Hello, I am at my wits end and feeling desperate. The last I wrote to you I was going to purchase 2" of 30 ILD Dunlop latex to try to build my own latex mattress. I made that purchase and then one or two more and don’t know which way to turn and do not have unlimited funds. I now have, from the bottom up, 1" thick plywood (I would love to have proper foundation but have no $$$). Next is 40 ILD 3" Talalay latex from Sleep EZ. Then 3" 30 ILD Dunlop from Sleep on Latex, another 2" 30 ILD Dunlop from Sleep On Latex, and finally 3" of 30 ILD Talalay from Sleep EZ. I do not question the quality of the latex I have purchased, I know it is good quality., In total it has all gotten softer but is not supportive in that it does not fill the small of my back and my upper back seems as if it is flattening it all out. It is soft, but my 300 lb. body is squashing it all down. I called Plush beds and they recommended a medium firm latex mattress for me. I don’t want to just keep piling latex on without a plan of some sort, I can’t afford to do that. Oh, the Plush Beds fellow also recommended the 14" mattress for me. I am already invested in latex so have no choice but to continue. Any genius insight for me? Thanks Very Much
Hi smmimp14,
I switched your post to your previous topic with the same title.
There really isn’t a great deal I can add to my previous replies in this topic (particularly post #2 in the topic) so I would encourage you to reread them. Don’t forget that you are the only one that can feel what you feel on a mattress and that the DIY process will generally involve some trial and error and experimentation because the only way to know for certain whether any combination of layers will work for you with any certainty will be based on your own personal experience.
While it’s not possible to “diagnose” more complex mattress comfort issues on a forum with any certainty because there are too many unique unknowns, variables, and complexities involved that can affect how each person sleeps on a mattress in terms of “comfort” and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your Personal preferences) or any “symptoms” they experience … there is more about the most common symptoms that people may experience when they sleep on a mattress and the most likely (although not the only) reasons for them in post #2 here.
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”.
These posts are the “tools” that can help with the analysis, detective work, or trial and error that may be necessary to help you learn your body’s language and “translate” what your body is trying to tell you so you can identify the types of changes that have the best chance of reducing or eliminating any “symptoms” you are experiencing … at least to the degree that any symptoms are from your mattress rather than the result of any other circumstances or pre-existing issues you may have that may not be connected to a mattress.
In order to guess what may be happening or the types of changes that may be helpful I would need to know the specific layering combinations you have tried (starting with the first one) in the order that you tried them and the specific “symptoms” you experienced when you slept on each of them and how each of your symptoms changed (got better or worse) relative to the previous combination you tried.
Phoenix
Okay, I started with, from the bottom up…3" 40 ILD Dunlop, 3" 40 ILD Blended Talalay, 3" 30 ILD Blended Talalay…that is it, was much too firm. Then I added 2" 30 ILD Dunlop underneath the 30 ILD talalay…a little softer but still too firm overall…I did not actually sleep on either of these configurations because they were much too firm. Next, I exchanged the 40 ILD Dunlop for a 30 ILD Dunlop and now I have, from bottom up…40 ILD Talalay, 30 ILD Dunlop, 2" 30 ILD Dunlop, and 3" 30 ILD Talalay, all layers are 3" unkess otherwise noted. I slept pn that last night and had horrible dreams, if that is relevant, and woke with pain across my back at the top of my hips and also on my spine just below my shoulder blades. It is my thought that this is where I was making contact with a hard surface. The mattress did feel soft enough but I was going through 8" of 30 ILD latex. I do not know if I should add one more layer of 30 ILD or not. Oh, I am a back sleeper. That is my story.
Hi smmimp14,
It would be helpful if you could list each combination you tried like this to help me visualize them …
3" 30 ILD Blended Talalay
3" 40 ILD Blended Talalay
3" 40 ILD Dunlop
3" 30 ILD Blended Talalay
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 40 ILD Blended Talalay
3" 40 ILD Dunlop
It’s unfortunate that you didn’t sleep on one or both of these (in particularly the 4 layer combination) because outside of the alternating Dunlop and Talalay layers (which can make things more unpredictable) these would have provided some good reference points and the 4 layer combination in particular would be “in the range” that could work for you … at least “in theory”. It would also have been very helpful to find out how your experience changed between the first and second combination.
3" 30 ILD Talalay
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 40 ILD Talalay
It’s unfortunate you exchanged the 40 ILD Dunlop for a softer layer because If I had to guess I would guess that this combination was too soft and your previous configuration may have been better.
The next combination I would try would probably be …
3" 30 ILD Talalay
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 40 ILD Talalay
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
Which moves the firmest layer up higher in the combination to improve the primary support.
You also mentioned in a previous post that you have back issues so I would keep in mind that a mattress may not help pre existing back issues. The most important priority with a mattress is to keep your spine and joints in good alignment and for most people pressure relief and the more subjective “comfort” of a mattress would be less important priorities.
I’m guessing that you are a back sleeper but it would also be helpful if you could confirm your normal sleeping positions.
Phoenix
Hello Again, The first two combinations listed at the top of previous box were both very firm and would have been comparable to sleeping on the floor, though the second with2" of 30 ILD Dunlop was slightly softer it was not comfortable so I did not sleep on either This evening I tried your suggestion near bottom of above box of moving the 40ILD 3" up one level. I lay on that about 20 minutes and could feel my spine just below my shoulder blades hurting and it felt as though the curve of my back was beginning to flatten out… Very uncomfortable when one gets up in the morning. Then I tried the 3" and 2" medium Dunlop under the 3" firm talalay with the 3" 30 ILD on top. Similar results to previous…curve of spine and notch just below shoulder blades… If I feel that after 15-2o minutes it will be almost crippling when I wake up. Now I have 2" med on the bottom, with 3" firm talalay on top of that, then 3" med Dunlop and then 3" med talalay. Haven’t tried that out yet because I am hot and moving these latex toppers by myself. Wondering if the plywood “foundation” could have anything to do with this. I do sleep on my back, as I had mentioned previously. Now I am thinking about some HD or HR foam. I know a good place to get some though I wanted to stick with latex I may not be able to afford it. Also, I have been sleeping on my couch frequently for the past couple years while dealing with my mattress issues and my couch is quite kind to my back, though now it is pretty worn out. If I have a good surface to sleep on I do not wake up with back problems, it is only from searching and not finding a good bed. I even went to an upholstery shop to try to duplicate my couch cushions but they were outrageously priced. Anyway, I have to do something with what I have now, will let you know how latest configuration works… Oh, I can still exchange the 2" med Dunlop, if that is a consideration…
Okay, so the latest setup :
3" med Talalay
3" med Dunlop
3" firm Talalay
2" med Dunlop
seems to be working the best but is far from what I desire. I woke up after 3 hours sleep and my whole back was hurting but not as severe in any one place as previous setup. My gut just wants to put a nice plush supportive layer on top and just be done with it. But I don’t know how to accomplish that. What will work?
Hi smmimp14,
There are many people in your weight range that would sleep well on the 4 layer combination you tried and I can assure you it would be nothing like sleeping on the floor 
Even the 3 layer combination would be much softer than the floor and some people would be OK on it as well although in your weight range the extra thickness would likely work better (see post #14 here for more about the effect of thickness). It would have been very useful to try sleeping on the 4 layer combination for a period of time before making any further changes.
I would actually sleep on each layering combination for a few nights at the very least (a week or two would be better yet) rather than just 20 minutes so you can identify a more clearly identifiable pattern in your actual experience based on sleeping on it over the course of the night.
I would prefer it if you listed the layers as I suggested in my previous reply for each combination you try and then describe your experience underneath each listed combination. I also would test each combination for much longer before making any additional changes so you can identify clear longer term patterns in your experience. If you make changes too quickly your body will never have a chance to adjust to any of them and you will probably be in constant “change mode”.
If I understand you correctly this combination was …
3" 30 ILD Talalay
3" 40 ILD Talalay
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
Again you would need to sleep on this for long enough to identify any changes in your symptoms relative to the previous combination. It’s the actual changes in your symptoms with each combination that are the most helpful in identifying whether you are making changes in the right “direction” … not just whether it “works” or “doesn’t work”.
If I’m understanding you correctly this combination is …
3" 30 ILD Talalay
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
3" 40 ILD Talalay
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
Again if you just make “random” changes this quickly and if you haven’t slept on each combination for long enough to identify a clear pattern in your experience based on actually sleeping on the mattress for “long enough” then it’s really not possible to make any meaningful suggestions and your chances of success will be very low.
Probably not.
Phoenix
Hello Again, After receiving your last response I called a couple of mattress stores and a fellow at Mattress Firm suggested I put all the Talalay on the top, and then all the Dunlop on the bottom. That is what I did, it looks like this:
3" 30 ILD Talalay
3" 40 ILD Talalay
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
I have been sleeping on it for a week, it felt comfortable the first and every other night after that. I have very much experience with uncomfortable mattresses and if they are not comfortable the first night they are not going to get comfortable, that has been my experience at least, and many times over.
Thanks for your input…much appreciated. Just wanted to let you know how things turned out.
Hi smmimp14,
Thanks for the update.
[quote]3" 30 ILD Talalay
3" 40 ILD Talalay
3" 30 ILD Dunlop
2" 30 ILD Dunlop
I have been sleeping on it for a week, it felt comfortable the first and every other night after that. I have very much experience with uncomfortable mattresses and if they are not comfortable the first night they are not going to get comfortable, that has been my experience at least, and many times over.
Thanks for your input…much appreciated. Just wanted to let you know how things turned out. [/quote]
This is the same combination that you tested in your last reply that you didn’t seem to be happy with at first …
… so it’s great to see that you tried it for a little longer and that it worked out well for you :).
Phoenix