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What is a Foam Mattress?

Foam mattresses are all-foam beds that are exceptionally popular for online mattress shoppers. They can be made out of a variety of foam materials, from memory foam to polyfoam, and typically contain several unique layers. Foam beds can be soft or firm, budget or luxury, so there is a huge amount of variety within this category.

Foam beds utilize a variety of materials to provide support and pressure relief. There are many types of foams, and often manufacturers will utilize several materials in each mattress.

Types of Foam

Polyurethane (Poly) Foam – Foam made from polyurethane, commonly referred to as simply “polyfoam,” is a very common ingredient in modern foam beds. Polyfoam is known to be much more bouncy and springy than materials like memory foam. Polyfoam is popular for use as a layer in modern all-foam mattresses, as well as for the top comfort layer in spring beds.

Regular polyfoam is a standard, relatively soft foam used primarily in transition layers.

High-density polyfoam is firmer and often used in underlying support layers.

High-resiliency polyfoam is firmer and more supportive, but significantly more expensive, so its use is less common.

Memory Foam – Memory foam is another very commonly used foam material. It’s made from similar polyurethane materials, with added ingredients to increase its density and viscosity. Memory foam is great for pressure relief, as it contours to the shape of the body. The term “memory” in memory foam refers to the material’s tendency to retain the shape of the body for a few seconds after being indented.

Standard memory foam is the traditional material that’s soft yet supportive, and generally affordable.

Open-cell memory foam is designed with openings in the tiny cells of foam, allowing for better airflow. This material feels a bit softer, and it will sleep cooler on warm nights.

Gel memory foam has tiny gel beads embedded into the memory foam material. The gel, combined with the open-cell design, helps to improve cooling and airflow.

Latex Foam – Latex is a natural rubber-like material that can be used to make a durable and bouncy foam. Latex mattresses are typically considered a category of their own, but some manufacturers also use a thin layer of latex in all-foam beds. Latex is often prized for its durability and environmental friendliness, although it is generally much more expensive than traditional polyurethane-based foams.

Dunlop latex is made using a more traditional, simple process, and results in a somewhat firmer feel.

Talalay latex foam is a more energy-intensive process that produces latex with a bouncier, yet softer feel.

Remember that most mattress manufacturers use a mix of different foam materials to create a well-balanced and comfortable bed. Typically you will see foam mattresses constructed of 2-5 layers, each with varying materials, densities, and intended purposes. When it comes to budget mattresses, you may see single-layer polyfoam beds – but otherwise, expect a blend of foam layers in most modern mattresses.