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FOAM TYPES / DESCRIPTION
How do you label your
different types of foam?
Knox Foam has many grades of foam to fit your needs. We
have been selling Foam Rubber since the mid 1960's. Over the years we
have learned what people need for most applications. We have found that
there are three grades of foam that are most commonly needed. To reduce
the amount of confusion we have labeled these grades simply A, B, and C.
We do carry other grades of foam and if you need something that is not
listed in our web site, please call our customer service for more
details (1-800-967-9523 or 865-329-3051).
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What is foam density and ILD?
Foam density is simply how much the foam weighs per
cubic foot. So, if a foam has a density of 1.8lbs., a piece of it
12" x 12" x 12" will tip the scales at 1.8 lbs. Density
is often a confusing term because people what to relate it to the
firmness or softness of the foam. However, density does not play
much of a role in the firmness or softness of the foam. There is
another number to tell us how firm or soft it is. This number is the ILD
or Indention Load Deflection. The process for determining this
number is simple. A piece of foam is taken that is 15" square
and 4" thick A 15" plate is laid on the foam and
a measurement is taken to see how much weight is required to compress
the foam from 4" thick down to 3" thick So, if it takes
40 lbs. to accomplish this, the foam is said to have an ILD of 40
lbs. Generally speaking, an ILD in the 25-35lb. range is good for
bedding and 40-50lb. is good for sitting applications.
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A Grade Firm- What is its primary
use?
This foam is high resilient and high density. It has a density of
2.0 pounds and an ILD (compression) of 40-45 pounds. In most cases the A Grade
Firm will last over
10 years but this depends greatly on the specific applications and
weight being supported. The A Grade Firm is ideal for sitting
applications because of its firmness. The high density of A Grade Firm
makes it a very long lasting foam. Although we do not recommend the A
Grade Firm for sleeping, we do have some customers use it as a base for
a mattress and place a few inches of softer foam on top to make a
complete mattress. The A Grade Firm foam is the best foam we carry for
sitting applications and can be used for many other applications where a
firm foam is needed.
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A Grade Medium Firm- What is its primary
use?
This foam has a density of
1.8-2.0 pounds and an ILD (compression) of 35 pounds. In most cases the A Grade
Medium Firm will last 10 years but this depends greatly on the specific applications and
weight being supported. The A Grade Medium Firm has a firmness that is between the A Grade Firm and the A Grade Medium. The A Grade Medium Firm is ideal for sitting
applications where a real firm seat is not desired. A Grade Medium foam
can be used for just about anything where foam is needed such as seats,
seat backs, etc. Although we do not recommend the A
Grade Medium Firm for sleeping, it can be used if you desire a very, very firm
mattress.
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A Grade Medium- What is its primary
use?
This foam has a density of
1.8-2.0 pounds and an ILD (compression) of 28-30 pounds. In most cases the A Grade
Medium will last 10 years but this depends greatly on the specific applications and
weight being supported. The A Grade Medium is ideal for many
applications. It can be used for sleeping, seat backs, arm rest and much
more. The A Grade Medium can be used for sitting but it makes a soft
seat.
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B Grade foam- What is its primary
use?
This foam has medium resiliency and density. It has a density of 1.25
pounds and an ILD (compression) of 30-35 pounds. In most cases the B
Grade will last 3-5 years but this depends greatly on the specific
applications and weight being supported. The B Grade will work in any
application that the A Grade Medium will but just has a shorter life. We
recommend using the B Grade for applications that are not used on a
regular basis.
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C Grade foam- What is its primary
use?
This foam has a low resiliency and density. It has a density of .9
pounds and an ILD (compression) of 28-32 pounds. In most cases the C
Grade will only last a few months but this depends greatly on the
specific applications and weight being supported. This foam is ideal for
temporary use such as camping, extra beds for guest, or packaging.
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Memory foam- What is special about
it?
Memory foam is a specially formulated polyurethane
foam. It is labeled with many different names such as: Visco-Elastic
Foam, Impact Foam, and Slow Recovery Foam. It has the unique ability
to change firmness with changes in temperature. Generally,
the warmer the temperature, the softer the foam will become. This
ability is what sets this type of foam apart from all others because it
allows the foam to soften in areas that usually cause localized
pressure. For example, when you are lying in bed there are
several areas that have localized pressure such as your shoulder blades,
hips, calves, or basically any area that protrudes from your body.
These areas are providing the majority of the support for your entire
body. This can cause discomfort because it restricts blood flow to
many areas of your body and these areas can also become sore and tender
from the undue pressure being applied to them. To solve this
problem, you need to support your entire body with even pressure.
The ultimate goal is to eliminate localized pressure entirely.
Standard innerspring mattresses or standard foam mattresses cannot
eliminate localized pressure because they cannot soften in specific
areas. With the use of memory foam, localized pressure is eliminated.
This happens because there is more heat being transferred to the foam
from your body at these pressure points which allows the foam to become
softer. This action allows the area to settle deeper into the
foam. When this happens, it removes pressure from the localized
pressure areas and shifts more of the support to other areas that
previously had not been receiving much support. The end result is
even pressure being applied to your entire body. When you purchase
memory foam there are a few things to keep in mind. Most people
think more is better but this in not the case with memory foam.
Our research has found that if you are applying memory foam to an
existing mattress, it is best not to go over 3" thick. Also,
if you are placing the memory foam over an existing mattress, the
mattress needs to be firm. If the mattress is to soft, the memory
foam will only worsen your problem. We currently have two types of memory foam. We have a 4 lb. density and a 5 lb. density. The two foams are very similar but the 4 lb. is slightly softer and has a slightly shorter life span than the 5 lb. memory foam.
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Outdoor Foam- What is its primary
use?
Our outdoor foam is ideal for outdoor seating applications from causal outdoor furniture to marine seating. Our outdoor foam matches the comfort and performance of our other foams but it has large open cells to promote rapid draining and maximum air circulation for quick drying. It is manufactured with anti microbial properties to resist the growth of mold and mildew. The outdoor foam has a density of 1.35 lbs. and an ILD of 35 lbs.
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What colors of foam do you offer
and does the white foam stay white?
Most of our foams are white or tan in color. However, our A
Grade Firm foam is gray or beige depending on the supplier. The color does not effect the quality in any way. Our Premium Egg Crate foam is dar. One thing to keep
in mind is that foam goes through a natural process of changing color.
Although our white foam starts out snow white, with a little time, it
will begin turning to a yellowish-beige color. This process does
not effect the foam in any way other than simply changing its color.
Sunlight accelerates this process. In some cases, sunlight can change a
white piece of foam to a yellowish-beige in less than 30 minutes.
Again, this process does not effect the performance of the foam.
The gray foam goes through the same process but it is not as noticeable.
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Can you glue foam and what
should I know about it?
Yes, you can glue foam. We use a spray adhesive to
bond the foam. The glue does not damage the foam in any way. It offers a
very strong bond and in most cases, if you try to pull the foam apart,
the foam will tear beside the glue seam. Done correctly, you will
never know a glue seam is in the foam. Occasionally we have to glue
the foam because our foam buns may not be large enough to obtain
the correct size. Also, odd
shapes may require gluing. If you need glue and can't find it locally,
you can order it directly from us.
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