I recently purchased a 3" 2.8density 36 ILD foam topper from theFoam Factory. It.wasgreat for 2 months then brokedown. I am sure it was not what they claimed. I was wondering if you could refer me to a few reputable businesses where I would be able to purchase a similar but quality foam to use as a mattress topper for a aqueen size mattress… Thank you very much for whatever help you can provide. Please no latex or memory foam. A high density foam is a must.
Hi smmimp14,
I’m sorry to hear about your issues with your polyfoam topper. Something at that density and ILD (rather firm for a topper) should hold shape for some time under normal use when placed upon a mattress that isn’t sagging.
For some sources of which I am aware for polyfoam, you can take a look at the component post here and scroll down to the polyfoam section. While this is not of course a complete list, it should help to give you a good start.
Phoenix
I have called all of the companies you listed and thank you for the information. I think I am going with foamproducts.net. He has a 2.0 38 ILD topper that he and I think will work for me. He seems informed and honest…
I spoke with Chris. I just wanted to check with you to verify this is a place you recommend and that their foam will be of good quality. After The Foam Factory I guess I am a little leery.
Thanks for all your help!
Hi smmimp14.
At a quick glance I did not see the foam you are indicating being offered on line and while foamproducts.net is not a Trusted Member of our site they have a good source for their foams and seem to accurately describe the foams they are providing, indicating the quality, densities and ILDs at competitive prices.
FYI and for those interested in purchasing online foams I usually recommend to verify if the foams are sourced from companies that produce foams that are certiPur-US certified.
Phoenix
Hello Phoenix, I purchased the 2.0 38 ILD topper from Foam product.net at 2.5 inches thick. It was placed on a new firm mattress. All this as described in above entries. I have slept on it for 3 nights and am already disappointed. It does not feel like 38 ILD and I sinking in and it is wrecking my back. I was sure this was the product for me. I weigh 335 lbs but feel a true 38 ILD should serve me well. Thought? Who would be your number 1 choice for a plain polyfoam topper. I believe you said you knew the source of this company’s foam. Could that have changed? Thanks so much.
Hi smmimp14.
Sorry to hear the topper you purchased was a bit of a failed experiment.
Unless you have extensive experience in the polyfoam industry you would be very difficult to assess how a foam would feel and perform for you. There are simply too many unknowns, variables, and personal preferences involved in choosing a mattress for someone else to make specific suggestions based on specs (either yours or a mattress) or theory at a distance that can possible be more accurate than your own careful and objective testing.
A higher BMI individual can go through the softer comfort layer very quickly and feel the firmness of the next layer underneath and might be better served with a 3" of firm Latex, something in the 95 kg/M3 density range of Dunlop or even Talaly for a softer feel which both have a better compression modulus.
You might recall from past research that just knowing the density and the IFD does not tell you everything about the foam. Compression modulus is the best indicator of softness/firmness of a foam.
In addition to this though … ILD is not the most reliable indicator of how soft or firm a layer will feel. Compression modulus is even more important because very few people actually sink into a layer exactly 25% and compression modulus is the rate at which a foam gets firmer as you compress it more. Latex has a higher compression modulus than polyfoam. In addition to this … latex is very “point elastic” which means that a smaller area can compress with less effect on or resistance from the surrounding area than polyfoam. This is much like the difference between pocket coils that act individually and innersprings that have helicals that join the springs together so that the compression of each spring will affect the springs around it which makes the spring stiffer.
in addition to this … latex has a lower hysteresis (how much energy is absorbed) and conversely a higher resilience (how much energy it returns) than polyfoam so there are also factors that can make latex feel firmer depending on how much a specific layer is compressed in a mattress. Because of its unique qualities and ability to take on the shape of the person on it (point elasticity) it can feel softer and firmer at the same time and some will feel it as one or the other depending on what they are more sensitive to, their body type, sleeping position, and how they sink into the mattress.
With someone that was a heavier weight that used a softer comfort layer … it would be much more likely that they would feel the firmness of the “stiffer” polyfoam underneath it and the transition between the two layers. This is one of those “counter intuitive” circumstances where using softer foam can actually make a mattress feel firmer.
As I mentioned before it would be too difficult to maintain up to date listings for suppliers, manufactures and retailers in an ever changing market, and I would not know which is the top one unless I did extensive research to find out what makes them stand out, but here are some sources of which I am aware for polyfoam, you can take a look at the component post here and scroll down to the polyfoam section. While this is not of course a complete list, it should help to give you a good start.
Let us know what you decide and if we can be of further assistance.
Phoenix