I never even knew this was a thing. But genuine question, why would you do this? I read the reddit post, and they go over the how, but not the why. I totally understand the appeal of DIYing things, but mattresses are so incredibly important to your sleep quality, so going the DIY route on them seems a bit questionable.
And looking at all the parts you would require and their costs (esp since most prices on those sites exclude shipping), it seems like no matter how bare-bones you go it will still end up being rather expensive... so you likely won't save much money over a traditional mattress, and might even end up paying way more than one. Also, if you mess up and your DIY mattress turns out terrible, all that money has basically gone down the drain. Although I suppose you could always just replace one of the layers in your DIY to try again so its not a total waste. But at least with traditional mattresses there is typically a decent return period, so you can test them out adequately, and a bunch of brands even have total money-back guarantees.
p.s. Kind funny seeing this topic so shortly after the top comment in the "What is worth the splurge to you" topic included a mention of mattresses. :P
Unlike cfabbro above, I knew this is a thing some people do before seeing this post. I've got the same opinion he does, though: unless you know you'll enjoy the process of putting together a new mattress this way, I'd recommend just buying one of the premade ones instead. If just because that would mean only needing to go through a return/dump process for unwanted or unsuitable mattress 'stuff' once per assembled mattress.
Did you end up effectively buying multiple mattresses worth of components trying to dial it in?
I think you would likely end up doing this unless you have lots of experience with mattress DIY materials. You sound like you don't have that experience, so unless you're ready to accept that it'll be a process and you'll have some waste or unused stuff sitting around once you're finally satisfied with your end product, I would highly recommend going premade.
I've done this. The purchase experience of my DIY mattress was not that complicated. The main downside was waiting for delivery and unpacking everything. After everything is decompressed and aired out it takes less time to put together than it takes to make a bed. It's a giant sandwich.
Why I went DIY
My main reason for doing so was because I usually buy stuff online. Shopping for ready-made mattresses seemed confusing because there were too many options but they never really differentiated offerings in terms of technical aspects. It seemed mostly about who could spend the most marketing money and it is difficult to know what you are really getting. Mattress stores solve this problem but this was during covid times and I was feeling socially anxious so I never actually checked whether any mattress stores were open...
What did I get?
Everyone has different tastes and despite being relatively young (I'm in my late 20s) I have slept on probably more than 80 beds in the past ten years and I know from experience that I don't like memory foam or water beds. One makes me too hot and one makes me too cold. From spending ~30 mins reading in /r/mattressses it seemed like latex was the ideal material for me. I ordered from Latex Mattress Factory because it had the best deals/reviews at the time.
Dunlop Latex Mattress Topper Soft (19 ILD)
Dunlop Latex Mattress Topper Medium (28 ILD)
Quantum® 8" Edge Elite Pocketed Coil
Natural Quilted Cover
Adjustable bed base
In total it was $734. If I were to do it again I wouldn't spend $223 on the Quilted Cover. That was way overkill. I'm sure there are cheaper options for that. I should note that this is only a Twin XL as my plan was/is to get another Twin XL and then merge them into one mega-bed after my wife gets her visa approved in the next 1-2 years.
Would I do it again? Yes. It is the definition of comfort and not just due to the IKEA effect. I can really tell the difference between latex mattresses and other mattresses.
DIY is about customization but I think it only makes sense for certain types of mattress materials. In the US mattresses must comply with federal mattress flammability standards. I wouldn't have done DIY mattress if I preferred fiberglass mattresses or something like that. If you prefer hard beds you could DIY a bamboo bed/mattress pretty easily too and depending where you live that might only a few hours of labor and some kind donations from a neighbor.
But especially the adjustable bed part. It's a game changer. Acid reflux? Just make the whole bed slightly tilted. Stomach ache / back ache? Turn on vibrate mode. Doesn't always make me feel better but it works surprisingly well when it does. It's the definition of convenience.
We got our latex mattress from sleepEZ, which lets you customize the layers but has the convenience of delivering it all in one go, from one manufacturer.
Not directly related, but I feel it's worth mentioning to anyone getting into the weeds of mattresses. Try sleeping a few nights on an extremely basic (continuous coil, little to no padding), firm spring mattress. They're cheap, maximally breathable, and last a long time. From a first principles perspective, it shouldn't be that difficult for the human body to get quality sleep, and this is the type of surface that we've evolved to sleep on. I've slept much better ever since getting one and even my parents have benefitted from switching.
Not completely DIY, but along the same lines. Bought a latex mattress from Arizona Premium Mattress online and love it. It is ten years old and no sagging in the middle. Super comfortable, by far the best mattress I've ever slept on.
There is also the mattress underground forum that has tons of info not only on store bought but also DIY mattresses. You may have more luck there especially for specific questions.
I never even knew this was a thing. But genuine question, why would you do this? I read the reddit post, and they go over the how, but not the why. I totally understand the appeal of DIYing things, but mattresses are so incredibly important to your sleep quality, so going the DIY route on them seems a bit questionable.
And looking at all the parts you would require and their costs (esp since most prices on those sites exclude shipping), it seems like no matter how bare-bones you go it will still end up being rather expensive... so you likely won't save much money over a traditional mattress, and might even end up paying way more than one. Also, if you mess up and your DIY mattress turns out terrible, all that money has basically gone down the drain. Although I suppose you could always just replace one of the layers in your DIY to try again so its not a total waste. But at least with traditional mattresses there is typically a decent return period, so you can test them out adequately, and a bunch of brands even have total money-back guarantees.
p.s. Kind funny seeing this topic so shortly after the top comment in the "What is worth the splurge to you" topic included a mention of mattresses. :P
Unlike cfabbro above, I knew this is a thing some people do before seeing this post. I've got the same opinion he does, though: unless you know you'll enjoy the process of putting together a new mattress this way, I'd recommend just buying one of the premade ones instead. If just because that would mean only needing to go through a return/dump process for unwanted or unsuitable mattress 'stuff' once per assembled mattress.
I think you would likely end up doing this unless you have lots of experience with mattress DIY materials. You sound like you don't have that experience, so unless you're ready to accept that it'll be a process and you'll have some waste or unused stuff sitting around once you're finally satisfied with your end product, I would highly recommend going premade.
I've done this. The purchase experience of my DIY mattress was not that complicated. The main downside was waiting for delivery and unpacking everything. After everything is decompressed and aired out it takes less time to put together than it takes to make a bed. It's a giant sandwich.
Why I went DIY
My main reason for doing so was because I usually buy stuff online. Shopping for ready-made mattresses seemed confusing because there were too many options but they never really differentiated offerings in terms of technical aspects. It seemed mostly about who could spend the most marketing money and it is difficult to know what you are really getting. Mattress stores solve this problem but this was during covid times and I was feeling socially anxious so I never actually checked whether any mattress stores were open...
What did I get?
Everyone has different tastes and despite being relatively young (I'm in my late 20s) I have slept on probably more than 80 beds in the past ten years and I know from experience that I don't like memory foam or water beds. One makes me too hot and one makes me too cold. From spending ~30 mins reading in /r/mattressses it seemed like latex was the ideal material for me. I ordered from Latex Mattress Factory because it had the best deals/reviews at the time.
In total it was $734. If I were to do it again I wouldn't spend $223 on the Quilted Cover. That was way overkill. I'm sure there are cheaper options for that. I should note that this is only a Twin XL as my plan was/is to get another Twin XL and then merge them into one mega-bed after my wife gets her visa approved in the next 1-2 years.
Would I do it again? Yes. It is the definition of comfort and not just due to the IKEA effect. I can really tell the difference between latex mattresses and other mattresses.
DIY is about customization but I think it only makes sense for certain types of mattress materials. In the US mattresses must comply with federal mattress flammability standards. I wouldn't have done DIY mattress if I preferred fiberglass mattresses or something like that. If you prefer hard beds you could DIY a bamboo bed/mattress pretty easily too and depending where you live that might only a few hours of labor and some kind donations from a neighbor.
But especially the adjustable bed part. It's a game changer. Acid reflux? Just make the whole bed slightly tilted. Stomach ache / back ache? Turn on vibrate mode. Doesn't always make me feel better but it works surprisingly well when it does. It's the definition of convenience.
We got our latex mattress from sleepEZ, which lets you customize the layers but has the convenience of delivering it all in one go, from one manufacturer.
Highly recommend it.
Not directly related, but I feel it's worth mentioning to anyone getting into the weeds of mattresses. Try sleeping a few nights on an extremely basic (continuous coil, little to no padding), firm spring mattress. They're cheap, maximally breathable, and last a long time. From a first principles perspective, it shouldn't be that difficult for the human body to get quality sleep, and this is the type of surface that we've evolved to sleep on. I've slept much better ever since getting one and even my parents have benefitted from switching.
Not completely DIY, but along the same lines. Bought a latex mattress from Arizona Premium Mattress online and love it. It is ten years old and no sagging in the middle. Super comfortable, by far the best mattress I've ever slept on.
There is also the mattress underground forum that has tons of info not only on store bought but also DIY mattresses. You may have more luck there especially for specific questions.