Is it time for a new mattress? Perhaps you are thinking about a memory foam mattress, but you have some questions about some of the confusing terms. What is IFD anyway? What does it mean and how important is in when buying a memory foam mattress?
IFD is sometimes called ILD (the older term for IFD). This is a measure of how firm a foam is. It measures the initial deflection of the foam under a load. The higher this number, the firmer the foam is. Foam used in bed cores is often a 30 IFD or higher, and those used in car seating might be 40 – 50 or higher. A desirable IFD for memory foam may fall in the range of 10 – 15.
Can you look at a mattress IFD and decide if it’s right for you? No, you can’t. Once you find a quality memory foam mattress that you think you may be interested in, the only way to find out if it will be right for you is to try it in your own home for an extended period (180 days or more). If you don’t like it, you need to be able to return it and get your money back. Do not settle for a store credit or comfort guarantee (same thing as a store credit).
At Healthy Foundations, we want you to know as much about memory foam as possible. In addition to our Guide to Memory Foam, we also offer guides for air beds and natural latex mattresses.