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So I was dead set on the below blue print for a DIY memory foam mattress but after seeing Talalay Latex thrown around so much I'm wondering if it's any better? Price wise, lasting, cooler, etc I'm around 6'1 and 160 lbs at the moment naturally skinny frame with a bad back which I believe is due to sleeping on the floor/horrible Target pillows for the last 6 years. I like the plushy/sinking in feel that the Tempurpedic Cloud Supreme has.
Blue Print: Bottom Layer: 6inches LuxHQ from foambymail http://www.foamdistributing.com/LHQ_2/lux-hq-foam-mattress.html Middle Layer: 4inch/4lb Aerus topper from sleepwarehouse.com http://www.sleepwarehouse.com/aerus4lbmemoryfoammattresstopper.aspx Top Layer: 4inch/5lb Sensus topper from sleepwarehouse.com http://www.sleepwarehouse.com/sensus5lbmemoryfoammattresstopper.aspx My plan is to place them on the floor until I can grab a platform bed frame from craigslist or somewhere for cheap. Now my place gets dusty and has carpet so my thinking is to wrap it in some sort of cover either individually or altogether as to avoid any stains, water damage( I eat and drink in my room and theres a cat living here) etc. The idea is to cover the foam once to protect it then again so that the sheets won't slip off (assuming the base cover is slippery) and then put sheets on that allow a cool and comfortable surface both in the winter and during the summer. What do you guy's think? Cheaper way? easier way? Firmer base foam? (keep in mind my budget is limited and I'd have to buy these pieces one at a time over the course of a couple of months most likely. I'm a college student.) |
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My setup does have a lot of memory foam. probably to much. I'm wondering though are you a side sleeper? because I am and this upcoming month I'll be either buying a bed or constructing one so I'm trying to make up my mind. Actually I'm quite tempted to try your setup especially cause of the price. Still a little hestitant to spend money on something I can't really return but going without a bed is killing my back. Found out today i havea twisted pelvis that is causing me to not get great sleep. Sucks. Did a little looking into water beds and futons. Wouldn't mind getting a water bed but my current residence probably coudln't handle the weight. Gonna go to the futon store and try some out Monday. The store I'm going to carries the Otis line of futons and from what I understand they are the gold standard in futon beds these day's.
That sales guy is nice if your in and out in ten minutes but I was laying on each mattress for like 15 minutes to test out the feel of each one. Didn't see the harm in trying them out. |
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Andy, I actually am a side sleeper. And since I last wrote I have been waking up with aches all over my body. I am hoping it is due to my mattress and not something else and since that mattress has always hurt my back without a topper I am suspecting this is the case. So I definitely am right there with you. And I too am going to have to get a new mattress, but I am too thrifty to buy one, so I only have the choice to make one. Since you are hesitant it would be worth taking the time to read through the DIY foam bed discussion over at fatwallet that I linked previously. The good thing is that you cannot return it if you don't like it, if you don't get the layers glued together you can always add or remove layers, switch the positions of layers or even use any of the layers on a new setup until you find exactly what works for you. That is what I like about the setup, all is not lost if it doesn't work for you and I am sure a like new memory foam or latex topper would be an easy sell either on CL or eBay. Looking at the Otis website, they have some pictures with cutaways of their mattresses and it looks like their memory foam mattresses are convoluted foams with memory foam on top wrapped with poly fill and put in a cover. This would be fairly easy to replicate is you find an Otis mattress that works for you. The Quasar uses 2" of 5# memory foam and the Pulsar uses 3" of 3# memory foam. Since convoluted foam is quite cheap, as is polyfill, this setup wouldn't be too expensive to duplicate. If there is somewhere local that has the Otis mattresses to lay on, this could really help you if you go the DIY route. If you want to try each mattress out, bring your pillow in there and let the sales people know that you are going to take your time and not to mind you. Good luck. |
| I like your plan Joel. I would like to do something similar. I already have a 3.5" 4lb topper, do you think I could either put it on top or under the 3" 5lb layer? My husband has lower back problems and prefers a more supportive bed. Any info you could help me with would be great! Thanks. |
| You can honestly put it on top or underneath, depending on what works for you. To be honest, the density in pounds doesn't tell the whole story, a 4 pound foam and a 5 pound foam may have the same ILD/IDF which means they would feel the same, but generally the 5 pound foam is better quality and will last longer. Best way to find out what does or doesn't work for you is to give it a go. If your husband prefers a more supportive bed, he may not like laying on 6+ inches of memory foam. He would probably prefer a firm base with 3 inches of memory foam. |
| How do you think the Isoform http://www.isoform.com/3inchisoformmemoryfoammattresspad-p-43.html topper compares with the foam by mail one that you have linked? They are similar in price. I can't find the ILD for the isoform. I want whatever is closest to the Tempurpedic ones. |
| I don't have any first hand experience, but they are both five pound foams and about the same price, so they may very well be very close. You say you want as close to Tempurpedic as possible, but now Tempurpedic is using at least 3 different kinds of memory foam, Tempur, Tempur ES and Tempur HD. I haven't found anything on the ILD/IDF of the last two, but the Sensus and FBM foam matches the regular Tempur memory foam pretty closely. |
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Hi Joel - Thanks for the great post! I'm about to use your suggestions to build a foam mattress. Just wanted to check if you had any updates or managed to source the top 2" layer? Kartik |
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ksundar wrote: Hi Joel -
Thanks for the great post! I'm about to use your suggestions to build a foam mattress. Just wanted to check if you had any updates or managed to source the top 2" layer? Kartik
Kartik,
Depending on the ILD your looking for...The Aerus mentioned in my first post is 12ILd and the Sensus is 13ILD. There a little more expensive but worth it. There are other foams on sleepwarehouse that are lower ILD too.
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| thanks |