Do-It-Yourself Swimming Pool

Incredibly resilient, buoyant, non-absorptive, and carve-able, cross-linked polyethylene closed-cell foam is a natural fit for marine and nautical applications.

Routinely made into custom kayak seats, cross-linked PE (XLPE) can be carved and even sanded into a one-of-a-kind seat that gives users an incredible degree of control and comfort in their vessel. These seats are carved from blocks, but XLPE is also made into sheets of varying thicknesses, meaning additional padding in a kayak is possible.

Also made into dock padding to prevent damage from boats, XLPE has a boating application out of the water as well. For DIY boat trailer pad replacement, XLPE is the perfect material.

Resistant to breakdown from water and incredibly strong, this foam type will absorb vibrations during transit, pad the boat gently, and firmly hold it in place. Simply put, it’s the perfect blend of strength and softness. Sculptable just like a kayak seat, people can trim and carve this material to whatever size and shape they need when they have to replace their trailer pads. This foam is easily shaped with sharp blades, sawing tools, and even sandpaper for the finest adjustments. XLPE is non-scratching so it won’t damage boats, and can be wrapped in whatever covering fabric the owner desires as well.

A trailer pad replacement needs to be durable, non-absorptive, padding, and strong – XPLE qualifies on all of those points.

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Article submitted by The Foam Factory, a leading source for closed-cell foam online, including cross-linked polyethylene, neoprene, and polystyrene.

After a long day of work everyone looks forward to walking through the front door, plopping down on the couch and putting up their feet. We don’t get to enjoy that experience without an ottoman, however; one of the most relaxing 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 have in the home, and are made in varieties to fit any preference. The most traditional version is the four-legged, stool-style custom cushion. These are typically included as part of a living room set, meant to accompany a couch or chair. They feature soft seat-style padding that’s comfortable enough to put your feet up, as well as accommodate an extra guest in need of seating.

Many ottomans also offer hidden storage, as the tops either hinge open or can be lifted straight up and off. This is great for stashing magazines, remotes, and other knick knacks that have a purpose, but no real place in your living room.

For people just starting out, buying a complete living room set doesn’t often make sense, since jumping from location to location is often reality at the start of a career. That doesn’t make comfort any less important though, and stand-alone ottomans exist that can be both practical and affordable. Foam or pellet-stuffed beanbag-style ottomans are great options for a terrific foot rest in a space that’s maturing one piece at a time, or needs some interesting decor. Incredibly comfortable, bean bag ottomans are made in innumerable fabrics and colors, function as comfy extra seating, and are easily moved or stored.

Public seating requires more resilience than virtually any other comfort industry product. Seating like restaurant booths, bar seating, and pews in churches are used and abused constantly, but still expected to last for years.

While the covering fabrics on seats take the initial hit of abuse, the seat padding on the inside is what affects usability and ultimately determines when a seat is beyond use. If a seat looks a little worn but still feels great, people will forget as soon as they sit down, and life proceeds as normal. But if a barstool or restaurant booth have padding that’s worn out and uncomfortable, the nicest upholstery won’t matter; nobody will want to sit on them. Because of this, it’s important to get durable, top-quality seat cushioning materials when outfitting public seating.

When brand-new, every foam product will feel comfortable and durable, whether it was made to be soft or firm. But quality of foam varies formulation to formulation, with some materials made to last, and others that are more affordable and made for occasional-use situations. For commercial and public seating, bonded foam is built to last, formed from shredded foam and held together with adhesive. This foam is very firm and durable, making it perfect for use as carpet padding. But it really shines as padding under vinyl-covered seats in bars and restaurants, as it will support customers while lasting for years.

Another set of options for maximum durability are the softer closed-cell foams, like certain styles of gym rubber. These materials typically lack the cushion of open-cell foam, but still provide a degree of softness while offering superior durability. These materials are perfect for heavy-use bar stools, where any padding is a better option over hard wood. Whether open or closed-cell foam is used, high-quality and durable padding for commercial and public seating is an investment is worth its while over years of use.

Making a great first impression and catching eyes is one of the most important parts of marketing a business. In an economy filled with clichéd statements and silly gimmicks trumpeting products and services, it takes more than simply existing to get through to people.

One of the best ways to get your name out in public is with a bold and attractive business sign in front of your store. Signs assist in building credibility by identifying your company as a member of the community. That sign will be something people see every day that eventually becomes a part of a town’s identity. Unfortunately, signs can be expensive after considering the materials, customization, and installation involved. To prevent poking holes in your business’ bottom line, while still getting a quality installation, turn to exterior foam signage.

Lightweight and created using incredibly efficient computer-controlled machinery, polystyrene craft foam signs are moisture resistant to prevent rotting from the elements, and are easy to coat and paint to further increase their durability. Best of all, foam signs can be customized and tailored to look like much costlier materials at a fraction of the cost. Once sealed, painting methods can mimic wood, marble, or any other building material. Die cut foam sign wording and logos can be created on CNC machines, and even 3-D designs or foam columns can be built by gluing multiple pieces together. When finished and installed, foam business signs will show your customers you’re a company of substance and help generate the kind of business you deserve.

If you’ve ever ordered something through the mail or purchased a fragile item, it’s a near certainty that you’ve encountered foam packaging inserts before. Whether it was rigid polystyrene board, or squishy soft charcoal foam, keeping the extra foam for packaging, even after you know you won’t be returning what it protected, is often smart.

Obviously, keeping packing foam around means when you have something you want to send, you don’t have to go out and purchase packaging materials to protect it. Whether you’re sending a birthday gift to a cousin or sending something away for repair, you can’t overprotect something in the mail. If you realize you threw away something’s original packaging years ago, makeshift foam packaging with soft poly foam will help keep it safe and secure in transit.

Packaging peanuts are generally considered the least-favorite packaging material, but even these have some value if you don’t mind keeping a few around.  For example, foam peanuts make great spacers when placed behind pictures to protect walls, and when mounting them, can hold the nails being hammered into the wall, keeping fingers and thumbs safe.

Firmer open-cell foam packing can serve a purpose acoustically, surprisingly. When paired with a non-resonant piece of MDF wood for the stand, firm charcoal foam can be used under speakers or subwoofers to help decouple speakers from the room. This will help reduce the movement of vibrations throughout the room, which can cause rattles or buzzing as they come into contact with the various objects in a room. It may also help give your speakers improved clarity as well, by lifting them to a better listening position. If you’ve got loads of packaging foam hanging around, don’t be afraid to put it to work for you, whether repurposing it or using it for a whole new project.

In extreme environments and perilous situations, quick-thinking and creativity may be what people most need to get by, not a pre-packaged solution. While traditional parkas, fleece, and down-filled jackets fit the bill for shoveling the driveway or walking the dog, some individuals revel in pushing their boundaries with adventures few others would attempt.

For these adventurers, cold-weather endurance is one of the greatest measuring sticks of outdoor know-how and ability. Days and nights spent in freezing temperatures are dangerous, no matter your experience level. This makes picking the right equipment incredibly important, and to survive in areas where mass-produced apparel isn’t going to doesn’t get the job done, some enthusiasts have turned to creating their own survival gear, with open-cell foam sheeting as their secret insulating ingredient.

By those who swear by DIY foam clothing, open-cell cushioning foam is said to retain heat better than even the costliest apparel. Foam minimalizes heat transfer through the clothing, so while the body stays warm, the outside of the material doesn’t melt ice and snow around the wearer. This is very important, especially when sleeping or resting, because the moisture of melted snow can quickly get an individual sopping wet. Water draws heat away from the body quickly, which makes moisture dangerous, in addition to being simply uncomfortable.

Layering foam under breathable outer fabrics creates a protective layer that individuals claim dries quickly from generated body moisture, while retaining heat. This concept may be applied to custom, foam-padded sleeping bags as well, with the right cushion creating the same effect of warming you, but not the surrounding areas.

Most importantly, you should never place yourself in a potentially dangerous situation without the knowledge and preparation to confidently handle it. Also know that accidents can happen to even the most prepared individuals. But for those with the right combination of skills, custom foam-filled gear can help them push their limits.

A top notch home theater or stereo system can produce sound quality so clear and crisp, you may feel like you’re in the studio with your favorite band or film. But managing a premium sound system is a precise and delicate science, with plenty of variables factored into the interpretation of audio, many of them invisible, such as room vibration, sound reflections, and even your listening position. One helpful step you can take to improve sound in your space, even in a modest multi-speaker setup, is decoupling subwoofers.

Decoupling breaks the hard bond between two things, and in the case of audio, that means separating the speaker from the room’s physical structure. This is often done with an acoustic treatment material that absorbs the vibrations of the subwoofer, keeping them from reaching the structure of the room. This vibration isolation is important for sound control, because vibrations rolling through a room can rattle doors, windows, and loose objects, creating extra noise and annoyances. Breaking the bond between the room and the vibration source, decoupling foam reduces the ability of vibrations to travel. Decoupling is also useful if you have neighbors complaining, because sometimes the issue isn’t the actual sound produced from a system, but the transition of vibrations through a structure.

Because these products need to be non-resonant and strong, decouplers often involve a two-item construction of non-resonant MDF board and firm open-cell foam. They can also be purchased pre-made, but are quite easy to make on your own as well, with only a few inches of foam thickness needed. Cutting up old foam packaging sheets and stacking them under MDF can give you performance that’s as good as a store-bought solution. Depending on the quality of the materials however, your DIY decouplers may lack the aesthetics or the stability of a professionally-made piece.

If you love the big sound of your audio setup, do yourself a favor and improve it further by decoupling your subwoofers, giving you better quality and less distraction.

When you’re in your home, you should always feel safe and comfortable. Unfortunately, by virtue of the sheer amount of time we spend in our homes, it is also where we have the greatest potential for accidents. With the number of weekend projects, repairs, cooking, cleaning, and fixing that goes on in our homes, it’s pretty clear why there is such a substantial number of in-home accidents. Awareness is half the battle in preventing these things though, and one way to head accidents off at the pass is with foam safety products.

One of the home’s most perilous rooms is the basement, with less-than-ideal lighting, low ceilings, and exposed support beams. These are an open invitation for banged elbows, stubbed toes, and bumped heads. Rubber cushions in custom sizes, or thin, layered sheets offer a solution to the dangers present in your basement. This soft foam can be wrapped around support beams, ducts, and basement support poles. Another basement padding option is pre-cut polyurethane foam safety cylinders that easily slide over a pole for full protection.

For homes that have them, the fireplace is another area of the home that can be a location for accidental injuries. Not because of the fire, but from the hearth’s physical presence jutting into the room. Typically built from hard stone and/or brickwork, hearths can jut into walking areas with sharp edges that are dangerous to children and adults alike. Padding hearth edges with fire retardant foam can minimize the chances of an accidentally skinned shin, or the danger of a child falling and hitting their head. Typically built over a wooden frame for support and a hardware-free installation, these covers use protective foam densities that can be an addition to your décor as well.

Staying safe should always be a priority, and when we’re aware of the ways you can prepare, our homes become that much safer.