My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Nov 29, 2008 11:13 AM
Location: Oregon
Joined: Oct 25, 2008
Points: 130
The mattress and topper finally arrived here from Michigan on Wed, Nov 26th.  We could not set it up until Fri as that is when the old bed was going to be picked up by JCPenneys. So it took 9 days from order to delivery; Michigan to Oregon. FBM did send out a UPS tracking number as soon as it was sent. As you can see by the pictures, it was packed up very well and although the boxes look a little ragged, it was well packed inside with several layers of plastic. On Friday morning, I went and picked up the two king foundation pieces from the local furniture store and then waited for the shippers to come and pick the old bed up.

They arrived just after noon, and took the so-called "green" Simmons mattress and foundation set away, so we were able to then go ahead and set up the new king size latex mattress set. To call that mattress "green" is really stretching the core of the English language, but I guess they have a right to do it. 
Here's what we ordered, the latex is from Foambymail:
1 King 6" Medium ILD Latex core - $580
1 King 2" Soft ILD Latex topper - $185
1 King terry cloth mattress cover from Foambymail - $20 upcharge
1 KIng all-cotton (heavy) mattress cover from ShopSatin.com (spare cover) - $23
2 XL twin Englander 7" foundation pieces (very nice for the price, from a local store) - $190
Grand total for 8" King sized latex, with foundation and extra cover - $998


I took the advice of a post I had read here to put the packaged foam up on the bed and unpack it there. This was certainly the easier way to do it. The boxes weighed 106 lbs for the king 6" medium ILD core, and 35 lbs for the 2" soft ILD topper. Heavy stuff, for sure. And for chris137 who just had a problem with his specs, this works out to be 4.9ish lbs/cf. So it's a little less than advertised. But I am not worrying about it. I'm more interested in whether it does the job or not.  We placed the big piece of packaged latex up on the bed and started to unpack it. This thing was really encased well in multiple layers of plastic within the outside cardboard box. After several careful cuts of removing plastic and what looks like their ticking material used as rope, we finally got to the one bag that actually contained the mattress. When this bag was cut, you heard a big whoooosh and then the mattress took on about twice its size in volume.  Then it was a matter of finishing the removal from the bag, then figuring out which end was the long end (not easy on a 76 x 80 size). Ended up measuring and then spread it out correctly on the bed.  The Terry cover has sort of rubber nubbins on the underside to keep the mattress from moving around. Like you might see on kid's slippers. It is a nice cover.  The 6" piece did come already within the cover which made it easier to deal with.  So after it was spread out I unzipped the cover all the way around and then repeated the unpacking process with the 2" topper.  It too let out a big whoooosh when it finally got its air.  Both of these did not take any time after that to come to full volume. Minutes. The topper was then laid out on the core and zipped up. Pretty easy. Entire process took 45 minutes or so.


Initial impressions:
The latex looks very similar to other Latex products I have seen, both in pictures and actual. Color is whitish. It does look like this might be more of a 2nd piece and I say that only because I notice a slight dent, or hole, or other imperfection here and there. I see nothing that would in any way alter what I'm looking for with the latex of affect the way it would perform. Just cosmetic stuff. There's a slight smell but not much. My initial reaction to the feel; soft on the surface but supportive underneath.  Laying on my stomach feels a whole lot better and supportive than the other bed.  I am both a stomach and side sleeper and my wife is a side sleeper. We're not big, 155 and 135 lbs, so we did not want to go the other way and get something way too firm that both of us would have problems with.  We don't bottom out sitting on this. I think the foundation has a little give in it which helps with this. I bought the foundation and sized it exactly so the finished hieight of the bed would be about 25" , which is a perfect height for us.  The other mattress was 31" high and was a probem getting out of bed and also sitting on, it was just too high. This seems to "sit" pretty well and is more supportive than what I was expecting.


Update after first night:  I slept pretty well, did "feel" the mattress some, it was firmer than I thought it was going to be. Being new I was conscious of it. It didn't really wake me up or anything like that.  My wife said she could feel some pressure in her shoulder area but like the feel of it. Overall I think this is very good. I know it will take some getting used to. We are going to eventually put some sort of mattress pad on it, and I think we just need to sleep on it for several nights and see if we only need a bare minimum of pad or something more like the Costco Cuddle bed pad. If needed, I might also put something underneath it too, like a 1" or 2" firm piece of HQ foam.


I wanted to post all of these setup pictures as these are exactly the type of questions that I had myself but could find no reference to. If they can answer some questions for anyone, good.  The pictures have been resized down quite a bit to make posting and viewing them easier, but it does reduce the quality some. Note* - thank you Sager for the coding help. It's been awhile.... 

This message was modified Dec 27, 2008 by BillB
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #3 Nov 30, 2008 5:50 AM
Joined: Sep 7, 2007
Points: 476
Bill, I'm so glad you took the plunge. Now you're probably wondering why you were knocking your head against a wall over this. Thanks for the post with all the pictures. It always helps when people can see exactly what to expect, cause yes, this process is intimidating. Delighted it seems to be working out nicely for you.

By the by, latex usually does come with imperfections. As you've probably noticed it's pretty fragile and it's really easy for it to get little cracks, tears and bits missing simply by handling it.

After you've been sleeping on it for awhile let us know how it's holding up and if you had to make any adjustments to your original configuration.

Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #4 Nov 30, 2008 11:52 AM
Joined: Aug 31, 2007
Points: 793
BillB, Thanks for posting all the detailed information and the pictures since it seems that you are happy with your combination of latex cores that did not cost you a lot and from the pictures it looks like they are a good quality latex.  Please post updates on if you need to reconfigure your bed and if you are still comfortable. The only thing I would have done differently, is order split cores so you wife can configure her side to her comfort level but despite this, the bed looks great made and it sounds like you are comfortable.  We all appreciate the pictures and the detailed instructions.
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #5 Dec 1, 2008 11:59 AM
Joined: Nov 21, 2008
Points: 6
Great post Bill.  I found it interesting that even with the soft latex topper you are finding it to be quite firm.  I've decided that my setup is too firm for me right now but can't decide what to add to it.. maybe I will try memory foam rather than latex..
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #6 Dec 1, 2008 8:36 PM
Joined: Dec 1, 2008
Points: 1
Great thread.......After great research and thought I also order a 6" Latex Mattress from FBM..... I got the Medium Core with the upgrade to the terrycloth cover.  I already have a decent 2" Memory foam topper that I am going to try before investing any more $$$$$.  I will post updates once the product arrives and I have slept on it for a few weeks.   Thanks Bill for the detailed pictures. 
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #7 Dec 2, 2008 12:04 AM
Location: Oregon
Joined: Oct 25, 2008
Points: 130
Update after a few nights: I felt the bed less the 2nd night, and last night I did not wake up once and probably got the best sleep I've had for 3 months. I am very impressed so far and my back is feeling better already. My wife still feels the shoulder pressure points some, but less than the first night. I went ahead and ordered the Costco Cuddle Bed mattress pad, it will more than likely help her with this, I just hope it doesn't make things too soft; I doubt it will.

Ilene - we are using the terry cloth cover that came with the bed. I bought the cotton cover from shopsatin as a spare. I just thought for $23 it was worth having it around if needed. It will be interesting changing it but I don't think it will be that hard to manage.

Cloud - I read your post on the featherbeds and I think it would depend on the feather content as to how much it would compress. Down compresses very easily so the more percentage of down versus feathers, the more it will compress. I have an old down sleeping bag that is warm, but its very important to have a good pad underneath or it will sleep very cold as the down compresses so easily underneath you.

Lynn - thank you for all of your posts in this forum. I have read many of them and have learned alot from you. I do remember you remarking how even an extra 1" piece of foam underneath can affect the firmness. I'd like to hear more on this. Yes, I wanted to get the split cores as I agree this would have given us more potential flexibility, but could not do it easily from FBM.  Their XL kings are 39" wide instead of 38" which would have put the mattress 2" too wide for my bed. I probably could have stuffed it into the cover but didn't want to take a chance with this.

Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #8 Dec 3, 2008 6:01 AM
Joined: Sep 7, 2007
Points: 476
BillB wrote:

Cloud - I read your post on the featherbeds and I think it would depend on the feather content as to how much it would compress. Down compresses very easily so the more percentage of down versus feathers, the more it will compress. I have an old down sleeping bag that is warm, but its very important to have a good pad underneath or it will sleep very cold as the down compresses so easily underneath you.

Lynn - thank you for all of your posts in this forum. I have read many of them and have learned alot from you. I do remember you remarking how even an extra 1" piece of foam underneath can affect the firmness. I'd like to hear more on this. Yes, I wanted to get the split cores as I agree this would have given us more potential flexibility, but could not do it easily from FBM.  Their XL kings are 39" wide instead of 38" which would have put the mattress 2" too wide for my bed. I probably could have stuffed it into the cover but didn't want to take a chance with this.


Bill, thanks for your input on the featherbed. You're right about the down content. Down is soft and fluffy. Love it in my comforter, but I definitely want something firm underneath me. Something else to look for is fill content. The more feather fill the firmer the featherbed is going to be. As it happened I found exactly what I was looking for and replaced the 2 1/2" of too-soft foam in the quilting of my mattress with a two inch featherbed covered by a 1" Overstock.com MF topper. A full report on my mattress surgery will be coming soon. I just want to sleep on this new arrangement awhile before I do, but so far so good!

Yes, as little as 1"-- or even 1/2" of foam can make a big difference. If the Cuddlebed isn't enough to solve your wife's shoulder pain go over to Joann (the fabric store) and pick up some 1/2" HR foam. I love this stuff for extra padding or bolstering. The 1/2" size makes it easy to fine tune the exact amount needed to achieve the desired effect. Cut a piece and insert it between the mattress and the topper. It should help.

P.S. How did you insert your pictures into your post?

Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #9 Dec 4, 2008 12:08 AM
Joined: Sep 6, 2008
Points: 87
Bill, this is an excellent post!

Thanks for all of the hard work and details that you put into it.

Seeing what you got, and hearing about your post makes me quite comfortable in making a similar purchase.

Sleep well, you have earned it.
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #10 Dec 8, 2008 3:42 PM
Joined: Dec 8, 2008
Points: 11
Bill,
Thanks so much for all of the details. I'm in the mkt for a latex mattress and after trying out a Sealy at a local mattress store, I went online looking for ways to save money. I was amazed that you guys are making your own mattresses. Then, after following all of the links and looking at specs of mattresses, it seems to make sense to just buy the components and DIY.
Your last post indicated you are happy with it. It's a few weeks later, is that still the case? or the case for anyone else who went this route?

I looked at foam by mail, and following the posts of others, I thought I'd start with a 6in mattress and add a 2 in topper. You said "Both of these did not take any time after that to come to full volume. Minutes. The topper was then laid out on the core and zipped up" I had an email in to foam by mail about this-both the mattress and the topper (8 in total) fit inside the terry cover? I was concerned about that.

I'm just leery b/c hubby wants to spend as little $ as possible, but I want to make sure my aching back and hips are taken care of.  Anyone try to DIY and had bad results? If so, what is the best online comany to purchase from? It looks like you can't spend less than $1K for a queen at any of the mjr online stores.

Thanks in advance for any advice.
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #11 Dec 8, 2008 11:06 PM
Joined: Dec 8, 2008
Points: 2
Thanks for this excellent roundup of the FBM bed configuration.

I have had experience with the 2" latex topper from FBM before, having ordered it to get several additional months out of a 10 year old sagging mattress that is giving up the support it once offered.  It made a significant and comforting difference.

There has been a lot of complaining about FBM on some of the deal sites because it "routinely short-weights orders" and "doesn't tell you the source of the latex, which is probably China," and "may not have the quality of the higher priced competition."  In my online journeys, I can say FBM does definitely have an issue with delivering true to weight products, which will drive some shoppers crazy.  I can also say it could easily be true the latex originates in China and may not have the same qualities as more expensive competitors, but ultimately I have been extremely happy with my latex topper, don't care where it was made, and has held up under my weight since the spring with zero wear and tear, and I don't even have the protective cover.

I am particularly interested in Bill's configuration because I can take my existing 2" topper to the new design, reducing costs.  But I have some questions I hope others with more experience might be able to answer:

1) I am a big and heavy guy.  My weight has shown no consequence on the latex topper at all - no valleys or compression visible whatsoever.  Will the same be likely with a 6" core?

2) As I am a larger person, should I be considering additional layers and/or a firmness adjustment to prevent any bottoming out issues?

3) I actually prefer a higher sleeping position - I do not like lower beds.  Our existing box spring seems to be in reasonable condition (no detectable valleys or dips, nothing poking through, etc.).  Could I adopt this design to my existing metal frame bed by either placing thin plywood between the foundation and the mattress to guarantee even support, or is it preferable to switch to something akin to a slotted drop-in wooden foundation (like the one BedInABox sells) and use that instead?

4) The total weight of the latex is going to add to the weight on the existing bed frame.  Anyone have any experience with a heavier latex/foam mattress on an existing bed frame's durability?

5) While I don't mind the latex topper's feel just beneath the fitted sheet, I can definitely say the type of sheet used does make a difference in what you feel.  I have a Martha Stewart sateen sheet set which I like for its crispness and cool feeling (it's especially nice in the warmer months), but it really transmits the springiness of the topper and it's very noticeable.  Additionally, the snugger the fit, the more you will feel (and this one's fitted sheet is very snug).  The Costco mattress topper idea is probably a great suggestion, although I've heard some others remark it tends to be a bit warm for some people.  Experiences welcomed.

I appreciate the input and experiences from those who know far more about these things than I.    If it keeps me from playing the obnoxious "let's rip you off at the bed store" game for traditional mattresses, I'm all for it!
Re: My Foambymail 8" Latex mattress - actual setup with pictures
Reply #12 Dec 12, 2008 3:27 PM
Joined: May 3, 2008
Points: 827
Hi Cloud9 and Bill,

Those pictures are great, and the info also.

I hope Bill is still happy with the setup, if not what did you change?

Cloud9, what have you changed to your setup now? What brand and where did you buy the featherbed?

Remember I have the Overstock memory foam 1" over the cheap foam topper, over the 1" Brylane Home latex topper, over the Spring Air bed. Which has the Costco mattress cover. I have been okay with the hip area. But the shoulder and leg area has not been happy.

Show us pictures Cloud9 when you change out your mattress. Good luck.

Recent Posts