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So I decided to cut open my Serta Baywatch Perfect Sleeper (purchased in 2000) to see what was causing the excessive sagging. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the springs and not the foam. There was very little foam at all - three layers that were each maybe 1/4 inch thick. SOOOO disappointing. I could clearly see that the shape of the mattress without the padding was exactly the same as it is with the padding. The center springs are shot. So, as a temporary fix, I folded up some blankets and layed them vertically along the center of the box springs so that they would push the center of the mattress up into a more comfortable position. It made for a much more comfortable sleep last night...no back pain! However, I have no idea how long this fix will last, so hopefully I'll be ordering our Flobed soon.
Thanks to all of you for your help. I did take pics and will add them to this thread as soon as I upload them. This message was modified Mar 17, 2010 by Q119
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I can see the dip. This must be a really FIRM mattress or else they'd have put more foam in it. Isn't it just AMAZING how cheap and low-density the foam they use is? Thanks for posting the pix! |
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Q119 wrote:
Here is the mattress before surgery:
My assistant holding back the very thin layers. Underneath the grey material is just covering the springs:
I don't know if you can see it as clearly as I did, but there is definate sag to the springs in the middle:
My temporary fix. It's been working, but don't know how long it will last: Hey Q119 correct me if I'm wrong, on this picture above, are those blankets on the middle laying on top of the box spring;In other words what's below the red sheet?the box spring or part of the mattress? The reason why I'm asking is because I plan on doing the same thing.I go to bed with my back doing fine and then when I wake up I have discomfort in my back. So I guess this is a good idea like they suggested me on another post.Now that I see the pictures you posted, I understand how it is done.How thick does it have to be when you place on top of each other all the blankets? Thanks for the post and the pictures! |
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jimsocal: Yes, I am amazed at how cheap and thin the foam was. Unbelievable. We chose a firmer mattress because we had a pillowtop before that was dipping and giving us backpain and were told that this would be better. Ha! The dip doesn't look too bad when no one is on the mattress, but add 375lbs between the 2 of us and it was ridiculous. eliwwjd: This is right on top of the boxsprings. The red covering is the bedskirt. I just played around with it until the mattress was fairly level. It's not perfect, but better. |
| Thanks for updating with the photos. Too bad it was the springs, but at least you know for sure. I guess they don't make the springs as well as they use to either. |
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eliwwjd wrote: .I go to bed with my back doing fine and then when I wake up I have discomfort in my back. This is how my problem is now, and I have new, high-gauge springs, so it's likely NOT the springs. I wonder if my box springs might be the problem. I am thinking of throwing them out and putting my mattress right on the floor, maybe that would solve the problem. Also I have allergies to dust and I'm pretty sure my box springs is full of them, maybe my mattress too, though less so I would think since it's only 4-5 months old, whereas the box springs are about 5 years (?) old. My back feels fine when I go to bed, it feels okay when going to sleep, but then hurts after about 4-6 hours of being on my mattress, then when I wake up I'm sore and stiff. Sometimes it's mid-back and sometimes it's lower back. I've been adjusting my mattress every 3 days or so because I feel it is a configuration problem not my back itself. I'm about ready to look at a water bed! Years ago I slept on one and it was very good... |
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Q119 wrote: jimsocal: Yes, I am amazed at how cheap and thin the foam was. Unbelievable. I am currently using only 2" of foam on top of my springs, but 1 and 3/4" of it is latex. I am not saying this is the best configuration for me or anyone, however, I have at times found that less is more so to speak. |
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I can see the sagging in the springs very clearly, thanks for sharing it with us. I'd probably say that is a Bonnell unit. Your assistants did a great job, you can tell they are having a blast! Really cute kids. You are right about padding from underneath...it works pretty well. I would have thought to put it on top of the mattress, but my bedmaker said to put it on top of the box springs to make a difference. He was right. Kait |
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ok, call me stupid..... (oh no, don't ) Even though you shore up the boxspring.... isn't there enough thickness to the mattress, that it will still sag ?? I understand you are leveling out the boxspring, but then, what about the mattress ? Thesse are great photo's. |
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It appears a lot of the sag is in the box spring. Place a weighted string across the width of the matress and you can measure how deep it is. Any mattress will instantly follow the contours of a sagging box spring. It is rare when the source of mattress sag is the innerspring unit inside the mattress. Over the years I have cut open ten mattresses that were used for ten plus years. Nine of the innerspring units were still like new. One had a 3/4" sag, from a low end Bonnell coil mattress. The rest of the sag is from the low density foam, which loses 30-40% of its original height and a similar percentage of its original firmness, under the areas where most of your body weight is focused. |
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mattressdan wrote: It appears a lot of the sag is in the box spring. Place a weighted string across the width of the matress and you can measure how deep it is. Any mattress will instantly follow the contours of a sagging box spring.
It is rare when the source of mattress sag is the innerspring unit inside the mattress. Over the years I have cut open ten mattresses that were used for ten plus years. Nine of the innerspring units were still like new. One had a 3/4" sag, from a low end Bonnell coil mattress. The rest of the sag is from the low density foam, which loses 30-40% of its original height and a similar percentage of its original firmness, under the areas where most of your body weight is focused. Loved your photo's and surgery. |