Ordering closed cell foam cut to size is straightforward when the finished measurements are clear before the foam is cut. All Foam supplies rectangular AFP30 and AFP45 pieces from the standard sheet sizes shown on the product page, with no separate cutting charge.
The important part is measuring the finished piece rather than estimating from the space around it. A few millimetres can matter when the foam must sit inside a case, line a compartment, separate products or fit against an existing surface.
This guide explains how to measure a rectangular cut accurately, how thickness fits into the order and how the All Foam parent sheet system works.
Quick answer
Measure the finished length (longer side) and width (shorter side) of the rectangular foam piece in centimetres, then select the required thickness separately. A rectangular cut that fits within 100cm × 100cm can be produced from the smaller parent sheet. A larger rectangular cut may use the 200cm × 100cm parent sheet. The foam can be rotated when checking whether the dimensions fit.
Measure the finished foam piece, not the available sheet
Start with the dimensions you actually want to receive.
If the finished foam needs to be 80cm long and 60cm wide, enter 80cm × 60cm. Do not enter 100cm × 100cm simply because that is the standard sheet from which the piece will be cut.
The All Foam cut-to-size section works out which standard parent sheet is required from the finished dimensions. This keeps the order simple because you choose the grade, thickness and finished rectangular size rather than calculating the parent sheet yourself.
For a larger cut, the same principle applies. A finished size of 150cm × 80cm needs the larger 200cm × 100cm sheet. The cutting service remains free, but the material price reflects the standard sheet required to produce the piece.
Measure length and width at the actual fitting position
When the foam is intended to fit inside a case, recess, tray, compartment or other existing space, measure the position where the foam will sit.
Take the measurement at more than one point if the opening may not be perfectly square. For example, check the width near both ends rather than assuming both sides are identical.
If the space measures differently from one point to another, decide whether the finished foam should match the smallest dimension or whether a small amount of compression is intended. Do not simply average the measurements without considering how the piece needs to fit.
For a straightforward flat pad or liner, treat length as the longer face dimension, width as the shorter face dimension and thickness as the vertical foam depth, as illustrated on the cover. Record:
- finished length
- finished width
- finished thickness
- quantity required
- AFP30 or AFP45
- colour where the grade offers a choice
The online service is for rectangular pieces. If the requirement is not a rectangle, contact All Foam before ordering rather than entering dimensions that describe only part of the finished shape.
Use centimetres consistently
The online cut-to-size fields use centimetres. Keeping one unit throughout the measurement process reduces the risk of conversion mistakes.
If a drawing is in millimetres, convert it carefully before entering the order. For example:
- 500mm = 50cm
- 750mm = 75cm
- 1,000mm = 100cm
- 1,500mm = 150cm
If the finished dimensions are critical, keep the original drawing or measurement notes so you can check what was entered into the basket before completing the order.
Do not mix millimetres and centimetres in the same note. A value such as 500 can mean very different things depending on the unit.
Thickness is chosen separately from length and width
The finished length and width determine the rectangular footprint of the piece. Thickness determines the foam depth.
All Foam currently offers AFP30 and AFP45 in:
- 3mm
- 5mm
- 10mm
- 15mm
- 20mm
- 25mm
- 30mm
- 40mm
- 50mm
- 100mm
Choose the thickness from the product control rather than adding it to the length or width field.
For example, an order might be:
AFP30, white, 25mm thick, 80cm × 60cm finished size
The 80cm × 60cm measurement tells us the rectangular cut. The 25mm selection tells us the foam thickness.
If thickness is the part you are still deciding, see the closed cell foam cut-to-size thickness guide before placing the order.
Check whether the cut fits the standard parent sheet
The current AFP30 and AFP45 full sheet sizes are:
- 100cm × 100cm
- 200cm × 100cm
A finished rectangular piece must fit inside one of those dimensions.
A piece measuring 80cm × 60cm fits the 100cm × 100cm parent sheet.
A piece measuring 150cm × 80cm does not fit the smaller sheet, but it fits the 200cm × 100cm parent sheet.
A piece measuring 110cm × 110cm does not fit either standard sheet because both available parent sheets have a maximum width of 100cm. A longer sheet does not solve a width that exceeds the available 100cm dimension.
This is why both measurements matter.
Rotation can make a valid cut possible
The cut does not have to be entered in the same orientation as the parent sheet.
For example, an 80cm × 150cm rectangle can be rotated to fit within a 200cm × 100cm sheet. The online service checks the finished dimensions against the parent sheet in either orientation.
This is useful when one side of the finished piece is longer than 100cm but the other remains within the 100cm parent-sheet width.
Rotation does not help when both finished dimensions exceed 100cm. A 110cm × 110cm piece still cannot fit within 200cm × 100cm.
Decide whether you need a close fit or clearance
A common measuring mistake is assuming that the foam should always be exactly the same size as the opening around it.
That may be correct for some flat pads, but other jobs need clearance for easier removal, neighbouring components, a case lid, a cover or a separate fixing method.
Before ordering, decide whether the dimension is:
- the exact opening size
- the required finished foam size
- the item size that the foam needs to protect
These are not always the same measurement.
If you are lining the bottom of a case, the finished pad may closely follow the internal floor dimensions. If the foam needs to slide into a narrow channel, the fitting allowance may need more thought.
All Foam cannot determine a project-specific clearance from the outside dimensions alone, so the customer should decide the finished size required for the application.
AFP30 and AFP45 should not be chosen by dimension alone
Both grades use the same current online sheet dimensions and thickness range, but they are different materials.
AFP30 is the lighter rigid cross-linked polyethylene grade at a nominal density of 30 kg/m³. The current specification lists compression at 25% deflection as 62 kPa.
AFP45 is the denser grade at a nominal density of 45 kg/m³, with compression at 25% deflection listed as 100 kPa.
The denser grade is intended where greater load-bearing performance and rigidity are required. The AFP30 vs AFP45 guide compares the two grades in more detail.
Do not choose AFP45 simply because the piece is physically larger. Grade selection should follow the required material behaviour and load, while the dimensions determine how much sheet area is required.
Measure repeated pieces once, then check them again
If you need several identical pieces, measure one finished requirement carefully and confirm that the same dimensions genuinely apply to every position.
The online cut service allows Quantity to be used for identical pieces. This keeps one cut instruction attached to the line item.
If the pieces have different finished dimensions, add them to the basket separately. For example, do not order quantity four at 80cm × 60cm if two of the required pieces are actually 75cm × 60cm.
Separate basket lines make it clearer which dimensions belong to which quantity.
Do not measure from a damaged old foam piece without checking the space
Old foam can become compressed, distorted or permanently marked during use. If the existing piece no longer fits correctly, copying it can reproduce the problem.
Where possible, measure the actual location the replacement foam needs to occupy and compare that with the old piece.
If the old foam is still the correct size and only needs replacing because of damage or contamination, it can be a useful reference. Just do not assume that every old edge still represents the original finished dimensions.
Keep the order description easy to verify
Before adding the cut-to-size foam to the basket, check the complete description as one specification.
For example:
AFP45, black, 20mm, finished cut 150cm × 80cm, quantity 2
Reading the specification as a single line makes mistakes easier to spot than checking each field separately.
The basket keeps the selected grade, thickness, colour, parent sheet and finished cut dimensions together. Review that line before checkout.
Common closed cell foam measuring mistakes
The most avoidable errors are usually simple:
- entering the parent sheet size instead of the finished cut size
- mixing centimetres and millimetres
- forgetting to choose the required thickness
- measuring only one side of an opening that is not square
- assuming rotation can make a piece wider than 100cm fit
- using Quantity for pieces that actually have different dimensions
- copying a distorted old foam piece without checking the actual fitting space
- assuming AFP30 and AFP45 are interchangeable because the dimensions are the same
A short measurement check before ordering can prevent most of these problems.
Order the cut you actually need
The Free Closed Cell Foam Cut to size service is designed to make rectangular AFP30 and AFP45 orders easier. Choose the foam grade, thickness and colour, enter the finished length and width, and let the page apply the correct standard parent sheet price.
For identical pieces, use Quantity. For different dimensions or thicknesses, add each requirement separately so every cut instruction remains attached to the correct basket line.
