Mattress Forum

I would also note that the 25% test to measure ILD is an arbirtrary number.  If they used 50%, for example,  then 2 pieces that have the same firmness under the 25% measure might now measure to a different firmness.  Perhaps the denser all natural or dunlop would measure higher with a 50% (or some other %) standard.  Therefore they effectively feel firmer than the blended when your body weight compresses them by more than 25%.

All anyone has to do is read the PDFs provided in the links to have a more clear, and comprehensive understanding of what is going on with the variances in foam.

There are precise scientific approaches to rating foam. The problem will come in trying to find companies that adhere to these standards.

That is why I believe that dealing with the first tier providers of latex is going to bring the customer closer to actually achieving their desired results.

I'm not saying you cannot find individuals selling pieces of foam to the public that are dealing honestly and properly with their product. What I am saying is, at least for my reading on this form, and on the various websites of these foam manufactures, is that it is very difficult to really know what you're purchasing.

For instance in the links provided they talk about" fillers" used by many manufacturers to do various things to their foam. This completely throws off the ILD and density ratings.

I also found it quite interesting to learn that it is possible to manufacture foam that is both dense and soft as well as less dense and firm. So the point is, there is a lot more to this business than I previously thought. And this may explain why so many people are having difficulty finding a piece of foam that is satisfactory for them. When you cannot believe the specifications posted about a piece of foam how can you possibly be expected to find one that will work for you?

The truth of the matter is we wind up believing whatever they say on their website and buying by price. Then when we get the foam we are disappointed in the results.

This is one of the reasons I decided to go with FloBeds. They have well over seven years with no negative BBB reports. They must be doing something right.

For instance, consider this. From one of the PDF's.

"Obviously, the denser the foam, or the more materials used to produce it, the more material there is in the cushion (mattress) to provide support for weight.

It is important to remember though that foam surface firmness is independent for foam density. High density foams can be produced to be very soft. Low density foams can be made to be very firm. Therefore, there is no such thing as, "hard" or "firm" density. High density foam products generally offer a great deal of support but they may actually be fairly soft foams.

What's the difference between firmness and support? Firmness,(25% ILD) is a measurement of the surface feel of the foam. Support is the foam’s ability to push back against weight and prevent the foam from bottoming out. Higher density foams help prevent the feeling of having the foam collapsed beneath bodyweight in any application. Both firmness and support affect foam comfort.

There is even a measurement to determine the foam's ability to provide support. This measurement, "support factor", is determined by measuring the firmness (ILD) of the foam by compressing it 25% of its original height (a 4” block of foam to 3”) and then measuring the firmness when compressing the same foam sample to 65%. The ratio of the 65% ILD rating divided by the 25% ILD rating is the foams support factor.

The better the support factor, the greater the ability of the foam to support weight. Foams with support factors of 2.0 or above are better suited for loadbearing applications like mattresses or seat cushions. Density also translates into foam durability. Again the more polymer material used to produce the foam the better foam tends to retain its original properties”

Read the  Polyurethane Foam Association's PDF’s! There is a lot of important information in their.