High Density Foam - Insulation, Cushions, Mattresses, and Upholstry

Many products use polyurethane high density foam. It is used in everything from medical equipment, wheel chair seat cushion and seating, and certain types of memory foam mattress. One of the most popular uses at home is in building products like insulation and high density foam tape. High density foam is also used in chemical reactions to act as an antimicrobial and flame retardant.

A popular use for high density foam is in the rehabilitation department. Foam rollers are often used to help patients balance themselves. They are also used on barbells as padding for your hands.

You will hear that there are two difference types of high density foam, namely open and closed cell. Open cell foam is usually soft and easily molded. Open cell foam is used for packing and shipping delicate items in order to protect them from the abuse during the shipping process. If you were to look microscopically at the foam, you will notice that it is made up of cells that aren’t completely closed like small balloons. If you were to choose a material for a foam cushion or foam mattress topper, this would be an ideal candidate.

Closed cell foam is the opposite. It comes in many degrees of hardness and has densities much different than the open cells. Because the cells are closed like circular balloons this type of high density foam floats extremely well on water. It also acts as a very good insulator because of the air bubbles trapped inside. But to be more technical, it is not air that is trapped in the bubbles and in fact a gas. This gas helps make the insulation properties much more effective.

Depending on the application you intend to use it for, closed high density foam will cost a lot more money. Because it is much denser, you will require a lot more of it. So the next time you are thinking about insulating your home, you will understand why something that seems cheap to make, actually costs a lot of money.

With all of that being said, there are situations where you would not want to use these types of Visco foam. The open-cell foam is not good for insulating because water can penetrate inside each cell. This completely gets rid of the insulating property. Of course closed foam is great for insulation but it is quite expensive. Therefore, many people tend to use it for smaller projects like window framing.

If you plan on cutting high density foam yourself, you will not be able to use regular scissors. It will definitely make the task almost impossible. Instead you need to buy an electric knife that heats up. This will allow you to make proper cuts that are free from rough edges. If you aren’t able to cut it yourself, you may need to have a hardware store or foam manufacturer make pieces custom to your project.

The price range of high density foam for exercise and rehabilitation will cost between $5 and $30. That would include things like an Ortho foam insert or foam roller. However, closed celled foam will be much more expensive. For example, a half sheet, 40 inches by 40 inches, of closed cell foam can cost between $20 and $80. So you should always compare prices online and offline to work out which is the better price.

Now that you have a better understanding of high density foam and its abilities, you can walk in to any hardware store and impress the people serving you. But you may just know too much so don't expect everyone to understand the different ratings of foam.