Can I save this Ikea latex Mattress?

[Heathereast]

I’m hoping to get some advise about what is the best solution for our 2.5 year old Ikea mattress. We bought the Morgongava king size which is a 7.8 inch Dunlop latex, 85% natural and 15% synthetic. There is no other ‘comfort’ layer. We bought it because there is no other option locally for a latex mattress and we heard about the longevity of latex. We had been in a cycle of buying expensive but inferior mattresses that quickly broke down. We both have a problem with improper lower back support and lower back pain in the morning if we sleep on our backs. At first the latex mattress seems pretty good although a bit hard we didn’t want to mess with the support. We had a 3" memory foam topper once that killed my back!
My husband is initially a side sleeper but often ends up on his back, 250lbs. I am pretty strictly side sleeper and 140lbs. There is definite crush especially on my husbands side and a noticeable amount on my side. I’ve had two hip surgeries and the pressure point on that hip is so bad I wake up in pain every night and on the other side I have shoulder pain so I end up on my back often and then wake up with back pain so bad I can hardly move for a while. My husband occasionally complains of a sore back or shoulder in the morning. The amount of depression on his side of the bed is concerning.
We weren’t aware of the requirements for the support for the latex and just put it on the box spring we had. It is a wire grid box spring. We also didn’t initially rotate as we didn’t know we should and a king size latex mattress in a small room is not a small thing!
My question is can we save this mattress? We paid 1100.00 for this and we would hate to toss it after only 2 years. I’ve done some research thanks to this site and the list of manufactures listed on this forum (by Phoenix I believe) in Ontario who make latex beds. I thought I’d ask here first for ideas of what should we do…is this mattress too thin for my husbands 250lb of solid muscle to start with? and we should just start over?..or do we just need a proper base and a comfort topper of latex or some other material? Is it crushing down because it isn’t 100% natural latex? Whatever we get is going to be manufactured site unseen and shipped probably from Ontario to Nova Scotia so a recommendation on a manufacturer would be welcome too! Ikea does also have some sort of latex topper available but I don’t want to buy it if there is another better option. And at this point I will chuck it and start over if that’s the better option. HELP! PLEASE!

[Sensei]

Hey Heathereast,

Welcome to the Mattress Underground ! Thanks for your question.

I’m hoping to get some advise about what is the best solution for our 2.5 year old Ikea mattress. We bought the Morgongava king size which is a 7.8 inch Dunlop latex, 85% natural and 15% synthetic. There is no other ‘comfort’ layer. We bought it because there is no other option locally for a latex mattress and we heard about the longevity of latex. We had been in a cycle of buying expensive but inferior mattresses that quickly broke down. We both have a problem with improper lower back support and lower back pain in the morning if we sleep on our backs. At first the latex mattress seems pretty good although a bit hard we didn’t want to mess with the support. We had a 3" memory foam topper once that killed my back!

Here are a few questions for you, Heathereast: what other mattresses did you have prior to your Ikea Morgongava natural latex mattress and what were some of the qualities that you liked about them? As this is your first natural latex mattress, you may have found that Dunlop has a bit of a firmer feel than you both are used to. When you say that you “both have a problem with improper lower back support and lower back pain in the morning while back sleeping”, is this the case with all of your mattresses or only the Ikea? Have either of you reviewed the other’s spinal alignment while laying on your side on the mattress?

My husband is initially a side sleeper but often ends up on his back, 250lbs. I am pretty strictly side sleeper and 140lbs. There is definite crush especially on my husbands side and a noticeable amount on my side. I’ve had two hip surgeries and the pressure point on that hip is so bad I wake up in pain every night and on the other side I have shoulder pain so I end up on my back often and then wake up with back pain so bad I can hardly move for a while. My husband occasionally complains of a sore back or shoulder in the morning. The amount of depression on his side of the bed is concerning.

It sounds is though you both have experienced a good deal of pressure point frustration, Heathereast. It must be terribly difficult to rest comfortably when all of your preferred sleeping positions lead to pain. The Morgongava natural latex mattress’s 7.8" thickness and medium-firm dunlop density suggest it may be better suited for individuals more of an average height/ BMI. The “definite crush” you mention on your husband’s side may indicate that his muscular build and 250 lb. weight surpasses the mattress’s performance abilities from a long-term durability standpoint. Have you contacted Ikea and discussed your pressure point discomfort with them from a product replacement conversation?

We weren’t aware of the requirements for the support for the latex and just put it on the box spring we had. It is a wire grid box spring. We also didn’t initially rotate as we didn’t know we should and a king size latex mattress in a small room is not a small thing!
My question is can we save this mattress? We paid 1100.00 for this and we would hate to toss it after only 2 years.[/quote]

A wire grid box spring is similar to an innerspring except it generally uses fewer and stronger coils or torsion springs and is used under an innerspring mattress to support it, protect it from sudden shocks that can damage the innerspring, and to help its ability to respond to weight, providing additional pressure relief or improve alignment. While you could place a latex mattress on a box spring, the weight of a latex mattress could result in bended springs and mattress sag.

I’ve done some research thanks to this site and the list of manufactures listed on this forum (by Phoenix I believe) in Ontario who make latex beds. I thought I’d ask here first for ideas of what should we do…is this mattress too thin for my husbands 250lb of solid muscle to start with? and we should just start over?..or do we just need a proper base and a comfort topper of latex or some other material?

You may consider contacting any of these Ontario area TMU Trusted Members for their thoughts on either how to improve your current Ikea mattress or what next steps they would recommend:

CBH Wood Furniture

MFC/ Memory Foam Comfort

[quote]Is it crushing down because it isn’t 100% natural latex?

Both natural latex and blended latex are very high quality materials and well regarded for their durability properties. The fact that your mattress incorporates an 85% natural and 15% synthetic blended Dunlop latex shouldn’t be the problem. Without seeing the compressions of your mattress, I cannot speculate on what may be causing the “crushing down” you describe.

Whatever we get is going to be manufactured site unseen and shipped probably from Ontario to Nova Scotia so a recommendation on a manufacturer would be welcome too! Ikea does also have some sort of latex topper available but I don’t want to buy it if there is another better option. And at this point I will chuck it and start over if that’s the better option. HELP! PLEASE!

You may also ask the Canadian-based trusted members for their recommendation of a mattress manufacturer closer to your area, they would be happy to share that information with you. Good luck with your research and looking forward to more updates as you decide which way to go.

Thanks,
Sensei