Home And Gardens

Polystyrene foam is one of the most common materials in the world today. We encounter it on a daily basis, whether or not we’re even aware of that fact. Polystyrene, or EPS, is used everywhere, from coffee cups, to massive blocks that are used as geological landfiller in large construction projects.  But one of its most useful applications is one that is around us almost constantly; foam insulation offers versatility, practicality, and affordability.

Expanded polystyrene is made in massive bulk forms that can be formulated to various density levels. For the purpose of insulation, these blocks are sawn into sheets of varying thickness and given a rating called R-Value, a measure of thermal resistance. These sheets help keep conditioned air in the home from escaping, while also working to resist outside temperatures. The thicker the sheet of EPS, the more it can insulate, and the greater the R-Value, the better it performs as well. Extruded polystyrene, a member of the polystyrene family, uses gasses in its formulation that EPS does not. Only using normal air in EPS means the foam doesn’t lose insulation ability over time, which the loss of gas causes in XPS.

Besides its uses as insulation, EPS performs well in many other jobs. It is often sculpted into detailed forms with computer-controlled machinery, making it a cost-effective home décor material for foam columns, balustrades and molding. EPS is extremely buoyant and resists water well, lending itself to use as self-built boat interiors to boost buoyancy. Its firmness also helps it to be put into use as pet stairs for animals who need help getting in and out of vehicles or up onto the couch.

A body wedge offers benefits individuals often aren’t aware of until they have the experience of using one themselves. Most of us think we’re getting along fine without one, but once a versatile body or seat wedge is added to our day-to-day routine, we realize how much comfort we’ve been missing.

Foam body wedges are available in all sizes large or small, and can be used for practically any purpose. One of their most popular applications is serving as a booster on your furniture and bed. Under your back, foam wedges offer a comfortable body angle for viewing TV or reading, without packing pillows or lumpy blankets underneath you. Wedges can also be moved under the legs for a lower-body boost in comfort or improved circulation. They can even be used to modify the angle at which you perform certain exercises during a workout.

Smaller wedges can be used as seating cushions to provide comfort, relieve pressure, and help align the spine better.  When used in the office or car, they can help you sit straighter and more naturally, reducing tension and discomfort in your back, neck, and shoulders.

A foam wedge can be made from any number of foam types, from the softest cushioning foam to the firmest support foam. Coverings are also customizable, whether you’d like a plush fabric for sleep assistance, or a durable vinyl for exercise products.

Traditional mattresses are typically built from materials that can trigger the allergies of people, even when brand-new. For people not affected by the construction materials, dust mites can make their way into a mattress, turning it into a bed slab that leaves them stuffy, congested, and unrested. If you suffer from allergies or would simply prefer a more natural alternative to traditional bedding, latex mattresses may be just what you need.

A natural Dunlop or Talalay latex mattress is hypoallergenic and won’t contain any synthetic ingredients or chemicals. These two latex foam varieties are slightly different based upon their formation, but share the same general character traits. By virtue of their open-cell structure and grid-like pin-core design which is a result of the manufacturing process, latex mattresses are aerating and one of the coolest sleeping surfaces on the market, making them great for people who “sleep hot.” Latex bedding conforms to the body in a supportive fashion, but without so much firmness that the material doesn’t relieve pressure. Its springy responsiveness adapts to every movement you make, meaning support is constant and immediate throughout the night, no matter the position you’re in. There are different density and firmness levels of latex as well, so people can enjoy the benefits of latex whatever their comfort preferences are. Latex is also made into pillows, which is terrific for people who desire an all-latex setup or mattress toppers for people looking for comfort exclusively.

If you’re looking for better sleep, better health, or better comfort, you can find all three in a natural latex mattress.

After a long, hard day of work everybody deserves to walk through their door, collapse on the couch, and put up their feet. We don’t get to do that without a cushion footstool though; one of the most underrated pieces of furniture in a home.

Used as foot rests, extra seating, end tables, or even as decoration, ottomans are one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you can add to a home and can be found in varieties to fit any preference. The most classically recognized version of the ottoman is the four-legged, stool-style custom cushion. These are typically acquired as part of a living room set, generally meant to accompany couches or seats. They feature soft seat padding that’s comfortable enough to accommodate an extra guest or just relax with your feet up.

Many ottomans also provide storage space, with a top cushion pad that either lifts off or flips up. These are great for storing old magazines, remote controls, and other odds and ends that have a purpose but not a proper place in your living room.

For younger people, buying a complete living room set that comes with an ottoman doesn’t always make sense, as they’re often moving around, working their way up in their careers. That doesn’t make comfort any less important for these people however, and stand-alone ottomans exist that fit the bill in terms of practicality and affordability. Foam or pellet-stuffed beanbag-style ottomans are terrific for a foot rest in a space that’s maturing one piece at a time or is in need of some eclectic styling. Extremely comfortable, bean bag ottomans come in innumerable fabrics and colors, offer comfy extra seating, and are easily moved or stored.

An investment in a mattress is a big decision, both financially as well as what it means for your health and well-being. When you do find a mattress that’s perfect for you, it’s important to do everything you can to keep it in the best shape possible and extend its life.  To help with that, these are a few tips that can help you extend your mattress’ comfort and functionality:

• Mattress pad. If you’ve had a mattress for a year or two, it’s entirely possible that your comfort preferences have changed since its purchase. If that mattress still remains supportive and structurally sound, there’s no reason to throw the baby out with the bathwater. To get the comfort you want with the support you need, implementing a foam bed topper can add cushioning without affecting support, adding years of life to a mattress you would otherwise replace.
• Be gentle. Because of its soft, springy nature, it may be hard for some of us to remember that a bed is not a play area for the kids or pets. Even if you’ve added a thick mattress pad, it’s important to keep in mind that a bed’s only purpose is to provide a great night’s sleep. Using it differently may cause it to wear down prematurely. Rough-housing or abuse can cause foam to tear, springs to snap, and air or water cavities to puncture.
• Keep it dry. Nobody in their right mind would ever purposefully pour water onto their mattress or a neglect to shut a window before a rain storm, but that doesn’t mean an accident can’t happen. When a mattress gets significantly wet, it’s quite difficult to ensure that it fully dries. If it doesn’t, it can lead to mold or mildew. For this reason, adding water resistant bed covers is a good idea, as well as instituting a no food or drink rule for the bedroom. Warranties are often voided by stains caused by an accident, even if the stain is only on the surface and the flaw or defect is very real.

Putting in time in the garage or the garden is a labor of love, considering all the time spent on hands and knees, in awkward, uncomfortable positions. But the reward of blooming gardens or flawless piston timing always ends up being worth the effort. And while it may take a significant amount of time and effort (and money) to get things the way you want, the path to completion needn’t be uncomfortable, and adding something as minor as foam knee pads to your routine can make things more enjoyable.

In the garden, there are countless sticks, twigs, and pieces of mulch waiting to poke and scrape you as you tend to plants, flowers, and vegetables. Gardens are notorious for quickly ruining slacks from all the dirt, and kneeling all the time can pack down soil, making the area hard to grow in. With kneeling pads, or even an old, trimmed down camp mat, you can keep clothes clean and your weight better distributed, leaving an area much more conducive to growth.

In the garage meanwhile, the cold cement floor can cut short a tune-up, courtesy of achy knees or a sore back. Foam kneeling pads are thick enough to cushion against the cement without raising you so high that it becomes hard to maneuver or reach under the vehicle. Foam is an affordable material, so one method of getting the comfort you want is by buying large sheets and making cut to size foam shapes to match your needs, whether you want a long pad to lie on or a smaller pad for kneeling. Padding a garage creeper is another great way of using foam to improve comfort. No matter which hobby you are passionate about, foam pads can make it more enjoyable, whether it’s spent with Corvettes or carnations.

If you are a pet owner, it’s almost a guarantee that you’ve seen them fall asleep in the strangest positions and places imaginable. But while our furry friends seem to have an innate ability to catch up on their sleep anywhere and anyhow, that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be appreciative of a supremely comfortable place to curl up in. For the animal in your life, foam pet beds are perfect for giving them the comfort they want and deserve.

Because they are made for beings that can’t comment or complain on their build, many pet beds are filled with low-quality filling. They’re soft and full when the bed is new, but flatten and bunch over time, leaving a lumpy, uneven service; one that is often under-filled as well. A custom made pet bed of foam will offer comfort and support to your pet while still keeping intact the clean appearance of your home. Beds can be purchased in a variety of sizes and thicknesses to fit your pet too, just like foam mattresses for humans. Solid foam pillow fill evenly distributes pressure and never bunches or leaves unsupportive areas like loose fiber filling tends to do.

Memory foam can even be used to make special pet bed cushions, conforming to their bodies and offering premium comfort and better circulation; a trait of particular benefit to older pets or ones with health problems. A solid foam pet bed is also resilient, returning to shape nap after nap. And due to its compressible nature, a foam pet bed can be easily moved, stored or brought along on trips. A pressure relieving cushion like this can be compressed down to a fraction of its regular size and still return to the original shape when unpacked. Getting your pet a solid foam bed is a win-win situation; your pets will feel better and because of that, so will you.

Packaging something for shipping can be as simple as wrapping old newspaper around an item and sending it on its way. Other times, storage and shipping requires a more delicate touch, and the amount of care required is usually tied to the value and fragility of what’s being sent. For situations where run of the mill packing sheets won’t be able to safely get items to where they need to go, DIY pick and pluck foam can give you customized foam packaging without technical expertise.

The usefulness of this foam is a product of its pre-scored, perforated structure that allows the user to easily pull away the ½ inch cubes into a custom shape for the item being shipped. These squares can be sliced away with a knife or cleanly and easily pulled apart by hand without damaging the foam. Mat foam sheets of pick and pluck are made in various thicknesses, whether you need 1 inch foam or 10 inches of foam. The layering of multiple sheets allows you to pick and pluck away different levels of the stack for 360 degrees of protection around an intricate and irregularly shaped item. The only rule to abide by when dealing with pick and pluck is to tear or cut away cubes to a size slightly smaller than the item. This will ensure the foam will compress against the item, holding it in place. This unique material is made in multiple foam densities for customizing your insert to lighter or heavier products and is even made in an anti-static version for protecting delicate electronics.

The level of customization that pick and pluck foam provides for packaging makes it a perfect shipping product  because you can quickly have a one-of-a-kind insert that will safely hold your goods and absorb impact and shock.

When compared to many consumer products, furniture has a relatively long functional life. Because furniture lasts so long, wear is always slow and gradual, making it hard to tell when something is finally beyond use. Instead of realizing things like cushions are starting to age and replacing them proactively, we often have the experience of going to sit down at the end of the day and realizing the couch or chair cushion is way too worn out to be comfortable any longer.

Fortunately, keeping in mind how long particular items should be expected to last can help us avoid a situation where we’re stuck without a good seat in the house. The age of a furniture cushion is the easiest factor to consider. For a cheap seat, the foam materials used are lower quality and will probably need to be replaced in as little as a couple years. Conversely, high quality furniture uses high quality materials, and these foams can last as long as a decade if not abused. Another credible method for assessing your seat cushions and furniture is the eyeball test. Foam is supposed to be full looking and expand against its covers for a plush, overstuffed appearance. If patio or seat cushions look saggy or wrinkly, the foam inside has worn substantially and needs to be replaced.

Making an objective evaluation of the cushion’s feel can be difficult, but it is the most important factor in realizing that they need be replaced. Because wear happens so gradually, we are always used to how a couch or chair feels. The only way to overcome this is by considering how you feel when you’re relaxing on the foam pads, or even how they felt when they were brand-new. If you’re sitting on a couch that was once supportive but is now giving you a sore back, it’s time for replacement. Keeping these tips in mind should help you stay ahead of the game and know when it’s time to get a replacement cushion before your furniture is completely unusable.

It is said technology moves at the speed of light, but sometimes it feels like the everyday things we use and own are often passed over in pursuit of the next world-shattering innovation or discovery. Textiles and fabrics are one area where it sometimes seems like the most recent revelation was the polyester jumpsuit from the 70s. Standing contrary to this belief is microfiber, a utility material that can be used for everything from cleaning, to upholstery, to clothing.

Microfiber, in particular micro suede, is a synthetic material mimicking more expensive and delicate suede leathers. It simulates a feel millions of people love for a fraction of the cost, and provides superior durability and functionality at value. Most popularly used in upholstery as a couch cushion fabric, micro suede can be dyed into any color under the sun, giving you a vibrant couch or a subdued cushion to unwind on. It’s stain resistant and does not discolor, making it a top choice for many selecting patio furniture fabric. It has also become incredibly popular as an alternative to vinyl bean bag covers, which lack the aesthetics many desire and can be uncomfortably hot.

Outside of the comfort and support sphere, many DIY audiophiles and acousticians have found micro suede useful in their builds. Bass traps using fluffy insulation materials can be covered in micro suede to help reduce low frequency issues while covering panels with a fabric that creates a customized, attractive installation in your listening room or workspace. With its durability, micro suede can be dusted or cleaned easily, with nothing more than a lint roller. So if you’re looking for a fabric that combines durability, comfort, and aesthetics, look no further than micro suedes.