The Springman now offers his customers a foam cut to size UK mail order service:

There are many types of foam on the market, only a few of them are of seating quality. 

Many customers think that by buying a firm foam they are automatically getting quality foam. Likewise many shops sell what is described as quality foam but is found to be unsuitable for use in seating.

HOW DO YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE ?

THE SCIENCE PART !!!!  

All foam is given a grade to help you choose the right foam for a specific usage. It is graded with letters first and then with 2 sets of numbers. The letters are not very important as they only indicate the manufacturers initials. The numbers are important as they tell you the grade and hardness of the foam. Take RX39/200 for example, the number 39 indicates a high density foam resilient to wear and tear and is ideally suited for seating. The number 200 tells you that it would make a firm cushion.

Ask your supplier about the grade, always go for the high 33 to 39 density. Next, choose the hardness you require with 200 ideal for a firmish seat  and 125 if you want something a bit softer. BE WARNED! if you require a soft foam seat cushion it is important to oversize the foam, for example a 4inch cover will require 5inch foam. This is a common error resulting in poor fitting covers.

Never buy foam that has a low density, as often cheaper foam with a low density will be nice and firm to start with but will collapse quickly. Examples of this type of foam are V28/200 and CMHR24/200. These foams are not suitable for seating.

Why not try my quality test shown below on any new foam you purchase and remember to follow 

Mark's Rule of Thumb

SO BE CAREFUL !!!!!!!!

IF IT IS NOT BLUE DO NOT BUY IT. Blue foam has a very high resilience to wear, so even the lowest specification blue foam is a safe bet. I supply 2 types of blue foam called VX38 and RX39. If you require a firm seat that will give you a long life and not collapse under you, then this is the foam for you. It is made to BS3379 for heavy domestic contract seating.

To test a foam, push your thumb into the foam quite hard for a few seconds. when you take it out the foam HIGH DENSITY FOAM should spring back into shape in a blink of an eye. If the foam however takes longer to regain its shape. it is probably a foam with  LOW DENSITY and would NOT suitable for seating and will not last. 

Please note that the foam is also fire retardant

Fibre or feather cushions ( nightmare!!!!)

If you have fibre cushions in your suite (poor you, they are a nightmare with the constant pumping required and still look awful) then do not worry, we can fit a specialist soft but resilient foam called REFLEX which is perfect for replacing feather or fibre cushions.