Variety of types of foam rubber for sofas by density. How to select and replace?

28.07.2021

Over time, even in high-quality and expensive upholstered furniture, the seats and backs are compressed and deformed. If the sofa or chair is still in good condition, then you can repair it yourself by replacing the filling with a new one. You can use foam rubber (foamed polyurethane) as it. But there are many types on the market, each of which has both positive and negative reviews on the Internet. And an unprepared buyer will simply get confused in this diversity. We talk about what type of foam rubber to use for a sofa or other upholstered furniture in this article.

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Criteria for choosing foam rubber

This material is an elastic polyurethane foam (PPU), characterized by such useful qualities as:

• elasticity
  - the material can bend in any direction, take any shape and restores its shape after the cessation of physical impact on it;
• elasticity
  - furniture foam provides support for any weight
• safety
  - the material is non-toxic and does not contain allergens, does not form small dust particles.

The quality and functionality of this material are determined by the following characteristics:

• density (in kg/m³)
  . The value of this indicator directly proportionally affects the service life of the material;
• compressive stress (in kPa)
  . Load-bearing capacity of polyurethane foam, how much weight polyurethane foam will support;
• residual deformation (in %)
  . This is an indicator that determines the ability of foam rubber to restore its size and shape after the cessation of mechanical impact on it, by what amount the foam will sag during operation;
• tensile strength (in Pa)
  . This is the threshold value of the tensile force, when exceeded, the material breaks, the strength characteristics of the material;
• comfort
  . A dimensionless characteristic that determines the ability of foam rubber to provide support, distribute load and softness with slight compression.

Cutting polyurethane foam

A soft, elastic material with small cells, foam rubber causes certain difficulties when it is necessary to give it a given shape. In industry, until recently, cutting presses were used. The creation of a shaped matrix, necessary for this type of processing, influenced the increase in the cost of the final product.

Currently, CNC laser machines are widely used. New devices significantly expand the use of polyurethane foam due to the ability to cut products of complex configurations without a significant increase in labor intensity. Laser cutting is performed silently, quickly, and no solid waste is generated during the cutting process.

Foam rubber brands

Factory-made polyurethane foam comes with markings that include letters and numbers that indicate its performance characteristics and read as follows:

• letter pair - PPU class;
• the first pair of numbers is density (in kg/m³);
• the last two indicators are the compressive stress (in kPa).

Classification of polyurethane foam. Foam rubber is divided into the following categories:

• ST (standard)
  - the main and most common type of foam rubber, made from one base polyol, characterized by moderate rigidity and good strength;
• HL (the hardest)
  - has a high load-bearing capacity to withstand significantly greater loads compared to the standard class; to support the shape and cushioning, it is this category of foams that is used as a filler for the bottom layer of the product.
• EL (increased rigidity, unlike standard ST grades)
  - is characterized by maximum strength and hardness, and can withstand higher weight;
• HS (soft and ultra-soft)
  is the most flexible of all classes of foam rubber, thanks to its surface softness it makes products made from it comfortable;
• HR (highly elastic)
  - has both low initial stiffness and high load-bearing capacity, providing the maximum level of comfort;
• LR (soft, viscoelastic)
  - characterized by high viscosity and the ability to retain its given shape for some time after cessation of exposure (memory effect);
• LL (latex-like foams)
  - hypoallergenic material, a replacement for latex, freely allows air to pass through, for example, neolatex LL5020 is used as a filler for the top comfortable layer, durable;

Foam rubber is supplied in the following forms:

• leafy
  _ This type of material is rectangular sheets with a width of at least 600 mm and a thickness of 10–1000 mm. At the request of the customer, they can be cut to non-standard sizes in production;
• roll
  . This foam rubber is made in the form of strips no more than 30 mm thick, rolled into reels for easy storage. This material often comes with a textile (synthetic or natural) backing;
• blocky
  _ This foam rubber is available in the form of blocks of various sizes. Immediately after production, its outer surface is covered with a dense crust, which is then removed.
• contour cutting
  . A foam rubber product is cut out according to a special drawing using high-precision CNC equipment; most often, such parts are used in furniture production for the manufacture of seats, backs, and armrests.

PPU release form

The market offers a wide variety of forms, types, brands of polyurethane foam:

1. Leaf.

Manufacturers supply rectangular foam rubber with a thickness of 5 to 1000 mm in standard cuts, or according to individual customer requirements.

2. Rolled.

Reels of various widths are convenient to use, material thickness up to 30 mm. In addition to the usual, manufacturers offer rolled foam rubber made on a backing made of fabric or synthetic materials.

3. Block.

This type of foam rubber is distinguished by a hard, non-porous surface (before processing). In addition to cubic ones, this type of foam rubber is poured into molds of various configurations. After cooling, the crust is removed, the material acquires a homogeneous structure.

4. Acoustic.

They are supplied in the form of separate panels of two types: with relief and without relief. The panels have different shapes, colors, and sizes. In addition to its own properties, a significant increase in the sound absorption coefficient is ensured by the shape of the surface. For more information about acoustic foam rubber, read the article - Acoustic foam rubber: types, installation, sound insulation, price

Finally, what is important to consider when choosing foam rubber?

Let's consider the use of different types of foam rubber for filling using the example of a sofa. This piece of furniture most often requires repair due to its intensive use. But the material selection principles used in this example also apply to armchairs, chairs, sofas and other pieces of furniture. To correctly decide which foam rubber to choose for the sofa, you need to remember 3 important points:

• the sofa consists of several functional elements (seat, back, armrests), which experience different loads, and therefore are filled with material of different densities and hardness;
• if the sofa is used as a place to sleep and relax, then its seat and back, which play the role of a bed, must be ensured with maximum softness and comfort;
• The softness of this piece of furniture can be ensured either solely by the filler or by its combination with a block of springs.

The standard sofa padding scheme looks like this:

• for the load-bearing base in the seats, hard foam rubbers with a minimum density of 25 kg/m3 are used, for example, the budget EL2540, the more durable and comfortable EL2842 or the very hard EL4060;
• if the sofa is also used as a place to sleep, then above the layer of hard polyurethane foam you need to lay a 3-centimeter layer of soft material that provides good support for the body, for example, LR5014S “Memoryx” with shape memory effect or HR5535 with orthopedic properties.
• For backrests, headrests and armrests that do not bear a large weight load, you can use foam rubber of the EL2040 and ST1825 brands.

Varieties

Sheet and roll foam rubber differ in softness and hardness. Products are:

1. Soft - this type of filler can be used in furniture only in combination with a dense foam base. This is the most plastic polyurethane foam (PPU), giving increased comfort to finished products. But it should be remembered that when using the material independently, the load created cannot exceed 60 kg.
2. Hard - hard, capable of withstanding heavy loads up to 100 kg.
3. Increased hardness - highly rigid polyurethane foam can withstand a weight of over 100 kg.
4. Elastic with increased comfort - foam rubber is best suited for upholstered furniture intended for sleeping. You can rest most comfortably on such a surface.
5. Elastic with an orthopedic effect - the products are characterized by healing properties, as they reduce the load on all parts of the body.

Foam rubber with an orthopedic effect is “adapted” to each person individually, the main thing is to select the material for the consumer’s weight category.

Hard

Soft

Additional recommendations

There are several more nuances to replacing old foam rubber in furniture.

• Compliance of the material with the weight load
  . For example, less dense and soft foam rubber is more suitable for children's furniture. It is better to fill armchairs and sofas used by adults with high-density and medium or high hardness filler with small softening layers. This will ensure the furniture has a long service life.
• Use of damping layers
  . Between the base on which the foam rubber is located (it can be springs or lamellas) and the filler itself, a layer of dense and durable material, for example, felt, should be laid. It will protect the relatively delicate polyurethane foam from damage by hard parts.
• Replacement of all filler
  . Even if the foam on your sofa has deteriorated only on the seat, it is better to replace it with new one also on the armrests and back.
• Combination of different types of filler
  . Using foam rubber of the same brand and with the same characteristics in an entire piece of furniture is ineffective. The human body exerts different loads according to its structure and the shape of the furniture itself. If you fill a chair or sofa with the same filling, its owner will quickly get tired and feel discomfort.

If you are planning to update your furniture, but do not know what is the best filling for a sofa or chair, contact our company. We will offer various types of foam rubber and help you find the one that best suits your needs and the characteristics of the furniture itself. You can buy the filler immediately on our website or by placing an order by phone.

Features of upholstery of upholstered furniture

During use, furniture becomes unsuitable for further use, and it is not always possible to purchase new furniture. Basically, the upholstery wears out, fades, breaks - it all depends on how high-quality the material is. Sofas trimmed with leatherette may become unusable within a few months. What to do in such a situation?

The appearance of the sofa has changed dramatically after restoration

Today, a service such as restoration of upholstered furniture at the owner’s home is available everywhere, so you can make a new one from an old sofa. After all, you will not only change the upholstery, but also repair many parts.

Soft sofa before and after replacing the upholstery and filling in the seat cushions

If you have a pet that has ruined the upholstery material, this problem can be solved using the above method. Of course, the work of a specialist is not a cheap pleasure. You can replace the upholstery yourself. As a rule, each part is worked on separately. If you are not satisfied with these options, you can purchase a special furniture cover in stores - this will preserve the original coating and increase its service life.

A beautiful cover for a corner sofa will help you fit existing furniture into any interior.

Of course, any things must be treated carefully, so if various stains appear, we try to remove them immediately. But this is not always the case, especially when there are small children in the house. Leather-covered furniture is much easier to care for than textiles - this material has moisture-repellent properties. Therefore, at the time of cleaning, it is enough to wipe with a cloth.

We remove stains from upholstered furniture using accessible methods

From this article you learned a lot of new things about foam rubber; if you decide to change the filling in your sofa, it will not be difficult for you to choose the appropriate option.

Foam rubber is a modern furniture filler

Kinds

Foam mattresses are divided into types depending on the degree of rigidity of the products:

1. Soft. Reminiscent of a cozy downy feather bed. Comfortable, but harmful to the spine.
2. Medium hardness . They restore their shape quite quickly and provide normal support to the spine.
3. Tough . These are orthopedic mattresses; their rigidity is provided by additional components (coconut coir or independent springs).

Highly elastic elastic foam is used for the mattress. It is also called artificial latex or latex foam rubber.

Rigidity

The stiffness index determines the pressure at which the material is compressed by 40% relative to the original thickness. It determines the scope of application of the material.

You can buy foam rubber of soft and super-soft brands for sofa parts that are subject to less pressure, but require significant deformation (back cushions). Standard ones are used for the manufacture of standard parts, for example, seat cushions, and rigid and increased rigidity ones are used for office furniture and the shaping of upholstered furniture elements.

What is the price?

Modern brands of foam rubber come in different prices. The pricing of the filler is influenced by its quality, density and thickness. Typically, upholstered furniture manufacturers order filler directly from manufacturers, bypassing suppliers.

In construction stores you can purchase foam rubber in solid sheets. They are available in the following sizes: 1000x2000, 1200x2000, 1600x2000 and 2000x2000 mm. If you need small trimmings, they are sold by the kilogram.

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