Solid Latex vs Pincore, & Layering Question

[cycle]

Phoenix or anyone else in the community,

-Heat question
I came across this 2" Latex Topper at (APM) link: Latex Mattresses On Sale - Latex Mattress Toppers - Phoenix, AZ
How would this solid product compare to a 2" soft 19-ILD with pincores? (from: Latex Mattress Factory) I read a post from (you) Phoenix that essentially said latex is breathable due to its structure. And the pincores provide a secondary cooling benefit. Would the difference be noticeable or would it be negligible? (See layering for additional covers above this layer)

-Layering question.
I’m going with a DIY build. I’ve read quite a lot about layering and the common issues of people going too plush. My main concern is support. I prefer medium “feel”, vs pillowy/plush, as well as my girlfriend. I’m 5’8" 180lb, my girlfriend 5’10" 190lb. I sleep on my side 60-70% of the time, remainder on back and never on stomach. My girlfriend sleeps on her side 60-70% and remainder mostly back, occasionally stomach. We do tend to sleep rather close to each other, even on an eastern King, so our weight is more concentrated in a smaller foot print.

-This is my build idea:
Mattress pad protector (thin, purpose is to protect mattresses from liquids)
Thin cotton/terry blend encasement (protect latex)
Comfort Layer - 2" Wavy 50/50 Nat/Syn blend Dunlop – 24 ILD (waves down to start)
Supportive Layer – 2" 100% Natural Dunlop from Latex Green – 28 ILD (from latexmattressfactory)
Base Layer – 3" 100% Natural Dunlop from Latex Green – 34-38 ILD (from APB)
Resting on 1x3 slats spaced 2.5" with a center support.

I like the idea of a progressive build, 2" “Comfort Layer” with higher ILD vs 2" with lower ILD, like 19-20. But my main concern is support in this setup. Based on what I’ve read, I’m figuring that when either of us sleep on our side, that our hips or shoulders wouldn’t fully sink through the 4", touching the base layer, causing our spines to be out of alignment. And given that we do sleep on our backs sometime, this will also give the support we need to keep our spines aligned. I’m basing this off the fact that the top layer, is not in the normal lower ILD range, and rather more supportive. Thoughts? Is my logic sound or off?

I gathered this from another one of your posts (Phoenix), that continuous Dunlop isn’t as supportive as pincore, but “feels” firmer due to it compressing differently. So, is it possible that the 2" wave with a 24 ILD will/could “feel” the same or firmer than the 2" Latex Green 28 ILD? And I would end up essentially having two layers “feeling” very close to each other in compression range? So in that case I should go with a 2" pincore 19 ILD then?

Ok, final question, in your opinion, would that 2" 50/50 blend Dunlop continuous pour 24 ILD stand up to more/same/less compression cycles than a 2" 100% natural Dunlop pincore 19 ILD? The cost difference with shipping and 5% savings between the Wave and pincore 19 ILD is less than 3 bucks!

Greatly, Greatly Appreciated!

Alex

[phoenix]

Hi cycle,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!

[quote]-Heat question
I came across this 2" Latex Topper at (APM) link: Latex Mattresses On Sale - Latex Mattress Toppers - Phoenix, AZ
How would this solid product compare to a 2" soft 19-ILD with pincores? (from: Latex Mattress Factory) I read a post from (you) Phoenix that essentially said latex is breathable due to its structure. And the pincores provide a secondary cooling benefit. Would the difference be noticeable or would it be negligible? (See layering for additional covers above this layer)[/quote]

The wave latex topper is Dunlop and rated at a 24 ILD. It would feel firmer than the 19 ILD Dunlop topper from LMF. While both are Dunlop, the LMF with the pin core construction would be more breathable as a by-product of those pin cores.

I like the idea of a progressive build, 2" “Comfort Layer” with higher ILD vs 2" with lower ILD, like 19-20. But my main concern is support in this setup. Based on what I’ve read, I’m figuring that when either of us sleep on our side, that our hips or shoulders wouldn’t fully sink through the 4", touching the base layer, causing our spines to be out of alignment. And given that we do sleep on our backs sometime, this will also give the support we need to keep our spines aligned. I’m basing this off the fact that the top layer, is not in the normal lower ILD range, and rather more supportive. Thoughts? Is my logic sound or off?

All the layers of a mattress actually compress simultaneously, not sequentially, and they will each compress to different percentages of their thickness depending on their position on the mattress, the firmness of each layer, the compression modulus of the material, the thickness of each layer, and the compression force that they are exposed to (which depends on the weight of the part of the body in contact with the mattress and the surface area that is bearing that weight which is constantly changing as you sink into the mattress more or change sleep positions). So your body weight will “reach” the bottom layer, but the resulting comfort will only be determined through your own personal testing, which is part of the fun (and for some people part of the “pain”) of a DIY design.

The compression of each layer (mainly controlled by thickness, firmness, compression modulus, hysteresis, and position along with a few other specs) are what creates the pressure relieving cradle of a mattress in the top layers which re-distributes weight and pressure on the bony prominences and pressure points of the body while the resistance to further compression of the deeper layers is what “stops” the heavier parts of the body from sinking down too far and putting the spine and joints out of their natural alignment. The balance between the opposing needs of pressure relief and spinal alignment is the main factor behind all mattress design and theory and why different mattresses match the body types and sleeping positions and preferences of different people … or don’t.

The wave in the upper layer you’re considering does offer you some options in manipulating surface comfort, which is nice, and there’s certainly no reason that your proposed design “wouldn’t” work (I know, double negative there :unsure: ).

The reality is that if you hope to save money or customize by designing your own mattress by specs and buying each layer and component separately, then you will need to trade your time, go through the learning curve, and gain the experience and personal insights into your specific needs and preferences from personal testing to improve your odds of success. If this is worth it to you then it can be a great experience and very satisfying but it’s important to keep your expectations realistic.

You may have already read this, but 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).

Phoenix