Asking for advice on DIY Mattress Layer Selection

Mattress Talk 1) Mattress Selection Process
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Hello all, I am moving to a new place soon and I wanted to see if I am going in the right direction for my DIY Mattress build. I am 5’7" and approximately 170lb. I am a combo sleeper but usually prefer to sleep on my back.

I am planning on making a full-size mattress with the following layers:

  1. DIY Natural Home Quilted Ticking
  2. 2" Latex Mattress Factory Medium Firm Medium Soft Dunlop Latex wrapped in wool batting(from DIY Natural Home)
    I made a mistake on remembering the firmness I got originally sorry…
  3. 2" Sleep On Latex Medium Dunlop Latex
  4. TPCS 8" 15.5gauge Quad Coils

I already have the two latex toppers, but I am not sure if I want to keep layer 2 at the moment or switch it for a 1" soft dunlop latex topper. (speaking of which, this layer is rolled up in a box in storage for the time being).

Currently, I am sleeping on a friend’s IKEA Vesteroy mattress with layer 3 as a topper and a mattress pad from Easland. I sleep okay and move a lot in my sleep but every now and then, when I lie down on my back, I get aches on my lower back. I used to use layer 2 and layer 3 together but it was worse which is why layer 2 is in storage. Sleeping on my side is okay but I tend to have my joints ache a bit as well after a bit. I am on a Euro Slat Bed frame but am switching to a solid foundation when I move.

I do have both a shredded Memory foam pillow and a feather pillow, I don’t plan on getting another pillow anytime soon.

Recently, I did try out a friend’s Purple Mattress and took a nap and was able to take a quick 15-minute nap without any issues. I did not feel the same on my current bed.

With the layers I am planning on buying and based on my experiences so far, am I going in the right direction or are there suggestions I can use to have a better sleep experience? Thanks in advance!

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Hi Chopy61.

The quad coils + 2" medium Dunlop is a good foundation for someone your size who mostly sleeps on their back. The main question mark really is that second latex layer you mentioned.

Since you’ve already noticed that combining the 2" medium-firm Dunlop with the 2" medium Dunlop made things worse for your lower back, that’s useful data. Two medium-ish layers stacked together often create a “flat and unyielding” feel for combo sleepers - not enough surface give, and no gradual transition into the coils. That can absolutely cause that lower-back ache you’ve been feeling when lying on your back.

A 1" softer layer as the transition is honestly the more logical choice in your case. It would give you just enough contour before hitting the firmer support underneath, without turning the whole setup into a mushy stack. For your weight and sleep style, a thinner, softer transition generally works better than a second 2" medium block of Dunlop.

A couple other thoughts based on what you’ve described:

• Joint aches on your side often point to pressure relief being just a touch too firm on the surface. A softer 1" layer can help without compromising back support.

• Your IKEA Vesteroy experience matches this too - back okay-ish, side okay-ish, but nothing great. That suggests you’re hovering just slightly outside your ideal comfort/support balance.

• The Purple nap being surprisingly comfy tracks with the fact that Purple’s grid gives pressure relief without collapsing your lumbar area. You’re essentially responding well to surfaces that cushion on top but don’t let the center sink out underneath you.

• Switching to a solid foundation will help a lot. Euro slats can introduce sag or a hammocking effect even when the mattress layers are fine.

So yes, overall you are heading in the right direction. If I were you, I’d lean toward:

Quilted ticking
1" soft Dunlop (transition)
2" medium Dunlop
8" quad coils

This will give you a much cleaner comfort curve and better zoning for both back and side sleeping.

I’m also going to tag @Arizona_Premium here since their DIY expertise far far far far far exceeds mine and they may have a better/keener eye for more refined feedback.

NikkiTMU

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For TPS coils, I suggest you go with the Premium Cover sold by PCS. SOL medium is firm; SOL firm is extra firm. With your current set up, your DIY mattress will be super firm. Is this what you want? For back sleepers, medium firm is alright.

Just because you use premium materials, premium sellers (firm dunlop with wool batting), your mattress won’t be comfortable.

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Hi all,

Thanks for the suggestions so far, I’ll do a master reply here so it’s easier to deal with.

@megatonoleo @NikkiTMU I just realized that layer 2 in my original post was wrong. It was not a Latex Mattress Factory Medium Firm dunlop latex that I have, but rather a 2" LMF Medium Soft Dunlop Latex layer. I did use it with a firm Haugesund earlier this year before the current place I was in and had a similar and probably slightly worse experience than what I have at the moment. Using layer 2 and the Vesteroy was not great which was why I got layer 3. I tried using layer 2 and 3 and the Vesteroy, but it turned out that my current setup felt the best though at the cost of side sleeping. Would that change any suggestions you guys gave? Apologies for the wrong information on my original post, I was writing it late at night…

@NikkiTMU i like the layer suggestion so far, the one question I have is with the interaction between quilted ticking and the transition layer. There shouldn’t be a reason to have the transition layer wrapped with wool batting because the quilted ticking should have enough wool/natural fibers in the comfort layer correct?

@megatonoleo apologies once again with the original setup being off, the goal was to go medium firm with a 2" LMF medium soft layer and a 2" SOL Medium layer under it. If the medium soft layer was wrapped in wool batting, would I be gaining or losing something? What would be a good reason for going with the PCS Premium Cover versus a Quilted Cover? Would you recommend still going with woo batting with the Premium Cover?

Thanks for the suggestions so far, I’m getting a clearer idea of what I should be going for now!

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TPS 15.5g is medium firm. These coils need a sturdy cover, not the covers designed for wool or all foam mattresses. That’s the reason.

For back sleepers, medium firm is good. SOL Medium is known to be firm; SOL firm, extra-firm. You can add an inch of wool batting on top of coils, then use 2" LMF medium dunlop, and see whether you like the set up.

Premium materials, extra layers don’t make a mattress comfortable. TPS 15.5g + 2" SOL medium + 2" LMF medium will be firmer than you intend. And you may not like it.