Hi there,
So I have made a remarkable error in my quest for a new mattress to replace our 8 year old cheap memory foam mattress that is “wearing out” for lack of a better term (:
After trying many different mattresses in the stores and realizing that my wife and I wanted different things, I decided to build my own mattress based off information gleaned from here as well as several other sources I could find.
I had a bunch of Amazon credit so I ordered (3) 3" latex toppers from DreamFoam Bedding in Soft (19 ILD), Medium (28 ILD) and Firm . It’s listed as blended Talalay https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EK0DXIC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00
I figured this would allow us to switch the layers around as we wanted so that we could see what works best for each of us. If we needed to apply a different firmness to each side, then I could simply cut the affected layers in half and reassemble as needed.
Here is my thoughts after a few nights on each layer. The soft is nice but has no support at all. The medium is a little too firm for my taste and seems to offer very little pressure relief compared to my daughters 12" store brand memory foam mattress. The firm is out of the question too hard.
When all 3 layers are combined, you can almost push your hand all the way to the wooden frame below them. There is no way this is enough support to properly support the body. if you sit on the edge of the bed, you can feel the wooden foundation.
It’s strange, on the one hand there is very little structure and support overall and on the other hand, it’s too firm or too soft.
SleepEZ and several other reccomend vendors sell this type of configuration, 3x 3" layers, so I am not sure how it’s working for them when I am so unhappy?
So, on to fixing if possible. Perhaps i need to look at a proper support layer? I was going to order a 6" latex core but is looks like the 6" cores are simply made of 2 - 3" layers bonded together so I figure it was better to order different firmness than a core. not sure how that would fix my issue.
Other thoughts and considerations: I also installed a Sleep and Beyond natural wool mattress pad. I like the firm but supportive nature of memory foam but dislike the hotness and all the chemicals. I have a bad back and sleep issues so comfort for me is critical. My wife likes very firm bed but does not like memory foam due to the difficulty in rolling over. My wife liked the configuration of Firm then Medium directly on the frame. I weigh about 170 5’11" and in mid 40’s. My wife is around 130 5’6" and also in mid 40’s. Both of us are back and side sleepers.
There will be a break in and adjustment period for any new mattress or sleeping system as the mattress loses any of it’s “false firmness” and the cover stretches and loosens a little and your body gets used to a mattress that is different from what it is used to sleeping on (see post #3 here).
I’m also not clear from your comments whether you are trying each layer separately or if you are sleeping on the combination of all three layers since your comments seem to be more about each layer individually and not the combination of all three. Each individual layer has a different function inside a mattress so assessing each layer by itself will have little to do with how the combination works together “as a whole”.
“Support” is also often misunderstood and many people believe incorrectly that “firmer is better” or “more supportive” or that one type of support system is “better” than another when the real goal of a “supportive” mattress is to keep the spine in good alignment and this requires the type of contouring support that allows some parts of the body to sink in more and some parts of the body to sink in less and this will vary on an individual basis. 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 in post #2 here and in post #4 here that may also be helpful in clarifying the difference between “support/alignment” and “comfort/pressure relief” and “feel” and how they interact together.
You also didn’t mention any of the specific symptoms you are experiencing when you sleep on your mattress because how a mattress feels and responds when you push on it with your hands or sit on the side is very different from how it will feel and respond when you sleep on it over the course of the night.
Your mattress (soft/medium/firm … hopefully with a suitable cover) is certainly inside the range that would work well for most people in your weight range but each person is unique and a mattress or a combination of layers that works well for one person or even for a larger group of people may be unsuitable for someone else to sleep on.
Based on your comments you already have a “proper support layer” (the firm) in addition to a transition layer (the medium) and a comfort layer (the soft) that would work well together for most people even though it may not be suitable for you (although you will need more time on all three layers inside a cover to know for certain). Both Dunlop and Talalay latex are made in 6" molds that aren’t two layers that are bonded together. There is also more about the pros and cons of a single 6" core vs two 3" layers in post #2 here.
Overall … I think that the “best” suggestion for now would be to put all three layers together with the firm on the bottom, the medium in the middle, and the soft on top inside your cover (assuming that you have a cover) and then sleep on it for a few weeks to see how it works out for you and whether you are experiencing any actual symptoms over the course of time.
Once you have a little bit more time on your current configuration then you can use any specific symptoms you experience on your mattress as a reference point and guideline to help you decide whether any changes will be necessary and if they are on the types of changes in your layering that may be most helpful.
I would also read the comments in the first part of post #2 here and the posts it links to about putting together a DIY mattress as well…
I am testing out different solutions to see what we are happy with.
I am going to take the 6" core from our old memory foam mattress and try that as a core for the new latex layers and see how that feels.
It’s disappointing to think that all this research and I am still way off on the actual purchasing
I can certainly understand but trial and error and the learning curve that goes with it is a “normal” part of the DIY process and unfortunately all the research or “theory at a distance” in the world won’t always tell you the types or combinations of materials and components that you will end up sleeping well on.
What combinations of layers have you tried already and what was your experience on each of them?
Update:
My wife LOVES the latex. Her side is arranged with Firm, Firm and then soft on the bottom. She does not care for the soft at all and could probably be removed.
Me: The Soft, Med, Firm was too soft. Firm on top is too firm.
I switched between Med,Firm,Soft and Med,Soft,Firm and settled on Med,Soft,Firm.
This is comfortable for back and side, HOWEVER, I am sleeping more on my side and I find myself turning several times in the night due to pressure on my shoulder that is sunk into the mattress.
I find myself wishing I went with memory foam as I LOVE my daughters mattress. I have not slept on it over night though.
I love that it feels very firm when you lie on it but it slowly melts in and seems to support you better than the latex.
I wonder if I could mix a 3" gel 5lb memory foam layer over (2) 3" layers of Med Talalay latex to get the same height as my wifes side?
Anyone know options for 3" gel 5lb memory foam in Twin XL size? I see lots of options for 4lb but it seems that 5lb might be a better product. 7lb might be nice to try too but can’t seem to find anyone selling that as a topper.
Thanks Pheonix for all you help and for this site which has provided SOOOO much information and help over the past few months!!!
[quote]Me: The Soft, Med, Firm was too soft. Firm on top is too firm.
I switched between Med,Firm,Soft and Med,Soft,Firm and settled on Med,Soft,Firm.
This is comfortable for back and side, HOWEVER, I am sleeping more on my side and I find myself turning several times in the night due to pressure on my shoulder that is sunk into the mattress.[/quote]
It would probably be worth trying (from top to bottom) soft/medium/firm. This would be in between the soft/medium/firm and the medium/soft/firm and may allow your shoulders to sink in a little more and would have a little firmer support than the soft/medium/firm.
[quote]I wonder if I could mix a 3" gel 5lb memory foam layer over (2) 3" layers of Med Talalay latex to get the same height as my wifes side?
Anyone know options for 3" gel 5lb memory foam in Twin XL size? I see lots of options for 4lb but it seems that 5lb might be a better product. 7lb might be nice to try too but can’t seem to find anyone selling that as a topper.[/quote]
There is no reason not to try it although it may feel a little bit strange in the middle of the mattress where the memory foam and the latex meet because they have a very different response. Some of the better online sources for memory foam I’m aware of are listed in post #4 here.
