How are latex foam beds made?
Sometimes during the process of shopping for a latex bed you will hear about Talalay foam or the Talalay process. Talalay latex foam beds are just latex manufactured using a different process, called the Talalay process. This process whips latex into a foam just like other processes, but instead of pouring it into a mold, the foam is injected using a vacuum process that is supposed to result in a more uniform cell structure. You'll have to try it for yourself to see if it really makes a difference.
What are the characteristics of foam used in mattresses?
Resilience for foam is the measure of its springiness. It is measured by determining the percent rebound of a steel ball dropped from a height of three feet. Mattress foams should range from 40% to 70% resilience. Other factors like Compression Set, the permanent deformation of foam due to usage, Static Fatigue, the relative degree of softening over the products life, and Tensile Strength the greatest stress in pounds per square inch that foam can bear without rupture are also considerations when purchasing foam for a latex foam bed.
Latex foam beds versus memory foam beds
In spite of the fact that latex foam beds are made with an ¡°older¡± technology¡ªplain old latex rubber¡ªthey represent a newer trend in mattresses. Natural latex beds are growing to rival memory foam beds in terms of comfort and support. They have already become very popular in Europe and the trend seems to be coming to America as well.
What is a latex foam bed
A latex foam bed should not be confused with a memory foam bed. They are also called natural latex bed or simply a latex bed. Unlike memory foam beds, latex beds are made of latex, which is essentially the stuff that comes from rubber trees. However, back in World War II scientists learned to make synthetic latex that is chemically identical. Memory foam, by contrast is a more modern invention and is entirely synthetic.
Holes in my mattress?
One distinguishing feature of latext foam beds or latex vac bed is a bunch of small holes in the mattress. These are called pincore holes. They are used to adjust the softness of the latex and can be of different sizes depending on the kind of mattress. Most natural latex beds have a uniform size of pincore holes throughout, but others use different sizes to create different zones that are softer or firmer.
Build your own latex bed
Some latex foam beds are made of different layers of latex foam in different densities and thicknesses. Sometimes you can find a company that will help you design your own latex bed by helping you select the layers you want for the kind of sleep you are looking for. One downside is that you may have to assemble your natural latex bed at home, but this usually turns out to be pretty easy. Ask your local dealer about building your own custom latex bed.
How is firmness measured?
The Indentation Load Deflection or ILD is the foam industry's unit of measure to express a degree of firmness. Based upon a calculation that determines how much a fifty square inch indenter must weigh to compress a 4-inch thick piece of foam to three inches (known as the 25% ILD reading), and how much a fifty square inch indenter must weigh to compress a 4-inch thick piece of foam to 1.4 inches (known as the 65% ILD reading), the ideal ILD reading for a latex foam bed mattress would be 25 to 40 pounds at 25%, and 45 to 100 pounds at 65%.