Foam Mattress - it's the Foam that Counts
Foam Mattresses are Popular
The foam mattress is more popular than ever before. Since its emergence in the 1950s, much research has been carried out on foam and mattress technology. Today, the foam mattress is one of the best-selling mattresses. But not all foam is the same. Numerous foams now exist. Their quality determines the comfort, ergonomics and durability of the foam mattress. Research has made considerable progress. However, too often you still find mattresses made of inferior foam with limited lying properties.
Foam has many uses. In everyday life, you will encounter it as washing-up sponge, shoe soles, upholstery in car seats and sofas, insulating material, packaging material and as a foam mattress. The simple and inexpensive production process has contributed to the spread of foam materials. Foam mattresses are therefore extremely popular. One of the main advantages of foam mattresses over spring mattresses is their high point elasticity. Another reason that contributes to the sales success is the uncomplicated shipping as a roll mattress. Even large mattresses for double beds can be packed to a compact size and sent by parcel service thanks to the flexible foam.
With the Foam Mattress Came the Density
The density, or RG for short, is often used as a quality feature for foam mattresses. The density indicates the bulk density, i.e. how much a foam block the size of a cubic meter weighs. This is why the density is given in kg per m³. For a porous material such as foam, this means that the hollow spaces are included in the calculation. A foam mattress with a low density contains many small cavities. A less airy foam therefore weighs more and has a high density.
Das Argument, eine Matratze mit hohem Raumgewicht halte länger, ist veraltet. Moderne Schaumstoffe sollten unabhängig vom Raumgewicht haltbar und stabil sein. Ein hohes Raumgewicht sagt erst einmal nur, dass die Matratze weniger Hohlräume hat. Weniger Hohlräume bedeuten weniger Luftdurchlässigkeit. Solche Matratze sind also weniger atmungsaktiv und Feuchtigkeit kann schlechter verdunsten. Zudem wiegen Schaumstoffmatratzen mit hohem Raumgewicht mehr. Das erschwert die Handhabung.
Firm or Soft? A Question of Firmness
There is no direct correlation between density and firmness. Mattresses with different degrees of firmness can have the same density. The degree of firmness is a measure of the firmness of the mattress and the foam. A low firmness level stands for a soft lying sensation, a high one for a firm one. On advanced foam mattresses with a low firmness level, heavy people lie just as well ergonomically as light people. Regardless of body weight, some people prefer firm mattresses, others like to sleep on a soft mattress.
This is one of the reasons why bett1 offers you foam mattresses with two firmness levels. You can choose the firmness level by simply turning the mattress over. This gives you the opportunity to try out at home whether you prefer to sleep firmer or softer.
Cleaning Foam Mattresses
Mattresses are usually too large for a washing machine. However, you can clean the foam by regularly vacuuming the mattress with a clean upholstery nozzle. You should clean your foam mattress to ensure it lasts longer. Some types of foam can be washed, while others swell up when wet. Foam mattresses that swell up when wet are a nuisance, and not just for people who sweat a lot. With our Kids Mattress, you can remove the lying surface and wash the foam – easily at a hygienic 60°C in your washing machine.
Many Foams, Different Qualities
Almost all standard foam mattresses are made in some way from polyurethane foam, also known as PUR foam. However, there are differences. The composition and manufacturing process are decisive factors in determining the type of foam produced. Special additives and manufacturing processes result in different properties of the foam mattress. These differences affect lying comfort, sleeping climate and durability.
Comfort Foam Mattress
The simplest foam used for foam mattresses is comfort foam. Comfort foam is also known as hot foam because its production requires high temperatures for curing. A comfort foam mattress is inexpensive, lightweight and highly heat-insulating. If you tend to sweat, a comfort foam mattress can be uncomfortable. Comfort foam is not very elastic and offers little comfort, although the name suggests the opposite. Comfort foam mattresses are most suitable for light-weight people.
Cold Foam Mattress
Cold foam is a further development of comfort foam. The name cold foam comes from the manufacturing process. Cold foam does not need heat to harden. Cold foam is an elastic, dimensionally stable and breathable mattress material and can be produced in various degrees of firmness. Mattresses made of cold foam lose their elasticity and support when exposed to high humidity and high temperatures.
QXSchaum® Foam Mattress
QXSchaum® mattress foam is a cold foam specially developed for mattresses, characterized by its durability and high point elasticity. Foam mattresses made from QXSchaum® react stably to moisture, heat, and sustained pressure. The open-cell foam absorbs moisture optimally and allows it to evaporate quickly. This is called breathability and makes lying on mattresses made of QXSchaum® so comfortable. The foam maintains a good balance between flexibility and support. This means that different body shapes are ergonomically well supported in every position.
Visco Foam Mattress
In a visco foam mattress, usually only the top layer is made of viscoelastic foam. The special feature of this foam is its memory effect: this means that the foam returns to its original shape very slowly. This means that impressions remain at first. Visco foam mattresses are not always equally soft or hard: body heat makes the foam softer, while cold makes it harder. If the foam is soft due to body heat and you move and turn, it is often even cooler and firmer in the new position. This feels uneven when you sleep restlessly and requires effort when turning over. In addition, visco foam mattresses are often less breathable.
Gel Foam Mattress
Gel foam is cold foam mixed with gel. The material mix makes the gel foam mattress softer and gives it a slight memory effect. Gel foam mattresses do not change their hardness with fluctuating outside temperatures. Gel foam, like visco foam, is less breathable than cold foam, which is why only the lying surface consists of a layer of gel foam. Cold foam or a spring core is used for the core. Gel foam mattresses are not gel mattresses, but are often marketed as such, which are more medical mattresses.
Latex Foam Mattress
The first foam mattress ever made was a latex mattress made from natural rubber. Today, latex mattresses are mainly made from synthetic latex foam. Good latex foam mattresses are point-elastic, have high thermal insulation properties, and are very durable. However, latex foam mattresses are heavy. Simply turning, rearranging, or even moving a latex foam mattress is challenging. For people who tend to sweat, the material is not ideal as it is not very breathable. Production is complex and therefore expensive. When you buy a latex foam mattress, you often only get a cold foam mattress with a layer of latex.
There are two main differences between foam and spring mattresses: foam yields more precisely when pressure is applied. With a spring mattress, the springs always press down on a larger area. Foam mattresses also retain heat better. Spring mattresses, on the other hand, feel almost draughty due to the many gaps between and within the springs in the core.
Natural rubber was the raw material used for the first foam mattress: a latex foam mattress. Today, latex plays only a minor role. Foam mattresses are mainly made of foamed polyurethane, or PUR or PU for short.
A mattress for newborns and babies should not be too soft or too high so that the head does not sink in too deeply. A spring mattress is usually softer and higher than a foam mattress. Foam mattresses can therefore be a good choice for this sensitive age group.
Depending on how long your new foam mattress has been in storage or whether it is fresh off the production line, the length of time it takes for it to lose its new smell may vary. To speed up the airing process, you can stand your mattress upright with the window open. This accelerates air circulation.
Do you want to cut your foam mattress to size, for example, to fit into a van or a homemade bed frame that is not square? To do this, you will need a really sharp knife and a lot of patience. Make sure that the blade can really cut through the foam and that you do not damage the structure of your mattress by tearing it. Keep in mind that you will lose your warranty claim on your mattress with the first cut.
