Hi mattress_madness,
Welcome to the form :)!
Sorry that you have to replace youur sagging memory foam mattress after only 3 yeras of use. Mario from MFC has 30 years of experience in working with different types of foam (including memory foam… this was the first material he used in teh successful massage beds he desiged) he also providedes an excellent customer service and I’m glad he was able to answer some of your questions.
I looked at the Ashley link and of course, as you’ve oftentimes seen mentioned on our site we would need to look at detailed specifications listed under this product which the link you sent does not provide. This type of product “roll slats” is also called a Bunkie board at many other retail websites.
If you are using a bunkie board instead of a non-flexing foundation then as long as the bunkie board is strong enough to support the mattress and the people sleeping on it and the support surface is suitable for your mattress then there is really no difference between using a bunkie board, a low profile foundation, a regular foundation, or a platform bed other than the height of your sleeping surface. A king size latex mattress can weigh as much as 200lbs so it is important to inquire in more detail about the strength and spacing.
There is more about choosing bunkie boards in post #4 here and in another post #4 here.
[quote]“…In the first several months you may notice the development of a body signature in the surface of your mattress. This is a normal occurrence and indicates that the layers in the top portion of your mattress are conforming to the natural contours of your body…”
This feels counter-intuitive to me and I thought latex is resilient to compressions due to its natural properties. If body impressions are formed, would the mattress not become ineffective in supporting the body ? My current cheap foam mattress did form body impressions in 2 years and now is the cause of back pain. Can someone clarify this a bit more for me ? Do any users have any experience with this?[/quote]
MFC is not referring to the same type of “body impression” you’ve experienced with your cheap memory foam mattress. Most mattresses have a cover, sometimes a quilt pattern, and this fabric is combined with material, whether its wool or polyester or other FR materials. All of these examples are soft materials that will stretch and compress and will show some kind of “impression” or “signature” in the mattress. Generally, latex as well (depending on the type and density) can compress a small amount in the first 90 days of usage. While this is totally different than a mattress leaving an impression that is 1.5 inches deep. I am glad you mentioned it because your concerns may help others differentiating between the impressions formed during the adjustment period of a mattress and those formed due to the poor quality of materials … as some consumers wrongly assume that a mattress should be perfectly flat all the time.
The good news is that you are working side by side with one of our Trusted Members that has your best interests at heart. As you already experienced with Mario/MFC, they are very helpful and have a wealth of knowledge and experience behind them and I suggest that you follow closely their recommendations as to the thickness of a possible topper. There is no one better equipped fine-tune their systems or that would know what combination is most likely to have the best rate of success for your specific needs. Hopefully, after allowing your body to adjust to the new comfort layer change you will not need to purchase a new topper.
Looking forward to your future updates.
Phoenix