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My FBM latex mattress has arrived. I have a 2" soft latex topper over a 6" firm core. I ordered firm due to my size, however, I prefer a plush feeling sleep system. I am still waking up sore in several places. My existing box spring was shot, so I discarded it. My mattress is currently on the floor. My question is where to start to go about making it more comfortable?
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First of all, I saw your other post about the latex having imperfections. Don't worry that the latex does not look perfect. None of it does. It will not affect its performance unless there are huge spots missing. Some say that FBM's excellent prices on their latex products is a because the products are 2nds. Who knows? Just know that these slight imperfections are not going to affect the way it performs at all. You should feel good that its too firm. You can do something about that. Too soft and you're back to the drawing board. The first thing I will tell you is that you need to be with it for a few days to a week to get used to it. What might seem too firm now, just might be OK in a few days. I know that has been the case for me every time I have made a change in my bed - it just takes my body time to adjust. What kind of mattress pad do you have over it? This is where the Costco Cuddle bed would help. It is about 1 inch thick poly fill and does help to ease some of the pressure points. It did for my wife. The King size only cost $55. shipped too so its a cheap easy fix if that will solve it. Again, give any change a few days to get used to unless it's out and out just wrong. The last thing I would do is add more latex. But if you did, you could do this with 1 inch soft latex toppers. I know you can get at least 9" into the FBM's terry cloth cover. If you need more you could add in 1 inch increments until you found what would be right. The slatted foundation might help just a touch on the firmness but I doubt enough that you will even feel it. I have seen some fancier $$ models that have more adjustment in them but I have no personal knowledge of whether they would help to a great degree. To sum up: 1. Give a new bed and any changes time for your body to adjust. 2. Try the Costco Cuddle Bed mattress pad to soften up the comfort layer - excellent product - cheap. 3. Add 1" increments of soft latex toppers until you get it right. Bill |
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I chased the ideal latex combo for many attempts (started same products as you), all I really needed was a mem foam topper. I thought from reading here that I would like the latex feel better than mem foam, but the plushness isn't what I wanted. FBM mem foam is suspect ( I tried a sample) I would bet you can add all the latex you want and all it does is soften it, but the feel is the same. Try to think what it is you miss. I tried the cuddlebed and sent it back. Good for the money but cheapened the experience for me. Cloud9 mem foam gets good talk here, and Healthy foundations is very nice, but more expensive (got good review from Wall Street Journal). I liked the plush of 3", but 2" is nice too. I made 2 beds, so I had materials a zillion options for combos of foam, etc. 3" of cloud 9 4.3 lb foam for a king-sized bed is $220, the cuddlebed is $60, but you won't need it with the foam IMO anyway. Healthy foundations is more, but their return policy is easier (I bouight that and liked it enough to order more). Read both sites and call and ask questions PRN. |
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Jeff, Too bad about your experience with the latex. Maybe you can sell the 6" core on Craigslist and get some of your money back if you live near a major metro area. It should bring close to what you paid for it from FBM. Is there anything we can do for you as far as what to try etc? |
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I'm not unhappy, it just took too long to find what I wanted (you have to be careful when judging using other peoples opinions, after reading here I thought latex would feel more luxurious). I had to make a spare bed anyway, and the 6" base, 2" soft latex, and 2" mem foam are fine for that. Its still a very nice bed that will be used a lot by us and others. Its just that having all these different layers gave me the option or really tweaking the master bed to a really great one. The best layers are going to the master bed (basically a slightly softer core and 3" of mem foam instead of 2". I meant that I assumed to much about how much I would like the all latex. We tried in stores first (for 10-15 min) before starting the DIY, but when we slep[t on it, we just found it lacked just what the mem foam gave. The combo is awesome. I don't need a cuddle bed, and so far all the layers I bought are going to good use. I haven't returned any. I still got 2 killer kingsized beds for under $2000. Maybe I would have been happy with a package bought mem foam bed from the start, but FBM's got iffy reviews for mem foam. Cloud 9 has them for under $700 (under $1000 for pillow top), with polyurethane bases, so I could have saved there. Most "nicer" online mem foam beds are way over $1000, so I still feel I did well price wise for 2 kings. I do wonder why no one uses latex bases for mem foam beds...maybe just cost, but the combo feels very good. |
| Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I actually think it's the foundation that's more of the problem. I placed the mattress atop my old coiled mattress, which is atop a piece of plywood, and now it's too soft. I guess you do truly feel whatever is underneath the latex. I am going to start by ordering the slatted foundation, I guess. And if it's still too firm, I will add maybe a mem foam topper? I spoke wtih FBM who advised that adding more latex would only make the bed firmer and suggested a convoluted topper or memory foam topper. |
| Now I'm really confused. I spoke w/Shaun at SleepEz, I explained my situation to him. Even though I told him I did not buy a mattress from him, he still took the time to answer my questions (He is one great guy). He suggested that I purchase a coil box spring. He explained that a slatted foundation will only help mattress maintain it's firmness. He advised that a coil box spring will have the give I need to soften mattress. He suggested I try Sam's Wholesale or Costco. I did not find one at Sam's Club. I wonder if I should get coil box spring and maybe another topper? |
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Hi, Gracie! My set up in the works will be close to yours, -2 inches of latex. I have some FBM latex on the way now, few more days, they sent me a ups tracking number a couple days after ordering and a confirm order invoice right after ordering also. (not sure why some other posts were saying FBM didnt inform you of shipping or ordering information via e-mail) Plan on going for 12" and right now its at 8", Queen size. Weight 140lbs but 2 years ago did weigh just over 160. It depends on what and how much I eat. 3" 32 ILD Latex (FBM) 1" 32 ILD Latex (FBM) 1" 20 ILD Latex (FBM) 3" 14 ILD 5lb Density Cloud9 Memory Foam. Right now, I'm using the Memory Foam on top of a very old coil mattress. I plan to throw this mattress away after I find the correct firmness of HR+Latex base foam. I also plan to use the 1" 20 ILD over top the memory foam just to see how it feels. I will be buying some HR foam for under the latex, 43 ILD 2" and 36 ILD 2" as the mattress base, on top of hard wood frame. Some people said don't get that much memory foam (2"+) but I love it, it depends on your weight and the density of the foam. I can place my memory foam on the ground and it feels great, after it warms up there is a slight bottom out on the floor with 3". When I double up the memory foam on the floor to 6" and watch a movie (around 2 hours and the foam is warmed) I never bottom out. I could sleep on 6" of memory foam. I think most people under 160lbs can sleep on as much memory foam as they want with out bottoming out. IF the foam is higher density 5lb, 6lb or more. This message was modified Apr 7, 2009 by Phalse
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WOW - After reading all of this thread and a few that are similar I have to ask if anyone that buys a latex core and then experiments with DIY bed design and engineering ever crosses the goal line and "scores" the perfect combo and regular good sleep??? Buying different toppers of different thickness and density and etc. sounds extremely expensive and time consuming and from what most posters share all that is frustrating and unsuccessful and, worse, at the end no one seems to get a consistently good night's sleep. Please know that I am not trying to sound negative or critical of this approach and I sincerely wish all you DIY bed engineeers/designers the very best of luck!! (and the more I read the happier I am that my bride and I didn't take this route.) Best Wishes to All and Good Sleeping! This message was modified Apr 7, 2009 by imjay
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Almost bought a core, except it was just so heavy to move. That was the only reason I don't just have a 6" latex FBM 32ILD + 2"-3" memory foam. I was so close to buying the core but the freaking thing is gigantic! Also I wanted a 12" profile so If I did get the huge core 6" latex + 2"-3" memory foam, I would still need 3"-4" of either more latex or HR/HD foam. This way is the same price (because I want 12" with good base foam or a full base of latex) but I don't have a huge core and I get a 1" 20 ILD latex topper for on top of my memory foam. Even if I didnt go with a 12" and just went with 8"-9" , in this example your not spending any more money by getting layers vs the core. The cost is the same. Now if you mean, why don't we just buy a mattress, the reason is I don't want to carry that huge heavy 12" mattress around and its glued together so it must be replaced all at once if one layer fails (or spend money for a warrenty, ship it back, oh what fun) AND the reason those are cheaper to buy in the store is because they give you crap materials. (Unless you spend around $1000 or more on a mattress with all high quality components, then we are saving they money!) This message was modified Apr 8, 2009 by Phalse
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The reason you see these cheap mattress prices online or in threads is because those people buy base foam from FBM/JC penny Foam/ or other cheap HD-Lux Foams. Then throw a FBM latex topper or memory foam on top. It's impossible to buy lower quality materials.....the cheapest you can get, THIS is what you get when you buy stuff from costco. Thats not for me, I would rather have all quality components. The lowest quality component I have in my mattress is FBM latex and judging by the pictures here its quality is decent compared to FBM Lux-foam/memory foam quality. Probably because you can't really screw up rubber/gum, it all comes imported from china/asia anyways, they just pour it into molds here in the USA. Actual HR foam from foamex that has a warrenty is not cheap. Thats how you save money and why you think we are spending a lot ordering FBM latex + memory foam + HR foam. Imagine the price on actual latex beds....that dont use FBM latex, jesus your talking $2000 for just the mattress with nothing else, no box sping, no nice hardwood base nothing, just the mattress. This message was modified Apr 9, 2009 by Phalse
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