Foam is commonly used as a fill material in upholstery cushions, seating and more. Different types of foams are available and they are used in different applications. The design of the furniture decides which type of foam is to be used. The most commonly used foam is the polyurethane foam.
The polyurethane foam is versatile and allows you to develop new ideas and specific designs. By using the right type of foam you can provide comfortable seating. You can make custom-cut circular cushions, dry fast foam, luxury inserts, super soft inserts, square/rectangle inserts, trapezoid cushions, poly round bolsters and more.
With foam, you can create plush and durable upholstery cushions that do not lose fitness during use. The design capability of the foam plays a key role in deciding the styling of the final product. There are many factors to be considered for custom foam creations. Polyurethane works well with other materials like fibre and springs.
Foam fabrication involves cutting the foam to the proper size and bonding and shaping several layers of foam or other material. All types of foam can be easily fabricated before use. Foam can be cut and shaped to serve an unlimited number of purposes.
Factors to consider
Furniture design has two categories namely, visual and functional. Foam can be used for both purposes. The visual aspect of the foam is unlimited as foam can be easily fabricated to meet your requirements.
The functional design included several factors that should be considered to get the final product which offers seating comfort. The factors are seat height, seat depth, total vertical motion, back pitch angle, cradling, seat pitch and the ratio of firmness.
Properties of foam
The foam properties can affect the design considerations. Selecting the right foam is important in developing upholstery that provides proper comfort. The different factors are as follows:
- Density: It measures the foam’s ability to provide comfort, support and durability. As the foam density increases the durability also increases. The factors related to durability are a breakdown of the seating area, loss of firmness and fabric bagging.
- IFD: This measures foam firmness and is independent of the density. Softer foams can be combined with firmer foams to provide surface softness. Firm foams can be used in thin profile applications. Firm foams can also be used to hold certain shapes.
- Compression modulus/Support factor: this can affect the cradling and for maximum comfort, you should choose a compression modulus to maximise cradling. When the cushions are thick, lower compression modulus foams are used to improve cradling and achieve an even distribution of body weight.
- Flex fatigue: The durability of a foam is its long-term ability to provide cradling and support. Foams with a good flex fatigue value can retain their original firmness and support levels.
- Resilience: The surface resilience of a foam can affect its comfort and design. High-resilience foams will feel springy and give good cushioning. A low resilience foam will give a dead feel which may be desired in some applications.