Mattress Foam Quality Scale
Fair Quality: 0.8LB – 1.5LB Density
Foam in this range is at the low end of density and can be considered fair quality; good for specialty uses and light applications. A density at the lower end means there is less physical foam mass in the material compared to higher densities, which leaves it prone to breaking down more quickly under use.
Lower density foam is also great for occasional-use comfort products. If used as a soft bed topper by an average-sized individual every day, a 0.8LB t0 1.5LB density foam will begin to show a noticeable decline in support and comfort after six months to a year
Good-Quality: 1.6LB – 2.4LB Density
Material within this range can be considered medium-density foam, and good quality. The difference between a 0.8LB density material and a 1.8LB material is fairly substantial, despite what looks like such a minor change in value.
In this range, you find materials that hold up to use better, are able to be used every day, and don’t cost an arm and a leg. This density span carries perhaps the greatest range in quality, as you would expect from products that bridge the gap between low and high-quality. Fortunately, foam density has a linear relationship with quality, so the greater the number, the more durability and resilience you’re getting out of a product.
High-Quality: 2.5LB – 3.5LB Density
For conventional open-cell foam, materials in this range are the best of the best. Products with a density in this range offer the greatest quality available, earning their keeps in the most demanding applications. Mattresses and cushions can be made from mid-density foam, but when using high-quality foam, you can get a much longer lifespan out of these products, as they hold up to the same amount of abuse for longer than lesser materials.