Hi Phoenix,
My name is Alan and I am a recent graduate. I stumbled onto your site while looking for a cheap mattress to use while I looked for work and I became infatuated with the mattress industry and wondered how an industry driven though lack of transparency and a few large companies with subpar products could survive. Ironically I ended up buying a mattress from sealy because I could not convince my mom (the one helping me purchase the mattress) to go with the better options.
I really like doing things myself and I decided to challenge myself. I wanted to see if I could make a good mattress for around 200-250 (my original budget). At that price I would be happy with any mattress that last me like 4-5 years.
Any tips of suggestion you have that could help me get started?
Thank you in advance for you help and all the useful information!
Hi mattresschallenge,
Welcome to the Mattress Forum! 
If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own DIY mattress out of separate components that are purchased from one or several different sources then the first place I would start is by reading option 3 in post #15 here and the posts it links to (and option #1 and #2 as well) so that you have more realistic expectations and that you are comfortable with the learning curve, uncertainty, trial and error, or in some cases the higher costs that may be involved in the DIY process. While it can certainly be a rewarding project … the best approach to a DIY mattress is a “spirit of adventure” where what you learn and the satisfaction that comes from the process itself is more important than any cost savings you may realize (which may or may not happen).
As a starting point, I would either use the specs (if they are available) of a mattress that you have tested and confirmed is a good match for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and your own Personal preferences) as a reference point or blueprint and try and “match” every layer and component in your reference mattress as closely as possible or alternatively use a “bottom up” approach (see post #2 here). Post #4 here also lists some sources of DIY components.
In the end, the only way to know whether any specific mattress design or combination of layers and components is a good “match” for you in terms of comfort, firmness, and PPP with any certainty will be based on your own careful testing and/or your own personal experience when you sleep on it.
Having said that … you can see some general comments about the properties of an “ideal” mattress in post #4 here.
Good luck!
Phoenix
Thank you so much for the tips!
After testing out a few latex and memory foam mattresses I have noticed that I have no real preference to either. In your opinion which of the two could be more effectively built for around 200 dollars. Also, would you recommend buying the materials from a local manufacturer or would it be better to purchase them online.
Thank you once again!
Hi mattresschallenge,
You’re welcome!
Those are two very different feeling materials with totally opposite levels of resilience (latex is quite buoyant and resilient, while memory foam has a higher hysteresis and is quite “dead” feeling), so you may wish to do a bit more testing just to be certain.
Generally speaking, latex will be more expensive than memory foam. With either combination, to help keep your costs down, I would suggest using a support core of high-density polyfoam.
That would be a personal preference. Locally, you may be able to test out combinations in person and have immediate access to your foams. Online can offer a larger selection at times and sometimes offer lower prices, and many times you will have access to people who are experienced with building mattresses as well. But you’ll have to wait a bit longer to get your materials and unless you know the exact density and ILD of something you’ve tried to match that you’ve testes in person, it can be a bit more difficult proposition.
Phoenix