Building a latex over polyfoam mattress

Hi, I’m in the process of researching/shopping for a DIY latex over foam type mattress. I have a 2 inch medium 30 ILD latex topper from Sleeponlatex that I will use for a comfort layer. I may add 1 inch of soft latex if it’s needed. My main concern is what to use for the support core. I’ve been looking at Foambymail and I’d like to use the highest grade foam available so this frankenmattress will last 10+ years. I’ve had no luck with even expensive innerspring mattresses lasting 5 years…

So first of all, what density/ILD polyfoam is used for support cores of other types of latex or memory foam over poly foam? Like Tempurpedic? What is the ILD and density of the foam in the support core of their top of the line mattress? Foambymail has 2 premium foams I’d like to use. One is Lux-HQ foam with 2.8 lb density and 50 ILD. I’d like to use that as it seems it’d be the most resilient, but will it be way too firm??? The other is HD36-HQ foam with 2.8 lb density and 35 ILD; will this be too soft? I’d like the overall mattress to be about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. So of the above support core foams, which would be closest to what premium mattress manufacturers use for their support cores? Are there other resources for obtaining a super high quality support core foam with varying density/ILDs? Like I said, I’d like about a 7 on the firm side. Thanks for any help!

Drew

Hi Drew99GT,

If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own mattress out of separate components and a separate cover then the first place I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well) so that you have more realistic expectations and that you are comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process. While it can certainly be a rewarding project … the best approach to a DIY mattress is a “spirit of adventure” where what you learn and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings you may realize (which may or may not happen).

If you decide to take on the challenge then I would either use the specs (if they are available) of a mattress that you have tested and confirmed is a good match for you in terms of PPP as a reference point (the same type and blend of latex in the same thickness and firmness levels and a very similar cover which can also make a significant difference to the feel and performance of a mattress) or use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here).

If you are planning to order from Foambymail (FBM) then I would read this post and this post and this topic (about their polyfoam and sources) and this post (presumably from a past employee) before buying anything or considering them as a reliable supplier.

It can vary from 1.5 lb density to about 3 lb density. Higher densities will be more durable until you get to about 2.2 - 2.5 lbs at which point the relative durability benefits of higher densities would be diminished. You can see the minimum foam density guidelines I would suggest in post #4 here.

They don’t provide the ILD/IFD information for their mattresses and have also stopped providing density information as well but the foam densities of their support cores would be in the range of 2.0 - 2.2 lbs although some of them can be as low as 1.5 lb density.

I would keep in mind that every layer of a mattress will affect all the other layers and the mattress “as a whole” so there isn’t a “best” firmness level for any single component of a mattress because it will depend on the person and on the specifics of the mattress. The only way to know for certain which firmness would be best for you will be based on your own personal testing or experience.

In addition to this ILD/IFD by itself is only one of several factors that can affect the softness/firmness of a material and there are several specs besides just ILD/IFD that can affect how soft or firm a material or a mattress feels. In many cases using ILD/IFD by itself as the main point of reference can be very misleading (see post #4 here and post #2 here).

There is more about primary or “deep” support and secondary or “surface” support and their relationship to firmness and pressure relief and the “roles” of different layers in a mattress (or a mattress/topper combination) in post #2 here and in post #4 here that may also be helpful in clarifying the difference between “support” and “pressure relief” and “feel”.

Different people can also have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others as well and a mattress that is firm for one can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else depending on their body type, sleeping style, physiology, their frame of reference based on what they are used to, and their individual sensitivity and perceptions. This is all relative and is as much an art as a science. There are also different types of firmness and softness that different people may be sensitive to that can affect how they “rate” a mattress as well (see post #15 here). In other words you will always need to test a mattress for you to assess how firm or soft it feels to you (hopefully using the testing guidelines in the tutorial post) regardless of whether it feels firm or soft to someone else or how anyone else may “rate” it.

While I wouldn’t particulary trust the specs from FBM … an “average” ILD/IFD for many mattresses would be in the range of the low-mid 30’s although you will often see some that are softer (high 20’s) and some that are firmer (40’s) that can also work well depending on the specifics of the mattress design and how all the layers and components work together with the body type and sleeping positions of a particular person.

Phoenix

Hi Drew99GT,

Here’s a thought, if you happen to have some local custom foam/mattress retailers in your area. Go see what they have on display in their showrooms or what else in the back you may test. If they have something in the density, quality and firmness you want to experiment with, bring your own topper and lay it on top. If they have something that works, perhaps you can purchase from them and support a local business.

Just an idea. Good luck.

OverThinker

Thanks Phoenix for the info about FBM. I have a question if you don’t mind: in this thread, you listed several other foam retailers. It looks like Foam Factory and FBM are the same; is Foam for you also FBM? The foams they list look identical. Thanks.

http://www.whatsthebest-mattress.com/forum/4-lb-serta-mattress-topper-not-firm-enoughplease-help/17071-0-1.html

One other question; what type of mattress core’s last longest? Innerspring or foam? Thanks. Is it mostly the foam comfort layers that male an innerspring mattress feel like it’s sagging, while the spring support system is actually still intact?

Hi Drew99GT,

Yes … some of the alternative names or URL’s for The Foam Factory include …

https://www.foambymail.com/ (aka FBM)
http://www.foamdistributing.com/
http://www.usafoam.com/
http://www.closedcellfoams.com/ (forwards to The Foam Factory)
http://www.draperytech.com/ (forwards to The Foam Factory)
http://www.moldingsbest.com/ (forwards to Foam By Mail)
http://www.petbedsbymail.com/ (forwards to Foam By Mail)
http://www.foamreplacement.com/ (forwards to The Foam Factory)
http://foamfactory.biz/ (forwards to The Foam Factory)
http://www.sacksbymail.com/ (forwards to The Foam Factory)

There could be others as well.

http://www.foamforyou.com/ (aka Foam N’ More) also has several alternative websites including …

http://www.foamexpress1.com/

http://www.foamandfoam.com/

As far as I know they are not the same company but they do appear to sell at least some of the same products and it’s possible that FBM is their supplier or they have some relationship with each other (they are very close to each other as well). When I’ve talked to them they were not knowledgeable at all and were very uninformed about the foams they were selling and I would be very cautious about dealing with them as well.

You can see some comparisons between some of the polyfoam suppliers on the component list in post #4 here and post #6 here.

Phoenix