and the latex they shipped me was well-packed and in perfect condition.  Shawn can provide a lot of valuable advice. A lot of folks here buy latex from Foam by Mail (FBM) which is cheaper, but I don't know how willing they are to make exchanges, etc. There are several others. Keep in mind that there are only a couple of manufacturers for all intents and purposes:  Latex International (in Connecticut) and Radium supply nearly everyone who sells mattress-grade latex in this country.

The sleep EZ mattress you cite in #3 can also be for all practical purposes a DoItYourself mattress, as you have control over all the layers, even split L-R depending on how you order it (and eventually end up with).  The [very thick and heavy] mattress comes with a nice case for the latex, which you will have to find somewhere anyway if you order just the "raw" latex from them or somewhere else. It's about as cheap to get a whole bed from Sleep EZ as to buy the individual layers, and the casing which they can sell you as individual components. You can also do what I did and order a 3" soft (in my case 19) talalay "topper" which can serve as the top layer of a complete bed if you want to keep your old mattress around a while longer while you experiment. It doesn't end up costing any more, because you can later go with a mattress made of fewer layers- and they will throw in a case big enough for your topper if you want to include it inside the mattress as opposed to keeping it on top. You can order either natural latex (which is a blend for uniformity and longevity) or natural organic latex, which is 98% natural rubber without blending (but not necessarily safer or better). You can also buy Dunlop from them, which some people prefer, esp. for the firmer support layers.

I would urge you to find a store that sells Savvy Rest if you want to get a good idea of what you can do and what it feels like. They use the same latex as everyone else, have good heavy, natural cases, but tend to cost a lot more- the store/shop showing them to you acts as a retailer. A lot of people also swear by FloBeds (online), but they can cost more as well. You may also want to visit a store that sells Pure Latex Bliss beds. They are owned by Latex International now and make a quality, ready-to-go non-DIY line of latex beds. You could get lucky and find one you like right off the bat and try it out before having to take a chance on building/ordering your own. They are only a little more (after negotiation) than making your own. You should be able to end up with an Eastern King one way or the other for between $1800 and $2700 depending on height (number of layers), organic cotton/wool, etc.

Finally, the ILDs you mention are good rule-of-thumb ranges- good place to start.  Don't know if you really need 4 layers, through. 3 (S/M/F) may be enough to do what you need. Talk to Shawn. And a one-piece top layer is a good idea provided you and your wife both want a softer top layer.

Good luck! It is a process, but you'll end up with an extraordinary bed if you are patient.  Latex is a great product for mattresses.