What is the difference between furniture foam rubber and ordinary foam rubber. How to choose foam rubber for the manufacture of a mattress. This is supported by its virtues.

When choosing upholstered furniture, it is important to pay attention not only to the external component of the products, but also to the filler. So that during operation it is not necessary to replace materials, it is necessary to choose high-quality foam rubber for furniture, which will serve long time and rejoice in its resilience.

The material is a polyurethane foam, which consists of many cells filled with air. Raw materials are used to give elasticity to furniture. Many users choose this filler as an internal component of sofas and upholstered chairs. This distribution is due to the following advantages:

additives and processing mixtures are not used in the production of the material, which means that the furniture foam rubber is safe for humans. It does not emit substances harmful to health and does not cause allergies, so it can be safely used for furniture in a children's room;
polyurethane foam is not exposed to fungus, because it has moisture resistance. Even under the condition high humidity air in the room, the chances of mold spores are negligible;
material can be used in various temperature conditions and performance fluctuations. Foam rubber retains its qualities in the range from -40 to +100 degrees;
compared to other materials, the filler has improved soundproofing properties, due to which it is able to absorb noise;
foam rubber material has high elasticity and at the same time elasticity. It collapses under the weight of a person, but also easily restores its shape after a while.

The undeniable advantage of raw materials is its affordable cost. Thanks to this indicator, all cushioned furniture, for which foam rubber is used as a filler, has a budget price.

Like any other material, foam rubber has a number of disadvantages, including:

low service life: up to 7 years of daily operation;
During the combustion of the material, hazardous substances are released into the atmosphere.

Kinds

The material has been widely used in furniture production. Due to these properties, foam rubber is popular for the manufacture of chairs, mattresses. The resulting products have not only high elasticity, but also an attractive cost. Depending on the purpose of the material, it is more expedient to divide it according to the density indicators:

standard grades - made on the basis of the base polyol, this is the only type of foam rubber using one type of polyol in the composition. For the remaining subspecies of the material, at least two variants of the substance are used, which give the filler different properties. This foam rubber found its application in the equipment of armrests and headrests. His average density is 25-30 kg per cubic meter;
material of increased rigidity - for the manufacture of such raw materials, special polyols are used, giving the product special properties rigidity. The density of the compositions depends on the additives. If the material has a density index of up to 30 kg per cubic meter, it is used in the manufacture of seats and mattresses. If the characteristics exceed the specified figure, the raw materials are suitable for the production of furniture with high loads;
highly elastic material - the density of foam rubber with high flexibility is more than 30 kg per cubic meter, products from such raw materials can withstand a weight of 120 kg. This type widely used in the manufacture of mattresses.

In addition to the listed types of foam rubber, soft and super-soft compositions should be distinguished. They are made from polyurethane, endowed with softening properties. Also in the manufacture of raw materials can be used special additives to obtain incombustibility and viscous structure. In this case, melamine, flame retardant and special polyols are used.

Quality indicators

To understand the quality of the material that fills the furniture, it is important to know the main characteristics by which it is determined. These include the following indicators:

density;
strength;
compressive stress
markings;
elasticity;
residual deformation;
degree of comfort.

Each of these criteria needs to be considered in more detail. As already mentioned, the density of the material determines its purpose. The higher this indicator, the greater the load the material can withstand on furniture and the longer it will have operational terms.

The strength criterion is represented by two characteristics: the strength to break and the degree of elongation of the material before this break. With a density of 25 kg per cubic meter, this figure will be equal to 130 kPa (tensile strength) and about 260 percent elongation.

The compressive stress of a material indicates how much force must be applied to compress the sample. Rigid varieties of foam rubber are sometimes artificially equipped with strong compression to improve performance, however, when the cells with air are opened, the material returns to its structure.

Foam rubber markings have a separate classification, which will be discussed in our article below. The elasticity of the raw material is determined by the fall of a special test ball on it. It is thrown onto the material and the degree of rebound is checked: if the ball bounced high, then the foam rubber is hard and less elastic.

To determine the indicator of residual deformation, the method of strong compression of the sample is used, which in this state is left for a while under the influence of certain temperature and humidity. At the end of the period, measurements of the sample are made, which are compared with pre-prepared indicators of the standards. Rigid foam rubber will have little permanent deformation.

The indicators of the degree of comfort are also represented by two designations: the support factor and the comfort factor. These criteria are due to the softness of the material, as well as the distribution of the load over the plane.

Appointment of various brands of furniture foam rubber

There is a certain classification, which involves the use of foam rubber of different markings in production. various furniture. First you need to understand what a brand designation is. For this, Latin letters are used:

ST - this abbreviation denotes standard type foam rubber;
HL and EL - symbolize the foam rubber of a rigid type and a variant of increased rigidity, respectively;
HS - the manufacturer marks soft and ultra-soft foam rubber with such symbols furniture option it can be seen in sofas;
HR - this is how highly elastic foam rubber is designated;
LR- letter designation soft and viscous material structure;
RTC - this is how the manufacturer refers to reticulated polyurethane foam, which is characterized by high porosity.

Except Latin letters the symbolism uses numbers, the first two of which indicate the density of the foam rubber, the remaining two are responsible for the compressive stress. For example, if the filler is marked like this: EL 2545, then this will mean the following indicators:

foam rubber of increased rigidity;
material density - 25 kg per cubic meter;
the compression stress is 4.5 kPa.

Depending on the marking, choose the purpose of the foam rubber. So, for upholstered furniture, indicators of 30-40 kg per cubic meter in the manufacture of seats and mattresses will be optimal. For children's furniture, characteristics in the amount of 25 kg per cubic meter are suitable. 1620 brand foam rubber is the softest and least durable, it is used for the production of furniture elements with a small load.

Grades 2336 and 2310 are most appropriate for teen furniture because they are considered hardy. They can also act as an interlayer for springs in the manufacture of mattresses. Marking 2536 indicates that this foam rubber is most applicable in the manufacture of furniture. It is the most popular raw material in domestic manufacture soft sofas, chairs and armchairs.

Selection rules

Before choosing a filler for upholstered furniture products, it is important to decide what kind of product it is. If the foam rubber is chosen for the sofa, pay attention to the marking with density indicators from 28 kg per cubic meter and above. If you buy less dense material, there is a risk that the sofa will not last long.

check the thickness of the foam rubber, for upholstered furniture it should be at least 3 cm;
learn about the stiffness and elasticity of the raw materials: a more rigid option is suitable for seats than for filling headrests or armrests;
some types of foam rubber do not hold their shape at all, which indicates their low quality, so check this criterion in the store to make sure that future furniture is reliable;
ask what additives were used in the manufacture of raw materials in order to prevent allergies to certain substances, especially when it comes to children's furniture.

Pay attention to the marking, it is she who will help to tell a lot of information about the selected foam rubber. Do not save on filler, because quality material is a pledge long term operation of furniture.

It's time to replace the filler for the sofa and you do not know which one to choose? We recommend stopping at foam rubber. Such material is one of the safest and cheapest sofa fillers. In this article, we will tell you how to choose foam rubber for a sofa and how to replace it.

Why choose sofa foam

Foam rubber has many positive traits, such as:

capable of not producing dust and not becoming moldy;
is a hypoallergenic material;
retains its shape well during use;
under influence high temperatures its elasticity remains the same.

You can use foam rubber whole or only its pieces, which can be preserved from furniture production for more High Quality. It is better to use solid material as a sofa stuffing, since previously used pieces may become unusable earlier. In order for furniture to last longer, foam rubber can be combined with other fillers, for example spring block.

At frequent use furniture, such a filler, due to the heavy load, may lose its properties and the furniture will look worn out. In order to return to her former convenience and comfortable use, it needs to be replaced. This filler is distinguished by stiffness, elasticity and density. The density of foam rubber affects its service life and, accordingly, its quality. In order to determine the level of rigidity of the material, it must be firmly compressed.

In the furniture industry, standard foam rubber (ST) and increased rigidity (EL) are often used. The standard one has a density of 25 kg / m3 and its rigidity is comfortable. In order to determine the density and stiffness of a material, you need to look at its brand, for example ST3542, where the first two digits indicate its density, and the last two indicate its stiffness index. Such material will last at least 10 years.

For furniture with expected loads of 90-100 kg. they use foam rubber of increased rigidity, for example, the EL2240 brand, which is the most common today due to its optimal price-quality ratio. It is used as a filler for furniture with an inexpensive cost, having a service life of not more than 5 years, as well as for children's mattresses.

EL2842 has a longer service life, it can be used up to 10 years. It has greater rigidity and is applicable for sofas, beds, office chairs etc. Density of 30 kg/m3 will allow you to sit or lie comfortably on it, it will also allow the material not to sag for a long time.

If you want the furniture to last longer, then the density of the filler should be higher. It is worth noting that the density of the material used for the armrests and backrest may be lower than for what will fill the seat. For a sofa that will be used as a bed, the thickness of the filler should be chosen at least 4 cm.

The cost of a filler, like any other product, depends on its quality. Foam rubber for the sofa can be bought at construction stores, and you can find pieces of it at furniture manufacturers either in their warehouses or in online stores.

How to choose foam rubber for a sofa

For different types furniture can be selected different variants foam rubber:

Sofa sofa. Budget option for the seat filler, the brand EL2240 can become. But if you are interested in a more rigid and durable filler, then it is better to stop at EL2842. In order to complete the spring block, you will need to purchase a single piece of foam rubber, having a thickness of 3-4 centimeters. To increase the service life of such furniture and protect the foam filler from the action of springs, felt will be placed on the springs. Its density should be 800 g/m2. If the foam fills the entire soft part furniture, then you should choose the EL2842 or ST3542 brand, which has a thickness of at least 10 cm. For a sofa with a standard soft sleeper, whose load does not exceed 90 kg, you can use the ST3542 brand. On the rest of the sofa, you can take a filler of a different brand.
Sofa book. This type of sofas can be made both on one foam rubber, and on its combination with a spring block. Since their design resembles a sofa, the same brands of fillers can be used here.
Corner sofa. Such a sofa has different transformation mechanisms and designs. In order to ensure the comfort of furniture that has a sedaflex mechanism, which is a soft part that can be called a set of pillows, ST3542 brand foam rubber should be chosen. The thickness of the bed mattress of such a mechanism usually does not exceed 10 cm. In order to replace the mattress filler, you should use EL2842 foam for a hard bed or ST3542 for a standard one. To replace a sagging seat in a sofa with a “dolphin” mechanism, it is worth using a material 8-10 cm thick, its density should not be lower than 25 kg / m3. For economical option you can choose the EL2540, but we recommend the higher quality EL2842 or the softer ST3542.
Sofas for guests. Guest sofas can be equipped different mechanisms transformation into sleeping place. Foam rubber for them is suitable for both corner sofas or furniture with dolphin or sedaflex mechanisms. Which brand to choose depends on your financial capabilities.

Kitchen Area. To renovate Kitchen Area in the kitchen, made of chipboard or having a wooden frame, it is recommended to use a filler 2-3 centimeters thick brand EL2842, and for a soft corner you can use material 4-6 centimeters thick brand EL2842 or ST3542.

How to replace the foam in the sofa

Having chosen a suitable filler, it must be replaced. Below we will tell you how to change the foam rubber in the sofa with your own hands. First you need to figure out what work should be done: drag the entire sofa again or replace only the foam rubber. Take a good look at the furniture and evaluate how worn out the filler is in different places. Most often, the bulge occurs in the seat, but suppose you need to replace the sofa in all areas.

To do this, remove all its elements from the furniture. We recommend capturing the disassembly process in a photo or video - this way it will be easier to put everything back together. Then, if possible, remove or slightly open the upholstery and remove the old foam rubber. In addition to it, there may be other elements, such as felt or synthetic winterizer, which should also be replaced, so consider this in advance.

Sometimes manufacturers provide seats and pillows with zippers to make it easier to change the filler. But if they are not, then you will need to open the seams, and then sheathe them back. To remove elements on a plywood backing, such as a backrest, you will need to remove the fasteners. This can be done with an anti-stapler.

After removal upholstery material, you need to get the old filler and use it to pattern a new one. After cutting out new sheets, place them in place of the old ones and secure with new fasteners. The upholstery material can be preliminarily sent for cleaning and stains removed, if any. Next, we put the upholstery in its original place. In order for it to be tight, you should press hard on the foam while attaching the upholstery to the base - this will help it straighten out when the upholstery is in place, and add elasticity to the seat. Repeating the process with the rest of the details of the sofa, you will need to assemble it to its original state.

Now you know how to choose the right foam rubber and replace it in the sofa with your own hands. It remains to go to the store for a new filler.

Foam filler plays important role in the production of upholstered furniture. The comfort of rest and the service life of the product depend on its quality and correctly selected parameters. To decide which foam rubber is better for a sofa, the specialists of the company "Santeks" will help.

What to pay attention to?

When choosing foam rubber for filling upholstered furniture, you need to pay attention to the following points:

in which element PPU will be used;
comfort requirements laid down by the designer (for example, should it be hard, medium hard, soft element);
operating conditions of furniture, requirements for durability.

Depending on these conditions, foam rubber with the necessary density and rigidity indicators is chosen.

Density

This is the most important characteristic material that affects its durability. The cost directly depends on it: the denser the foam rubber, the more expensive it is. The density range of the material is from 18 to 55 kg/m3.

What density of foam is needed for a sofa? To do this, you may need a material of different density (kg / m3):

18 - used in not very responsible critical parts (sides, backs);
20 - used for the manufacture of backs, pillows for backs;
25 - suitable as a carrier layer for seat upholstery;
30-35 - optimal as carrier layer seats with increased weight;
40 - the use of a material of this density makes the furniture almost "eternal", suitable for long-term intensive loads;
50 - the specified density is used in special stamps foams: viscoelastic (Memory Foam), highly elastic (latex). This material provides maximum comfort due to anatomical right position body.

The minimum recommended foam values for seats are from 25 kg/m3. This durable material suitable for everyday use, occasionally - sleep. For a product intended for everyday sleep of adults of average build, it is better to choose an option with a density of 25-30 kg / m3, for full ones - 35 kg / m3.

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 the material. soft and extra soft grades are possible for sofa parts that are under less pressure, but require significant deformation (back cushions). Standard ones are used for the manufacture of typical parts, for example, seat cushions, and rigid and increased rigidity - for office furniture and shaping elements of upholstered furniture.

Where to buy sofa filler?

The employees of the Santex company will help you decide what kind of foam rubber is needed for the sofa. We only offer quality products own production to the maximum favorable prices. The assortment includes more than 900 items of fillers, fasteners, related products. Operates convenient, fast delivery in Moscow and the region. Call!

Which foam rubber to choose for a sofa depends on what your intentions are. If your furniture will be used as permanent place for sleep, you need to choose a harder filler. After all, according to medical indications the bed cannot be too soft. If this furniture will be most often sat on, and you will only have to sleep sometimes (for example, overstayed guests), then how hard the foam rubber will be is not particularly important.

Important nuances

Most best sofa - the one where the foam was used soft and elastic, allowing you to relax and give the spine the opportunity to rest from stress. This effect is achieved with the help of a special structure - "puff cake". It is when top part- thin foam rubber with low density and rigidity, and under it - a more elastic material. Such a sofa resembles a tire that is inflated in moderation - there is no lethargy, but there is elasticity and resilience, which at the same time do not turn into rigidity. However, not only foam rubber and blocks of springs can be attributed to the furniture "stuffing". They also use fibers from synthetics, most often - synthetic winterizer. As a rule, foam rubber is covered with synthetic winterizer, while achieving additional softness and relief. At the same time, it serves as insulation for the main filler. The "stuffing" for a sofa of expensive brands consists of highly elastic foam rubber and latex of natural origin.

profiled foam

foam blank

furniture latex

There is an opinion that it is better spring sofas there can be nothing that the orthopedic effect cannot otherwise be achieved. However, customer reviews indicate that often these same springs turn out to be so poor quality (improper hardening is sometimes to blame for this), which a short time are out of order. Several layers of felt bedspreads are laid on top, as well as other materials, so that the mattress on the springs turns out to be of really high quality. This pleasure is not cheap, and therefore it can be assumed that it is better to use high-quality foam rubber than cheap springs.

What's in the sofa "stuffing"?

If you buy good upholstered furniture, then it soon becomes an inseparable element in the interior of the room. And then I really don’t want to part with such a product. If, when choosing the most suitable sofa if you made a mistake, did not see the shortcomings, then they will also appear very soon and will regularly spoil not only the rest, but also the mood.

As a rule, in order to choose upholstered furniture, people are mainly interested in its size, shape, quality and color of upholstery material, very often completely forgetting that during operation all these parameters are secondary. The main thing is how soft and elastic the sofa will be, how comfortable it will be for you to relax on it.

It depends only on the filler how comfortable and cozy the upholstered furniture is, when the effect of sitting out occurs, what will be the service life of the new sofa. Sofas, as a rule, have a "stuffing" in the form integrated system, which includes soft components and a base of springs. How much the sofa will cost will be clear from what a person cannot see when buying - it is inside.

About holofiber

If these are average prices, then the “filling” consists mainly of synthetics. For a soft and elastic sofa you need:

elastic polyurethane foam;
non-woven high-volume components;
block with springs;
natural latex;
synthetic fluff.

natural latex

block with springs

flexible polyurethane foam

When a person chooses a sofa, he evaluates it both in terms of density and stiffness of the seat. They are characterized in different ways:

Density refers to the weight of one cubic meter of material when it is uncompressed. With an increase in the density of the material, its wear resistance characteristics also increase, which means that the furniture will last much longer.
Stiffness refers to how a material reacts to a load. It depends on how comfortable the person will be.

What is the difference between foam rubber and polyurethane foam

There is no difference . PPU (polyurethane foam) is just an abbreviation, whereas foam rubber is a brand name. It was awarded the first commercial polyurethane foam.

About block polyurethane foam

It is known to us as foam rubber, which is a soft polyurethane foam in which 90% is air. The higher the elasticity of the foam rubber, the higher its strength. Highly soft material quickly crumble and fail. Even if a simple sofa cushion stuffed with foam rubber crumbs, it will lose its shape in a very short time, and therefore only a single piece of foam rubber can be used to make a sofa. And these are not thin pieces of foam rubber, they cannot be less than 15 centimeters in thickness.

When choosing a sofa, you need to sit on it to feel whether the frame is felt or not. If there are such sensations, then after a short period of time it will be impossible to sleep on such furniture.

Molded polyurethane foam

These are ready-made sofa parts. They easily come to original shape as soon as the load is removed. This type of polyurethane foam is considered the best in elasticity, it is more reliable than block foam. Sitting on a sofa with such a "stuffing" will be very comfortable, because it completely repeats the shape of your body, and getting up from it is easier than from other sofas. He seems to be pushing you a little.

These qualities of molded polyurethane foam have made it very popular as a filling that is used in the manufacture of sofas.

About cost

The cost of foam rubber always depends on how dense it is. The lowest density means the lowest cost. If the sofa is made by unscrupulous furniture makers, then they use greater rigidity to increase the price of a sofa with low-density foam rubber. This approach misleads the buyer - quite dense and elastic appearance furniture. But a few months have passed, and you notice that the foam rubber has gone astray, and then completely became some kind of shapeless mass.

Need to understand some simple rules foam selection:

Standard minimum foam density for furniture parts, which are used in the seats - 30-35 and more kg per cubic meter.
For the back, this value should not be less than 23-25.
In the manufacture of armrests, a density of at least 20-22 kg / cu. m.

If you do not comply with these standards, the value of residual deformation will greatly increase, and the sofa will not last long.

Varieties

Foam rubber that "remembers"

Of all the options, the most interesting is foam rubber, which has a "shape memory". It has unique physical and mechanical properties, namely, it slowly recovers after the load is removed. At first, such foam rubber exactly repeats the shape of the body lowered on it, and when the load is removed, it begins to slowly return to its original position. For a sofa, this option will be the best choice– to make your stay truly comfortable.

About latex

This material obtained by foaming rubber. It turns out a material of natural origin, reminiscent of foam rubber. It also conforms to the shape of the body, making your stay comfortable. In addition, it also has antibacterial properties.

Latex foam brand HR

This is artificial material with a high degree elasticity. It's much cheaper natural latex. This material has a special cell structure. If usually foam rubber is cells that are the same in size and with the same wall thickness (which both deform in the same way and resist compression), then the HR brand has a completely different structure. These are cells that are different in size and heterogeneous in structure. Moreover, they are scattered in a chaotic manner, and their reaction to the load is ambiguous.

With a small load, only small cells with a small wall thickness work. This is how super soft foam works. If the load is significant, larger cells work, with greater compression resistance. This technique makes it possible to feel full comfort, which is usually not so easy to achieve.

AT last years foam mattresses are gaining popularity. They are lightweight, durable, affordable, wear-resistant, and retain their shape for a long time. When choosing foam rubber for a mattress, two main indicators must be taken into account - its density and rigidity. Specialists of the company "Santeks" will tell about the features of selection and suitable brands.

Choosing a Density

It is this parameter that affects the durability of the product. The greater the load on it, the longer it is used, the denser the material must be chosen. For example, for children's version it is better to buy foam rubber with a density of 20-22 kg / m3. For adults weighing 70-90 kg, who sleep 8-9 hours and can spend an additional 3-4 hours a day on the bed, we recommend stopping at 25-30 kg/m3. For a person weighing about 100 kg, who spends 15-20 hours a day in bed, it is necessary to make from a material of increased density - 35 kg / m3.

Dealing with toughness

In the manufacture of mattresses, mainly standard, highly elastic and increased rigidity foam rubber is used, since these products are intended for daily long-term use. Depending on the recommended load, we recommend choosing the following brands:

for mattresses designed for loads up to 60 kg - S 3025, S 3035, ST 2535, EL 2240, EL 2345, EL 2540, HR 3025;
up to 80 kg - S 4040, ST 3040, ST 2735, HR 3530;
up to 100 kg - S 3530, ST 3545, HR 3535, HR 4040;
up to 120-130 kg - ST 5050, EL 4060.

If the sleeping person has problems with the spine, it is recommended to stop at a more rigid option.

Where to buy?

The company "Santeks" produces high-quality fillers for the production of furniture, including polyurethane foam of various grades. To decide which one is suitable for the manufacture of mattresses, please contact our managers. They will consult in detail about the features of products, cost, help place an order, and provide delivery. Call!

Categories

Popular