mattress foam?

[byhammerandhand]

Spent the last week sleeping on our travel trailer's (so called) mattress and ended up with backaches.   So SO says we need to do something.   Tried a "topper" that had good ratings, but after a few nights, I now sleep in a ditch.   It's an RV-Queen, a really odd-sized (as wide as a queen, as long as a full, and large radius corners on one end).  While we could buy a new one, word on the street is they all suck and are expensive.

So I'm looking at the option of getting a large piece of foam, cut to shape and wrapping it in dacron, then cloth cover like a giant seat cushion.  If you were to do this, what thickness and rating would you use?   We like a fairly firm mattress and I'm a big, tall guy (220 lb, 6'5")

We are investigating other options but have heard that memory foam is hot in hot weather and hard as a rock in cold weather (this week was 30F one night, so we do camp cold, too).

Thoughts or suggestions?  Any of you RV or Boat guys do something like this?

[sofadoc]

I sell foam to customers for this very purpose all the time. Usually, they just want to buy the foam, so they can wrap a sheet around it. They always want something firm.

I sell a piece that is 2.7 density. 50 lbs. compression. Thickness and length/width varies, depending on the customer's budget. Their jaw drops to the floor when I quote them a price. Most customers come in thinking they can get a 6" queen size piece for about 50 bucks.

But they always seem to be happy with 2.7/50.

[Rich]

We had a 92 Sunline travel trailer that had the original steel coil spring full size mattress. It had a musty smell, so I replaced all the padding and made a new cover. I also strengthened the platform (as you know, no box springs in most travel trailers) to minimize flex. NG, it felt terrible. Next, I tossed the old mattress and replaced it with an all foam unit someone had replaced from a relatively new motor home. NG on that one as well. Then, I decided to make my own from layers of foam. Higher density on the bottom, progressively softer going up to the top. I don't remember the densities I used, it's been a few years. That one was good for the first night, left my wife with backaches after that. I didn't mind it too much, but it wasn't the best for comfort and support. I am 6' 175 lbs, my wife is less.
Recently, our daughter and son-in-law became the new owners of that trailer and I'm hoping that because they are shorter and slim, they both will get a decent night's sleep on that foam mattress.

We purchased a 2007 Sunline to replace the old one and to our great surprise, the factory "queen size" coil spring mattress is firm and gives a good night's sleep night. We've only been out in it three weekends so far, so do not have a full week's experience, but with two good nights, we're hoping it's a good sign of good multiple nights comfort.

My point is that it is possible to find a coil spring mattress that you can get a good sleep on.
Remember the motor home mattress? The person I got the foam mattress from said her husband was a RV salesman and it was his experience that a latex foam mattress used in many high end motor homes was the way to go. That's why I got their old one. So, maybe that is the way to go.
That's my experience.
Rich

[kodydog]

Pup up campers are notorious for using really cheap foam. On ours we added a 2" layer of 18/33 and this seems to work fine.

Problem is everyone has his or her own idea of what the perfect mattress should feel like. If you like firm go with what Sofa suggested. I like one that is inbetween firm and soft. Also, keep in mind the thicker you go the firmer it will feel. A 4" mattress may feel fine but get a 6" in the same density and it will feel much firmer.

We made a mattress for a futon. We mixed it up a bit and used 3" firm and a layer of 2" medium added to each side. Then a layer of Dacron top and bottom. Very comphy.

To follow what Rich said. In the 80's we had a hide-a-bed with an inner spring mattress. It was the only comfortable hide-a bed mattress I have ever slept on.

[Darren Henry]

I'd try to get you a deal through work Keith, but the shipping would kill any savings I got you.

There is certainly a lot of variances in RV mattresses. I spend a fair bit of time over in the RV shop when I'm caught up and you see some good ones,some fair,and a lot of poor ones.

Being the size of a fart and having spend 12 years in the CF, I could sleep on a gunny sack full of grenades and
bayonets (kinda like my late MIL's hide a bed), but I agree with 'Doc...sorta. I can't justify the expense of 2.7lb foam for a bed that isn't used 365 nights a year. I use the same 2.2lb foam I use for furniture. I used 4" when I did my slide in and Winnie and I both really like the feel. If I had to do it again though, I'd probably keep the extra inch of head room and settle for 3".

The general rule of thumb at work is;
>designated bed---4"
>dinette or adult bunk---3"
>child's bunk or budget concerns 2"

I've got a sheet of 2" that I used when I was on the road all the time after I closed my shop. I've ridden many a rug and slept in a tent with it quite comfortably.

Rich has a good point about "beefing up" the substrate. I've seen units that have nothing more than 1/8" panelling on >24" spans to support two people. Makes me nervous to kneel on them while I winterize the camper.

I'd suggest gluing up a 4" prototype on the cutting table and camping in the shop one night and go from there. You can experiment with 6" or different top layers etc... until you find the exact right feel for you.

[Darren Henry]

then cloth cover like a giant seat cushion.

Your timing is perfect. I'm in the middle of making 6 mattresses for a travel trailer we just bought for our rental fleet and the dinette cushions for my motorhome are still sitting on the couch. I'd like to share how I've been making these for the last couple of years:

I cut my foam 1" larger than the opening. I then cut a bottom plate the same size as the foam. [I prefer to use the same fabric as the face so that it is reversible, but most manufacturers use vinyl]. The other piece I cut is the top plate,sides, and ends all in one. Math to follow. I cut a square out of each corner and then start sewing. One long edge of each piece is glued and folded over 1/2" and sewn to #4 aluminum cushion zipper. The two outside corners are then sewn closed and I start at one inside corner, then around the cushion,and across the last corner.

Here's the math for the top piece. I lay out my first one step by step and then use over all measurements for the rest. The ones for work will finish 74X30 on 3" foam, so I'll use those numbers.

From your square edge, (thickness of the foam-1/2") is a cut mark. In this case 2 1/2" so the seam will be 3" long on the corner. Your next mark is a cut line (finished length/width +1" for seam allowances). Add your 2 1/2" and cut the fabric off the roll. Cut out your other corners and sew 'er up. In this example the top plate/sides will be 80" (2 1/2+75+2 1/2) by 36" (2 1/2+31+2 1/2). The finished cushion will be 74X30X2 1/2.

I hope I've explained it so that someone who hasn't seen this can follow along. It's fast, there is no pattern matching, and not as much sewing.

[byhammerandhand]

Thanks all.  Will continue to investigate.  My jaw dropped, too, when I priced the foam  at that size from my local supplier.

I remember buying a mattress a number of hears ago and the first thing the salesman asked was, "Do you like to sleep on your mattress or in your mattress."   They had about 8 levels of firmness.

We have some foam mattresses from IKEA that we bought for a cheap mattress for the visiting grandchildren's bunk beds.  May test drive that before making a decision.

[MinUph]

I know you mentioned the hot and cold of memory foam but we bought a mattress topper at Wallyworld and never slept better on anything. It was 2" of medium foam and 2" of memory foam. And it was only $99.00

[gene]

Darren: I like your way of doing that. If there is no welt cord, there is no need to sew the boxing to the top and bottom panels. You've got a great idea there. It does put the zipper at one edge, instead of in the middle of the boxing. But with the zipper in the back by the wall it shouldn't be an issue.

On big box cushions where the owner will be taking the covers off to wash occasionally, I like to put a zipper down the full length and maybe 1/2 the way up on each side. This makes it really easy to pull the cushion out and put it back in.

Darren: It looks like I could do this with a zipper using your method. Correct?

I hope I'm understanding your method correctly.

Also, remember to pre wash the fabric before sewing since the cover will probably be getting washed at some point in the future. Shrinkage.

gene

[Darren Henry]

I like to put a zipper down the full length and maybe 1/2 the way up on each side. This makes it really easy to pull the cushion out and put it back in.

Darren: It looks like I could do this with a zipper using your method. Correct?

I don't know how you would transition from sewn seam to zipper in the middle of a side like that without having a raw edge of fabric. I don't find them difficult to stuff with the zipper ending in the corner seams.

We have some foam mattresses from IKEA that we bought for a cheap mattress for the visiting grandchildren's bunk beds.

That would be slick if they are comfortable. You're not likely to need them in both places at once.

[sofadoc]

My wife just recently went to a mattress store and bought a new set for our bedroom. She paid $1200 for the set.

After just 2 nights, I already feel like I'm sleeping in a ditch. I have to roll uphill just to turn over. It's way less comfortable than our previous set that was nearly 20 years old.

This led me to think. We've all discussed how the market is so flooded with cheap furniture, that most people really have no concept of what quality furniture even is anymore. They think a $500 sofa is a good one.

I think there is an even greater misconception in the mattress biz. There are so many "Bargain Bonanza" type mattress stores dotting the landscape, that most people really don't know how to look for a quality mattress. Their only option is to take the friendly advice of that nice salesman at the mattress store.

BTW that commercial where the mattress delivery guys claim that your old mattress "practically" doubles in weight every 15 years just from dirt and dust mites is a total crock. I seriously doubt that a 15 year old mattress weighs any noticeable amount more than it did when it was new. None of them that I've ever moved around felt even slightly heavier.

[byhammerandhand]

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/mattresses/buying-guide.htm

[brmax]

That's some good consumer information, as the norm I like and get a kick out of the studies they make.
From what I'm hearing mentioned most of the time, if the choice is going towards foam a quick question maybe is the bunk used in other task, like in RV's dining or general seating possibilities.
I'm gathering this from here with you all and someone else that made and sold foam as a family business, much is following what was already repeated here. So in a bunk only, most of the choice leans to 4" minimum  2540, 3540 even better (2.5-40, 3.5-40). I believe a use like dining and bunk area would be 3".
Small holes in foam prove best quality and if using your fingernails (if ya have any) and scratch the foam the rubber feeling of grab is better quality than lower quality having a dry response to this general method.
Some feel memory foam is tough to move around actually, this might be a reason of different layers sometimes. Just for mention one of mine has purchased a 6" foam top mattress several years ago and I have helped or moved it "alone" and this is not recommended much believe me get some advil these or this one is serious, serious heavy.
Not meaning to stray off here, can some mention if and how some foam colors are used, this I'm lost.

Good day there
Floyd