Public seating requires more durability than virtually any other product in the comfort industry. Furnishings like restaurant booths, bar seating, and church pews are roughly and constantly used, but still expected to last for years with minimal maintenance.

While the covering fabrics on seats mainly take aesthetic abuse, the condition of the padding inside is what ultimately determines when a seat is beyond use. If a seat looks a little rough around the edges but still feels good, people won’t care how it looks once they sit down, and all is forgotten. But if things like a barstool cushion or pew cushions have padding that’s worn and uncomfortable, it doesn’t matter how fancy they look; people will not like sitting on them. Because of this, it’s important to get durable, top-quality seat cushioning materials for public seating applications.

When it’s brand-new, any foam product is going to feel comfortable and resilient, whether it was made to be soft or firm. But quality of foam varies by design, with some materials made to be long-term products, and others made to be occasional-use, affordable solutions. For commercial and public seating, open-cell bonded foam is a product designed to last, made from shredded product remnants or recycled foam, held together with adhesive. This foam ends up being very firm and durable, making it perfect for use as carpet padding underlayment. It’s also excellent when used under vinyl-covered seats in bars and restaurants, or even as a replacement patio chair cushion on a bistro porch.

Another option for even more durability is to utilize closed-cell foams, such as gym rubber. These materials don’t have as much softness as open-cell foam varieties, but still provide cushion while offering superior durability. These materials are perfect for bar stools, where any padding is an improvement over a hard, wooden surface. Whether open or closed-cell foam is utilized, selecting high-quality and durable padding for commercial and public seating is an investment that will last through years of use and abuse.