Like you I have some reservations about the wire grid foundations with all latex mattresses (see post #10 here). In the case of My Green Mattress though … it is a higher quality Powerstack foundation and they have upholstered it with organic cotton so the “gaps” would be filled in and better supported.
I should also mention that there is no consensus at all about wire grid foundations among manufacturers and there is no “proof” that one opinion is more accurate than another. For me … making sure that it has a good cover or upholstery and is more evenly supportive is just a matter of caution because of the highly elastic nature of latex. I should also mention that they offer a slatted foundation that is all wood for those that are concerned with electromagnetic fields which is another issue (among many others) where there is little consensus and many different opinions.
Since I’m benefiting from following your trials to assist my new mattress/topper quest, Debbielc21, I thought I should stop by and mention where I’m at. I grabbed a 2" 24 ILD topper from a local shop and I was also definitely hitting the very firm core beneath that so more thickness or softness is definitely needed for me as well. It was a steal price-wise so I may just keep it and try an inch or two of that N1 Talalay on top since it’s served you so well so far. Make myself a progressive comfort layer. Or was it a differential? Time to reread Phoenixes articles on that perhaps.
This is ridiculous though: I’m in my 30’s and have never spent any time at all thinking about what I sleep on my whole life. Now I would love some extra disposable income just to experiment creating my own perfect mattress. I’m liking where this is leading me though. I’ve got a great 6" firm latex core that will last forever and I feel like I can just replace the top few inches of comfort layer every however many years as needed. Phoenix and everyone on this forum sure have helped a lot. Thank you.
I’ve actually returned the N1 and I’m keeping the N2. I will try it out for the next month and if it’s still a little too firm, I’ll probably get an inch or so of the N1. Before I had to send one back I tried the 3" N1 over the 3" of N2 and it was SO comfortable. Too comfortable though I think as my back was not happy when I got up. I think a little cush will be okay though if I need it. Yes, I would have been lost without Phoenix’s help on this.
I should warn you … mattress experimenting and theory can be infectious and “draw you in” … just when you least expect it. This forum and site is the result of exactly that
No … they are different. The first post in this thread talks about both and the Easy Fit has wider gaps (over 4") between the slats and the ones at Arizona Premium are made especially with smaller gaps (about 2.5") to be suitable for an all latex mattress although they are both a similar design in that they ship in pieces and you assemble them yourself.
Has anyone used a Gold Bond foundation before? I just ordered an Ultimate Dreams 13 King and need to pick up a foundation for it. My local mattress guy suggested a steel gold bond foundation (two Twin XL’s) for $300.
I don’t know what’s in it but he claimed it has no springs and is made from steel.
You can see a picture of the Gold Bond foundation here. It is a strong evenly supportive and non flexing foundation and I think would make a good choice.
I’ve seen a number of posts about using “traditional box springs” with latex foam mattresses (we’ve ordered the 14" Aloe Alexis). We found one in my area that is a Stearns & Foster Estate King/Twin XL Low Profile Foundation/Box spring. I can’t find much information on it, but a few descriptions I saw on Sears Outlet indicate that it is a limited-deflection box.
Does anyone know if this type of box spring (limited deflection + low profile) would be firm enough for such a thick mattress like the Aloe Alexis? I’d hate to undo the good of buying a great mattress by getting a foundation that won’t function properly for it, but I’m getting a great deal on it.
You can see an example of a Sealy limited deflection box spring here which uses torsion bars as the springs. They are primarily designed to absorb shock with an innerspring mattress and as they put it to “enhance the depth of feel” which is not necessary or even desirable in most cases with a foam mattress. You can see another example here (not the LTD) which also uses torsion bars. With thinner latex mattresses, box springs that have some flex are also sometimes used to change the feel and response of the mattress.
A limited deflection box spring won’t harm the Aloe Alexis and the LTD would be quite firm and your mattress is thick enough that I think it would probably be fine although you could always push down on the surface to test how much flex it has (the less the better).
Thanks Phoenix! I was looking for pictures just like that and couldn’t find any. It was pretty firm. Standing on one of the spring crosses on 1 foot, I would estimate there was less than 1" of deflection on the spring that my heel was on. I bet if I had a 2’ x 2’ board I was standing on, I wouldn’t notice any deflection. I feel at ease that it will be firm enough. I ended up purchasing it last night for $100.
Thanks for the work you put in on this site. I am strongly considering purchasing the Ultimate Dreams 13" Gel Memory Foam Mattress. After reading about it on this site I am going to go try out the Tempurpedic Cloud Luxe today. If all goes well with that one I am going to order the Ultimate Dreams mattress (I have read it is a little firmer than the Cloud Luxe so I will be keeping that in mind).
For the base/foundation I would like to get something that is supportive for the mattress but I also want it to be economical. If I can keep it in a $175-$225 budget that would be ideal. I have read your main post on the topic and have read many other threads regarding it. I am a bit overwhelmed with all the different options.
Can you think of any base/foundation out there that you would directly recommend in the price range of $175-$225? Or would recommend sucking it up and spending the extra $100 or so to get one of the more highly recommended models?
I don’t know what size you are considering and foundations have a big price difference depending on size but I normally recommend either the foundation that is suggested by the manufacturer or something that is similar quality and just as evenly supportive. In this case that would mean any of the wood slat KD foundations in the list or the 14" wire grid foundations in the list that have the same number or more longitudinal wires.
There are some cheaper ones listed there as well that have less longitudinal wires which would probably be fine as well for a mattress with a polyfoam base layer like yours but the ones that have less wires and larger spaces in the grid would have a greater risk of foam sagging over time than the ones that are more evenly supportive. I don’t think there is any way to quantify the risk though because they haven’t been out for long enough to know for sure based on actual experience. The one they recommend here is inside your budget though although a cheaper version with less wires will “probably” also be fine.
Has anyone here used one of the 14" wire grid foundations for a long period of time? Just curious to hear any experiences, I can’t decide if I want to go with that, or get a regular frame with a wooden foundation. That combo is more expensive, but I’m not sure how those metal ones will hold up over time. I’m not sure if there are more “heavy duty” metal platforms available.
I think the frames themselves will be very durable but the bigger issue is how they will affect the mattress on top of them because they haven’t been out long enough to know for sure. They are likely to be fine with a mattress with a polyfoam base layer but I would be a little cautious using them with an all latex mattress. You can read more about this in post #4 here.
The ones with more longitudinal wires or that have a cover on top could be less “risky” IMO.
Thanks. I am getting a mattress with a polyfoam base layer, latex comfort layer, and I would also put a cover on top. It just seems to me that those metal frames (which fold) wouldn’t be super-strong, especially over the long haul. I’ve read a bunch of reviews, and they are generally very good, but it seems 1 out of 4 or 5 has an issue with squeaking and/or not being structurally sound.
