Foam is a crucial factor in the comfort of your seating tastes, whether it be a piece of furniture, a window seat cushion a topper for a bed or any of the 1000's of other uses you may have for it.
It is also quite expensive so being armed with
a little education and an idea of the best choice for you makes your
investment in new foam a more beneficial one for you.
Below is a short Glossary of common terms and definitions in the arena of foam. There are more but these are the ones that clients should be the most aware of.
CONVOLUTED FOAM - Convoluted simply implies special cutting equipment that produces a foam sheet resembling an 'egg carton'. The peaks in a piece of convoluted foam can vary from 1/2" up to 4". It is most commonly used in mattress cores and custom lamination applications. Adds softness. Email me for more info on these foams.
DENSITY - Density is one of the most important terms to be familiar with. It measures Quality NOT Firmness. The higher the first two numbers, the better the quality. In regard to the foam numbers listed on Creative Thread Arts .com, it is the first two digits, i.e. a 2235 foam has a density of 2.2 lbs per cubic foot. In other words, a better quality foam. Higher Density polyurethane foams are less likely to "bottom out", "fatigue" or "dish".
DISH - An undesired effect that tends to occur when weight is placed in the center of the foam and the quality of the foam core is not enough to sustain the repeated usage. This hammock effect can make your cushion less attractive and certainly less comfortable.
FATIGUE - (Also called Flex Fatigue) A loss of firmness or softening of the overall piece of foam making it feel as if the foam is 'dead'. This unfortunately can happen with new furniture if the level of density (quality) does not fit the amount of use as well as foam that is old and truly needs to be replaced.
FINGER NAIL - Indicates improper production of a foam. The Finger Nail test is done by pressing a finger nail into the foam surface and what you are looking for is whether the impression left by the nail quickly recovers or not. If it does not have a quick recovery time (a couple few seconds) the foam will feel stiff and boardy.
HAND - Hand is a test that is done by lightly rubbing your hand over the surface of the foam. If the foam has a springy, velvety feel to it, it is described as having a good Hand. If the foam feels stiff or hard, it is considered as poor Hand.
HIGH RESILIENCE - (also polymeric) HR Foams are a Premium Variety of foams. They are still polyurethane foams but they use a blend of polymer or graft polyols. HR Foams have a different cell structure than regular foams and this difference is what gives it its superior support, comfort and durability.HR Foams also have a high Support Factor. It is primarily sold at high density levels, translating into a very high quality material used mostly in upscale furniture and mattresses.
INDENTATION FORCE DEFLECTION - (IFD and also known as ILD - Indentation and Load Deflection). Basically a measure of load bearing capacity or firmness. The measurement is a series of tests under different compression ratios but the bottom line for the client is that it will fit your needs and wants. If you must have a number, ask the sales person or better yet, go for the Support Factor since they work together and both give a sense of what the load numbers are.
LAMINATION - Lamination is a gluing process that brings about a truly custom end result. It is perfect for finding that absolute optimal feel and quality level. I have had several clients use this process to make use of the Latex Pincore I sell and keep their costs down. They love it. The laminating is done by my vendor at the factory.
LATEX - A natural foam rubber product that is not related to polyurethane foams at all. Click the link for a great read on Latex Foams. Latex is a very expensive product but it is also the top of the line. And as an added benefit, TOTALLY GREEN! Visit Creative Thread Arts .com for further information on Latex foam and its superiority to polyurethanes and memory foams.
MOLDED - No, it doesn't mean its grown mold. It means the chemicals have been poured into a mold to produce specific surface contours. This will not affect the performance of the foam but will visually enhance the look or in the case of the automobile industry, help to shape the many choices of design there.
SUPPORT FACTOR - (Also called Hardness Ratio or Comfort Factor). Support Factor is a ratio derived at by the IFD test results. The higher the Support Factor number, the greater the difference between the surface firmness and the deep down support. Used to measure comfort for comparison reasons. Higher Support Factors are what you are after as an end user. The higher numbers point the surface feel and the inner support. You will find the Support Factor numbers listed with all of the foams on my website.
You can always ask more questions and get more info on this topic and many others at creativethreadarts.com. Visit the Community!
