Just received my DIY latex mattress and might need to "soften it up a bit...

[phoenix]

Hi tpsmith82,

I know it hasn’t been a month, only about a week, but I think I do feel some patterns developing. The overall support of the mattress seems to be good. However I do find myself throughout the night feeling aches in my shoulders from side sleeping. My wife has mentioned this as well, although not as much because she doesn’t sleep on her side quite as much. It’s not terrible, but noticeable.

I would encourage you to wait a month if possible before considering any changes in your mattress.

[quote]After doing some more research on this site I came across an interesting point in this post #10 & 11 here. In my interpretation I think with my soft talalay topper followed by a medium all natural dunlop layer and then the firm foam on bottom I am experiencing what Phoenix referred to as the “order of compression”. Essentially the bottom layer does’t give at all and this forced the middle and top layers to compress more than if they were on top of a softer layer. Although none of the layers are bottoming out, I’m thinking if I added another softer layer somewhere this would allow me to take advantage of the “full plush feel” of the top talalay layer, and hopefully relieve some of the pressure points.

Wondering if this notion seems correct or logical?[/quote]

I would focus more on “what” you are experiencing rather than the much more technical and complex reasons “why” you may be experiencing it. From your early feedback it seems that you may just need a little bit of additional softness and pressure relief in the upper layers of your mattress.

Also having a tough time trying to determine the best layer to add. I’ve thought of a few options below:

All the layers and components of a mattress will compress simultaneously (one doesn’t start compressing when the ones above it are “finished” compressing) but they each compress to a different degree or percentage of their thickness based on their firmness level, thickness, what is above them, and how deep they are inside the mattress. The amount they all compress together will contribute to how much different parts of your body sink in to the mattress and the depth of the pressure relieving cradle which in turn will affect the comfort and pressure relief and the secondary support of the mattress. Softer layers compress more than firmer layers, thicker layers compress more than thinner layers, all layers compress less when there are thicker or firmer layers above them, and upper layers compress more than deeper layers.

Add 2" 20 ILD 100% Natural Dunlop between 3" Talalay 19 ILD and 3" Dunlop 30ILD - cost $200. My thought being the Dunlop would be slightly firmer than the Talalay providing a smooth transition to the following 30 ILD dunlop layer?

This would add “some” additional softness and pressure relief although not as much as an additional softer layer on top of the mattress. I don’t know if you are experiencing a “feeling of bottoming out” onto the middle layer (which is unlikely) but if you are then this would help with the transition between the layers.

Add 2-3" 32-36 ILD 1.8lb Density foam between 3" Dunlop 30 ILD and 3" 50 ILD 2.8lb Density Polyfoam- cost $50-100. My though here being to take out the large transition from a Medium Latex to a Firm Foam with a medium foam. This forcing the new foam layer to compress a bit allowing the two latex layers to then not compress as much?

The deeper layers are the ones that you will “feel” the least so this would probably be the least noticeable and have the least effect in providing additional “comfort” and pressure relief of the three options you mentioned. 36 ILD is still very firm and many people wouldn’t notice much difference between 36 ILD and 50 ILD if there is 6" of latex on top of them. Some people that are more sensitive may notice some difference with this and some people probably wouldn’t notice any difference at all.

Add 2" 30-32 ILD Blended Talalay Latex between 3" 19 ILD Blended Talalay and 3" 100% Natural 30 ILD Dunlop Latex - Cost $290. My concern here is that now there is 5" of Talalay latex on top and might be too plush or soft and not enough support. Although from what I’ve read the support still comes from the lower layers such as the 3" Dunlop and 3" firm foam.

30 - 32 ILD Talalay will be firmer than 20 ILD Dunlop and if you are equating “support” with firmness (which as I mentioned in an earlier reply isn’t completely correct and can be misleading) then the Talalay would be more “supportive” than the Dunlop. I would keep in mind that Talalay and Dunlop can both be equally “supportive” because they both come in a wide range of firmness levels and layer thicknesses so the choice between them would be a preference choice that would depend on which type of latex you prefer based on how they “feel” rather than just firmness or softness. There is more about some of the general differences between Talalay and Dunlop in post #7 here but if you add an additional 2" of Talalay underneath your 19 ILD comfort layer then it would be firmer and also a little bit more “springy” than adding the 2" of 20 ILD Dunlop.

The most noticeable change in the “feel”, softness, and pressure relief of your mattress would be by adding an additional inch or two of softer latex on top of the layers you currently have. It can be quite surprising to many people how much of a difference even an additional inch of latex can make (see posts #13 and #14 here as an example).

Also been looking at some mattress covers and came across the sleepez 4 way stretch non quilted. Good information and pics here. Curious of any other reviews as well as how this might effect the feel of the mattress. Also is the a good cover to protect from degradation of the latex. In theory I would get this cover and then just use my sheets on top of it?

There is more about the pros and cons and some of the differences between a more stretchy knit cover and quilted covers in post #12 here.

The component post here includes the better sources for mattress covers I’m aware of and if you are looking for a thinner and more stretchy knit cover instead of a quilted cover then the list in post #4 here may be helpful as well.

Latex can oxidize faster with exposure to air and ozone and ultraviolet light along with other substances that can damage it (see here) and it’s generally a good idea for latex to have a suitable dedicated cover to give it the best possible protection and to help maximize it’s useful lifetime. It can also help protect it with handling. There is more in post #3 here and post #3 here that will give you some sense of the effect of different types of covers on latex.
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Even though a thinner cover can lead to slightly faster oxidation … I personally wouldn’t have any concern with any good quality mattress cover that was designed to tightly enclose latex layers and my preferred feel and the performance of the cover would override any durability concerns.

Phoenix