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

Discussions General Mattresses Questions
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641

Hi there,

Just wondering if this looks like it would be ok for an all latex mattress? It is $100 less than a very similar one on dreamfoambedding.

https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Mattress-Foundation-structure-assembly/dp/B01HIR5FYS/ref=s9_simh_gw_g196_i1_r?_encoding=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=1T8PWPA3SFM6QBQR8E8D&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=a6aaf593-1ba4-4f4e-bdcc-0febe090b8ed&pf_rd_i=desktop

versus

https://www.dreamfoambedding.com/product/simple-life-foundation/

Thanks!

642

Hi latex-researcher,

Overall I personally prefer the traditional wood slatted foundations or a solid deck with something like a coir bed run on top for an all-latex mattress. I just had a conversation yesterday with someone very knowledgeable in the industry with support systems about this exact topic and their interactions long-term with wire-grid foundations, and he’s seen cases where the wires eventually cause tearing in the foam and he doesn’t advice using them in thee types of situations.

There are some latex mattress manufacturers who do suggest avoiding these for an all latex mattress because of the risk that the latex will sink into the wires and the gaps between them over the long term and reduce the life of the mattress because of the lack of supporting surface area of these types of wire grid foundations. If you do choose one of these for budget reasons for an all latex mattress … I would suggest using a model with the most possible longitudinal wires and cross wires to help provide better support between the wires, and most importantly check with your mattress manufacturer to make sure you will not be voiding your warranty by using one of these.

I hope that information is helpful!

Phoenix

643

Thanks for sharing this information.

644

Thanks very much for the info about wood vs metal foundations for latex. Based on that, I went with this one. A bit on the expensive side for what I was considering, but I’d rather something that seems substantial and will hold up my latex mattress investment for years to come. So in the broad scope of things, a good deal.

I also used the coupon MUG5 for 5% off; thanks!

645

Hi latex-researcher,

Congratulations on your new foundation! :slight_smile: And I’m glad the discount code worked out for you. Thank you for the update.

Phoenix

646

Hi Phoenix!

Here are some photos. Based on these do you have any additional thoughts or guidance? Thanks soooo much!

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647

Hi svirac,

Thank you for the photos. That certainly is a very nice platform bed!

I understand now how there isn’t the option of adding or rearranging slats in this set up. And I wouldn’t build a new slat network on top of this item or use a cheap bunkie board.

I’d be of two thoughts:

  1. Use a good sturdy coir bed rug on top of these slats and see how that performs over time. If you notice the coir rug deflecting too much into the gaps between the slats, you could go to Option 2.

  2. Add a piece of plywood with the coir bed rug on top of it.

Personally, I would start with the coir bed rug first (at least 1" thick and I like the ones held together with the water-based latex adhesive), because you’ll use it with either option. If it works well, you won’t have to add the plywood.

With the gaps at 4", you’re close to what the manufacturer recommends (3" or so), as the firmness of the coir rug will effectively “reduce” the gaps between the slats.

These are the simplest options I can come up with immediately. You may wish to place a sheet on top of the slats if you use the coir rug or the plywood to not scratch the nice surface of your slat network.

Let us know what you end up doing.

Phoenix

648

We can put the memory foam mattress to the floor in all preferable situations without any type of support. The mattress will perform better the firmer and more uniform its foundation and you cant get any better than solid floor.
But we have the unique problem of placing the mattress on the floor will keep it very low to the ground so which could make getting in and out of bed quite difficult.

649

I was wondering if anyone has any experience or Phoenix if you have any thoughts on the Zinus Quick Snap bed frame. It comes in 14 and 18 inch heights. Wood slats supposedly 3 inches apart.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01LXGIDGG/ref=mp_s_a_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1484034281&sr=8-16&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Zinus&dpPl=1&dpID=5145FOJ2yrL&ref=plSrch

Thanks

650

Hi mattressing,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

I’m sorry, but I don’t have any personal experience with this bed frame, so I can’t speak to the quality of the steel, wood or construction. Perhaps there are other more informed members here on the site who had had an experience with this frame who could contribute to the discussion. It does show 3" between slats, and it does have one center leg down to the floor for the full, queen and king.

Phoenix

651

We have a high quality firm inner spring mattress. We are planning to replace it with a high quality latex mattress for better side sleeping comfort. Can we toss the old box springs and use the old mattress as the base for a new latex mattress? This would all be on top of a good quality wood bed with rails and slats. It would be high; but we don’t mind that.

652

Hi embliek,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum!:slight_smile:

No, that generally would not be recommended. Most latex manufacturers will recommend that their products be placed upon a firm, flat platform bed or foundation, with spacing between the slats of 3" or less. Placing your new latex mattress on an old innerspring mattress, even though it is firm, would allow for more sag of the product than is appropriate, could prematurely shorten the life of the mattress, and would also change the feel of the product.

If you desire the bed to be a higher profile, you can look at some of the KD foundations listed early in post #1 of this thread, and there is more complete information about proper foundations for latex mattresses there as well.

Phoenix

653

Hi Phoenix,

Thanks for all your help before the holidays with my slats dilemma. We ended up going with your idea of the coir bed rug, which has worked out wonderfully. I’m going to keep an eye on the bed rug periodically to ensure it’s not deflecting into the gaps, in which case I think I’ll go buy a piece of plywood and cut to size.
But for now, the coir bed rug is doing the job quite nicely.
We’re loving our new bed and couldn’t have done it without all your help. Big thanks to you!!
Here’s the coir bed rug we ended up going with.

654

Hi svirac,

Thanks for taking the time to provide an update!

I’m very happy that your coir bed rug is working out well on that beautiful platform bed base.

You’re very welcome!

Phoenix

655

I am in the process of selecting natural latex mattress and a foundation for it. I understand that wooden slats are recommended. However, when I looked at some of the adjustable beds, e.g. Leggett & Platt, I was informed that they are made of a metal platform. Are any of the adjustable beds made with wooden slats?

656

Hi snl42,

Welcome to the Mattress Forum! :slight_smile:

Adjustable beds are made with a metal frame network, on top of which is normally placed some sort of a wood platform decking that is usually topped with a thin piece of polyfoam and then coved in fabric. This would be fine for use with any latex, memory foam or “adjustable bed friendly” innerspring mattress.

There aren’t many adjustable beds available that use a slatted or breathable deck and most tend to be more costly. A few that do include …

Froli
Roewa Legra
Axel Bloom
Boyd also has a basic adjustable bed here that uses slats.
Swiss Sleep Systems
Glideaway is also introducing a slatted base that sits on top of a platform bed deck.
M+K offered at Berkeley Ergonomics

Phoenix

657

Thank you for the options. I’m checking them out. Will let you know. So far the Alex-Bloom looks like the only possible one (price and English website). . Seems like the Europeans are more into adjustable beds and slats than Americans. Somehow sleeping on a metal platform in the American ones doesn’t sound appealing. I have to know more about the construction of the more common American construction, eg. Leggett & Platt. Also, given how metal bed materials attract EMFs, one of the advantages of foam over inner springs seems to be negated with so much metal in the foundations. Thank you for being such a wonderful resource! Any further thoughts appreciated. Trying to decide soon.

658

Hi snl42,

Tension adjustable slat systems are a bit more common in Europe, where thinner latex and other foam mattress are more popular where the adjustment of such a slat system would be more noticeable.

I think you’ve misunderstood my explanation of the construction of most power foundation bases. You are not sleeping upon a metal grid, but a plywood deck. All power foundations will have some sort of a metal frame / lift network under them, whether they are topped with a plywood deck, wood cross slats or plastic modules. Here’s a video of a typical adjustable bed base that shows you what the underside looks like that might help you out.

You can see some comments about innersprings and electromagnetic (EMF) fields in posts #2 and #3 here . It’s personally not something that would concern me in any way. While I’m certainly not a health professional or an expert in electromagnetic fields but EMF fields from mattress innersprings, there are some people that believe they are harmful although I’m not one of them. I have seen and read articles about innersprings being a “health” issue because of electromagnetic fields, but I have never seen any specific evidence that is compelling to me and most of these types of articles use some very non specific anecdotal stories or what I would consider to be some questionable correlations that don’t provide any clear evidence that would directly relate to “passive” items such as innersprings or metal frames. I would personally be more cautious with “active” electromagnetic fields (such as living close to high tension wires, holding a cell phone too close to your head, or sleeping near active electrical fields or wiring as examples), but I personally wouldn’t have any issues with sleeping on an innerspring or adjustable bed in terms of health or safety (although I recognize that there are certainly others that have a different opinion). In the case of adjustable beds, they’ll all use some sort of “brain” underneath and also a motor (unless manually operated via hand crank), and that would be the most “active” part of their system, which again I wouldn’t personally have a concern about.

Phoenix

659

Thank you. I have 3 topics:

  1. In terms of the foundation design of the adjustable beds, you did provide me with some links for wooden slats. Seems better for natural latex to have air circulation and possible more comfortable. Several of the links were to sites in German. The German one in LA Axel Bloom goes best with their european type mattress and there are no returns. Boyd’s seems like the only option for a wooden slat foundation for an american style, heavier, natural latex mattress. I’m am trying to reach them for more i info. I’ll let you know what I find out.
  2. Mattress: I found a Dunlop that has a decent return policy ($300 charge) if adjusting the layers does’t for out. But I think I would prefer a mattress that has at least a top layer of Talay. Can you suggest a company that might have that composition that is less than $2,000? Or perhaps if the all Dunlop construction is too firm, I could purchase a Talalay topper. I found one for about $400, any other ideas?
  3. RE EMFs-I appreciate your thoughts. I know there is not wide consensus but based on sources I respect, I think it is a consideration. However, there are other reasons to get an adjustable bed that might override the EMF concern.
    Thank you for your helpful input. this is an invaluable service you provide to us. I am in the middle of an acute hip injury and was not finding this info on my own searching.
    Best regards,
660

Hi snl42,

I added one more option to my earlier reply, the M+K. I also found the Pure Posture. There are quite a few more listed in a google search here. But most are not available in the USA.

I’m not sure what size you are considering, but many of the site members listed here in post #21 offer component latex mattress systems, and they allow you to choose a mix of Dunlop and Talalay, they have great return/exchange policies, and their pricing is very affordable. They are all very experienced and knowledgeable and specialize in providing the type of help and guidance on the phone that can help you make good choices. There are a wide range of latex options included in the choices there and I believe that all of them compete well with the best in the industry in terms of their quality, value, service, and transparency.

I understand. Only you can determine what is part of your personal value equation, and the weight to give to each item on that list.

Phoenix