How to cut foam rubber at home

Cutting thick foam rubber: what you can and can not do

How to cut thick foam rubber yourself? The most correct way with a special tool. For example, there is a saw for polyurethane foam Bosch GSG-300 Professional. It is powerful enough to accurately and quickly cut thick sheets of material in a store or small-scale production.

Furniture manufacturers use special machines. They can cut the polyurethane foam of any thickness, with a perfectly even seam and the exact observance of dimensions.

Naturally, these options are not quite suitable for the home: especially when you need to cut a couple of sheets for furniture restoration and never do it again.

foam, rubber, home

In such cases, it is recommended to use the so-called “loaf knife” (with serrations on the blade). Its shape and length allows to make an even cut of thick polyurethane foam. You will have to cut long enough, but as a “one-time action” method is quite suitable.

Pay attention: under no circumstances follow the advice of “craftsmen” and do not cut foam rubber with heated wire (tungsten or nichrome). Heating foam rubber releases toxic phosgene gas. It is extremely dangerous to inhale indoors.

How to cut and what to glue foam rubber at home

On the Internet repeatedly encountered the advice that the best way to cut foam rubber better heated nichrome wire connected to a 12 V or a sharpened soldering iron. At home we should not do it, t.ะบ. When heated, foamed rubber emits harmful cyano-containing substances. These substances, even in small doses, are highly toxic and affect the human respiratory and nervous systems. So let’s not reinvent the wheel and risk our health, in fact you can just cut foamed rubber with a sharp knife.

For cutting will do any construction knife with interchangeable blades. The main blade must be sharp.

Mark the foam with a marker or felt tip pen. Make small marks.

Connect the marks with a straight line on a ruler or wooden plank.

Under the place of the cut, be sure to put an unnecessary piece of plywood, board, chipboard or thick cardboard, so as not to cut the floor. It is better to cut without a ruler. Using a precise, strong movement, slowly move it along the marking. Hold the knife upright.

If the foam rubber does not cut through to the end, spread the cut with fingers and with the second cut cut cut the foam rubber to the end.

If you consider that the polyurethane foam will be used in a mattress or upholstered furniture, it will be covered with fabric, the cut is quite acceptable.

If the blade is scored, it means that the tip has blunted. Break off the tip of the blade or replace it completely.

Curved cuts are made in the same way.

According to the template a marking is made on the veneer.

Keeping the knife upright (don’t tilt it)

The cut is not perfect, but quite acceptable.

If necessary, the foam can be glued with glue 88.

The glue is applied evenly over the entire surface to be bonded.

Sustain it for 5-10 minutes (see Pic. If it is blunt (see application note) and press down firmly.

Foam can be used as an additional mattress. It only remains to sew the cover onto it. How to sew a mattress cover you can read here.

Master class

The rectangular-shaped cover is half stuffed with filler, then twisted, pressing tightly.

Using a needle and thread, sew the end of the cushion cover to the base, so the piece does not unravel.

To find out how to sew the pillow case with your own hands next, you need to measure the length of the base. To do this, take a tape measure, the edge of which is lowered to the surface on which the curled filler in the pillowcase lies. The second end of the tape is also lowered to the table and fix the value. Cut the chosen fabric according to the obtained data, adding 0.5 cm for the seam.

Bend the edge by 0.5 cm and secure the fabric with pins. Do this on both short sides, then stitch with a machine. This will be the coulter for the cord.

Measure the thickness of the plaited fabric from the centre of the plaited fabric to the edge. The data obtained are transferred to the fabric. in the marked place the ornament will be sewn.

A strip of fluffy fabric is sewn on the marked marks.

The cover for the roll is turned out, the edges are fixed with pins so that they do not move. Stitching machine and turning out.

Into the previously prepared hole insert a decorative cord, pull it through the circle and tie it.

Put the cover on the roller and tighten the cord on the second side.

Make small pompoms from the remnants of fluffy ribbon, tie them to the edges of the cord.

Here is how the finished pillow looks like. From the master class you can see that it is easy to make a pillow roller with their own hands.

Any thing made by the hands of an artisan, keeps the warmth of her hands. Original products, which are not found in catalogs of popular publications, can be made at home, with a little effort, imagination. For work you need a good fabric, filler, sewing machine. this uncomplicated set allows you to create things of different shapes. Author: Galina Kanashchuk

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It is better not to listen to these tips. Even if the cutting of foam rubber will occur on the street, you risk inhaling the most dangerous toxins so that you will ruin your health in a moment. The fact is that foam rubber is not the usual plastic. To give it a foam structure, polymers are added all kinds of toxic impurities, which are completely harmless in the normal state and at room temperature, but instantly turn into a strong poison when heated strongly.

Yes, in production they cut this material with red-hot nichrome threads. But there people work in protective clothing and respirators, and even then are in a protected booth operator with excellent ventilation. And since you are going to cut foam rubber at home, in the absence of such protective equipment, you risk poisoning not only themselves but also their loved ones.

Plus, this method is only suitable for straight cuts. To make a shaped one, you still have to take a knife.

It is better not to listen to this advice. Even if the cut foam rubber will be on the street, you run the risk of inhaling the most dangerous toxins so that will destroy his health in a moment. The thing is that foam rubber is not the usual plastic. To give it a foam structure, polymers are added all sorts of toxic impurities, which are completely harmless in the normal state and at room temperature, but instantly turn into a powerful poison when heated strongly.

Yes, in production they cut the material with hot nichrome filaments. But there people work in protective clothing and respirators, or even in a protected operator’s booth with excellent exhaust. And as you are going to cut foam rubber at home, in the absence of such protective equipment you risk to poison not only yourself but also your loved ones.

Plus, this method is only good for straight cuts. To make a shaped one, you still have to take a knife.

How to cut a flat thick foam rubber at home?

However, it is not recommended to do this at home, since foam rubber emits harmful substances into the air, which even in small doses are highly toxic and affect the respiratory and nervous system. We will not risk our health, especially since foam rubber is well cut with a regular knife.

Mark the cut with a marker or felt tip pen and make small marks in the process. Connect the marks with each other on a ruler (you can use a flat bar).

Put a piece of board, plywood, chipboard, or just heavy cardboard under the place of the future cut. This will keep the floor from being damaged as you cut.

It is recommended to cut the foam rubber without a ruler. Using a strong and accurate motion, move the knife along the marking you have made. Hold the knife upright when making the cut.

If the foam rubber does not cut through to the end, use your fingers to extend the cut and use another cut to cut the foam all the way through.

If the cut produces scoring, it means the blade of the knife is blunt. Break off the tip of the blade or replace it with a new one.

Curved cuts are made in exactly the same way. Make your marking according to the template, then cut the foam rubber along the ruler, making sure that the knife is vertical and not tilted. The quality of the cut will not be perfect, but it is useful if you want to cut a cushion for upholstered furniture, which will then be covered with fabric.

Cutting Upholstery Foam at Home

Pre-wetted foam is much easier to cut with scissors.

How to cut a flat thick foam rubber at home?

However, it is not recommended to do it at home, because foam rubber emits harmful substances into the air, which even in small doses are highly toxic and affect the respiratory and nervous system. We will not risk our health, especially since foam rubber can be cut well with an ordinary knife.

Mark the piece of foam rubber with a marker or marker pen, placing small marks. Connect the marks to each other with a ruler (you can use a flat bar).

Under the place of the future cut put a piece of board, plywood, chipboard or simply thick cardboard. This will protect the floor from damage when cutting.

We recommend to cut the foam rubber without a ruler. Use the knife to move it firmly and precisely along the marking you have made. Hold the knife vertically at the same time.

If the foam is not cut all the way through, use your fingers to push apart the cut and use another cut to cut the foam all the way through.

If you get burrs when cutting, it means that the blade is dull. Break off the tip of the blade or replace it with a new one.

Make curved cuts using exactly the same technique. Then cut the foam rubber along the guide line making sure that the knife is vertical and not tilted. The quality of the cut will not be perfect, but it is quite useful if you need to cut a cushion for upholstered furniture, which will then be covered with fabric.

Pre-wetted foam is much easier to cut with scissors.

  • Clear the place, remove all the things that can be in the way.
  • Placing the sheet of foam rubber
  • Take the knife with the blade of necessary length (according to the width of the foam rubber) and carefully make an incision on one side.
  • The plane of the blade is tilted to itself to get an even cut.
  • If the blade clings to the foam rubber, it means it is blunted.
  • Before gluing the surface needs to moisten;
  • Glue BF-6 should be applied twice, the first layer is applied thinly and given time for it to dry, then the second layer of glue is applied;
  • After the glue dries, through a damp cloth, it is necessary to iron the seam with an iron.

Cutting instructions

If you follow the instructions, your foam rubber will cut perfectly. So, let’s go:

foam, rubber, home
  • Since we decided to cut the foam pad, but not on the linoleum or parquet, the first thing we do is to lay it. First the plywood, then the cardboard sheet.
  • Lay on top of the layer of foam rubber that we want to cut. Make sure that the line of the future cut is on the lining.
  • We take a ruler and, according to the given dimensions, draw a line along which the future cut will be made.
  • Removing the ruler. If we cut along the ruler while also pressing down on it, the cut will be straight, but the edge will be as depressed as when using scissors. If you decided to cut on the ruler, then in any case do not press on it.

Some good advice on how to cut foam rubber so that the edge is perfect. If you feel that the knife began to make peculiar hooks while wiring it means that somewhere the blade became blunt and without cutting through it starts to tear the foam rubber, forming a strip of foam burrs. In this case, you should immediately change the blade for a new one. It’s best to do this without waiting for it to happen. Made five to six wires, change the blade. They can be used again later for any other purpose, but they will be useless for cutting foam rubber. A simple cutting of foam rubber with a knife is clearly shown in this video.