Breathability of Adjustable Bed Foundation

Hi Phoenix and everyone else!
Looking at foundations. I recently ordered a Latex Mattress from flobeds… I would like to understand peoples’ thoughts on using such a mattress with an adjustable foundation. My main concern is breathability. I want to make sure that the mattress is as breathable as possible as I am a warm sleeper. Unfortunately, I haven’t found anywhere online that shows what actually makes up the foundation of an adjustable bed. Is it solid? Vented? While I would really like the benefits of an adjustable bed, I am fine sticking to slats if that is best. I am considering the Leggett and Platt Designer D-222.

Thanks in advance for your for your help.

Hi LOGANROSS,

Most adjustable beds (including the Leggett & Platt models) have a solid surface.

A solid surface support system that doesn’t provide any ventilation underneath the mattress can add somewhat to the risk of moisture retention and developing mold or mildew in the mattress but if you don’t have any additional risk factors in your environment then it should be fine (see post #10 here). I (and many others) use an adjustable bed with a solid surface under my own latex mattress with no problem.

Congratulations on your new mattress as well :slight_smile:

You certainly made a great quality/value choice and I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback when you receive it and have had a chance to sleep on it for a bit.

Phoenix

Thanks. What if my concern were coolness rather than mold, etc.? thanks in advance.

Hi LOGANROSS,

There is more about the many variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress or sleeping system in post #2 here.

While it’s not possible to quantify the sleeping temperature of a mattress for any particular person with any real accuracy because there are so many variables involved including the type of mattress protector and the sheets and bedding that you use (which in many cases can have just as significant an effect on temperature as the type of foam in a mattress), the temperature and humidity of your room, the firmness of the mattress, and on where you are in the “oven to iceberg” range … the layers and materials that are closer to your skin will have a much larger effect on sleeping temperature than the foundation under the mattress (which is unlikely to have a noticeable effect on sleeping temperature).

Your mattress uses Talalay latex which is the most breathable of all the foam materials (latex foam, memory foam, and polyfoam) and the top layer is also convoluted which will also increase the airflow and you also have a wool quilted cotton cover which is also among the most temperature and humidity regulating covers (wool in particular is a great temperature regulator) so it would be very unlikely that you would have any issues with temperature regulation on your mattress.

Phoenix

Thank you very much. I currently have a slept number iLE with 6" of foam on the top (which is what is being replaced) and I haven’t had any issues. What I have found most interesting is that I have a Bookstore Biosense side sleeper pillow. After laying on in for a while all of the heat is on the bottom, meaning the side I lay on is much cooler than the bottom. Thus, unlike a regular pillow that you would normally flip tip to bottom, I twirl it (bed foot to bed head)

We have the same setup that you are considering, Flobed mattresses on L&P D-222 adjustable bases. As Phoenix mentioned, the bases are not ventilated. I think the platform is made out of solid 3/4 or 1" plywood.
We are going on our third year with the beds and have never felt that the bases were having any influence on how warm the mattresses feel.

Good luck.