Foam and More Foam

[Mojo]

I didn't want to hijack the other thread so I started this one.

I do very little work with foam. My expertise in foam you can place in a thimble. All I know about foam is that I appreciate it when I sit my fat old butt down on a foam cushion.

My question to you foam heads ( experts ) is: In your professional opinion has the quality of foam improved or gotten worse over the years ? Certainly we all know the price of foam has gone over the top and is outrageous.

It appears to me ( a very untrained eye with foam ) that the selection of foam has really increased over the years. Closed cell foam, microbial foams, varying density values, sizes, compressions, etc.

What is your opinion ?

Chris

[sofadoc]

Back in the day, a small shop like mine was "spoon fed"  a small selection of foam densities and compressions by suppliers.
I think that all of the online resources has increased awareness of the different types of foam to choose from.
I still try to keep it simple. Firm.....but not too firm.
I stock 2.0 34 lbs foam for most standard jobs. And a 2.7 50 lbs. for an upgrade.

For foam replacement jobs, the 2034 pink foam is always better than the factory original foam they had before.

For reupholstery jobs, I might encourage them to spend a little more for the 2750 foam. it's not much firmer than the 2034, but it has more weight to it.

Hospitals and clinics always want the anti-microbial foam.......until I give them a price.
Then they opt for the standard foam. None of my customers has expressed any interest in closed cell foam.

But for standard foam, I don't think the quality has changed over the years, only the price.

[ahkahn]

Mojo,

You're so/so correct.  The quality of foam has not gone down if you're comparing apples to apples.  So for example, a 25/50 today is the same quality as a 25/50 was 25 years ago.  That said, there are different flavors - Conventional, HR, Bio, etc. 

Because prices have gone up so much on foam, the standards have dropped.  For example, 25 years ago, you may have seen a  2.0-2.2 lb range in newer furniture.  Then as prices went up, that became a 1.8-2.0... later becoming a 1.5-1.8... and then a 1.25-1.5 range... nowadays, most furniture manufacturers are packing a 1.0-1.25 lb. range (or lighter), which is pure junk.  They are looking only for the foam to outlive the 1 year warranty... which a lot of it does not even do that.  For example, we have a customer who is a large well-known nationwide furniture retailer.  They have regional upholstery centers that solely do warranty repairs.  They buy a lot of foam from us because the foam that comes standard will not outlive the warranty, so which their customer complains, they'll take the furniture in and replace the foam with better foam. 

I hope that helps!

-Andrew

[MinUph]

I think I may differ on this from the other posts. I come from up north and was out of the business for around 10 yrs and I see a difference in the quality and feel of todays foam. It might be a change in manufacturer but it seems a bit lesser in quality to me.
  Many more choices available from a local supplier though. Mine always came from a cotton mill that bought buns, cut them up and sold the sheets. It was a local company a couple hours from me and they delivered once a week (for free :))
  Anyway that's my take on it.

[gene]

Howdy,

I've finally figured it out. My new nickname is "dry boots".

Anyway, here's my thoughts on foam:

The first number refers to density. The second number refers to the amount of weight to compress the foam a certain amount. Foam is polyurethane and fillers.

Foam can be manufactured to meet these numbers at the beginning of use. This does not speak to how long these numbers will last. Certainly if a mfg. can get these numbers up front with a denigration beginning in 3 years, for cheaper than he/she can get those numbers with a denigration beginning in 5 years, I would think they would go for the cheap. They would have to just to stay competitive.

So, it makes rational sense to my irrational mind that foam today is not of the same quality as "back in the day".

gene

[Rich]

I see two different ways of giving an answer here. Chris, I'm not sure how you meant it, but one is, has the quality of any given rating of foam changed over the years and the other is has what is being used in furniture today changed from what was used for the same purpose years ago?
My experience is that the foam seems to be the same for any given rating, but to stay competitive in the light of ever-rising prices, the manufacturers and suppliers are offering cheaper alternatives.
Like what has been said here, the warranty length dictates how much expense goes into the foam for the manufacturers b/c very few customers can tell the difference in the showroom.
Rich

[sofadoc]

Mojo,

The quality of foam has not gone down if you're comparing apples to apples.  So for example, a 25/50 today is the same quality as a 25/50 was 25 years ago. 

I agree with this statement. To say that 25/50 foam isn't as good a quality as it used to be would be like saying 110 volts doesn't have as much power as it used to. Or a yard of fabric isn't as long as it used to be.

I think the reason that some of you may feel that the quality has diminished is simply because you can't be sure that the 25/50 foam that you buy is really 25/50.
Just because they take a magic marker and write those numbers on the end of the slab doesn't necessarily make it so.

I don't know if the foam that I buy really lives up to it's rating, but I do know that it's much better than the foam on new sofas in the furniture stores. My customers seem to be very happy with it.

I've redone a few jobs that I used the 2034 pink foam on 4-5 years ago. It held up very well. 

[ahkahn]

Sofadoc,

You bring up a good point.  Many suppliers (not us!) will regrade foam.  They may get a closeout in and "grade it" to what they think it will sell as.   This is a cost-savings move and very unethical.  We have even caught the foam manufacturers doing it.  We test every truckload that comes in and have seen it. 

MinUph - I know your supplier well and they are of the highest character.  If he tells you he's selling you something, you can be assured that it is what he says it is to the best of his knowledge.

-Andrew

[MinUph]

MinUph - I know your supplier well and they are of the highest character.  If he tells you he's selling you something, you can be assured that it is what he says it is to the best of his knowledge.

-Andrew

I wasn't questioning my suppliers character at all. I feel very comfortable with him. I was only refering to the quality of foam products in general. In relation to today verses 10-15 yrs ago. And the possibility of the manufacturing process' possibly changing.

[ahkahn]

MinUph-

I apologize, I came across the wrong way.  I realized you weren't questioning them...  I was just trying to compliment your supplier and came across poorly.  Darn typing... :)

-Andrew