What does the density of foam rubber mean: how to choose yours
Sit on a soft, comfortable sofa. Is it uncomfortable, creaks or presses? Then you didn’t come to us. Finally, today we will discuss the density of foam rubber. This is the performance characteristic of the material. In our case – foam rubber. It is measured in kilograms and divided into cubic meters. or simply kg/m3. What is density and what is the unit of measurement. This setting must always be specified by the product manufacturer. Depending on the type of density foam used, it can be used in certain areas. Now buy furniture foam rubber in St. Petersburg, you can contact the online store “Materials and Components”.
Contents of the article:
Advantages of foam rubber
To be fair, it should be noted that foam rubber is the most popular material in furniture production.
It is used as a filler for interior items and gives the structure the desired rigidity, comfort and softness.
Foam as a filler has the following advantages:
Foam as a filler has the following advantages: Universal materials are suitable for solving a wide range of problems. Convenient and comfortable; Has a small mass. Available for a wide range of applications. Easy DIY processing. Suitable for repair, assembly and restoration of furniture. Various density options are available. Long service life.
Polyols and various types of additives are used in production.
By choosing the appropriate composition, you can make yourself either a simple foam mattress, or a more serious and larger one. For example, an accordion sofa or a full double bed with a soft headboard.
Only its foam rubber is considered furniture with a density of more than 25 kg/m3.
All other materials are mainly used in construction, for example as insulation.
Types of foam rubber according to its density
In order not to shy away from complex tables and various figures, we will try to tell you about the density of foam rubber more briefly, but at the same time clearly.
There are several main types of this material:
- Standard. Indicates the letter of a cent. Its density is 16-25 kg/cm3;
- Improved hardness. This is the el marking. Density within 22-35 units;
- Hardness. This is described as HL. Its density is in the range of 25-50 kg/cm3;
- Soft. Marked HS. In this case, its density is in the range of 20-45 kg/m3;
- HR. very elastic type of connection. Often referred to as latex PU foam. Mainly used in mattresses;
- V. E. very elastic. It has a memory effect.
A little later we will tell you which PPUs can be used for specific tasks.
However, it is a mistake to believe that when choosing a material you need to look at a density of 22 kg/m3, 25, 30 units, and sometimes even 40.
Qualitative characteristics
The quality of foam rubber is determined by its basic performance properties.
These include the following values:
- Density. They’ve already talked about her. This depends on the boundaries being fairly wide;
- Rigidity. Or compression stress. This is a characteristic of how much force must be applied to compress the product by 40%. Measured using KPA;
- Strength. It is determined by the gap and elongation due to direct fracture. The first characteristic shows the force, which is the second stretch until the PU foam breaks. For standard polyurethane foam, this is 120-140 kPa and 240-280%, respectively;
- Elasticity. Determined by dropping a special ball from a certain height. The heavier the polyurethane foam, the lower the elasticity;
- Residual deformation of polyurethane foam. One of the main functions. Determines the ability to maintain shape and size during operation;
- Comfort and support. Mainly proven in high-modulus types of polyurethane foam. The higher the characteristic, the better the rubber foam.
By the way, what is usually present in the marking is density and its rigidity. If the number shown is 2536, it means that the density here is 25 kg/cm3 and the hardness is 36 kPa.
As you can see, we are not tied to one density.
However, since we are talking specifically about the density of foam rubber, this issue needs to be considered in more detail.
What, where and why
PPU has a wide range of applications.
With its help, you can build bedside ottomans, make decorations for chairs, make soft seats for shoe stands, or assemble a real mattress with your own hands.
By the way, we have already talked about the nuances of choosing polyurethane foam for sofas. Today I would like to touch on the issue of density and look at different types of furniture.
You can choose PPU
- For carriage ties;
- Sofas;
- For mattresses;
- Armchairs;
- For car seats;
- For chairs;
- Children’s furniture;
- For sitting;
- Ottomans;
- Flight;
- Banquets, etc.
It is proposed to consider the main categories and decide which of them are suitable for a particular furniture design option.
By the way, it is often interesting to know how to determine the density of polyurethane foam by its color. This can be difficult to do. This is especially true for furniture materials. This applies to construction foam rubber.
Sofas
Start with sofas and their types.
It is not always necessary to track the highest density. In fact, as properties improve, the surface may become too hard and uncomfortable.
Below is a quick overview of how to choose the right option for your specific case.
- If the sofa in your home is used as a sleeping place, its density and hardness should be 28 and 42 units, respectively;
- If the sofa is intended for sitting, 22 kg/m3 and 40 kPa are sufficient;
- If there are no spring blocks and the bed is made entirely of polyurethane foam, choose material type EL 2842 or ST 2542, with a material thickness of at least 10 cm;
- For a load of up to 100 kg per seat, the EL 2240 is sufficient;
- ST 3040 is suitable for corner sofas with soft cushions;
- For dolphin-type sofas, a material with a thickness of 9-11 cm is required, parameters are EL2240 or ST2536;
- For guest sofas that are rarely used for sleeping, ST2236 or EL 2240 is mainly used.
We deal with sofas. Now let’s talk a little about chairs and beds.
In terms of density and stiffness, there are unique requirements for the selection of polyurethane foam.
Armchairs and beds
Below are some examples that will allow you to better navigate the issue of choosing the right polyurethane foam.
The following main options were considered:
- Fixed chairs with a seat thickness of 5 to 10 cm, using the same density as for sofa seats;
- If the chair reclines and is used for sleeping, follow the parameters for sleeper sofas. This means types EL2542, EL2240 and ST2536;
- For beds, it is generally recommended to use the HR elastic version. This is a mattress;
- For decorative inserts and headrests, ST2236 and EL3040 are sufficient.
The options are truly varied. Exactly what is suitable depends on the specific furniture, its operating conditions and the expected load.
Other furniture
A little more about density and rigidity in relation to various designs and furniture products.
- For pallet sofas, ST2236 with a thickness of 10 cm or EL3040 with a thickness of 6 cm are suitable;
- For plywood kitchen corners, use EL2545, EL 3040 or ST2236;
- If you need to match the backrest to the chair, use 5 cm EL2240 as a reference;
- EL2240 and EL3040 are primarily used in the production of children’s mats.
- Depending on the desired effect, the softer ST2236 and the firmer EL2240 are sufficient.
- For simple mattresses, the ST markings use EL3060 and 2536.
If you understand the meaning of all these letters and numbers and are familiar with the recommended parameters, you shouldn’t have any problems choosing polyurethane foam.
Yes, density is important when choosing foam. But it’s not the only characteristic to consider. What does foam density mean: how to choose the right one
