I tried searching, but only one topic by Phoenix about stuff in San Antonio came up. So I have decided to DIY a foam mattress and am looking for local suppliers to save on shipping and everything. However, there doesnt seem to be many places, if any at all. Cities like houston are too far and not worth the drive when I could just ship foam from online sources.
Along the same lines, I am just looking to make a simple "soft"ish mattress. I sometimes side sleep and like the plush mattresses so nothing terribly firm. Based on Post 2 by Phoenix here:
https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/qroll-your-ownq-memory-foam-mattress
and post 5:
https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/tempurpedic-bellafina
these are based on a tempur pedic mattress which I find all of them pretty comfortable. I’m not a picky guy so I think ill go with the general recommendation from the first link:
–5" ~36 ILD polyfoam
–dunlop (or maybe talalay latex) layer 3" ~30-34 ILD
–then I already have a 2.5" 5lb memory foam layer to finish it off.
If I dont find any local suppliers, I will use links provided by Phoenix in post 4:
https://forum.mattressunderground.com/t/foam-factory-any-good
Any input at all would be greatly appreciated. Thanks,
Damien
Hi idgara007,
A quick google search seems to indicate at least a few foam suppliers in San Antonio that could provide you with the polyfoam at least. They may even have latex as well although I’m not familiar with them or what they carry.
I can see you’ve been doing some research and homework!
It looks like you are going after a similar design and “feel” to the old Bellafina and following to some degree the “roll your own” thread. Are you planning to hang up a shingle as well? 
Your design also has some “approximate” design similarities to the Weightless Supreme which has 2" of medium density memory foam (4.1 lb) over a 3" more resilient transition layer (Tempur Float) over a firmer polyfoam base layer but with the 30 - 34 ILD latex in the middle and a thicker layer of higher density memory foam yours would be firmer.
I know better than to try and predict what any mattress will feel like for any specific person because of all the variables involved with body type, sleeping positions, and sensitivities and preferences but it will certainly be interesting to me to see how things work out for you when everything is put together. Your design is certainly in the range of what would suit many people although it would also be firmer than many currently popular mattresses that use a combination of 4 lb memory foams and 5 lb memory foams. The Bellafina was rated as a “medium firm” and the Weightless Supreme is rated as a “medium soft”.
The Rhapsody is also rated as a “medium firm” but of course it would also feel quite different because the transition layer is memory foam not latex and “comfort ratings” are very subjective anyway.
I’m looking forward to more of your feedback … including what some of the foam suppliers in San Antonio carry in case other members from the area are looking for various types of foam.
Phoenix
Well I would like to take a trip up to San Antonio, but might not be able to this weekend. And I’m gonna be pretty busy from now on so driving to any other city might be out of the question. Ill call some suppliers in SA today and see if I can pick some up this weekend. If not, then online is my only option.
Ive done a little research which I normally do, however I still dont know too much. (like how to put up shingles haha) Those were the few threads I found on info about putting together your own mattress. I could custom make it, change it out as I see fit, save money and upgrade certain parts as they wear out.
Since I do prefer a soft/plush mattress, would it be okay to just drop down the firmness of the dunlop layer? or should I change the layering of the mattress all together? Should I keep the 5" ~36 polyfoam base, then go with about 4" ~26 dunlop then put the final memory foam mattress topper? Any suggestions for a general/typical mattress would be appreciated. Thanks again for all the help!
Hidgara007,
I thought from your comments that you lived in San Antonio but I should have paid more attention to the thread title and as you already know there doesn’t seem to be any good foam sources in Corpus Christi. I did call Burgess Fabrics and Upholstery but their selection is very limited, only in furniture sizes (they would have to order mattress sizes) … and they didn’t even know the foam density of what they sell.
If you do decide to go in a complete DIY direction then I would read post #15 here. You will need some good knowledge and experience with local testing to know the types of layering that you do best with or alternatively have a very wide range of the type of mattress that you are comfortable with (someone who can “sleep on anything”. There isn’t a “formula” that can take all the many variables of form types and combinations, body type, sleeping styles, and individual preferences and perceptions into account and predict with any degree of certainty how well a certain layering will work for any specific person. One person’s “too soft” is another person’s “too firm”. There is some more detailed generic information in the mattresses section of the site which can give you some insights into the effects of different foam layers, firmness layers, and thicknesses but knowing a specific design that is best for you will depend on your personal knowledge, experience, and testing or the knowledge and experience of a mattress manufacturer or retailer you are working with online or “at a distance”. It can often be less costly and more effective to work with a manufacturer that offers the materials you want with exchangeable layers to reduce the cost of mistakes (again unless you can “sleep on anything”) and that also provides a suitable cover for the mattress.
This would depend on the “type” of softness you mean (post #15 here talks about surface softness, pressure relief softness, or support softness) but softening a middle transition layer would tend to both increase pressure relief and reduce “support” and whether this was a good idea would depend entirely on how your body type and sleeping positions interacted with the specific combinations of materials and components in your mattress. The memory foam layer will be the biggest part of the “pressure relief softness” of your mattress which.
Phoenix