Mattress Surgery Help?
May 14, 2010 11:49 PM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23
I've was looking for a new mattress and in my search came across this site. I was just looking for something to give me a better night’s sleep, something to help me feel more rested in the morning. I tend to toss and turn a lot.  I saw the posts about mattress surgery and figured if I was going to throw out my mattress why not try some surgery first. My mattress is a 2002 Simmons mattress. I figured I'd just remove everything and was left with just the coils which are in very good condition.  As everyone else who has done surgery has noticed there is nothing but cheap foam in the mattress. This was a non flip mattress. On the bottom was 3/4 of an inch of light PU foam. The top had a thin fabric on top of the coils, then the same 3/4 inch light weight foam. On top of that was a 1 additional inch of the same foam. The top layer is comprised of a thin soft egg crate piece, a very soft 1/2 inch foam piece and some fabric all sewn together. I'm trying to figure out what layers to put on top of it. Right now I have the cheap 3/4 inch foam that came with the bed, and a 1 inch latex (32 ILD from FBM). Feels pretty good but can feel the springs a little bit. What good HR foam should I put between the 1" latex and the springs so I don't feel them? I don't want to put too much HR foam and take away from the feel of the springs; I just don't want to feel the springs. I am very happy with the feel of the latex from FBM so I intend to order the HR foam from them. Should I get LUX HQ ,HD36 HQ, LUX Reg - and how thick? Really just looking for the thinnest amount so as to not change the feel of the springs but to not feel the springs, if that makes sense. The 3/4" cheap compresses so much it’s like it’s not there. . Eventually I’m also planning on getting an additional 1" of latex 20ILD on top of the 1" latex 32ILD I have now. I like the feel of latex. The 1" pieces of latex compress a lot and feels soft so I doubt 2" total will be enough to not feel the springs. Definitely think I need this piece of HR foam after the springs. Any recomendations would be appreciated.
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #8 May 15, 2010 7:27 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
coir is best.  but its probably hard to find it rubberized which you would really want or its gonna shed all over the place. 

a thin layer of any fibre like cotton and a really tough fabric like berlap to put over it perhaps would also suffice

Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #9 May 17, 2010 4:35 AM
Location: L.A. area
Joined: Jan 18, 2008
Points: 1161
jasesun23 wrote:

Thank you for your help. I'm going to get a piece of 1/2 inch LUX HQ as that is the thinest HR foam that FBM sells. I still have the very thin sheet of abbrasive resistant fabric that was orignal  over the springs to protect the piece of foam I am going . Any other recomendations besides "coconut coir or rubberized coconut coir" to place on the bottom side of the springs. I'm would like to put my allergy encasement back on but definitly don't want to rip it. In retrospect I should of only removed the top of the mattress but too late to think about that.


Sealy uses a 1/4" or so of memory foam over the springs on some beds.

I am currently using a 1/2" of memory foam on top of my Bonnell coils to soften them a bit and to not ruin the latex on top of them.

Even with Bonnell coils, 2" can be enough for some people. Depends on your weight and so on. I'm using the 1/2" of memory foam, then 3/4" of latex and then .9" of latex and then a 2" wool topper that compresses down to about 1/2". So that's all in all, a padding of less than 2 and 1/4" of foam and then the wool on top of that, and the 1/2" of memory foam probably can count as about 1/4" as it compresses down into the springs...


I am guessing they are not heavy gauge springs if it's a simmons - probably 13 gauge at best, or even 14 gauge. Am I right, Budgy? If that's the case, the springs may not need that much more than 2" of padding. Then again, it's all a personal preference.

Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #10 May 17, 2010 10:07 AM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23
Thanks for the reply Jim. I'd put a picture up of the coil system but I don't think the forum will host a picture, I would have to put in up on another site and then link it. After reading a little bit about coils I'm pretty sure this is a cheaper bonnell system. The coils are individual pieces of wire laid out in rows. It’s not one piece per row so it is not a continuous and there is no fabric so it is not a pocket coil. The wires do not look that thick but I cannot with certainty tell the gauge. The mattress was only 400 or so dollars when I got it, I doubt it’s anything good, was also 8 years ago. I'm looking for a better night’s sleep so why not try the surgery. It is kind of fun opening it up and seeing how companies use cheap stuff and then sell it for a lots of money. Plus buying layers in 1" increments you can find what works the best for you. Since I am really just playing around with this I'm trying not to spend that much money. This is the reason I'm using FBM is they are very competitively priced. So for my budget mattress surgery I'm going to end up with the coil system (already had), 1" 32IDL latex ($80 FBM) , 1"20 IDL latex ($75 FBM) , cuddlebed ($35 Costco). The cuddlebed is not foam correct? Its just polyester fibers like my pillows from what i understand.  The only missing piece is the layer between the latex and the springs. 2 inches of latex and then the springs will not work for me. It’s not that it is uncomfortable, it’s just that the latex compresses enough that I can feel the outline of the springs. So that is where the 1/2" layer of HR foam would come in. I know you said some companies put memory foam as this layer. In my mind memory foam would compress more than the HR Foam and not do that job as well. It would also cost a lot more. The main job of this layer would be to prevent the layers of latex from sinking through the spaces in the wires while minimally affecting the firmness/softness of the actual set up.. For a second I was thinking just to put some corrugated cardboard as the layer above the springs. Do you think the HR foam is a bad idea? I know you are not a fan.
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #11 May 17, 2010 10:10 AM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23
Probably just going to return the cuddlebed as soon as i get it. I'm really liking the feel of the latex. Springy and soft at the same time. And I don't think it sleeps hot at all.
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #12 May 17, 2010 5:06 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
jimsocal wrote:


Sealy uses a 1/4" or so of memory foam over the springs on some beds.

I am currently using a 1/2" of memory foam on top of my Bonnell coils to soften them a bit and to not ruin the latex on top of them.

Even with Bonnell coils, 2" can be enough for some people. Depends on your weight and so on. I'm using the 1/2" of memory foam, then 3/4" of latex and then .9" of latex and then a 2" wool topper that compresses down to about 1/2". So that's all in all, a padding of less than 2 and 1/4" of foam and then the wool on top of that, and the 1/2" of memory foam probably can count as about 1/4" as it compresses down into the springs...


I am guessing they are not heavy gauge springs if it's a simmons - probably 13 gauge at best, or even 14 gauge. Am I right, Budgy? If that's the case, the springs may not need that much more than 2" of padding. Then again, it's all a personal preference.


in this case based on the age of the mattress and that it is not an independent spring I think there is a very high chance he has a 608 coil count bonnell spring (queen size count)...likely a 14 gauge of wire.  although Simmons has gone back and forth over the years with these coils between a 5 turn or 6 turn coil...not sure which of the two he would have.  Again with a photo I think I know Simmons well enough that I could tell you exactly what you got. 

Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #13 May 18, 2010 8:17 AM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23
Out of curiosity I counted the springs. Head to toe the rows have 30 coils. Left to right the rows have 26 coils each. Assuming all rows are equal (only counted two rows each way) I come up with 780 coils. Also the springs don't really have an hourglass shape. The look to be twisted the same circumference from bottom to top.
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #14 May 18, 2010 11:17 AM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
what size of mattress is this?
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #15 May 18, 2010 12:05 PM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23
Ah forgot that key point. It is a queen sized mattress.
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #16 May 18, 2010 12:24 PM
Joined: Dec 17, 2009
Points: 850
hrrrm may be a continuous coil in the end....guess there are some differences in the product in the states and canada. 
Re: Mattress Surgery Help?
Reply #17 May 18, 2010 1:14 PM
Joined: May 14, 2010
Points: 23

 

 

Guess this would have been the easiest way from the start. Is this a continuous coil? I through from researching a continuous coil was a single wire along a whole row. Each coil is made from a single cut piece of wire and is held to the next coil with additional wire. Sorry these were the best pictures my camera phone could get.

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