I was trying out latex beds at a local store, and enjoyed the feel of them. However, they are considerably out of my budget.
I was looking online at latex toppers, and I’ve noticed they’re considerably cheaper. I was wondering whether stacking together multiple latex toppers (for example 3 2" toppers) would be equivalent to a 6" latex bed. On several websites, the topper claims to be from the same material as the latex mattress. Often, the combination of the latex toppers is considerably cheaper (by several hundred dollars) than an equivalent mattress?
Will this result in a comfortable mattress? Or am I missing something structurally that would not make this work?
Post #9 here has more about matching one mattress to another and post #15 here has more about buying separate components to build your own mattress vs a local purchase or buying an actual mattress kit that uses individual components
There are a few things I would consider before going in this direction so you have more realistic expectations of success.
There are different types and blends of latex and some of them are considerably more costly than others. In very general terms Talalay is a more costly process than Dunlop and latex with higher percentages of natural latex is generally more costly than latex with lower percentages of natural latex.
All latex comes in a wide range of firmness levels and the type and firmness of each layer of latex and how they interact together with each person’s body type and sleeping position will make a significant difference in how a mattress feels and performs in terms of PPP Posture and alignment, pressure relief, and Personal preferences).
The cover and quilting of a mattress is an important part of the overall feel and performance of the mattress and can also have a significant effect on the cost (some covers are much more costly than others). Covers play an important role in the mattress design.
Thinner layers of the same ILD will “act” a little bit softer than a single layer of the same thickness and ILD because they can act a little bit more independently of each other. How much someone would feel this would depend on their sensitivity to smaller differences and on the specifics of the layering. Three unglued 1" layers that were 24 ILD on top of a mattress for example would feel softer for some people than a single 3" layer of the same type and firmness of latex. Two 3" layers of the same ILD vs a single 6" layer of the same ILD may be a little less noticeable but it will also act a little bit softer than a single 6" layer of the same ILD.
If you are able to purchase the exact same thickness of layers that are the same type of latex and the same firmness level and use a very similar cover and quilting that is functionally identical then the end result would also be very similar and within the range of the natural variances in ILD of the type of latex you were using.
Every difference between two mattresses in terms of the type, thickness, or firmness of any layer or differences in the cover can compound and make a significant difference in the end result. People who are more sensitive to smaller differences and closer to the “princess and the pea” end of the scale than the “I can sleep on anything” end of the scale will likely notice smaller changes more than others.
