The Best Foundations or Base for a Latex or All Foam Mattress

We took apart an old king boxspring to make our own slatted bed base. We have been using it with a standard mattress for about three years, and it it holding up well. We are in the market for a new mattress, and are leaning toward the Spindle mattress. I’m wondering if this homemade slatted base will work. My first concern is that the wood is rough (not sanded), and would that damage the mattress. My second concern is will this be strong enough. It works right now just fine, but is the latex bed too heavy?

Hi Erbe,

You are certainly looking at a great quality/value choice :slight_smile:

It could wear the cover faster yes or if there are any splinters it could catch the mattress cover and damage it. It would probably be worthwhile adding some type of cloth material over it to protect the mattress.

I have no way of knowing this because I don’t know anything about the construction or materials you used. If you can provide more detailed information or specifics (such as the type of wood and dimensions of the slats, the distance between the slats, the type of center support, and the strength of the overall construction) then I may be able to make some comments about it.

A picture may be helpful as well.

Phoenix

Hi Phoenix!

I just ordered a King Ultimate Dreams Freedom Customizable.

I found a bed on Amazon I might want. Here is a picture of the wood slats: http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YCdUMfZqL.jpg

Below is a link to the bed itself:
https://www.amazon.com/Tufted-Design-Leather-Upholstered-Platform/dp/B00C79WXIO/ref=sr_1_3?s=furniture&ie=UTF8&qid=1418766345&sr=1-3&keywords=white+bed

Do you think it would be suitable?

Also Chuck himself told me this frame of theirs would be fine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GP1PZW6

I know you recommend would slats. I think my dad has a metal bed frame that I might be able to use; however, I’m not quite sure what it looks like. In order to save money I’d love to use my dad’s, but would I maybe need a bed rug on it? Thanks!

Hi Starálfur,

Congratulations on your new mattress … you certainly made a great quality/value choice :).

[quote]I found a bed on Amazon I might want. Here is a picture of the wood slats: ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41YCdUMfZqL.jpg

Below is a link to the bed itself:
www.amazon.com/Tufted-Design-Leather-Uph...3&keywords=white+bed

Do you think it would be suitable?[/quote]

I’m not familiar with the bed so I’m not sure of the distance between the slats or how strong or liable to break they may be but it has good center support to the floor and if the gaps in between the slats are less than 3" then it would probably be OK yes. The slats are flexible so I would also keep in mind that they will change the feel of the mattress compared to a foundation that doesn’t flex so if you find that the heavier parts of your body are sinking down too far and you are out of alignment then you may need to try the mattress on the floor to find out how much the foundation is contributing to the issue. Some people may also be able to feel the two center supports where the foundation doesn’t flex under the mattress.

You can see my thoughts about wire grid foundations in post #10 here. It would certainly be strong enough and for the short or medium term it would be fine but I tend to be somewhat cautious about the longer term effects when the gaps between the wires are larger.

It’s possible that a bed rug would be a good idea but I would need to know more specifics about it to make any meaningful comments. If it’s a steel bedframe like the ones in post #10 here (vs a foundation) then you you would need to put a foundation on top of it because these types of steel bedframes aren’t designed to use directly under a mattress (with or without a bed rug) and the mattress would sag right through it.

Phoenix

Thanks for your thoughts Phoenix.

I made the purchase last night, but now I’m actually worried I made the wrong choice. I tend to sleep hot, and have just been reading up on how Dunlop sleeps hotter than Talalay. I think I also want more bounce from my mattress, which I also read Talalay has.

Edit: Just FYI I’m 5’8, 120lbs, back sleeper.

I guess I made a bit of an impulsive buy based on the fact that I could customize the softness. I suppose I will deal with the $99 return fee if I have to. I shyed away from the original Ultimate Dreams with the Talalay topper after worrying about not getting the firmness right and reading reviews that the mattress is not the same quality as it was back in 2012…but maybe the Talalay topper and cheaper price would have been worth it. Eeek, I’m nervous!

Anyway thanks again.

Edit2: Awww, just asked a question about the bed on amazon and someone said the space between each slat is almost 4 inches. :frowning:

Hi Starálfur.

I would be surprised if you had an issue with sleeping temperature in this mattress. Latex in general is more breathable than other types of foam and the quilting they use in their cover is also very breathable. Latex in general is also more resilient than other foam materials (such as polyfoam) so it would depend on what you are comparing it to although it’s true that Talalay is more resilient than Dunlop.

I would be very cautious about using reviews as a reliable source of information or research (see post #13 here) because in many if not most cases they can be more misleading than helpful (either positive or negative). They did change the support core in their Talalay latex mattress a few years ago but the new material is a higher performance material than they were using previously and the lower density would only make a meaningful difference in terms of durability for those that are in much higher weight ranges than you are. For many people the new materials would be a better mattress. You can read some more detailed comments about this in post #14 here and their comments about their base foam in post #4 here.

I can certainly understand the temptation of second guessing good choices but once you receive your new mattress you will know for certain how it feels and performs for you and I think that the odds are high that you will be happy with it (and you also have several configurations that can change the comfort and support of the mattress as well if you need to).

I’m looking forward to your feedback once you receive it.

Phoenix

Thanks Phoenix! I wish I had posted here before I ordered. After emailing Chuck I think I will be exchanging it for either the Eurotop or the original, cheaper Talalay one. He said the softest the Freedom gets is about a 7, and an 8 is the beginning of what pillowtop mattresses feel like- which is a mattress I used to have that I liked. That combined with the slight extra bounce and breathability, and with you alleviating my concerns about the quality especially due to my weight, makes me pretty confident Talalay is better for me. To save hassle, I’m pretty sure I’m going to just return it without even opening the box, though I know I’ll be tempted to try it and might still.

One more question about the bed with the slats that were almost 4 inches- would a bed rug over those slats work in that situation?

You’re amazing Phoenix!

Hi Starálfur,

4" gaps would be fine for a mattress that had a polyfoam support core such as the Ultimate Dreams Eurotop or the Ultimate Dreams latex hybrid and would be OK in the short term for an all latex mattress as well.

If you did decide to keep the Freedom all latex mattress then I would add the bed rug so that you have more even support over the long term and reduce the chance of the latex sinking into the gaps over time.

Phoenix

Thanks again Phoenix!

After speaking with Chuck, who has been amazing with service, I might just order a Talalay layer to add on top of the Dunlop Ultimate freedom. :slight_smile: Otherwise, he sent me a label to return the Freedom if i want, with no charge if I do not open the box, which is currently sitting in my apartment.

I’m just waiting to hear back about the price and whether an additional Talalay layer would fit inside the cover already provided with the Dunlop, or if I’d have to remove a Dunlop layer. Edit: Chuck got back to me and he said the Talalay would not fit inside, and I’d have to buy a separate Talalay topper for $200. That’s a bit much so I’m thinking I’m still going to go ahead and return the Freedom. When I was reading reviews about people adding layers to their Eurotop, I thought the price was about $75 for a new layer, but I guess it doesn’t work that way with the Freedom.

I’ll think it over but will probably go with the UD original or Eurotop.

Still looking for a proper bed with slats; I’ll probably end up ordering a bed rug to be safe if I do get a bed with slats greater than three inches apart.

Hi Starálfur,

The Freedom is designed to re-arrange the layers inside or to use either the firmer or softer side of the quilted cover to provide the 12 different firmness configurations that are possible so you can customize the mattress without a layer exchange (which is also part of the reason why the cost is as low as it is because they don’t have to build the cost of a layer exchange into the mattress).

You’ve probably seen this but just in case there are a few suggestions for slatted platform beds towards the end of the original post in this topic that may be helpful.

I’m looking forward to finding out what you end up deciding.

Phoenix

Thank you for your input. We ordered our Spindle mattress, and plan to take pictures of our foundation once we get our old mattress off.

We have decided to cut up an old jute rug we have to make a mat to off set the roughness of the wood. I think we have enough to make two layers, and the jute rug should breath well enough. My husband is handy, so if we need to fill in any gaps or reinforce the make shift foundation, he will do that. Right now it all rests on an old Ikea bed frame (they no longer make this version), so we may need to reinforce that some. Pictures to come in a few days (probably after Christmas).

Hi Erbe,

Congratulations on your new mattress … you certainly made a great quality/value choice :slight_smile:

I’m looking forward to your pictures … and of course to your comments and feedback once you receive your new mattress as well.

Phoenix

Back again with another question. puppy eyes

I’m shopping for bed/bed frames and there are some I like that requires a box spring, such as: http://www.maxfurniture.com/standard-furniture-madison-square-in-microfiber-taupe-5567x.htm?src=PLA&srcid=7669075&gclid=Cj0KEQiAwuSkBRC7qKq8rr7796sBEiQA5VnSuJA3U_tNhtVS0Mj8VlBI67j7cLQY5iNghmq0Gkp6SbAaAjiK8P8HAQ

Is there anyway to modify a bed that requires a box spring for a latex mattress? Do you use a certain type of box spring, or are there wood slat frames that would fit in place of the box spring? Thanks!

Hi Starálfur,

I think most of your questions are answered in the first post of this topic..

A latex mattress generally does best on a slatted platform bed or on a firm non flexing foundation (not a box spring which has springs inside it) that have gaps between the slats of about 3" or less.

You will rarely see box springs any more outside of some smaller manufacturers and most of the mattress support systems that are sold with mattresses today are foundations (not box springs) that have either limited or no flex and don’t have springs inside them.

If a bedframe is meant to be used with a foundation and has good center support to the floor then it’s just a matter of using a suitable foundation (again with slats that are less than 3" apart) on top of the bedframe and under the mattress

If you wish to use the bedframe without a foundation then you would need to add more slats to the bedframe to properly support the mattress so that the distance between the slats was less than 3".

Phoenix

Thank you Phoenix. I understand the frustration if I am asking repetitive questions. I thought I read through everything in the first post but I may have forgotten some things. I truly appreciate your patience and support. Somehow I didn’t pick up on the idea that a wood-slatted foundation can be used in beds that require box springs. I don’t know what I was thinking but I thought the wood-slatted foundations were meant to be on their own.

Hi Starálfur,

A box spring would be a requirement for some types of mattresses and which one you would use (either a box spring or a foundation) would depend on the type of mattress not the bed frame. There are very few mattresses sold today that require a box spring and in most cases when you see “box spring” in a description they are usually referring to a foundation and are using the word “box spring” incorrectly. They look very much the same on the outside but on the inside a foundation doesn’t have springs inside it and has limited or no flex. They would both fit on the same bedframes.

You can see an example of the inside of a box spring here (with coil springs) and another box spring here (with torsion springs) and the inside of a wood slat foundation here and a wire grid foundation here.

Phoenix

Here is a photo of our makeshift slatted base. Years ago, we had a worn out box spring that we recycled into this. One of the boards was broken, so my husband found a new one and replaced it.

It is sitting on a kind size Ikea bed frame that has a metal bar down the middle, which I tried to show in this photo:


So far so good in holding up to lots of weight. I was worried at first, and then realized that we’ve had our entire family sitting on this bed at one time with no issues, so I stopped worrying (we have a few teenagers and other kids as well).

And here is the old Ikea jute or sisal (can’t remember) rug we recycled. It got some kool-aid spilled on it, and an intense cleaning ruined it. We just cut it to fit. There was only enough for one layer, but I think the only reason for it is to keep the mattress from getting caught on the rough wood underneath.

As far as the Spindle mattress, we are really enjoying it so far. We got the medium firmness, and while it feels a little too firm right at the moment, I am also noticing my body seems much more rested than I remember being in a long time. We will be giving it probably until the new year at least before we decide if we want to soften it up more with a soft layer. I did find a washable wool mattress topper on Amazon for only $111 (king size!!), that I snatched up, and we have that on top to protect the mattress a little bit. I am also considering a soft talalay topper instead of softening up the mattress itself. Time will tell. I certainly am enjoying it!

Hi Erbe,

Thanks for the update and the pictures :slight_smile:

It certainly looks like your slatted base is very strong and “built like a tank” and as long as the center of the bed is well supported and has no chance of sagging then I don’t think that you would have any issues using it to support you and the mattress.

Phoenix

Thank you for providing this forum and my apologies if this has already been asked and answered. I realize each situation is unique and that of one persons solution may not be the best for all. Here goes for mine: I have a 3.5 year old mattress. Aireloom latex. It started sagging in year 3. I thought it was bad luck like most and time to replace it to soon. I happened to find an honest sales rep that actually explained that my foundation may be the culprit. In doing more research and reading your other forum posts I see bed beam has been recommended to some. I currently have a wood rail bed with 4 flat planks going across and a single wood support leg on the middle plank. I can apply a pinkie finger of pressure and see each plank sag/ flex with ease. First whether or not its my mattress I would/should replace this system regardless. I was hoping however that you could confirm that this is potentially the sag issue I feel and can actually save the mattress with the bed beam or other foundation change. In addition, before doing that would sleeping on my mattress directly on my wood floor illustrate that the mattress does in fact need to be replaced or not as a quick test? I may abandon the bed beam idea and just go with good old fashion frame, box spring and mattress if I must purchase a new mattress as I don’t want to do this again in 3 more years. Sleep and Health is more important than the aesthetic look of the furniture.

I also wondered if the mattress was sagging due to the weak planks and a new metal foundation would improve the sag but will it resolve the issue or did I ruin the mattress with the 3 years I had it on that foundation and learned the hard way how important the right foundation is for any mattress?

thank you again for providing and maintaining this forum

Hi senza201,

There are two reasons that a mattress can sag which is either the materials or components in the mattress or the support system under the mattress.

From the description of your bedframe it sounds like you have a bedframe and isn’t designed to directly support a mattress without a foundation on top of it.

You’ve probably read this already but the first post of this topic here has more information about the types of support systems that are generally suitable for different types of mattresses and some good sources for each of them. If your mattress is all latex (which it may not be … but you can check on the law tag to see if there are any other materials in the mattress besides latex) then you would need a support system with little to no flex that has a center beam with good center support to the floor and no more than 3" of spacing between the slats.

I would agree that the first thing I would do is put your mattress on the floor to see if this solves the problem (which it should if the only cause of your sagging is the support system under your mattress and not the materials in the mattress). If it does then you will need a good foundation (not a box spring with springs inside it that flex) on your bedframe and under your mattress. I don’t think that a bed beam will provide the type of support you are looking for although it may still be a good idea to improve the strength of the support underneath the foundation.

If height is an issue and you don’t want the additional height of a typical foundation or even a low profile foundation then a slat conversion kit like this may be a good alternative to a thicker foundation.

If there is still sagging in your mattress when you have it on the floor or with a suitable foundation underneath it then the issue may be the materials in your mattress and some of the suggestions in post #4 here may be helpful but the first step I would take is to put the mattress on the floor to see if this resolves your situation.

Phoenix