help building foambymail mattress
Sep 12, 2011 10:00 AM
Joined: Sep 12, 2011
Points: 7
I've never had a good mattress, so I'm just going for it and finally ordering one. I found foambymail when researching memory foam- this has obviously lead to questions about latex.

Just for backround, I sleep most comfortably on a futon. I slept on a Tatami with a futon pad for a few years, but eventually I began having some pain in my hips and lower back. Switched to my girlfriend's spring mattress for the past year and hated it. Just moved again and ended up with a platform bed and a futon, and I am so much happier than on the spring mattress. The futon, however, is supposed to be temporary until I order my new mattress.

Knowing I like a firm mattress, I decided to order the 5" Lux-HQ foam base (2.8lb density, 50 ILD) with 4" of 5lb memory foam. Then, I read that 4" can feel too "soft" and that in my case the extra inch wasn't worh an extra $50. I decided to downgrade to 3" of 5lb memory foam.

I almost placed the order this morning before deciding that I needed to do some more research. I'm worried that the memory foam will be too soft, and the lux-hq base too firm, and that i'll just sink through the memory foam into the hard base. Furthermore, I'm concerened that the memory foam isn't really what I want at all, and I would be happier with latex.

I've considered putting an intermediate layer between the base and the memory foam, or just ditching the memory foam completely and getting the lux-hq base with 2" of latex.

Ultimately, I don't know how any of these materials actually feel, and need some expertise. Please help!

FYI, I'm 6' tall and weigh 180lbs, and do not generally have pain caused by my mattress, just poor sleep. Also I sleep on my back, but usually fall asleep/lay on my side- I think this is what was causing hip/lower back pain on my tatami.

This message was modified Sep 12, 2011 by ivandrocco
Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #6 Sep 15, 2011 6:41 AM
Joined: Aug 5, 2010
Points: 227
SleepLikeADog wrote:

 

I also prefer a "firm" mattress but have discovered how critical the cradle/pressure relief is to comfort.  We recently ordered a mattress from Sam's Club with 3 inches of 4 lbs Aerus memory foam over 7 inches of poly foam base and it feels just barely soft enough.  The 5 lbs foam is supposed to feel firmer and be more temperature reactive than pressure sensitive.  It sounds like your futon may be too firm and not giving you the cradle support you need, almost like you're sleeping on the floor and have to turn on your side to get (temporarily) comfortable enough to fall asleep.

We ordered a 3 inch soft latex layer [20 – 24 ILD] on a 5 inch [36 ILD] HD foam base from FBM and it has proved too firm for both the wife and I.  I just added a 2 inch [20 ILD] layer to it and now it's comfortable but with just another 1 inch of [14 ILD] it would be heaven (welcome to the slippery slope.)  I believe your 2 inch layer of latex on a firmer foam base would feel too firm.


I agree with SleepLikeADog on the latex ILDs and firmness feelings.  I have a 14ILD on my bed and it's good for side sleeping.  Maybe I like it soft....but I think anything more than 1inch of memory foam is too much.  Two inches caused me back pain because it gives me no support.

Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #7 Sep 15, 2011 8:55 AM
Joined: Sep 12, 2011
Points: 7
sleeplikeadog- decided i shouldn't worry about "too firm" considering the only thing firmer than what I sleep on now is the floor.

$290 for 5" 50ILD foam base under 3" of 5lb visco with the terry cloth cover--- pretty cheap!

Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #8 Sep 15, 2011 9:26 PM
Joined: May 29, 2011
Points: 35
 

ivandrocco, I think you'll be happy with that mattress, be sure to post you're impressions after you've had a chance to try it. 

Do you have a base for it?  I went with the Charleston bedframe from (you'll love this) World of Futons, same as the Nomad but with a headboard. It's available at Amazon for more money but you can read the reviews.  Inexpensive and solid, I stained mine with Watco Danish Oil Finish in natural before assembly and it looks great.

Sall, are you saying more than 1 inch of memory foam over a firm 5 inch poly base would be too soft for you, or do you mean as a layer in a latex mattress creation?

Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #9 Sep 15, 2011 9:59 PM
Joined: Aug 5, 2010
Points: 227
SleepLikeADog wrote:

Sall, are you saying more than 1 inch of memory foam over a firm 5 inch poly base would be too soft for you, or do you mean as a layer in a latex mattress creation?


I meant that it would not give support on a latex mattress and 2 inches felt mushy and I just sank into it causing me back pain.  Maybe "soft" isn't the right term.

Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #10 Sep 16, 2011 1:58 PM
Joined: Sep 12, 2011
Points: 7
I have a really awesome platform bed, it's two large pieces of particle board with teak trim that screw into two rectangular block bases. A free-rolling drawer on wheels fits between the base blocks, and a big teak headboard mounts to one end.
Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #11 Sep 21, 2011 8:12 AM
Joined: Sep 12, 2011
Points: 7
first impressions... very very impressed.

 

the foam feels very high quality, and i'm very happy with my choices. I swung by a mattress store to feel the tempur pedic stuff, and the 5lb FBM feels every bit as firm. 

I think it's going to take some getting used to, and it's still gassing off, but it didn't bother me much. Sitting on the edge of it right now... its very very firm.

I would not reccommend less than 5lb foam except as a topper. Also, 4" seems way overkill. I don't even feel like i'm bottoming out 3" into the base foam. I was surprised how impressively thick the only 8" mattress was. Would recommend FBM to anyone else. Mattress looks and feels great, it's all there.

Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #12 Aug 25, 2012 3:54 PM
Joined: Aug 25, 2012
Points: 1
Ivan,

 

Thank you for posting this. This is the EXACT setup I am trying to go for.

I have an Ikea mattress, that has started to sag in 1 year. I weigh no more than 96lbs and I am a side sleeper. 

I am going to go ahead and get the LUX-HQ base from FBM. Thanks for helping me decide. 

This message was modified Aug 25, 2012 by rajju077
Re: help building foambymail mattress
Reply #13 Sep 2, 2012 2:32 PM
Joined: Jul 13, 2012
Points: 31
One thing about FBM, make sure you calculate what the weight of the mattress should be and then weigh it to make sure they sent you the right foam. They have been known to send foam different than what was ordered. I use FBM because they have the best prices, and plan to order more foam from them, but I always weigh it out to make sure they sent what I paid for.

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