For starters, info on how and why I built a DIY latex mattress can be found here -https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/mattress-cover The mattress sits on a box with a solid plywood top.
Wanted to kick it up a notch, get that soft in-the-cloud feel and, we got it! I started with the 9" latex DIY mattress and added another 2" of talatech (talalay)⌠the lowest indention ratio and softest one can go in the latex industry - 14 ILD. That makes 5" of a comfort layer (a 19 + 14 slab) and we slept like a baby last night. And yes, the support is spot on.
Cost - cheap if you compare to a Latex Bliss âBeautifulâ which is what I was after after trying out the LB mattress and their 14ILD topper. Expensive if youâre on a budget. Like they say, you get what you pay for.
Shipping costs were rough - $289 for the 4 slabs and the mattress encasement. Slabs were shipped 1,900 miles and UPS is not cheap. :dry:
Weight of mattress and topper, 11" of latex - about 130 lbs.
Want to thank Phoenix for this great site and support. 
EnjoyâŚ
Mark
Original mattress - 9" of latex, stretchy cotton encasement
2" 14 ILD slab laying on top of mattress. Large holes, super soft yet surprisingly supportive. Sleeps cool.
Done! Topper is covered by mattress cover (shown) and fitted sheet.
Finished bedroom suite, a labor of love since November 2013. Wave design of bedspread matches wave design of new light blue carpet.
Sounds great - and I love your decorating job with the rug/bedspread, etc.
Thatâs a beautiful bed, too.
How bad was the shipping for just the topper? If theyâre shipping out of Conn., Iâm not all that far away down in Virginia, so all Iâm wondering about is a ballpark figure.
Hi Mark in Texas,
Your mattress looks great.
Nice job ⌠and enjoy
Phoenix
[quote=âClawdiaâ post=36292]Sounds great - and I love your decorating job with the rug/bedspread, etc.
Thatâs a beautiful bed, too.
How bad was the shipping for just the topper? If theyâre shipping out of Conn., Iâm not all that far away down in Virginia, so all Iâm wondering about is a ballpark figure.[/quote]
Thanks Clawdia and Phoenix.
Bed and the other bedroom furniture is solid walnut with lumber sourced out of Missouri. I waited 15 years to get out of a nasty vinyl covered particle board bedroom suite and into something real and forever. We used Watco Natural Danish oil to âpopâ the grain for the first coat. Shot 3 coats of lacquer over that. Check out this un-assembled head and footboard. Ribbons, burls, knotsâŚgrain has it all. I went for a design that was simple yet elegant. Arches on mirror, footboard and headboard is laminated walnut lumber milled to have about 8 inverted, chamfered edges under the top rail using special shaper bits.
Topper shipping set me back $51. Should be peanuts to VA. Nancy or Maureen can give you an exact quote. Definately worth a gamble as they accept returns.
Another consideration which you probably thought of is final height. All said and done the height to the bedspread from the floor is 28.5", about perfect for us older folks. 30" would have been max for us, 25" too low.
Good luck!
Iâd say you achieved âsimple but elegantâ with a vengeance - itâs lovely.
I saw where KTT would swap out a topper if you picked the wrong one - didnât realize they would do an out and out return.
Iâm glad youâre happy with your choices.
Hi Clawdia and Mark in Texas,
I thought the same as you and thatâs also what they have listed on their return information here as well.
Iâll have to call them to clarify if they accept returns or just exchanges.
Phoenix
[quote=âPhoenixâ post=36311]Hi Clawdia and Mark in Texas,
I thought the same as you and thatâs also what they have listed on their return information here as well.
Iâll have to call them to clarify if they accept returns or just exchanges.
Phoenix[/quote]
Yep, that needs to be clarified. I may have had one of those senior moments and misunderstood Dick Coffey.
Just watched their talalay manufacturing process they link to. Fascinating to say the least.
Hi Mark,
The bed and mattress look great! I apologize if I missed this from earlier in the thread but I have a couple of questions.
What did you not like about the cotton cover that you originally had before you got the Sleepez one? How is the Sleepez one different in the way it makes the matress feel when you lie on it? And did you buy just the cover from Sleepez?
Thanks!
Ok, I ound your earlier description of the difference in the feel of the covers. Sorry about not finding it earlier. But I am a bit confused, I was kinda under the impression that with a tighter less stretchy top you would get more âfirmnessâ which I would think would make hammocking less likely. Am I wrong about this?
A hammock feel is one that does not stretch. If youâre looking for a stretchy mattress encasement the one described from SleepEz is a good one, the 4 way stretch cotton thingie. By using such a fabric youâll feel whatâs under it more. Thatâs what I was after. The mattress cover I linked you to from Amazon is very high quality and super stretchy albeit a bit expensive at $150 for a queen.
Photo #1 shows the latex slabs encasement. Photo #3 shows the cover that fits over the encasement/mattress.
Good luck,
Mark
