Latex Mattresses:

Latex Bed Information!

What is a latex foam bed? Latex mattresses are made of a combination of synthetic latex and natural latex. The combination of the the natural and synthetic latex are said to make the core more resiliant. Latex mattresses generally have holes in them, called pincore holes. These holes allow the latex mattress to soften and become more comfortable, as well as help the bed breathe better. Some latex beds will have different size holes in the mattress to control firmness. Latex beds can be made by two methods. The first is the talalay process, which is the more advanced method. This involves several different procedures, including chilling the foam at -20* F. The talalay process makes the foam core much more durable. The second method is id the dunlop method. This involves pouring the latex into a mold and than cooked in a specialized oven. Most latex beds have 4lbs/ sq ft density, and a 5"-6" latex foam core. Very popular in Europe, latex beds are supposed to be the next "memory foam" for the US. Companies such as Sealy are even producing latex mattresses. Like memory foam beds, latex beds can last for years without sagging. Latex beds are also considered to breathe well due to the pinholes mentioned above. Natural or Synthetic? Although this might seem like a straightforward question, it is not. Natural latex beds were made for many years in the 1960's, but began to fall apart and their latex cores broke down to dust. Today, latex mattresses are generally made with a combination of synthetic and natural latex. This allows the mattress to maintain its given shape and resiliance for many years. Some manufacturers in other countries still make all natural latex mattresses, but these products are not considerd to be as good as the blended beds.  Although a very good product, latex beds don't provide the pressure relief of a memory foam mattress. Some people choose to fix this by adding a memory foam mattress topper for the best of both worlds. Other companies have begun to produce hybrid latex foam and memory foam mattresses to provide an even better and durable mattress.