Hi Seven,
[quote]As far as size goes, I would like to have an extended sized king bed. A normal king is 76 by 80 inches and I would like my bed to be 96 inches long (8 feet).
Considering all that, I will need a mattress that is 76" x 96" and the only way to get to that length is to buy a king mattress and glue on a single or similar sized piece of foam/latex. Does that sound right? Any idea if i could get a single piece of foam/latex in that size without gluing?[/quote]
The simplest way to buy a mattress in the custom size you need would be to talk with a manufacturer that can make custom sizes. This way you could test the mattress you were buying in a king size first to make sure that it’s a good “match” for you in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences) before buying it because there are generally no returns on custom sizes.
If you were to buy a king size mattress and add a “piece” to it you would need to first remove the cover, make a new custom “piece” to attach to one end that was made up of exactly the same foam layers as the layers in the mattress (and it may be difficult to identify exactly what the layers are or to find the same materials), glue the “piece” to the end so that it matches exactly, and then have a new custom size cover made for you that would fit your new mattress to “finish” the mattress. You won’t be able to find a latex layer in that size and you probably won’t be able to find a polyfoam layer in that size either so you would need to glue pieces together.
If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own 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).
The choice of materials (polyfoam or latex or a combination of both) would be both a budget and a preference choice. While all the versions of latex you are likely to come across will be a good quality and durable material relative to other types of foam, if you decide to use polyfoam in your mattress then I would make sure that it’s a suitable quality/density version (see the guidelines here).
If you decide to take on the challenge of a DIY mattress then I would either use the same type of materials with the same 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 use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here).
Phoenix