Hello All,
As you know, I’ve been working on building a mattress for my semi truck, and have received a lot of valuable advice from this forum. I just need a little more advice ,that will help me finish this project.
My current set up so far: 6" piece of Latex Co blended Dunlop 3 zone 32/35/32 ILD, then a 3" piece of either Latex International or Radium ( not sure which ) blended Talalay 30/32 ILD. I am 5’ 11" 255 pounds, heavier around the middle. I am a side sleeper.
I was advised to give it a little more time, and have slept on it for about two weeks now. It’s pretty decent, but seems like it’s lacking something, just can’t put my finger on it. It doesn’t sleep as good as my bed at home. I had my wife look at me laying on it, she said my hip area sinks in about 1 1/2" to 2". Not as much as I do on my bed at home.
Which leads me to think that maybe I need to add something a little softer. Would that fill in the gaps in my sleeping position and at the same time actually feel like more support since those gaps are filled?
I am considering buying a 2" piece of Latex International 24 ILD. The piece that I’m thinking about is a custom size, so is non returnable. It has a glue seam about 3" from the edge of it down the entire length of it. It’s not seconds material, it was a mistake in cut. I was told the factory does this all the time, and it doesn’t affect it in any way. Would that be a problem? I can put that edge against the wall in my cab. Since I couldn’t return it I would want to be sure that would be a good way to go.
Last question, when I get to the zippered mattress cover, does that offer any additional comfort?
If anyone has any advice, ideas, or suggestions I would really appreciate it.
Hi chester,
I would have serious doubts that you were only sinking in to your mattress 1.5 - 2" with your weight and the construction of your mattress and it would likely be much more (this can be deceptive and difficult to see or “measure”). If it was only that little … there would be a space under your lumbar curve or waist and that part of your body would barely be contacting the mattress if at all.
Having said that of course … it probably isn’t sinking in as far as you are used to (and comfortable with) and the mattress you have at home may be softer. It may be useful to know what you are sleeping on at home so that it can be used as a guideline.
No … a glue seam is not a problem at all and almost all sizes over a twin XL size will have them (with the rare exceptions of a few that are poured in a queen size mold). The glue they use is latex based and you won’t be able to feel it. This is “standard” for almost all Talalay latex layers. 24 is rated as “soft” and would certainly make your mattress softer than what it is but it may still not be the same as what you are used to (depending again on what you have at home). With your weight though … I wouldn’t go any softer than that.
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Last question, when I get to the zippered mattress cover, does that offer any additional comfort?
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That would depend on the type of cover you get. A thinner stretch cover will have the least effect on your mattress and be more “neutral”. A wool quilted cover may add just a little bit of firmness (depending to some degree on how the cover is made and the typ of fabric the wool is quilted to). A cover that comes with a quilted soft foam or fiber layer in it (such as quilting polyfoam or polyester fiber) will add some softness to the mattress.
Phoenix
phoenix thanks for your time on this…
my home mattress is a sterns and foster model monet garden…its the first in the estate collection. ( tight top queen… plush ). about 2 years old I originally got the firm in this model, was a little too firm for me so switched it for the one I have now.
the set up I have now reminds me of the firm sterns and foster I started out with, nice, just not as comfortable as what I ended up with.
for a little more comfort what would you recommend?..is it ok to have more then 1 comfort layer, and is the 30…32 ild considered a comfort layer?
i can buy 2 different toppers @ discount for being cut wrong… a 24 ild blend and or a 27 ild ( celesion ) all latex international, both 2". The 27 ild is 1 inch too narrow but i think would work for size wise. But if either one of these is not something you would recommend I would rather not try to save the money, would rather go with your recommendations and have the comfort.
I read somewhere on the forum that Denver Mattress has a mattress with a 30 something ild core and also a 24 ild comfort layer. I have a Denver Mattress close to where I live. I’m wondering if I were to go there and lay on the 24 ild and liked it, could I expect the same results form the latex international 24 ild on my set up?
Hi chester,
OK … that makes sense now. As you can see with the specs of the Graciella here (equivalent to the Monet garden) … the mattress you are used to sleeping on has 5" of softer lower quality polyfoam in the comfort layers (the upper layers) which are considerably softer and thicker than the comfort layers of your new truck mattress.
Even the firmer version has 5" of polyfoam on top but they are a little firmer.
Yes … a “comfort layer” is the part of the mattress that primarily relieves pressure and it can be many layers or even the top part of a support layer (in a mattress that uses a single 6" core of latex for example). In other words … it is more of a “zone” than a “layer”. The thickness and firmness depends on the person (body type, sleeping positions, and preferences) and whatever combination of thickness and ILD relieves pressure without compromising alignment is what “right” for the person. It normally ranges from the top inch or two of the mattress to the top 4 or 5 inches and the layering can range from very soft (under 10 ILD) to much firmer (in some cases up to 32 or even 36 ILD) and may be a single layer or multiple layers of different types of materials of different firmness levels.
So given your preferences for softer mattresses … then an additional softer latex layer on top would give you the extra softness and thickness that would bring you closer to what you are used to (although I still wouldn’t go quite as soft as what you have at home because even firmer latex has more elasticity and will be better for pressure relief and especially for durability than the poly that is in your mattress at home. Both the extra thickness and the lower ILD will add softness (ILD and thickness work together) to your mattress.
Given what you are sleeping on … I would tend to go with the 24.
While the ILD of the comfort layer of the Denver mattresses would be in the same range … there are also many differences between them. The thickness and combination of the layering and the layers both above and below play just as big a role in how a mattress feels so this would be an “approximation” at best. The latex in the core layers of the Denver mattresses (both the Aspen and the Snowmass) are the rough equivalent of the comfort layers in your mattress and the 2" 24 ILD comfort layer is combined with an inch of polyfoam in each mattress (the polyfoam is in a different place in each and uses a different firmness). At least this would give you some sense of the effect of a softer latex layer on top of what you have though yes and it seems to me that an extra 2" of soft latex would bring you closer to your “ideal”.
Phoenix