I have 30 ILD and 40 ILD blended talalay toppers, both 3 inches thick. I have decided to remove my innerspring mattress and add a third layer of either 30 or 44 ILD, 100% natural Dunlop, to serve as the bottom of my mattress. That makes 9 inches of latex, I weigh 300 lbs and know there is a possibility I may need a fourth layer. Which Dunlop ILD would you recommend for the bottom layer and what would you think my chances might be on getting by with just 3 layers? Thank You.
Hi smmimp14,
Unfortunately 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 is to always remember that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and there are 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” or PPP 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).
The thickness of a mattress is only one of many variables that can affect the feel and performance of a mattress but in higher weight ranges (or a higher BMI) the odds are higher that you may do better with a mattress that is thicker than lower weight ranges or a lower BMI (see post #14 here for more about the effect of thickness) but even this depends more on the specific design and combination of materials in the mattress and on how well your testing or personal experience indicates the mattress “as a whole” matches your specific needs and preferences in terms of PPP than it does on just the thickness itself.
It will also depend on your body type and sleeping positions as well because side sleepers may need more softness and contouring than back or side sleepers.
I would probably start with one additional layer which would most likely be an extra firm on the bottom then I would decide whether to add an additional layer based on your experience on your initial combination.
If you wanted to start with a softer combination as your initial combination then I would probably consider another medium layer on top.
Phoenix
I had searched your site for information. Thanks for your help.
Okay, I now have my Firm (44ILD) 3" Green Dunlop topper from Sleep On Latex. I have removed my poor mattress. I put the Dunlop firm on top of the foundation. Then added a Firm Blended Talalay (ILD 40) on top of that. Finally a Medium Blended Talalay (ILD) 30 on top. Both Talalays are 3" and both are from Sleep EZ. The Dunlop is from Sleep on Latex. I live in a small town so there is no place for me to go compare or follow a certain layout of a Latex mattress. Thses three by themselves are a bit too firm for me. I am trying to get as many informed opinions as possible and so would really appreciate any guidance you can offer. I have read much of the info you have provided on your site. I am thinking my next step should be another Firm Dunlop for support and to get further away from the foundation. It would seem adding a softer layer, say a 30 ILD Dunlop on top of the Firm Dunlop may only make me sink in further. I weigh 300 lbs and am looking for a spinal aligning setup with some softness, but not too soft. The 2 Talalays worked fine on my mattress when I slept diagonally across it as the mattress is cheap and wore out fast, hence my desire to build my own Latex mattress. It was Jeremy from Sleep EZ that suggested my mattress was the problem in the first place and I agree, and am very satisfied with Sleep EZ’s product. Sleep On Latex is also a good product and was a bit cheaper. I intend to contact both of those companies but, again, am seeking as many educated opinions as possible. Can you offer any “most likely to help” insight? Thank you so much.
Hi smmimp14,
If you let me know your city or zip code I’d be happy to let you know about any manufacturers or retailers I’m aware of that are in your general area. It’s possible that there may be something in reasonable driving distance.
I don’t know how long you’ve slept on your current configuration but I would take at least a couple of weeks before making any changes so that you have a chance to get used to your current configuration.
Any additional layer that you add to the deeper layers would most likely add “some” degree of additional softness … it would just be a matter of how much and of course the only way to know would be based on your own personal experience.
If you are choosing Dunlop I would probably add a firm layer so from the bottom up you would have firm Dunlop/firm Dunlop/firm Talalay, medium Talalay. If you would prefer something that was softer than this I would probably add a medium Talalay so you would have Firm Dunlop, Firm Talalay, Medium Talalay, Medium Talalay. I would tend to keep Dunlop and Talalay layers together rather than alternating them so a medium Talalay would be a little more flexible and would give you the chance to test Firm Dunlop, Medium Talalay, Firm Talalay, Medium Talalay if it was necessary.
Both of these would give you a good reference point that you could use to decide if you need any further changes to fine tune either the deep support or the pressure relief of the mattress.
Phoenix
I live in Green Bay, WI. I think a Medium Talalay would be too soft but another firm talalay might be worth thinking about. Though I am thinking another 2-3 inches of Firm Dunlop would give me the support I am looking for. Thanks for your response. Let me know if you if you know of a place nearby where I can go see some latex. Thanks again!
Hi smmimp14,
The Green Bay, WI list is in post #2 here and there are a number of places that would give you a chance to test a range of different latex mattresses.
Phoenix
Thanks for your input so far. Just one more thing, if I add 2-3 inches of 30 ILD Dunlop how much of a difference in softness would I experience. I think another layer of medium talalay will make it too soft for me. So I would have 3" 44 ILD Dunlop on the bottom, then 2-3" 30 ILD Dunlop on top of that, then 3" ILD 40 talalay and finally 3" of 30 ILD talalay on top. How much of a difference will the 30 ILD make and would there be a significant difference between 2 inches or 3 inches? I am trying to make as educated decision as I can as I don’t really have a budget that allows much experimenting. Thank You again!
Hi smmimp14,
There isn’t any way to “quantify” softness/firmness or how much of an effect the additional layer would have. Different people can have very different perceptions of firmness and softness compared to others and a mattress that feels firm for one person can feel like “medium” for someone else or even “soft” for someone else (or vice versa) 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. 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) so different people can also have very different opinions on how two mattresses or layering combinations compare in terms of firmness/softness and different people may have very different opinions about “how much” softer an additional layer in a specific position in the mattress would feel. This is all relative and very subjective and is as much an art as a science.
About the only thing that I can say is that an additional medium 2" - 3" Dunlop layer would probably be noticeably softer than the same combination without the additional layer although the effect will be less if you are using it deeper in the mattress. If I was in your shoes and since your comments indicate that your current layering is only “a bit” too firm I would probably lean towards a 2" layer and then try it as either the second or third layer down to see which one is best for you. You can always add an additional inch of latex if you need to but you can’t take an inch away unless you have access to a slitter.
Experimentation is part of the DIY process (especially if you don’t have a specific layering combination that you have tested and are trying to approximate) so there isn’t any way to avoid this but I would also do some local testing on different latex mattresses or layering combinations so that you have a better reference point that you can use as a blueprint for your DIY design because you are the only one that can feel what you feel on any specific combination and “theory at a distance” is never as reliable as your own personal experience.
I would also make sure that you have a good exchange/return policy for any additional layer so that you have the option to exchange it for something firmer or softer if you need to.
Phoenix
Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.