You hear about memory foam (MF) beds everywhere these days. People are making claims about them being a miracle cure for back pain while a select few of them claim the odors are toxic. One thing for sure, these foam beds are hear to stay. If you also suffer from morning back pain as I did, caused by a bad bed, then you most likely can benefit from a visco elastic foam bed.
Despite what many believe, a bad mattress can be the cause of lower back pain, especially as we grow older. Year after year my lower back pain increased every morning. I could not figure why. I did no heavy lifting that was damaging to my back and I worked in an office environment. Eventually I discovered the cause, a conventional mattress that had a very slight concave bowl-like shape to it.
I was determined to try one of these foam beds but the cost was too high for me. Thousands of dollars for just a piece of foam. I could not understand why they were so expensive. Since I was always the type to look for bargains and do-it-yourself ideas, I did a little research and found out I could make one myself and save thousands of dollars. Not manufacture the foam mind you, but buy the separate layers of foam from wholesalers.
This space-age foam has been around for a while now and there are many reputable companies manufacturing and selling memory foam at wholesale prices to the public. But, you will have to educate yourself a little to ensure you buy the right kind of memory foam.
A high quality mattress usually consists of four or more layers. The first bottom layer will be a firm base of conventional foam at a minimum of four inches thick. Next is a simple egg crate layer also of conventional foam to provide some air ventilation. The third layer is memory foam, typically 3 inches thick with a density of at least 5 pounds per cubic foot. On top this you may want another layer of memory foam, for example a 2 inch thick layer with a density of about 3 - 4 pounds per cubic foot. This fourth layer is optional as some people will prefer only the 3 inch 5 pound foam layer on top. This is dependent on personal preference.
And lastly, you must have a solid platform frame for a memory foam bed to function properly. When my little foam bed project was finished I spent a total of about $600 for the foam mattress and platform frame. A similar bed at a retail store could easily have cost over $2,000.
Save money, do it yourself. See how you can put together a memory foam bed. Free complete detailed instructions, pictures, resources plus plans on how to make the platform bed.
