The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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Okay, we like our 1" 20ILD FBM topper so much that I started working on a theoretical "perfect" latex and PU foam mattress. It is made of multiple 2" layers of very dense foams and a 1" soft latex top, for longevity and versatility. One can arrange the layers in a number of different orders to achieve the feel they are looking for, and not risk having to send a layer back. This some what limits the risk of buying on-line. Steve2U had good luck in getting FBM to ship the correct density HQ foam, so I do not think you'd have to worry about that. And PU foam in 2.5 to 2.9lb density should last 10-15 years. This is an 11" mattress, which leaves 1 additional inch you could add if you need to soften it up and maintain a 12" maximum thickness. If you need more support, just move one of the PU layers (36 or 50ILD) closer to the top. One could order all the layers in split sizes except for the 20ILD top (and maybe one of the 32ILD layers), which should be single piece. This would allow each partner to arrange his/her side independently. 1" FBM 20ILD talalay latex $85 (or 1" BrylaneHome latex topper, pending reviews here) $65 2" FBM 32ILD talalay latex $170 2" FBM 36ILD HQ foam (2.5 lb dense base foam) $111 2" FBM 32ILD talalay latex $170 2" FBM LUX HQ foam (2.9 lb dense, approx 50ILD base foam) $115 2" FBM LUX HQ foam (2.9 lb dense, approx 50ILD base foam) $115 All prices are for king size, shipped. Again, one should weigh, individually, the HQ foam form FBM to assure that they sent the correct density. I haven't bothered with zoning, as all the cutting and gluing seems daunting. Feel free to recommend changes to the "perfect" foam mattress. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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This strikes me as a pretty reasonable and flexible configuration. What I question most is whether that 1" of soft latex is going to be enough for a lot of people. It's also difficult to source 1" thick layers of either latex or memory foam, so that spare 1" pretty much limits you to 1" of latex from FBM, or 1" of expensive Foamex Venus memory foam from SleepWarehouse. If it were me placing the order for myself, I would order just one ILD 32 latex layer instead of two to start with, and 2" of ILD 20 rather than 1". I'd want more than 1" of comfort layer, plus my 1" layers are already looking pretty beaten up, so I'm not convinced that 1" of latex will hold up very well. 10" is a perfectly fine mattress depth (1), so I could stop there, add 2" of whatever to make it firmer or softer, or add 2" of "filler foam" on the bottom if I just wanted a 12" depth for aesthetic reasons. FoamOnline and FoamOrder would be two other sources for these materials. (1) Check out these mattresses from Dunlopillo. All except one are just 7" in thickness and the other is only 8". http://www.dunlopillo.co.uk/products/mattresses/ This message was modified Dec 1, 2007 by haysdb
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Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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You are right - one could simply leave out the 2nd 32ILD and order it (or something else) later. As for 1" 20ILD, I was taking mccldwll's comments about 1" of 20-something ILD over 36ILD latex as a good set of comfort layers. And we are (so far) really happy with our 1". I wonder if 2" 20ILD would give good support. ' |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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Actually that 1" latex topper sounds pretty interesting to me. When I had my SleepEZ latex mattress I found the 20 ILD 3" layer far too soft and thought I might have liked it better if there was less of it to sink into. Like maybe a 1 1/2" max, possibly even less than that over the 32 ILD medium layer. Don-- 20 ILD latex is not supportive at all. It is strictly a comfort layer, although too much of it and it's not comfortable at all. As most of you regulars know I ended up not being able to sleep on a talalay latex mattress and had to send it back. I replaced it with a conventional innerspring mattress that I'm not thrilled with, but at least I can sleep on it. Down the line when the PU foam starts to sag, I plan to dismantle it and replace the crappy foam over the innerspring (which I need for my back) with materials of higher quality. I like the idea of adding a small quantity of latex along with memory foam and would rather build up the comfort layers in thin increments until I strike the right balance of support and comfort. Hays has a point about 1" of latex being rather fragile, but if you place it under a mattress pad or inside a zippered cover and don't shift it around a lot it should be just fine. For those of us who like a firm--but comfortable--mattress I have found that a little bit of the right kind of foam goes a long way toward providing the right degree of comfort. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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I've changed the "perfect latex/PU foam mattress" below. I deleted one 32ILD latex layer and changed one of the 50ILD PU layers to another 36ILD PU. I kept the 1" 20ILD top. One could always add another 1" if they needed it softer. Changing the 36 for one 50 is because this mattress is anticipated to be placed on a firm foundation, and 50 is very firm itself. One could move the 50 up higher if more firmness is desired. This is now a 9" mattress, which leaves 3" to play with. It now costs merely $487, shipped! 1" FBM 20ILD talalay latex $85 (or 1" BrylaneHome latex topper, pending reviews here) $65 2" FBM 32ILD talalay latex $170 2" Foamdistributing.com 36ILD HQ foam (2.5 lb dense base foam) $80 2" Foamdistributing.com 36ILD HQ foam (2.5 lb dense base foam) $80 2" Foamdistributing.com LUX HQ foam (2.9 lb dense, approx 50ILD base foam) $82 This message was modified Dec 3, 2007 by donw
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Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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foamdistributing.com (FBM site) has Twin and King foam for cheaper - other sizes state "Coming Soon!". I'll have something close to the set-up you listed: 1" Not sure yet - maybe soft poly 2" FBM 32ILD talalay latex $170 3" FBM 36ILD HQ foam (2.5 lb dense base foam) $119 4" FBM LUX HQ foam (2.9 lb dense, approx 50ILD base foam) $161 9" Homemade slat foundation $80 + more labor than I thought. That puts me at $530 + about $50 in shipping fees that I'll have when I return my Sensus topper. If I like it this way, I'll likely order 2 more inches of LUX to add height. If I don't like it, I'm just going to quit sleeping...problem solved. This message was modified Dec 3, 2007 by steve2u
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Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
| Steve, that sounds good - I hope it works for you. Soft PU is usually 12ILD or so -- very soft. And it is never very dense -- 1.2lbs/ft^2 or so. It can add some softness, but usually, you feel whatever is beneath it. Since it's not very dense, you'll have to replace it more often. Of course it is really cheap. We really love our 1" 20ILD FBM latex and feel it is plenty soft. As you probably know, though, others have had different luck with FBM 20ILD latex (felt it was too firm). It must vary a lot. I checked out that FBM "wholesale" site, and the prices are great! Too bad they don't sell their latex there. I edited my last post with these new numbers. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
| I actually want my latex layer to be a little on the firm side to give my mattress a little more spring than the poly gives. I'll still have a lot of room to soften it up if needed. Maybe I'll look into 1" of 20ILD latex instead of soft poly. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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I'd go with the 20 ILD latex over soft PU any day. Soft latex will last at least 15 years (provided you keep it covered and protected from UV light.) Soft PU foam will last maybe 3 years if you're lucky, and will probably compress long before it starts to degrade. This message was modified Dec 5, 2007 by cloud9
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Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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If I could do it again: 2" FBM 20ILD talalay latex $160 4" FBM 32ILD talalay latex $340 2" FBM 36ILD HQ foam (2.5 lb dense base foam) $80 4" FBM LUX HQ foam (2.9 lb dense, approx 50ILD base foam) $161 |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
| To be honest, I find all this you guys are doing very confusing. Not sure how you figure out what you need for a built yourself foam bed? |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
| Novahelp, my concept here is to order multiple thin (2" or less) layers of varying firmness, so that one could rearrange the order of them to achieve the balance of softness and support that works best for them. Latex for comfort layers and HQ PU foam for base layers. If it's still not soft enough, then one could order another latex comfort layer. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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donw wrote: Novahelp, my concept here is to order multiple thin (2" or less) layers of varying firmness, so that one could rearrange the order of them to achieve the balance of softness and support that works best for them. Latex for comfort layers and HQ PU foam for base layers. If it's still not soft enough, then one could order another latex comfort layer. Seems like it is a bit of a gamble given the cost to ship foams back and forth right? |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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novahelp wrote: Seems like it is a bit of a gamble given the cost to ship foams back and forth right?
Once I weighed my options, I chose the DIY approach, Flobeds and Sleepez were in the running, but they suffer fron the same shipping issue. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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The cost to ship a "quarter core" of latex - half thickness and half the width of a full core, is about $30. If you choose wisely, you are likely to get it right on the first try. If not then on the second. There are a few (of us) who obsessively search for "perfection," but that's the exception rather than the rule. From my own personal experience, I would have saved many hundreds dollars by buying one of these kit mattresses rather than doing it myself, and would have saved myself a ton of time. You just have to get over the initial sticker shock of an all-latex mattress. I didn't want to spend that much on a mattress, but liked the idea of going all latex, and thought I could save some money by doing it myself, but ended up spending even more in the end. These hybrid latex/polyurethane mattresses do provide an opportunity to save money over an all-latex mattress. They are still rather "experimental" though. There have been various attempts (Google Cheaperpedic) but not a lot of satisfied customers. Hopefully donw, steve2u, ericgl, etal will blaze a trail and come up with a reliable formula. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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haysdb wrote: The cost to ship a "quarter core" of latex - half thickness and half the width of a full core, is about $30. If you choose wisely, you are likely to get it right on the first try. If not then on the second. There are a few (of us) who obsessively search for "perfection," but that's the exception rather than the rule. From my own personal experience, I would have saved many hundreds dollars by buying one of these kit mattresses rather than doing it myself, and would have saved myself a ton of time. You just have to get over the initial sticker shock of an all-latex mattress. I didn't want to spend that much on a mattress, but liked the idea of going all latex, and thought I could save some money by doing it myself, but ended up spending even more in the end. These hybrid latex/polyurethane mattresses do provide an opportunity to save money over an all-latex mattress. They are still rather "experimental" though. There have been various attempts (Google Cheaperpedic) but not a lot of satisfied customers. Hopefully donw, steve2u, ericgl, etal will blaze a trail and come up with a reliable formula. That's what I thought. Get over the sticker shock, and have a much easier experience getting a bed :) Right now, I am going to be calling sleepez today to get their thoughts. Looking like will bite the bullet and spend the $1600 on a Cal King if needed. In some ways, if your time is money, it is more expensive to do DIY over a pre-made kit considering the time and effort involved... |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
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novahelp wrote: if your time is money, it is more expensive to do DIY over a pre-made kit considering the time and effort involved... Absolutely true. |
Re: The perfect latex/PU foam mattress for $766
| All prices are for king size, shipped. Again, one should weigh, individually, the HQ foam form FBM to assure that they sent the correct density. I haven't bothered with zoning, as all the cutting and gluing seems daunting. Feel free to recommend changes to the "perfect" foam mattress. |