Foundation for latex mattress

Phoenix,
I m looking for a foundation which is at least 13 to 15" height from the ground.
Also which foundation (wood vs steel) would you recommend for an all latex mattress?
I m 200 lbs so do you think 10" latex would be enough or I should go with 13"?

Hi mattressseeker,

Most steel bedframes are in the range of 7" - 7.5" high so in combination with a suitable 8" to 9" foundation you would have a support surface under the mattress that was somewhere between 15" and 16.5".

I would generally suggest a slatted wood foundation that had a rigid non flexing surface with no more than 3" gaps between the slats (and preferably less). There is more about foundations that are suitable for different types of mattresses and some sources for each of them in the foundation post here.

There are also some steel foundations which have a wire grid support surface but these can be a little more risky with an all latex mattress because the gaps between the wires are wider and there is less support surface which may allow the latex to sink between the gaps to some degree in longer term use (see post #10 here). Some of these are combination platform bedframes that are 14" high with storage space underneath and replace a steel bedframe and foundation but if you were to use one of these with an all latex mattress I would tend to use a bedrug or a layer of firm polyfoam on top of it to help even out the support surface and to make sure the latex doesn’t sink into the gaps over time.

You are well inside a weight range where 10" of latex would easily be “enough” and you certainly wouldn’t be bottoming out but depending on the design and layering you may still prefer a thicker mattress even though you wouldn’t “need” it.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix …

Which steel frame would you recommend (or think high of) that is sturdy enough to hold wood foundation + mattress + me & wifey?

What are your thoughts about Aloe Alexis “Polyfoam” base (where latex sits on top of it) as far as breathability of latex is concerned?

I assume breathability of latex is equally important regardless of the type (i.e. all natural vs blended/sythectic), is that right?

I can offer my recent experience with shopping for frames.

I was looking for an intersect of cost versus stability. A solid wood frame would be nice, but solid wood frames tend to be very expensive. The various forms of composition wood are less expensive, but I noted that most of these were rated at ~500 lbs. weight capacity. Factor in a light foundation, a heavy latex mattress, and two adults and it pushes toward the rated capacity.

The metal frames are less expensive, and often rated for much higher weight capacity.

We settled on the Serta Stabl-Base Ultimate Bed Frame after reading various reviews (including some who purchased this heavier frame after feeling dissatisfied with a prior metal frame that was lighter-weight). Various sites show this frame rated to at least 1,000 lbs. weight capacity.

Ours is a California King and we particularly liked that it has a “T” cross-bar across the middle that provides extra support. Additionally, it has 10 heavy wheels. Serta also makes 2 other variants, one with glides and one with flat mounts.

We’re very happy with ours. So that is our own experience and thoughts that went into our selection. Others’ mileage will certainly vary.

Hi Matthew44,

I don’t have any specific suggestions because there are many that would work well but post #10 here has more about choosing a steel bedframe.

The Serta Stabl-Base Ultimate Bed Frame that mattressseeker would certainly be a suitable and very strong choice although there are also other heavy duty steel bedframes that are very strong in a similar or lower price range.

I’m not quite sure what you mean here. The polyfoam in the Alexis is 2.17 lbs and is a very high quality material and certainly wouldn’t be a weak link in the mattress. The comfort layers in the Alexis are Talalay latex which is the most breathable of all the foam materials. The breathability of the support layers isn’t as significant an issue as far as temperature regulation as the comfort layers (see post #2 here for more about all the variables that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress). Polyfoam is also “stiffer” and less flexible than latex so it wouldn’t have the same tendency to sink through larger gaps in a support system so gaps that are a little larger than what would be suitable for latex would be fine.

Again I’m not quite clear what you are asking but latex is among the most breathable of all the foam materials and Talalay is generally more open celled and breathable than Dunlop but both are more breathable than most other types of foam.

Phoenix

Thanks Matthew …

Phoenix,
What I was trying to point out is that if the base layer is polyfoam then wouldn’t it reduce the breathability of the latex from the bottom?
If I understand correctly, the purpose of wooden/steel frames is to provide the latex enough space to breath so if the base layer is polyfoam then wouldn’t it restrict the air flow from the bottom of latex layer?

Hi mattressseeker,

The breathability, ventilation, and the ability to control humidity and microclimate of the upper layers and materials in a mattress are a much more important factor in the sleeping temperature of a mattress than the deeper layers (and there are also many other factors that can affect the sleeping temperature of a mattress as much or more than the type of foam used in the comfort layers as well) so the breathability of the polyfoam in the support core wouldn’t be a significant issue in temperature regulation.

Yes … this is more an issue with the type of foundation or support surface you use than the bottom layers in a mattress. Having airflow under a mattress vs having a solid surface platform (regardless of the bedframe you use) is a good idea with any mattress because it can help with moisture retention and humidity in the mattress and reduce the risk of mold, mildew, and dust mites in your mattress (see post #10 here). The breathability of the bottom polyfoam layers in the mattress (or any type of support layers) isn’t a significant issue in terms of temperature regulation or how it affects ventilation in the upper layers of the mattress.

Phoenix