Okay yalls, first, thanks for the informative site.
My PPP: male 6"1 160 lbs side sleeper, light but well built, larger shoulders, chest and thighs (was in the army), may have some degenerative joint disease. Looking for the best highly long lasting mattress for the money.
Just ordered an all latex diy build from mattresses.net.
5.5" Dunlop 3 zone core. #31 ILD top and bottom #35 middle
3" #19 ILD blended talalay topper
blended wool 8.5" cover.
What do you think…? Im not so sure now after doing some more thinking and a little bit of research here. but then im like…that 3 zone core looks very nice. I always have problems with sagging in the middle and like that area to be shored up a good amount but not hard. Then the guy i talked to said most people like the 3" toppers best. #19 ILD does seem very soft though…but, with that core, maybe it would be okay having that thick of a very soft layer with a good core like that? or is that #31 ILD top and bottom layers make the top and bottom layers too soft and possibly like to wear more unevenly? but most of my weight, is in the middle like i said, and im pretty light weight overall…
I was thinking of doing maybe a firm dunlop core (36 ILD - feels like talalay 40) then a firm soft like a 2" 28 ILD and then their “2 22 ILD. I think the twinxl 2” 28 ILD topper is out of stock atm though. Could be other options.
another option could be the 3 zone dunlop core with just a 2" 22 ILD topper.
Thoughts?
With this 5.5 inch core and 8.5 inch cover it does gives me 3 inches to adjust the topper atleast though. That is my main concern of getting it right, I think that core is a good fit for me honestly.
The more I think about it the more better I’m feeling about it…Twin XL size 3 zone dunlop core, should wear pretty nicely I feel for me, as im a lengthy person and side sleeper and adding 3 inches of softness to it…should be pretty nice I think! Ill post back when i get it. It’ll be awhile. Im getting a frame on amazon, i see the newer type frames are box spring replacements and should do well and give me some storage space underneath which I need and like.
These are specs about your body type. PPP means Posture and alignment, Pressure relief, and Personal preferences and are relative to how well you sleep on a particular mattress. In other words Your “PPP” may be good on one mattress and not as good on another and the only reliable way to know whether any mattress is a good “match” for you will be based on your own personal testing and experience.
If you are attracted to the idea of designing and building your own mattress out of separate components and a separate cover then 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).
Your layers are certainly high quality and durable materials and would be “in the general range” that would work well for many people that are similar to you but the only way to know for certain how well any mattress will work for you in terms of PPP or whether it will need any adjustments or fine tuning is based on your own actual testing or sleeping experience.
You can see some comments about the “wire grid” types of bedframe/foundations that replace a regular foundation (not a box spring which has springs) in post #10 here. There is also more information about the types of support systems that are generally the most suitable for different types of mattresses in the the foundation reference post here.
Most importantly though … congratulations on your new mattress
I’m looking forward to your comments and feedback when you receive it and have had a chance to try it out and sleep on it.
Thanks Phoenix! Im still unsure about the 3 inches of #19 ILD topper, that seems very soft but I guess I shall see…I figure I could make it into a stand alone topper and try selling it on craigslist or here possibly if it doesn’t work out I guess. I do kind of like more medium feeling mattresses i would say but thats just from short tests in the stores and its what im used to more or less. I’ve never had much of a high quality mattress, just innerspring. The mattresses used in the army at the barracks were fine, if a little firm but did seem fine for proper alignment. They also used TwinXL mattress without a box spring and the ones i had were all pretty new. So they were good for the most part for alignment but firm for a side sleeper. My mattress now I bought on craiglist for $40 but its actually pretty new (2012) but its already sagging in the middle and the springs are getting quite worn…its detiorating quickly to say the least! (cheap crappy innerspring). But anyways yes, I didn’t like a lot of the memory foam mattresses, they seem weird to me and im kind of a hot sleeper, I dont like the feel, other than the firmer ones like the firm gel memory foam (in those stores, the very high end!). But of course Im not sure how good they would fit me on a day to day basis and after adjusting to a different feel.
The thing I do like with the custom diy mattress is that I can replace parts as needed or preference! thats pretty sweet imo and def makes me more confident in my purchase. If it does turn out too soft (I think the core I got is right) I can get replace the comfort layer easily. Im thinking 2" of 26 or so ILD with a 1 inch 22 ILD would probably be perfect but yea…maybe I should see about making that a reality.
As for as frames…
I’m was thinking about getting this wire frame: Amazon.com
This one also looks very nice but is more expensive and lower to the ground, looks higher quality though: ADMIN NOTE:Removed 404 page link | Archived Footprint: Amazon.com
Latex is quite different from other types of foam materials and is much more “supportive” so it may “feel” firmer or softer than you expect (unless you’ve tested a mattress with 3" of Talalay latex on top with a similar support core in the stores) but as you mentioned you will know how it feels for you when you have the chance to sleep on it.
While it’s possible it’s the springs … in most cases the weakest link of a mattress and the layers that tend to soften or compress prematurely are the foam layers above the innersprings … not the innersprings themselves.
You can see my thoughts about the wire grid types of platform/foundations in the previous post I linked.
I would also be very cautious about the Classic Brands you linked both because of potential issues with durability and strength (it has a low weight rating) and because for a latex mattress I would tend to choose a firm non flexing support system that had very little to no flex and that has gaps between the slats that are no more than 3" (and preferably less).
The zen platform bed you linked looks like it has 12 slats so it would probably also have gaps between the slats that are more than 3" so it wouldn’t be something that I would choose unless you can confirm that the distance between the slats is less than 3" or add more slats to improve the spacing.
Hey so I’ve had my mattress for a while now and its great. Its not too soft at all and i’ve actually moved 3 times and it does well even on its side in the back of a truck (I did buy a waterproof/bug proof cover for it and laid down a mat in the truck bed). I actually am not using it now as I’m living with my parents and have my old full size bed (its worn but its decent enough and its frame and headboard fit my room better because of a sloping roof line).
I built a frame, I got some ideas on pinterest and you can kind of see how it goes. I definitely learned a bit about paint and voc’s from that build but finally I got it taken care of okay with some stuff from greenbuildingsupply (or supplies). Forget what its called. Obviously those pics dont show the slats or the support boards’ two each for each pair of legs, two long boards in the slots on the legs and slats on top of those, sorry can’t find a pic of the finished frame for some reason. Its pretty high. To cut the slots in the legs I just made a bunch of cuts with a reciprical saw on its largest blade setting and then use a chisel to knock it out and finish it up. Its very sturdy (and heavy).
It was a bit more costly than some options but from my impressions so far, the mattress will last a very long time!
