My pleasure, Phoenix. It’s the least I could do. And given my experience so far, I think you’re dead on. I look forward to it! 
Gratefully,
DHC
I just want to add Ton Furniture in the GTA has been exceptional, I’m very happy with my mattress which I bought from Andy.
I’m not going to write up a review but I’d highly recommend Ton Furniture to anyone who lives in and around the GTA looking for high quality mattresses at extremely reasonable prices, just give Andy a call and setup an appointment to look at their mattress selections at the Dreamstar Bedding warehouse.
But he was so slick about it… 
Wow. What a wealth of knowledge this place is. I really appreciate you taking the time to compile that list. I was just gonna get a Lucid 10" but stumbled upon this site and got lost in it. I don’t really want to spend more than $500 so I’ve been looking at Lucid, Linenspa Gel and Classic Brands. Based on what I’ve learned here they all use 3lb foam with the Classic issuing 4 lb. It would appear attaining 4lb under $500 is difficult.
Gonna dig into that list and make some calls tomorrow. This one looks interesting
http://mysleepfurniture.net/collections/mattresses/products/11-organic-sleep-latex-foam-mattress-with-organic-cotton-cover
Thanks again for your hard work
Hi yubbers,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! … and I’m glad you found us
Yes you’re right that it’s much more difficult to find good quality mattresses that sell for under $500 (in queen size). There is more about different budget ranges in this article.
You can see some comments about this mattress in this topic and there are some red flags here that would make me cautious and I would follow the suggestions in post #6 in the topic (checking the law tag and checking with the manufacturer) before considering it for a purchase.
Phoenix
Thanks for the link.
The gentleman at the store had no clue. The link helped me determine who the manufacture was. Cozy
Lady that answered the phone also had no clue but called me back promptly as promised. Mattress is 8" of 2lb density base and the 3" latex layer is 4lb density. Tough to pull the trigger on with no feedback at all. And no Certipur so the materials are suspect.
The 4lb density from the Classic Brands might be the answer. The Queen Cool 8" is priced very well. As is the Cool 12" I’m 6’4 185 pounds and looking for something firm. The 12" is supposedly plusher. I think the 8" based on feedback is more up my alley for firmness. Will the 12" vs an 8" last significantly longer though?
Hi yubbers,
The density of the latex is a “comfort spec” and isn’t particularly important although I would want to know the type and blend of the latex so that you can make more meaningful comparisons with other mattresses.
I would also check the law tag to confirm that latex is a significant percentage of the materials in the mattress (based on weight percentage). If the specs are correct the latex should be somewhere in the range of 40% of the contents of the mattress. The law tag should also indicate that the mattress is using all new materials.
One of the red flags is that the manufacturer told me that this mattress would normally be selling at twice the price and if it is a new mattress with new materials and isn’t a comfort or warranty return and they are an authorized dealer then I would want to know why they are selling it at a price that would be closer to their wholesale price than the retail price that would normally be charged to consumers. Something just doesn’t add up.
The single biggest factor in the durability of a mattress is the quality and durability of the materials and components inside it … not the thickness (see post #2 here).
While there is no way to quantify how long any mattress will last for a specific person or predict exactly when you will decide to replace it because it is no longer suitable or comfortable for you (because this is the only real measure of durability or the useful life of a mattress that really matters) because there are too many unknowns and variables involved that are unique to each person … if a mattress is well inside a suitable comfort/support range and isn’t close to the edge of being too soft when it is new (see post #2 here) and meets the minimum quality/durability specs that are suggested in the guidelines here then it would be reasonable to expect a useful lifetime in the range of 7 - 10 years and with higher quality and more durable materials like latex (in the comfort layers especially) it would likely be in the higher end of the range or in the case of the mattresses you are considering the chances that you would have additional “bonus time” would be higher as well.
There is also more detailed information about the many variables that can affect the durability and useful life of a mattress relative to different people in post #4 here and the posts it links to.
Phoenix
Both sides made considering that one uninspiring
Just pulled the trigger on the 8" Classic Brands Cool in Queen. 12" just sounds too plush. Plus the extra couple bucks saved got me some nice pillows.
The 10.5 might have been a nice inbetween but can’t seem to find one in Canada. Firmness ftw
Excited
Hi yubbers,
Hopefully you had the chance to do some careful testing to make sure that the mattress was a good “match” for you in terms of PPP (or if you didn’t test the mattress in person that you are comfortable with the return policy and any costs that would be involved in returning it should that be necessary).
I hope that you also confirmed the density of the polyfoam base layer in the mattress.
Assuming that the base layer is a suitable density and you are comfortable with the return policy then you made a good quality/value choice … and congratulations on your new mattress :).
I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback once you’ve received it and have had the chance to try it out and sleep on it for a bit.
Phoenix
Cheers!
The least I can do is provide an update.
It’s a 4lb base with 2lb gel top with Certipur certification. I understand in my budget I wasnt going to get anything spectacular but the info here has helped me find the best value to quality ratio I think and I thank you again.
Now I’m thinking about building a memory foam sofa…
Hi Yubbers,
Thanks for the update.
Unfortunately these specs don’t appear to be correct. The polyfoam base layer wouldn’t be 4 lb density (it would most likely be somewhere in the 1.5 - 1.8 lb density range) and if the top layer is 3 lb gel memory foam then it would be lower quality/density than I would normally consider even in your budget range and would be a weak link in the mattress in terms of durability.
Having said that … if the mattress you purchased is this one then the description says that it has a 2" comfort layer of 4 lb gel memory foam which would be a more suitable and durable density (although it doesn’t mention the density of the base layer).
If you purchased it from Walmart (or somewhere else that has a good return/refund policy with a minimal cost involved) then if the mattress doesn’t turn out to be as good a match for you as you hoped for in terms of PPP and you don’t sleep well on it then you can just return it.
Phoenix
Well then…
Back to square 1.
Got it from Amazon so a return would be easy. Not available at Walmart in Canada.
Hi yubbers,
If you purchase a mattress from Amazon then they have a 30 day return policy but for mattresses there is generally a charge involved and any return would need to go through the large items return department because a mattress is too large to ship with a courier once it has decompressed.
Hopefully it will turn out to be a good match for you once you’ve had the chance to try it out so you won’t need to return it.
Phoenix
Hi all, I’m in Toronto and looking for a bare foam latex topper, 1" or 2", for a full sized extra bed. I’m interested in reasonable quality but am most concerned to keep the price down.for this occasionally used bed.
Is there any hope of approximating online prices by purchasing directly in Toronto? Sleeponlatex for example sells the `1"/2" full sized for $120/$200, but shipping is $50 and will probably result in additional duty/brokerage charges.
Can anyone make suggestions or at least narrow the options?
Hi Zephyr,
I don’t know the prices off the top of my head and you would need to check their websites or call them to find out which of them sell latex toppers but the better options or possibilities I’m aware of in and around Toronto are listed in post #1 here.
Some of the better online options I’m aware of that ship mattresses and/or toppers across Canada are also listed in post #21 here.
Phoenix
I am wondering if there is a supplier in Canada from whom I can order 3 or 6 inch layers of natural dunlop latex and custom build my own mattress…I plan to use my existing memory foam bed outer cover which zips off and is the perfect size to take out the memory foam contents and replace with latex…
Hi johnsazzr,
I would keep in mind that your mattress will contain both memory foam in the upper layers and polyfoam in the deeper layers and you may need to check and make sure that any of the layers in your mattress that you plan to re-use are still in good condition. There is also some good information about “mattress surgery” in post #2 here and the posts it links to that may be helpful as well.
If you are planning to remove and replace all the foam layers in your mattress and only re-use the cover and you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own DIY mattress out of separate components that are purchased from one or several different sources 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 comfort, firmness, and PPP as a reference point or blueprint and try and “match” every layer and component in your reference mattress as closely as possible or alternatively use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here).
Some of the better online options I’m aware of that ship mattresses and/or foam layers and components (memory foam, polyfoam, and latex) across Canada are also listed in post #21 here and I also added a few additional options to the list today as well.
I don’t keep a record of the individual mattresses or components or their specs that the retailers and manufacturers in the hundreds of forum lists throughout the forum carry on their floor or have available online (it would be a bigger job than anyone could keep up with in a constantly changing market) but checking their websites and especially making some preliminary phone calls to the retailers/manufacturers that are on the lists that you are considering is always a good idea before you decide on which retailers or manufacturers you wish to deal with or visit anyway. This will tell you which of them carry mattresses or components that would meet your specific criteria, are fully transparent about the materials and components and/or the mattresses that they sell, and that carry the type of mattresses or components that you are interested in that are also in the budget range you are comfortable with. Once you have checked their websites and/or talked with the ones that interest you then you will be in a much better position to decide on the ones (if any) that you are most interested in considering or visiting based on the results of your preliminary research and conversations.
Phoenix
If I partake on this project I will replace all of the foam and use the cover only…I will also try some beds and attempt to replicate the layers within them…thanks!
Hi johnsazzr,
I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding to do … and of course to any other comments or questions you may have along the way and to any feedback you have the chance to share after you have had the chance to sleep on your DIY mattress as well…
I’ve also switched your posts and my replies to a new topic with a different and more descriptive title because your “project” isn’t specific to buying a mattress in Toronto.
Phoenix
Just wanted to report that after reading this thread, I bought a mattress at Dormio. They were excellent and patient with their service (and I got a 5% discount for mentioning this site). I liked that it is 100% latex and has multiple layers which you can re-configure. They also have wonderful wool and latex pads that I’ll definitely keep in might for future if I want to layer up the luxury. Is is definitely not cheap, though, and I’m skeptical of the whole “organic” thing, which I’m afraid is what I partially paid for, but the quality and thought that go into these mattress from the inside out is undeniable. I was not initially into the whole wool covering thing but more research seems to indicate that the wool/cotton cover should be good at moisture wicking and controlling temperature. We shall see; I’ll report back after a few nights. Can’t wait!
I also had a good experience with Andy and Tonfurniture, I just ended up going with something a little higher end, but I would recommend them to anyone looking to keep the price tag under $1500.
Hi Unstuck,
Congratulations on your new mattress! I see you posted about this in another thread, but I’ll pass along my congratulations again. :cheer:
I look forward to learning about your experience with your new Dormio mattress. As you know, they are a member of the site and I feel they compete with the best in the industry for quality and durability.
Phoenix