DIY latex mattress - question/advice on how layers work together

[phoenix]

Hi mainertodd,

I’m hoping to get a little advice before I start on the mechanics of how different layers work together.

Some stats: I’m 5’10 and 170 lbs and an 80/20 back/side sleeper (I prefer being on my back if the mattress is comfortable that way), and my partner is 5’6" and 150 lbs and a weird mixture of twisted side/stomach and back sleeper.

While I can certainly help with “how” to choose … It’s not possible to make specific suggestions or recommendations for either a mattress, manufacturers/retailers, or combinations of materials or components because the first “rule” of mattress shopping (or in your case component shopping) is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress. There are just too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved that are unique to each person to use a formula or for anyone to be able to predict or make a specific suggestion or recommendation about which mattress or combination of materials and components or which type of mattress would be the best “match” for you in terms of “comfort”, firmness, or PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own personal preferences) or how a mattress will “feel” to you or compare to another mattress based on specs (either yours or a mattress), sleeping positions, health conditions, or “theory at a distance” that can possibly be more reliable than your own careful testing (hopefully using the testing guidelines in step 4 of the tutorial) or your own personal sleeping experience (see mattress firmness/comfort levels in post #2 here).

If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own DIY 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).

There is also 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 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” that may be useful as well.

For those who 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 or blueprint and try and “match” every layer and component in your reference mattress as closely as possible or use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here).

Post #4 here aalso includes a list of the better online sources for DIY materials and components that I’m aware of (and includes both SleeponLatex and Mattresses 24/7).

If money weren’t an object, I would ideally start with a 6" firm core and a 3" medium support layer, see how that feels, and then figure out what to do for the top (2" or 3") comfort layer (if anything). However, 6" cores are really expensive and 11-12" overall seems like overkill based on what I’ve read, so I was leaning toward starting with a 3" medium middle layer over a 3" firm bottom layer, seeing how we do on that, and then adding a third layer as needed (potentially a split twin XL if we want different things).

This is the “bottom up” approach that I mentioned and would certainly make sense.

While you certainly aren’t in a weight range that would “need” more than about 8" - 9" of latex or so … there are certainly some people that may prefer it. There is more about the effect of thickness in post #14 here.

However, I stumbled across a 6" 100% Dunlop core at mattresses247’s ebay site today (pasted below this paragraph). She’s selling the firm (~ 40 ILD) for $749, which is considerably cheaper than anyone else’s 6" core, and also much cheaper than doing two 3" firm layers. She confirmed that it’s a solid piece, no glued layers or seams.

There is more about the pros and cons of a single 6" core vs two separate 3" layers in post #2 here.

My question: in terms of how latex layers work together, would there be much of a difference in feel between a) 3" of medium over 3" firm, and b) 3" of medium over 6" of firm? (Assume all layers are from the same supplier, 100% natural Dunlop, with medium ~ 30 ILD and firm ~ 40 ILD). Or would it be a waste of money to spring for that extra 3" of firm? I don’t want to end up buying more latex than we really need.

Because the thickness of a mattress or individual layers inside it can affect the feel and performance of a mattress … it would certainly make “some” difference yes. Some people are also more sensitive to differences between two mattresses and may notice the differences between two mattresses more than others.

[As background, here’s more info on my perhaps wrongheaded thinking process: if the 3" of medium over 6" of firm actually feels good to both of us (we do prefer firmer mattresses), we could stop there are end up with a lower overall cost than buying 3 separate 3" layers. But since most of the recommendations I’ve seen (including from Valerie at mattresses247) suggest that at least one of us may prefer a soft/medium/firm layering, going the 6" core route might just end up costing more in the end and leave us with a needlessly thick firm bottom layer.]

While a 6" + 3" design could work perfectly for both of you … the only way to know for certain whether any specific combination of layers and materials inside a specific cover (which can also have a significant effect on the feel, performance, and cost of a mattress) is a suitable “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP will be based on your own personal experience. Having more layers can give you more options to customize the feel and firmness of the mattress but there are always risk/reward trade-offs and pros and cons to every choice you make when you are designing your own mattress.

Phoenix