When buying a sofa, it is important to consider not only its size, shape and upholstery, but also its filling. In this article, we will help you choose the padding that will suit your needs.
Types of sofa fillers by material
Fillers upholstered furniture There are four types - spring, polyurethane foam, synthetic and natural. Each of them has its pros and cons.
From spring blocks
Inside such sofas there are not only springs, but also soft filler. However important has exactly the structure of a block.
Independent spring block
The springs are located in separate cells and operate separately from each other. A small spring lies inside a large one and is activated when an additional load is placed on the sofa - for example, not two people lie down, but six. It is thanks to these small springs that the sofa can withstand any weight.
For reliability, the block is connected around the perimeter with a metal frame. The space around the springs is filled with latex, coconut coir, memory foam, horsehair or felt.
Advantages:
On such a sofa, the spine retains its natural curve, which is why your back will not hurt;
The block lasts about 15 years. During this time, “pits” and protruding spirals will appear in the sofa with fastened springs;
The springs do not creak;
The mattress is made from natural materials;
Does not produce static electricity;
Made from hypoallergenic materials, therefore suitable for allergy sufferers.
Block of dependent springs "Bonnel"
In such a block, the springs consist of five turns and are interconnected. In this case, the upper and lower turns are larger than the middle ones. As in independent block, for reliability they are connected by a metal frame.
Sofas with Bonnel block are rigid and elastic, but they cannot completely follow the curves of the body. This can be bad for your spine.
Advantages:
The mattress allows you to evenly distribute body weight;
The springs do not creak;
The mattress is ventilated due to the double-cone structure of the springs;
The air that appears when the springs compress and decompress allows the cover to quickly dry out moisture. This is important if a person sweats a lot during sleep.
Spring block "snake"
The “snake” is attached inside the frame or on it. A gasket is installed between the spring and the flooring material, which prevents hard parts from coming into contact with the upholstery.
Advantages:
Withstands heavy weight;
Springs do not change shape;
Sofas with a “snake” last for about 20 years;
The springs do not creak;
Due to good air movement, moisture dries quickly from the sofa.
Made from polyurethane foam (PPU)
Polyurethane foam is better known as foam rubber. The softness of the furniture depends on how it is made.
Block PPU
This sofa filling is made from glued sheets of polyurethane foam. They cut into parts of the sofa, the insides are different in density.
Advantages:
Polyurethane foam is difficult to damage, so furniture with it is considered wear-resistant;
Does not accumulate dust and is suitable for people who are prone to allergies;
A sofa with block PPU lasts for more than ten years;
The filler allows air to pass through. Due to this, the furniture dries quickly;
Polyurethane foam is elastic: if you sit on it, there will be no marks left.
Molded polyurethane foam
Liquid polyurethane foam is poured into a special mold, under pressure and at a certain temperature it hardens. The polyurethane foam is covered with a crust, which almost does not allow air to pass through. This may result in a greenhouse effect.
Polyurethane foam padding will crumble if exposed to constant light. To protect it, the parts are covered in light-proof covers.
The advantages of cast polyurethane foam are generally the same as those of block foam.
Polystyrene balls
Externally, this stuffing looks like foam balls. Most often it is found in bean bags. Furniture with such filling must be periodically filled with filler, as the filler quickly compresses.
Advantages:
It is comfortable to sit on furniture with such padding;
Ease.
Soft synthetic fillers
They are good because they do not cause allergies and allow air to pass through, so they do not harbor germs. Such fillers differ in the way the fibers are laid.
Struttofiber
This sofa upholstery is made from synthetic and natural fibers. They are laid in a vertical position and fastened with hot air.
Advantages:
Struttofiber makes the sofa elastic;
Good air permeability;
The fibers act in the same way as springs in an independent unit - each cell works separately. Therefore, struttofiber padding is beneficial for the spine;
Does not burn and does not cause allergies;
This sofa will last a long time.
Holofiber
The material is made by twisting and splicing synthetic fibers. The result is a spiral filler that allows air to pass through well.
Advantages:
Keeps its shape and stays warm;
Does not crumble when exposed to the sun;
Does not retain odors and does not spread fungus;
Hypoallergenic.
Durafil
Durafil is non-woven fabric High Quality. It is created from polyester - hollow fibers that are arranged vertically.
Advantages:
The material is elastic;
Does not cause allergies and does not burn;
Microbes and dust mites do not appear in Durafil.
Sintepooh
To obtain synthetic down, manufacturers comb and twist polyester. The result is a material that looks like natural fluff. After treatment with silicone, the fibers are joined.
Advantages:
Volumetric and soft padding;
Synthetic fluff is obtained in the form of spirals, so it retains heat and shape well;
Microbes and fungus do not form in a sofa with synthetic down.
Sintepon
This synthetic filling for upholstered furniture is made from polyester fibers. In furniture it is often used with other fillers and installed immediately before the upholstery.
It does not hold its shape well and can shrink under heavy loads. There is no uniform standard in production, so buyers risk getting low-quality padding polyester that is harmful to health.
Advantages:
Does not absorb moisture into the fibers;
Not oxidized by oxygen.
Comforel
In the production of this hollow fiber, no adhesives or polymer emulsions are used, so sofas with comforters are considered safe. Comfortable furniture and pillows are recommended for children and pregnant women.
Advantages:
Does not cause allergies and is environmentally friendly;
A sofa with such padding is hard and at the same time restores its shape well;
The comforter does not pill after several washes;
It lasts a long time.
Viscoelastic foam
This filler was created by NASA for space programs. It repeats and remembers the contours of the body.
When the load is removed, the foam slowly returns to its original shape. This occurs due to a reaction to body temperature.
Advantages:
Viscoelastic foam distributes weight evenly across the surface of the sofa. This is good for the spine;
Absorbs up to 90% of the energy that acts on it;
It absorbs well, but does not allow air to pass through well.
Springless natural fillers
This “filling” lasts a long time and does not cause allergies. Natural padding has a beneficial effect on health.
Latex
Latex is made from the sap of the rubber tree. When processed, a structure of small cells is obtained.
Advantages:
Absorbs moisture and allows air to pass through well;
Quickly restores its shape. Latex is considered the most the best option for orthopedic furniture and mattresses;
The filler does not cause allergies, bacteria do not appear in it; - the latex in the sofa retains its original properties for about 20 years.
Periotec
This sofa filling is a voluminous fabric made of wool, cotton or polyester. Outwardly it resembles a large felt.
Advantages:
The buyer himself can choose the hardness of the sofa, because it depends on the composition of Periotec;
Hypoallergenic.
Padded quilted flooring
The flooring consists of two layers thick fabric. A five-centimeter layer of cotton wool is inserted between them.
A quilted pad is used to cover the springs to make the sofa even, or to place it between other fillings.
Advantages:
It is used only for softness; it does not impart elasticity to the quilted flooring.
Felt
To create felt, non-woven wool material is rolled twice through hot cylinders. A hard crust appears on the surface of the canvas.
Advantages:
Durable and dense;
Felt fabric is used as a spacer between springs and polyurethane foam. With its help, polyurethane foam is not pressed through;
A person sitting on a sofa does not feel the spring.
Horsehair
Hair from the mane and tail of horses is highly durable and elastic. So that they do not lose their properties over time, they are impregnated with latex.
Advantages:
The filler does not delaminate and does not gather dust;
It allows air to pass through well and evaporates moisture;
Thanks to its rigidity, it simultaneously holds a person and follows the shape of his body.
sea grass
Sea grass fibers are rolled into bundles and stitched through burlap. This type of furniture is suitable for people with diseases of the spine and joints, because it contains iodine and has medium hardness. In addition, iodine helps you fall asleep faster.
Advantages:
The filler is durable and almost does not lose its properties during service;
The seagrass sofa is moisture resistant and breathable;
Does not cause allergies;
The padding is elastic and durable.
We choose filling for sofas according to different parameters
To choose the right padding, determine which properties of the sofa are important to you.
Most durable
Sofas with fillings will last the longest:
Snake spring
Block PPU,
Struttofiber,
Comfortel,
Horsehair.
The most popular
Most often, buyers choose furniture with padding from:
Bonnell block
Block of independent springs,
Block PPU,
Holofiber,
Sintepon.
The most inexpensive
Among the budget fillers are:
Bonnel block,
- "snake"
Block PPU,
Holofiber,
Sintepon,
Quilted flooring.
For sofa cushions
For the comfort of pillows, soft and loose fillers are suitable:
Polystyrene balls,
Sintepooh,
Sea grass.
For sleep
The best sofa paddings for sleeping are:
Block of independent springs,
Struttofiber,
Comfortel,
Viscoelastic foam,
Horsehair,
Sea grass.
Types of sofa upholstery by purpose
The choice of filler depends on the purpose for which the sofa is needed.
If you are buying furniture for sleeping, it is better to choose a filler with independent springs: each of them acts on the load separately. This distributes body weight evenly and has a beneficial effect on the body.
Also suitable for sleeping natural fillers: latex, horsehair, periotec. Sea grass not only relaxes the body, but also helps you sleep.
Among synthetic paddings, struttofiber and viscoelastic foam work well on the spine. Comfortable furniture and pillows are recommended for children and pregnant women.
The polyurethane foam filler lasts a long time and does not sag, dries quickly and does not accumulate dust. This type of furniture is best used in living rooms and kitchens. For the same purposes, padding made from holofiber, padding polyester and padding polyester are suitable. They do not burn and germs do not appear in them, which is important for kitchen furniture.
Conclusion
Choose furniture filler depending on how you will use it. In spring blocks, pay attention to the operation of the spirals, in polyurethane foam and synthetic fillers - on production and use, and in natural ones - on the origin and their effect on the body.
Foam rubber (polyurethane foam) or spring block.
What to choose and what not to make a mistake when choosing?
Comfort and convenience.
This quality plays one of the important roles for any representative of upholstered furniture. Regardless of whether you need a sofa bed or a Euro-ottoman, the main purpose is the same – lying and sitting on them should be comfortable. It is important that pits do not form under your body, which is why sleep turns into torment instead of rest. The load on the mattress should be distributed evenly so that in the morning the spine and muscles are rested, and not stated: “everything hurts again, but did you rest at night?!”
What is polyurethane foam? It is a foam material made from synthetic polymers. PU foam retains its shape well and has good elasticity, which is why it is used in orthopedic mattresses. It provides the sleeping person optimal comfort, as it anatomically adapts to the contours of the body. This material can withstand decent weight, easily restores its shape, and is hypoallergenic. High quality polyurethane foam lasts a long time.
Polyurethane foam in the sofa.
Spring blocks used as filling for furniture come in two types - dependent (“Bonnel”) and independent (“Pocket spring”).
“Bonnel” is an inexpensive block, usually consisting of 4-turn double-cone springs, which are installed in one row and connected to adjacent rows by spirals at the top and bottom.
They are also called continuous weave blocks and dependent springs. Such spring mattresses do not provide anatomical support, because... When one spring is compressed, neighboring springs are involved in the process.
It is a continuous weaving of springs and is considered quite outdated. The reason is that mattresses in which this type springs do not allow a person to truly rest comfortably. It is simply impossible to press one spring in such a block - all its neighbors are immediately involved in the process, which makes the mattress unable to accurately adjust to the position of the body.
The main advantage of this block is that each spring is in a separate case, and is not rigidly connected to the neighboring one. This eliminates vibrations of the structure, and thanks to the effect of each spring on the body, the load is distributed evenly over the entire area. This provides “ individual approach" To different areas human body, giving the entire spring mattress particularly pronounced anatomical properties. If you are looking for the best spring mattress, then you should choose one with independent springs. The situation is better with independent springs. In this block, each spring “lives” on its own, in a separate bag, which allows you to distribute the load very accurately, thus providing a person with the opportunity for a restful, full sleep. Therefore, a good orthopedic mattress is equipped with either independent spring block, or first-class fillers (latex is considered the highest quality). It is this mattress that allows a person to feel fresh, alert and full of energy in the morning.
This means we need to move on to the next parameter. Independent springs are the basis of good spring mattresses. Springs are made from the same materials as the springs of the Bonnel block, but their diameter is much smaller - up to 2 cm, the number of turns reaches 8, and the number of springs increases square meter– from 250 to 1200. As a rule, such springs are barrel-shaped.
Durability and wear resistance.
Polyurethane foam lasts a long time, of course, if you set yourself the goal of destroying it and methodically train gymnastic jumps on your favorite sofa, then after some time it will certainly lose its elasticity. At normal use, upholstered furniture, which uses high-quality polyurethane foam, has a very long service life. In addition, this material does not accumulate or emit dust, is absolutely safe and allows air to pass through.
Spring blocks, subject to their production technology, are also very durable. But as a result of intensive use of a sofa or mattress - jumping, skipping or walking on it, the springs still have a much greater chance of sagging or breaking. This is especially true for cheap spring blocks. Other unpleasant consequences of their use include creaking and damage to the casing, through which the springs sometimes tend to peek out. To restore justice, it is worth noting that attempts to look into the real world are characteristic mainly of springs in furniture, which belongs to the “can’t get cheaper” category. In a well-made sofa, even an economy class one, there are enough intermediate layers between the block and the outer upholstery so that the springs remain where they should be for duty.
Spring block.
However, we have to make a reservation that if dependent springs are used in upholstered furniture, then polyurethane foam wins.
PPU is cheaper than a good spring block. Bonnell has long since become an obsolete technology and cannot compete with more modern blocks, so the price of such springs is very low. But polyurethane foam can be different. The durability and comfort of your upholstered furniture will directly depend on its quality. So, if you want to save money on your purchase, save wisely so that you don't end up with a chair with a dented hole in the middle, or a sofa that looks more like a bumpy terrain than a pleasant place to relax. Ask the seller about the quality of the filler used in this particular model. Try to see if you are sitting comfortably, if you feel comfortable. Of course, price is always important, but in this case you should not give preference only to it. Buying a sofa bed is a long-term purchase. And throughout this period, the furniture must retain its original properties - comfort, attractive appearance.
Who won our battle?
Judging by the above, polyurethane foam wins. But you understand that there cannot be a definite answer to such a question. Both polyurethane foam and springs have their weak and strengths, and making the final choice in favor of one filler or another can only be based on personal preferences.
Upholstered furniture made on the basis of both polyurethane foam and a spring block can be good and of very high quality. Look at different models, this can be done directly on our website, compare them. Our store consultants will be happy to tell you about the features of filling each of them. Whether it will be spring or springless depends only on you. For our part, we guarantee its quality. It is important to us that the selected upholstered furniture pleases you for as long as possible!
How often do you choose upholstered furniture by appearance without thinking about what's inside? But the internal content is no less important. The reliability and durability of the seat, back and armrests, as well as the comfort and ease of seating directly depend on the filling for the sofas. Therefore, you need to approach its choice no less carefully than choosing the color of the upholstery or the shape of the sofa.
What is better - springs or highly elastic polyurethane foam (PPU)? We talk about the most popular materials and help you decide which filling is best for your sofa in order to get a comfortable and durable place to relax for many years.
What's hidden inside: general classification of fillers
There are two large groups of upholstered furniture fillers: with springs and without springs.
In the first case, on the springs cylindrical or a spring “snake” base, several layers of natural or artificial covering material are laid - coconut coir, latex, foam rubber, felt, etc. The different densities of a particular coating and many spring options make it possible to create fillings of different degrees of rigidity.
Springless fillers are based on highly elastic polyurethane foam (PPU, furniture foam rubber) - an inexpensive, but durable and elastic artificial material.
If you look at the cross-sectional image of the sofa, you will see that all its internal contents are stacked on top of each other in layers. This method of installation is usually called “ layer cake»: alternation of different materialsallows sofas and armchairs to be hard or soft, gives the surface elasticity, airiness and relief, which contributes to comfortable rest and relieves stress from the spine.
Springs
The spring block comes in two types: with dependent (Bonnell type) and independent springs. Both options are very durable, provided that between the block itself and the outer upholstery there is sufficient quantity intermediate layers.
Multilayer coating is prerequisite any high-quality sofa with a spring block.
Dependent spring block
A classic, time-tested option. Here all the springs are connected to each other by a continuous spiral steel wire. If you press one spring, the others will immediately connect to it, thereby distributing the load across the entire base. The structure is attached around the perimeter to the edging frame and covered with an intermediate layer of non-woven material.
Furniture filled with dependent springs is cheaper, but it should be remembered that the orthopedic properties of a dependent spring block are lower than those of an independent one.. In this case, the springs do not adjust to the load individually, so if another person sits or lies on the sofa (especially with more weight than you), you can feel how the entire structure bends (the so-called"hammock effect").
Independent spring block
In a block of this type, each spring lives its own life” and does not depend on its neighbors, which gives the surface a high point elasticity and allows it to better adapt to the contours of the body.
The steel springs placed in separate fabric covers do not creak, do not rub, and in case of breakage are not capable of breaking through upper layer filler and cover.
Spring snake
Fixed to a wooden or metal base using a hinged strip or steel brackets, the “snake” is a simple and inexpensive spring base. And although it is not a full-fledged filler - a layer of polyurethane foam is always laid on top - it is able to withstand heavy loads, does not deform and is very durable.
PPU
Polyurethane foam (PPU or furniture foam rubber) is an inexpensive and highly elastic furniture filler. Provides a comfortable fit, has good elasticity and is environmentally friendly.
For the base of a sofa with such filling, as a rule, block furniture foam rubber is used, cut and twisted in a certain way. Some models require special molded polyurethane foam blanks, which are also used as a filler for pillows - the material allows you to hold any shape given to it.
Sofas are filled with PU foam various brands- standard, luxury polyurethane foam, memory foam foam, etc. The higher the properties of the material, the more expensive the sofa will cost to manufacture.
If you love comfort no less than savings- Pay attention to the filling of the sofa with premium polyurethane foam (artificial latex). Its basis is polyurethane foam of particularly high elasticity.
Viscoelastic polyurethane foam is a separate type of polyurethane foam that has a unique orthopedic “shape memory” effect. A mattress or pillow filled with such material reacts to pressure and heat, remembering the shape of your body. Press the surface with your palm and release - the dent will disappear very slowly.
Before buying a sofa or mattress, be sure to find out the density level of PU foam- a seat with an indicator of 28-30 kg/cubic meter will provide not only comfort, but also the durability of soft furniture elements. At the backthe density must be no lower22-25 kg/cub.m, and armrests- 20-22 kg/cub.m.
Other materials
Furniture fillings are not limited only to foam rubber and springs - other materials are also used as additional layers for filling.
Natural latex
A base made of natural latex is often used in expensive upholstered furniture - the material has high elasticity, instantly restores its original shape, is non-toxic, hypoallergenic and has long term services.
Sintepon
The most inexpensive, but very durable artificial filler. It creates additional softness and elasticity. Also, the material is not susceptible to fungus formation. The main disadvantage is that regular use does not hold its shape, characteristic dents and irregularities appear on the surface. In case of constant use, this material should be considered in combination with polyurethane foam as a covering layer - its share in the filling is small, but one way or another it can improve the shock-absorbing properties of the seat.
Holcon (struplast)
Modern non-woven material, consisting of an intermediate layer of vertically laid synthetic polyester fiber and two closing layers of dense reinforcing ribbed surfaces. This method of laying allows the mattress or pillow to sag only in places of pressure and quickly restore its shape.
Holcon is easy to care for, retains heat well, has increased elasticity, is environmentally friendly and does not absorb moisture and odors.
There is no definite answer to the question of what is the best filling for a sofa, but you can protect yourself from inconvenience and disappointment by choosing the “filling” according to the purpose of the future sofa. Yes, for sleeping place it is better to consider a filler with a more rigid and flexible base ( highly elastic polyurethane foam, independent spring block, natural latex), because Regular rest on an overly soft or creased bed can have a bad effect on the spine. But the guest option provides for any content.
