FAQ's for Foam

FOAM TYPES AND USES-All foams can be described by three characteristics; Weight, Firmness, and Cell structure 1) Weight: Generally, the heavier the foam, the longer it will last. The density has nothing to do with the firmness. You can have a dense foam that is very soft and will always feel the same for decades. On the other hand, you can have very firm foam that will break down after a year or less and all this is dependent on usage. Foam weight is measured in pounds per cubic foot, so if you can imagine a square box 12" long and 12" wide and 12" high, that is a cubic foot. Imagine further that you can connect a hose that squirts foam to that box. Fill the box with 1 pound of foam and now you have 1 pound foam. If you fill it with 1.8 pounds of foam, you have 1.8 pound foam. Fill it with 3 pounds of foam and I think you already know, 3 pounds of foam. All of our foam is 100% as described and guaranteed to perform as indicated.

2) FIRMNESS (ILD OR IFD):
There is a numerical system to rate foam's firmness. The lower the number the softer it is. The higher the number, the firmer it is. Our foams range from super soft (21) to super firm (90). These numbers are technically referred to as the ILD (indentation load deflection) or more recently the IFD (indentation force deflection). Basically, they find out how much weight (load or force) needs to be put on a sample of the foam to see how far it compresses.

3) CELL STRUCTURE:
There are 2 major types of cell structure, conventional and Resilience (HR). A simplified way to envision them is to think of two balls touching only at one point. This is like conventional cell structure. Now, think of the balls overlapping each other. You can see that they are connected at several points. This is like high resilience structure. As foam compresses and expands back to its original shape, the connection point weakens and breaks. In conventional foams, only the one point has to break for the foam to break down. HR foams have many interlocking connections between the cells. This HR technology is what allows this foam to retain its original feel over time while conventional foams will break down much quicker.

CHOOSING YOUR FOAM
Now that you are an expert on foam, let us explain to you the different types of foams that we have so you can select one to meet your needs. Choosing your foam centers on the following three questions;

How long do you want the foam to last? How thick does it need to be? How firm (or soft) would I like it to be?

The first thing you need to ask yourself is, "How long do I want the foam to last before is starts taking a set and breaking down?" A good point of reference is if you were to use these foams as a seat cushion in your family room or as your mattress in your home where it will get several hours of use per day. In this case, the Everlon series will last about 6-8 years. The HR's and Q's come with a lifetime warranty* and will always feel the same. The best foams we have are the HR's. They have both the best cell structure and are heaviest. If your use does not require daily use, you can use a less dense foam.

Another FAQ is "how thick does it need to be?" remember, the whole point of foam cushioning is that you don't want to hit bottom when you sit on it. A sofa cushion is generally 4"-6" thick of a medium firmness. A breakfast nook chair pad is limited to 1" to 2", so it should be a firm and HR type foam. How firm or soft would I like it to be? Samples of 10"x10" are available if you are unsure of what you are looking for in a foam for a minimal cost. Whatever you pay for samples is fully applicable to any future order.

SPECIALTY FOAMS:
1) Drifast: This foam has large cells allowing water to percolate through the porous foam. Dry fast does not retain water like other foams and this allows it to “dry fast”. It is an excellent choice for pool areas, boats, yachts or outdoor areas where water comes in contact with it, as it will drain out.

This chart provides types of foam available through A1 Foam&Fabrics as well specifications and suggested uses. If you have further questions contact A1 Foam at (714) 835-1181 and we will be able to further assist you with your questions. If you have any technical questions regarding foam, please feel free to email us: customercare@a1foamandfabrics.com

Product Code	Firmness	Density	ILD	Suggested Usage
PM	Polyfoam	1.2	38	Cushions, Bolsters, Mattresses, Window Seats
PM33	Polyfoam Medium	1.5	36	Cushions, Bolsters, Mattresses, Window Seats
ES	Everlon Soft	1.8	18	Cushions, Mattresses, Seat Backs
EM24	Everlon Soft	1.8	24	Cushions, Mattresses, Seat Backs
EM28	Everlon Medium Soft	1.8	28	Cushions, Mattresses, Seat Backs
EMD	Everlon Medium	1.8	36	Cushions, Bolsters, Mattresses
EMF	Everlon Medium Firm	1.8	46	Cushions, Bolsters, Mattresses
EF	Everlon Firm	1.8	55	Boat Cushions, Restaurant Booths, Bar Stools
Q31	Quaalux Medium	2.5	31	Cushions, Bolsters, Mattresses, Seatbacks, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
Q41	Quaalux Firm	2.8	41	Cushions, Mattresses, Breakfast Nook, Seat Backs, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
Q61	Quaalux Extra Firm	3	61	Cushions, Breakfast Nook, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
HR21	High Resilience Soft	2.5	21	Cushions, Mattresses, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
HR31	High Resilience Medium	2.5	31	Cushions, Mattresses, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
HR41	High Resilience Firm	2.5	41	Cushions, Mattresses, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
HR50	High Resilience Extra Firm	2.5	50	Boat Cushions, Mattresses, Breakfast Nook, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
HR70	High Resilience Super Firm	2.7	70	Cushions, Restaurant and Hotel Applications
CHAR	Charcoal	1.7	65	Camera and Gun Cases, Boat Cushions, Packaging
CHAREX	Charcoal Everlon Extra Firm	1.8	90	Camera and Gun Cases, Boat Cushions, Packaging
DF33	Dry Fast Medium	1.8	33	Outdoor Furniture, Filtration
VM	Viscoelastic Medium	2.5	10	Temperpedic Style, Cushions, Mattresses, Toppers