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I'm trying to figure out a good configuration for latex layers to alleviate some lower back pain, and I'd love to get some feedback from forum members experienced with this kind of thing. I have no local access to latex components, so I'm basing this on what I've read from others on the forum. Our current mattress, the firmest we could find, began to sag and lose support shortly after we bought it. The addition of a 2" firm latex topper (and removal of PU foam) helped somewhat, but it appears the springs are the underlying problem. I wake up every morning with significant stiffness across my lower back and hips. We're in our mid-thirties. At 6', 170 lbs, I'm the largest. I generally prefer to sleep on my stomach/back, but with our current mattress stomach sleeping is painful, so I've become a back/side sleeper. My wife is predominantly a side sleeper, but she's also more or less unaffected by our current problem. I know we'll have to do some experimenting to get the right combination, but I'd really like to hear some suggestions about where to start. I already have 2" of firm from FBM. --Firm vs. extra firm core? --Do most people with overall firm mattresses still have some softer components? Ultimately I'm wondering which components I should begin shuffling around. Something like the following (although maybe not in that order)? wool pad This message was modified Sep 4, 2010 by a_bear
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I can add more slots between the original ones (there's about 2 3/4" room), and 1" dimensional lumber isn't far off from 3/4", so in theory I think it can be made to work. I could do it up and down the length of the entire bed, though I doubt it's necessary under my legs and feet (and head probably). Whether or not my back agrees remains to be seen. Last night was the first try and it seemed okay. We'll see what I think after a few more nights. The springs are still a bit softer than I'd like, and no doubt they'll only get softer, but if we can limp along awhile like this I'll be happy(er). I think I'm going to hold off for now on investing in more foam for these springs. I have 2" of 32 ILD, and while HD 36 might be a bit firmer, I'm not sure any topper is going to offset the softness of the springs. One option I discussed with Sleepez, though, is that they'd be willing to sell me a smaller mattress (the SS 7000, for instance) with a larger mattress cover (the one for the SS 10,000, for example), allowing me to reuse the 32 ILD latex I already have, instead of buying the same thing again from them as part of the standard SS 10,000 (with M,F,XF configuration). This would void the warranty, but it's one way to save $400 (not including the $$) I spent already on my current latex. |
| In case any one else is experiencing something similar, I thought I'd follow up and report that placing 1/2 plywood across all the slats has in fact fixed the bed. For the first several weeks afterward I was still a little stiff, but months have passed and my lower back problem has entirely disappeared. The mattress is still a touch softer than I'd ideally like—it's not perfect for stomach sleeping—but it's far better than I'd imagined it would be. In the end, my set up is an inner spring mattress with all the foam and the quilted topper removed, replaced with 32 ild latex, and 1/2 playwood on top of the slats. All is now well. |
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Thanks for the update! I wish more people would update this Forum when they find a solution to their problem. We suspected that the slats were flexing too much, so glad to hear that you figured out a cost effective solution. |