Poly fiber board

[gene]

I once dated a lady named Poly Fiber Board. But that's for another topic.

http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/DSCF2064.jpg



Has anyone used Poly Fiber board? 2" x 30" x 60" sheet. 32 oz. Price is only $30.50. It easily splits in half.

My supplier says a lot of people are using it for outdoor cushions because it is so much cheaper than outdoor urethane foam. I wonder how well it wears outdoors? They said water passes through it. I wonder about mold and mildew also?

I just did a dining room slip seat with it because the customer wanted a base that was more firm than the molded urethane foam that came with the chair. It looks nice but I wonder, again, how well it will wear.

Thank you,

gene

[sofadoc]

I don't like the way it packs down over time. But I guess for the price, it lasts about as long as anything.
Sometimes, I will put a layer of 1" foam between 2 layers of the Poly fiber.
I've never tried it on dining room seats.

[bobbin]

Gene, I just read this post.  I've used the stuff before, too.  We used it for outdoor cushions for a poolside patio set, so we used the full 2" thickness.  I recall that it was a real bear to cut to the desired size. 

The foam saw tended to really chew up the fibres because they are so dense, my experience with the electric carving knife was the same.  Perhaps a foam saw where both blades move would have been more effective, and perhaps using silicone spray on the blades would have helped (not allowed to use that in the shop).  I ended up using the largest pair of shears we have in the shop and cutting it that way.  (It was a real drag and very hard on my hands).

Sizing the tops and bottoms took a little "trial and error", too.  As with closed cell foam there wasn't a lot of "wiggle room" between the cut size of pieces and the sort of nice, snug fit we like to see in cushion covers.  I made the covers using the technique where you stitch down the corners and then join the top and bottom with one seam that runs around the cushion in the centre of the foam/insert, which may account for the "trial and error" because I don't use that technique all that often. 

The job turned out nicely, though.  The cushions looked great (in a jaunty awning stripe) and in the 3-ish years hence we've not heard a complaint about mildew, mold, or unpleasant compression of the insert.  Our local supplier no longer carries the polyfibre board, so we haven't used it since. 

[Mike8560]

I wonder ic that's rhe stuff in most hottub covers?

[Darren Henry]

I've only used it once or twice; but no complaints, although I found it "stiff". *

Like Bobbin said; it's a bear to cut. I found my best results were with a very large sharp knife held at a thin angle, the same way you would cut fibreglass insulation.

*Disclaimer: our patio furniture usually only gets used May-October up here.  8) Unless you put them in your ice fishing shack and then they have the late Dec- early April shift as well  8)

[Mojo]

Used it on some dining room seat covers. No problems. I cut it with a large pair of scissors.

It has held up well.

Chris

[gene]

Thanks for your posts. I feel better about this stuff. I will definitely use it for outdoor cushions in the future.

I appreciate hearing that someone else used it for dining room seats. I did this one slip seat with it because the customer wanted something harder than foam.

I also cut it with big shears - using two hands: one to squeeze the handles and one to squeeze the blades. A hacksaw blade cuts well in one direction but tears it up too much in the other. If I get into using a lot of it I wonder if a band saw would work well?

gene

[sofadoc]

I'm a little surprised that all the feedback on that stuff has been fairly positive so far.
When my customers bring in factory-made patio cushions (with poly fiber board cores) to be re-covered, the first thing they tell me is that they want something more substantial. That's why I slip a 1"or 2" piece of firm foam between the layers.
I can see where it would be good for firm dining room seats.
I wonder if the factories use a large rotary cutter? I have peeled it in half, and got a smooth cut with a small rotary cutter.