Maybe I'll laughed out of this forum the day after joining.  But I have to ask. Waterbed bladders: Now I am thinking of the plain old bladder types without baffles or anti-wave "stuff", are pretty tough. After all, they hold lots of weight in water. Is there any reason these bladders wouldn't hold air??? Is there some molecular thing I couldn't begin to understand, why they would leak air? Air means no weight. Air means no heater. Air means easy add and subtract for firmness. Something we tried a year ago: Someone we know was giving away a waterbed of the type that consisted of a foam and upholstered base with 7 individual tubes to fill with water. We took the freebie. Before my husband was available to help me with the water, I filled the tubes with air to be sure none were leaking before we put water in them. None leaked and I laid on the tubes and that is when this air idea entered my mind. Long story short, when we did the water filling, it was too firm for me. When removing water to a softness I preferred, I bottomed out. (I am a heavy person.) These tubes had perhaps a 7" diameter when filled. End of experiment .(Although I don't know why I didn't go back to air. I guess I figured I would bottom out on that, too.) So what do you think? Different bladder, (single piece,thicker available, I presume) foam topper over. Can I create a DIY air bed??? |
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You could maybe use air in a softside waterbed mattress with, as you described, multiple tubes that are surrounded by materials that make it look like a traditional mattress. This would NOT work with a hardside waterbed mattress - IMO. However - don't laugh - have you considered trying a new model hardside waterbed mattress with water in it?? Depends on how you define being a "heavy person" - are you talking two to three hundred pounds or are you heavier than that? The latest designs/engineering of hardside waterbed mattresses make them suitable and VERY comfortable for most people with firmness adjustable by adding or removing a little water. I can't imagine anyone finding a properly filled hardside waterbed mattress as too firm but we combined our latest waterbed mattress with a three inch thick semi-firm Cloud9 topper and once we adjusted the mattress to the exact firmness we wanted it is without question the most comfortable - supportive without being too firm - mattress that we could ever imagine finding. But sure, if you can inflate the softside mattress with air and it feels comfortable to you and the mattress was a "freebie" the by all means give it a shot. Best of Luck |
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The freebie waterbed-with-tubes experiment is over, as I passed the thing on to another family. "Air means no weight. Air means no heater. Air means easy add and subtract for firmness." Those are the reasons for my asking about air in the WB mattress. I do fall in between the 200 to 300 weight range. Unfortunately on the shady side of 250.  My research of air beds has found some starting to skimp on the depth of the air bladders. If they are making it up with foam, I may as well buy a bed made out of foam. Imjay, I am a cheerleader for waterbeds from past experience. Why I don't just go buy one now is this: 20 years ago these old joints and muscles were a lot less prone to pain. I am a side sleeper exclusively. Hip pain, and shoulder pain are my bed partners now. What to do, what to do...? I suffer from information overload! |