As with many of our products here at RH Nuttall, foam/sponge has a multitude of uses outside of what we use it for. We use the diverse material to make washers, gaskets, strips and sheeting. But this barely scratches the surface!
Insulation
The first and most obvious use of foam is for its insulating properties. The material is very effective at holding temperatures inside, due to its closed cell structure. And it finds use in all manner of things. Modern construction projects use it in the interior of walls, with it’s malleable state making it ideal to fit inside the walls without compromising their structural integrity.
But foam is also known for insulation of a different kind. As it doesn’t absorb water, it is a great moisture insulator. So in addition to insulating the walls in your home, it also won’t hold water and lead to damp patches. This water resistance also makes it buoyant, so it finds use in boats and other water faring items.
Packaging
Sponges natural malleability also lends itself to packaging. Most of the time, you’ll want something that is both secure, but not so stiff that it can’t absorb any knocks. Sponge is perfect, and the fact that it protects against water and heat makes it even more ideal. That being said, the fact it can be easily deformed means it is best teamed with a hard outer casing. You’ll often find sponge lining the inside of a briefcase, absorbing any impacts the harder metal or leather case incurs, keeping the contents safe.
Upholstery
Likely to be the use of sponge you are most familiar with, it can be found in many traditional couches and seats. Once again, it’s cushioning properties make them ideal for . . . cushions. How firm the cushion is will depend on the density of the sponge – they can either be very soft, or relatively firm. Not to get to graphic, but their water resistance properties can come into play again if you have a small child sitting on one, if you catch our drift!
Sound Proofing
We’ve detailed how closed cell, high density sponge and foam can resist many things, but a insulating property we haven’t mentioned so far is sound proofing. It’s actually a prudent property for normal wall insulation – who wants a house where you can hear everything happening in every room at once? This impact can be increased with additional sponge & foam on both the inside and outside of walls. This is why you’ll often find it lining the walls of any location where isolating outside sound, and maximising internal sound, is paramount. Think recording studios, TV sets, etc.
Toys
Finally, let’s look at something totally different. Most of the above uses of sponge have been fairly boring and sensible. But sponge can also be used for fun things! Chief among which is kids toys. Parents worried about their babies, toddlers, or hyperactive 6 year olds hurting themselves will want to invest heavily in sponge toys. The cushioning effect means that they are safe to play with for children of all ages, and the adaptability of sponge means it can be turned into all sorts of toys!
