Memory foam mattress

[Chris Rosenberger]

Our 4 year old granddaughter is out growing a child bed I built for her a couple of years ago.
I have an antique bed that we would like to fix up for her, but it is an odd size. The mattress space measures 38" X 72".
We looked into getting a custom mattress made, but the cost was to high.
I saw a Menards add for a twin size memory foam mattresses. It got me to thinking if one of those could be cut down to the size of the small bed we have.
Are they just a big chunk of foam?

[Ben Hatcher]

Yup. Most are two layers. The bottom is a stiffer open cell foam and the top is 1-5" of memory foam depending on the quality of the mattress. Generally, the thicker the memory foam part the more comfortable it is, but also the more difficult it is to get in and out of since you'll essentially sink into a dent the depth of the memory layer.

[Mark Patoka]

We just bought a queen size memory foam mattress for our guest bedroom. Ours has a fabric covering, like a giant pillowcase that is zippered, covering it but it is just a big block of foam that you should easily be able to cut to size. Ours was delivered completely compressed and rolled up but when you unroll it and cut the plastic covering, it begins to expand to full size. I think it would be a good option for you.

[Chris Rosenberger]

Thanks Ben & Mark. That is the way we will go.

[Ben Hatcher]

an electric knife is the easiest way to cut foam.

[Belinda Barfield]

Or a hot wire cutter, but who has one of those just sitting around? It could probably be cut by waterjet as well.

[Tim Morton]

an electric knife is the easiest way to cut foam.

why not a bandsaw??? :D

[Roderick Gentry]

I have a wire saw, it is basically just transformer and a neo... whatever wire, very cool, once every 10 years. But one has to be careful they give off a lot of gasses when you burn, sorta like the matresses. I have one of the pillows it offgassed for a while, and once having been in a store fire that started when a space set a small plastic waste paper basket on fire, and the fumes from just that were massive... I try to avoid plastics in the house, but it is hard.

[Joel Goodman]

I believe the pros use something like a bandsaw or jigsaw with a knife like blade (no serrations).