Memory Foam mattress topper

Hi,

I have a Bedinabox 9 inch pacbed original King mattress. It’s about 3 years old and the 3 lb. memory foam comfort level is just too soft and I sink down right to the support layer. From what I understand the support layer is good. It is 2.4 lb./IFD 32 Can I just remove the comfort layer and replace it with a memory foam topper?

If so, what do you recommend? I am 6’ 195 lbs. and predominantly a side sleeper although I do start out on my back and sometimes end up that way for a awhile. Would it be better to just get 1 topper for the comfort layer or 2 different ones like in many of the beds I like? I do realize a progressive construction is harder to get right.

I am leaning towards the DreamFoam or Brooklyn Bedding 3 inch 4 lb. gel topper but I am also considering the 5lb topper. Any thoughts?

Thanks for all the help you can give me.

Hi ddcfri,

Assuming that the support layer is still in good condition which is quite likely … I don’t see any reason why not although of course it may take some care and effort to remove the memory foam if it’s glued to the polyfoam support core.

There are too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved for me to recommend anything specific for someone else in terms of PPP (Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences). If I was in your shoes however I would probably start with a single 3" layer rather than take on the complexity and possible trial and error of multiple thinner layers. If the 3" memory foam layer you choose doesn’t work as well as you hope when you sleep on it then you can always add a topper on top of the mattress to provide additional pressure relief.

Different types of memory foam can be very different from each other even if they are the same density (see post #9 here and post #8 here) but in very general terms 5 lb memory foam will tend to be firmer than 4 lb memory foam. Also as a very general guideline … gel memory foams will also tend to be faster responding and less temperature sensitive than non gel memory foam.

When you can’t test a specific combination of materials in person then you will be dependent on a conversation with each of the suppliers you are considering and their ability to describe the properties of the memory foam they sell relative to other types of memory foam on the market so you can choose the one that you think you would prefer.

3" of memory foam may not be thick enough for many side sleepers (a mattress with a 3" memory foam layer over a firmer support core will tend to be on the firmer side) … so I would start with the 3" memory foam layer and then use your experience on the mattress as a reference point to help you decide whether you need an additional memory foam topper for extra pressure relief.

Since you need a 3" layer to fit your cover which may be too firm anyway … I would probably be tempted to use a 3" 5 lb layer first with an eye to adding a softer 4 lb topper (probably around 2") which would turn the 5 lb comfort layer into a transition layer and may provide better alignment and support than if you had 5" of 4 lb memory foam.

Some of the better online sources for memory foam toppers or layers are listed in the component post here.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix, That’s great info.

I don’t really need to add 3 inches if I remove the existing comfort layer because I removed theoriginal factory cover and I am using a waterproof mattress cover which is very flxible in terms of overall mattress height.

Given that I don’t need to add 3 inches of comfort layer, would you still recommend 3 inches of 5 lb? I saw in another post you said,
The Sensus is a denser slower reacting foam which is very high quality but not as breathable as the Aerus. Aerus also comes in 5 lb versions but this is much more difficult to find. I personally think that the combination would be a good idea for those who weren’t sure about how they would feel on slower reacting denser foam in terms of heat or freedom of movement and I personally would give up some durability for the feel of a layer of 4 lb foam (or a more breathable and faster reacting 5 lb foam) … although others may make different choices. The combination of 4 and 5lb foams would be somewhat like the Tempurpedic cloud series.

Given my situation, would it make more sense to start out with the 4 lb? I am worried that I might just sink right through the comfort layer like I do now on the 3lb.

Hi ddcfri,

It’s not really possible for me to know which layers would work best for you because there are too many variables. When you are doing mattress surgery (see post #2 here) or building your own mattress (see option 3 in post #15 here) then trial and error is always one of the biggest parts of the process. I also don’t know what your frame of reference is or what the design goals of your mattress are relative to a specific mattress. While it won’t be completely accurate because of all the differences between different polyfoam and memory foam materials … it’s usually a good idea to have one or several mattresses that you’ve tested that can act as a reference point for what you are trying to build then you can use them as a guideline to choose the materials for your own mattress.

If you are going only by theory without a reference point and trying to keep things simple then if you choose a 3" layer of 4 lb memory foam (and 3" is the least I would choose initially) in the hopes that a single layer of softer memory foam will be enough and it’s too firm for you then adding more softer 4 lb memory foam on top would give you a lot of 4 lb memory foam in the comfort layers which may be more risky both in terms of durability and in terms of alignment. In this case I would tend to build from the bottom up and start with about 3" of 5 lb memory foam and then add to it if you need to based on your personal experience on the mattress unless you are confident from any local testing you have done that a mattress that only uses a layer of 4 lb memory foam on a similar polyfoam support core has a reasonable chance of working well for you.

I would also tend to use a mattress cover to keep the layers together and would probably try and re-use your current cover rather than a mattress protector which is really meant to perform a completely different function (protect the mattress rather than being part of the mattress itself) although it will do in a pinch if there are no funds available to use anything else.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix!

That helped alot.

Hi,

I came across this on the foamorder website:
Our experience has shown us that toppers with a 5-lb/ft3 density or less tend to break down and soften over time. We’ve had to make many warranty replacements from brands such as Sensus and Isotonic, and because our warranty is the best in the industry (we pay all shipping charges) it has cost us a lot of money. The brand-name leader established that a 5.3-lb density will hold up the best, and many years ago we switched to our current 5.3-lb memory foam and have no longer experienced any warranty claims. Yes, that extra three-tenths of a pound of density has made all the difference. Further, the superior comfort of our 5.3-lb memory foam has resulted in nearly no returns for comfort reasons even with our 90-day trial period.

Is this at all true? Would there be much difference in feel or durability between 5 and 5.3?

Also, do you know who makes the foamorder foam? Certipur says Foamorder “offers products that contain certified foam” but they also say “some companies only offer products with certified foams, other companies offer certified foams in certain products or certain product lines.”

Thanks!

Hi ddcfri,

There are many factors involved in the durability of a foam material but the one that is the most important factor is the unfilled polymer density of the foam (the density of the foam before any fillers if any are added). There is more about the variables that can affect the useful life of a foam material relative to each person in post #4 here and post #2 here and the posts they link to. I don’t know of any specific issue with the durability of Sensus or other 5 lb memory foams.

There is no “magic” in a specific density and their 5.3 lb density foam is a completely different foam than Tempurpedic’s 5.3 lb foam with different properties so their comments about the “benefits” of a specific density is somewhat misleading IMO. When you are looking at small differences in density then some of the other factors involved in the manufacturing of the foam or the properties of the foam (such as softness) would also make a difference. Foams also aren’t made to an exact density and a foam that is ordered as 5.3 lbs may be a little lower or higher because of the normal variance in the manufacturing process. For example … a manufacturer that orders 5.3 lb memory foam may receive memory foam that is 5.1 lb or 5.5 lb depending on the tolerance that they specify (normally it would be on the lower end of the tolerance range). In very general terms … memory foam that is in the range of 5 lbs or higher would be more durable than memory foam that is in a 4 lb density range but very small differences such as .3 lbs would be less important than some of the other secondary factors involved in durability.

I should also mention that memory foams of the same density made by different manufacturers can have a very different feel and different properties depending on the specific chemical composition of the foam (see post #9 here and post #8 here) so density isn’t a reliable indicator for how a specific memory foam will feel or respond to temperature or pressure.

As far as I know … their memory foam is made and sourced in China but it is now CertiPur certified for “safety” (see post #10 here) but they can confirm this. I don’t know the specific manufacturer of the foam.

Phoenix