Art House Mark Ham

Kayaking is one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time outdoors; getting exercise on the water, floating and relaxing, and seeing nature. Without the right fittings though, a kayak can become uncomfortable quickly, focusing body pressure in certain areas and causing circulation issues. To combat this, many kayakers make their own custom foam seats, carved out of a closed-cell foam block.

If you’re willing to invest the time and effort into creating your own custom seat, the benefits can be surprisingly substantial. Buying a raw foam block and trimming it to shape will save money and gives you the ability to test the fit as you go, helping you end up with a perfectly tailored seat. Carving also lets you make sure it fits the kayak snugly as well. Purchasing a molded seat is a roll of the dice if you’re after a perfect fit.

Using closed-cell cross-linked polyethylene or EVA foam, you can have a durable, waterproof cushion that will distribute your weight evenly while still supporting you. Most seat-foam varieties can even be sanded for incredibly detailed customization. And while the comfort benefits the right seat can provide are substantial, they also play an important role in safety. A snugly fitting seat that keeps you in contact with the shell of your kayak gives you greater stability and control over the vessel, which can help you better avoid obstacles or right yourself after a flip.

For the safest and most comfortable kayaking experience, you can’t go wrong outfitting your kayak with a DIY custom foam seat.

If your pets are older, recovering from a medical procedure, or simply just deserve to be pampered, you’ll be hard pressed to do better than getting your favorite canine or feline a shredded foam pet bed.

 

Pet beds come in numerous varieties, but one of the most luxurious materials used in beds for pets is shredded foam. These foam beds can be packed with foam of any density, depending on the needs of your pet, and even the foam type itself can be changed, with options from normal polyurethane foam, to memory foam, or even latex foam.

 

Shredded foam beds work for your pet the same way shredded foam pillows work for humans. The compressible filling material will shift and form to the contours of your pet’s body, providing comfy, pressure-free support. For pets that suffer from arthritis or hip dysplasia, you can make a big difference in their comfort levels with a soft bed pad for them to relax on. Doing that with a shredded foam bed offers additional versatility over a solid form as well, since you can add or remove filling to make the bed more comfortable.

 

Shredded foam pet beds can be ordered with removable covers that make cleaning easy, and with so many fabric options that exist, you should have no problem selecting a material that matches your home’s design and motif. Aside from periodic washings of the cover, an occasional fluffing is all the bed needs to keep it in top shape. If you’re looking for something to keep your fuzzy friend comfy and happy, a shredded foam pet bed is a trick even the oldest dogs will be happy to learn.

Whether you’re screaming your head off at the Super Bowl or rooting for your kids in their soccer match, team spirit always makes a game more exciting. And while we can cheer until we lose our voices, showing spirit is much easier than saying it, and foam products are one of the best ways to let everybody know your allegiance.

 

The cornerstone of the sports-cheering world is the foam finger. These have come a long way since the first papier mache version was built, and it’s difficult to attend a game at any level without seeing a squishy finger waving about in the air. These decorative foam accessories are cut in bulk from soft foam blocks and are often used in fundraisers, giveaways, or contests because of their affordability. Today, there are many different designs and styles based off the original “number one” gesture, many tailored to individual teams. Hammers, fists, claws, and swords are just a few of the patterns fans these days enjoy cheering with.

 

Cheering for hours at the game can become uncomfortable though, especially when you’re subjected to hard plastic seats or cold metal bleachers. Again, foam steps in to make cheering on your team more fun and much comfier. In stadiums that permit their use, cushioning foam bench pads soften rigid seats, relieve pressure, and make it much easier to enjoy a whole game. They cushion, pad, and soften, but are also able to show spirit as well. Cushions come in tons of rich colors so you can keep your look consistent, and some even feature logos to show even more pride on your team. Before you head out to the old ballpark, be sure you’re equipped to let your favorite team know that you’re on their side with a foam stadium pad or finger.

If you’ve ever had something delivered in the mail or bought a fragile item, you’ve encountered a foam packaging insert. And whether it’s rigid white polystyrene or soft charcoal foam, keeping the extra foam for packaging, even after you’ve decided you won’t need to return what it originally protected, is usually a good idea.

 

The most obvious benefit of keeping foam packing around is that you can re-use it when the time comes for you to send something. Whether you’re mailing a friend or relative a gift or sending a product away for repair, you never want to under-protect what’s going in the mail. If you find yourself with a product that’s had its original custom foam packaging thrown away long ago, even creating makeshift packaging with soft polyurethane foam can keep it secure and help absorb impact.

 

Packaging peanuts are almost universally the least-liked packaging material, but even these have some value if you keep a few around.  For example, packing peanuts make great spacers behind pictures to protect walls, and when mounting them, are helpful for keeping fingers free of hammer swings when starting a nail into the wall.

 

Firmer open-cell packing materials meanwhile, can be repurposed acoustically. When coupled with a non-resonant piece of MDF wood for a stand, firm charcoal foam can be used under speakers or subwoofers to help decouple, which isolates the speaker from the floor. This will help reduce the travel of vibrations throughout the room, which can cause rattles and buzzing as they affect the various objects in a room. It may also help give your speakers a clearer sound 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 a whole new use or invent a new practical approach to getting the most out of materials.

In the world of foam, there are two main material varieties, open-cell and closed-cell. Almost every variety of normal foam can be placed into one of those two categories. Open-cell foam is soft and compressible, found in seat cushions and bedding, and the differences from one open-cell type to another are primarily in feel and durability. Closed-cell foam includes a much broader spectrum of materials, such as polystyrene, polyethylene, and neoprene. These foam types are so named because of their physical structure; open-cell foam’s cells are interconnected, while closed-cell foam’s cells are sealed off to one another.

 

One of the most unique closed-cell foams is also the most recognizable. Polystyrene is the white, rigid foam material used as home insulation, hot tub covers, and is formed into molded coffee cups and ice coolers. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is almost totally resistant to moisture and will not rot, mold, or degrade from moisture or water vapor. It also possesses a strong R-value, a measure of thermal resistance and an important factor in the evaluation of insulation products.

 

Another noteworthy closed-cell foam, most neoprene features a matte, charcoal gray rubber color. In thicker cuts, it is able to function as mat camping pads and outdoor furniture pads, or when cut thinly, can be packed in a sheet roll for shipping and large purchases. Neoprene is soft, resilient, and also resistant to moisture, temperature extremes, and even Ozone. It can be used for stable but soft exercise mats, gardening knee pads, or even to cushion furniture at sporting events with cold, hard bleachers.

 

Polyethylene features what some consider a plastic feel and touts one of the largest cellular structures among foam materials in its high-density formulations. A superb packaging material, it has excellent vibration and shock absorption, and is able to be cut in thin sheets for wrapping items for shipping or storage. One of its most unique characteristics is its ability to be formed with anti-static compounds, resulting in a pink, static-dissipating material that guards sensitive electronics.

For those who enjoy crafting and sewing, one material that is an absolute necessity is polyester fiberfill, also known as polyfill. This fluffy, cottony-like material has been used in comfort products and soft toys for ages and is a go-to material for the creation of pillows, cushions, and stuffed animals.

 

Polyester fill is made of interwoven strands of hypoallergenic polyester fibers that can either be spun tightly into sheets or woven loosely into fluffy bunches. Tightly woven batting sheets are often used in wrapping chair and couch cushions for an extra layer of softness that doesn’t detract from the support of the main cushion. Loose fiberfill makes great pillow inserts for a homemade throw pillow that pads furniture, as it offers a visual fullness and physical softness that can be easily increased or decreased. In clump form, the pillow fill can be gently pulled apart by hand for a less dense filling, or compacted for a more consistent, fuller pillow. Fiberfill is one of the softest materials used in cushioning and fills many pillows sold in stores. Loose fiberfill is also great to have on hand for repair projects. Well-loved stuffed animals or torn pet toys can be easily filled out again to their original shape and size with the polyester fiber.

 

The tightly intertwined sheets of fiberfill are often called batting. These are particularly useful for quilting because they’re light, warm, and hold their shape to give the quilt or blanket even fullness. For a multi-purpose, practical crafting material, polyester fiberfill does many jobs easily and affordably.

If you’ve ever walked along an even, smooth sidewalk, or kicked back in a toasty log cabin during a blizzard, you owe a debt of gratitude to a product you’ve likely never seen. That product is foam backer rod; an incredibly important building material in masonry and construction that gives structures durability, flexibility, and longevity.

 

Backer rod, also known as expansion joint filler, is a thin waterproof foam cylinder that is packed into the joints between poured concrete, logs in cabin construction, and cracks or fractures in the repair of similar building materials. Its role as a bond breaker between substrate base surfaces and the waterproof sealant applied to the joint is vital, because if caulk completely fills the joint, a three-point bond is formed. If this happens, due to the expansion and contraction during seasons and temperature changes, the adhesive will pull against the two materials it is sealing and the substrate, causing damage or failure when it tears away from one. It also is important to fill these joints for the purpose of keeping joints free of moisture. Cover foam and sealant protects against the damage and degradation of building materials during freeze cycles. If a joint between two slabs in a sidewalk remains unsealed and fills with moisture and freezes, the expansion of water into ice can crack the cement.

 

Caulk and sealant do not bond to the foam backer rod which is packed in tight enough to expand with materials. Keeping that space filled allows the sealant to stretch and compress, much like a rubber band. Filling the majority of the crack’s space with foam is also much more cost-effective than doing the same with caulk, making backer rod a cost-saving measure as well, in addition to its structure-saving benefits.

Whether you’re rooting on your team at the Super Bowl or cheering for your kids at their little league game, team spirit always makes games more fun and interesting. And while we can hoot and holler until we’re hoarse, showing our spirit is much easier than saying it, and foam products are one of the best ways to let your allegiance be known.

A cornerstone of the cheering world is the foam finger. These have come a long way since their original papier mache versions, and it’s difficult to attend a game at any level without seeing the foamy affirmation that your team is number one. These decorative foam accessories are bulk-cut from soft foam blocks and are often used in fundraisers or contests because of their affordability. Today, there are various novelty designs used, many tailored to individual teams. Hammers, talons, claws, and pitchforks are just a few of the newer patterns fans enjoy cheering with.

Cheering all day at the game can become uncomfortable though, whether you’re subjected to hard molded seats or cold metal bleachers. This is where foam steps in once again, to make showing your fandom that much comfier. In stadiums that allow them, cushioning bench pads soften hard seats, relieve pressure, and make it much easier to comfortably sit through a whole game. It cushions, pads and softens, but can also be used to show spirit as well. Cushions come in multitudes of colors so you can keep your team look consistent, and some even feature logos to go further in showing pride for your team. Before you head out to the ballpark, make sure you’re equipped to let your favorite team know that you’re on their side.

When an individual needs reduced noise or improved sound, the first areas that receive acoustic treatment are often the walls. However, in large rooms, open-space offices, and multi-story homes, more can be accomplished if you also address the space above you with acoustical treatment for your ceilings.

Ceilings are often neglected when a space is being treated for sound reduction with acoustical treatment. But in multiple-story structures, sound travels upward and downward just as easily as it moves outward. Ceilings are like noise lids, containing sounds and allowing echoes and reverberation. In large areas, like offices with multiple departments sectioned by dividers or cubicles under a shared ceiling, single departments are subjected to the whole floor’s noise. In an expansive classroom or auditorium, just a few voices can create sound reflections distracting enough to make hearing difficult for others. For these reasons, insulating sound in ceilings is vital for the acoustical treatment of a room. Fortunately, products exist for this very task, with foam mat sound barriers being affordable and fairly easy to implement.

In basements, acoustical drop ceiling tiles are great for clarifying sound and reducing noise sent to the floor above. Drop ceiling tiles are also very beneficial in offices or classrooms for cutting down on sound reflections, resulting in increased productivity and focus. Foam can be also factored into the acoustic construction of rooms. Closed-cell foam material sheets added between floors act as a sound deadening layer that can reduce noise, and some varieties also provide the added benefit of thermal insulation.

If you encounter noise issues and have looked all around for a solution, perhaps the problem isn’t all around you, but rather, above you.

No matter how attentive and protective a parent is, it’s unavoidable that a child will take a tumble at some point in their life. And as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So for parents who realize they can’t hold their child’s hand around the clock, there are things that can be done to help reduce the chances of an accident happening as a child learns to walk or play.

One of the best ways to protect a child is with a foam play mat. Using closed-cell foam, these mats are firm enough to provide a stable and comfortable surface for play and walking, while having enough give and cushion to protect a child in a fall. Floor cover foam is incredibly versatile by nature of its size, made in very thin sheets that can be rolled and stored away when not in use, or implemented in seconds. And with children’s tendencies to make the biggest messes possible with whatever they are eating or playing with, a durable material is necessary. Foam floor mats are just this, as cushion cleaning is a breeze since closed-cell foams are water-resistant and most water-based inks can be washed off with soap and water. Being able to clean and sanitize a play area is invaluable for parents, especially after a child drops an ice cream cone or some juice.

For people in residences dominated by hardwood flooring, foam pads are an excellent way to keep younger children safe against the firm surface, without permanently changing the look of a room. When placed back in storage foam mats leave a room the way it was before. If you’re looking to outfit a child’s play area or trying to prevent bumps and bruises while learning how to walk, a firm and cushioning closed-cell foam floor mat is a versatile, practical product.