Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
Open Cell Foam or Closed Cell Foam? - A simple test you can do to determine by blowing air into the pad
If you want to know if a foam pad is open cell or closed cell, here's a simple test you can do to help you determine which type of pad it is.
Try to blow air through the foam
Results from your test
If you can easily blow air through the foam chances are good this is open cell foam.
If you cannot easily blow air through the foam, chances are good this is closed cell foam.
This is me trying to blow air through a Lake Country 5.5" ThinPro white foam polishing pad. From this simple test I can tell that while the rest of the pads in the ThinPro line are open cell, the white foam polishing pad is closed cell or a hybrid variation of closed cell foam.
I cover pretty much everything you need to know about open cell and closed cell foam buffing pads as it relates to you and buffing out paint on pages 72 to 86 in The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine
The chapter on foam pad technology starts on page 72
Reticulated or open cell and non-reticulated or closed cell are explained and then this section goes into the practical differences that affect you when you're buffing.
Tons of information on both foam pads and microfiber pads in just this one chapter of the book.
Get the book and read it from cover to cover and you'll know more than most detailers except the ones that have read the book or hang out on AutogeekOnline.net reading how-to articles.
On Autogeek.com
The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine
Makes a great gift to for the detailer in your life!
If you want to know if a foam pad is open cell or closed cell, here's a simple test you can do to help you determine which type of pad it is.
Try to blow air through the foam
Results from your test
If you can easily blow air through the foam chances are good this is open cell foam.
If you cannot easily blow air through the foam, chances are good this is closed cell foam.
This is me trying to blow air through a Lake Country 5.5" ThinPro white foam polishing pad. From this simple test I can tell that while the rest of the pads in the ThinPro line are open cell, the white foam polishing pad is closed cell or a hybrid variation of closed cell foam.
I cover pretty much everything you need to know about open cell and closed cell foam buffing pads as it relates to you and buffing out paint on pages 72 to 86 in The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine
The chapter on foam pad technology starts on page 72
Reticulated or open cell and non-reticulated or closed cell are explained and then this section goes into the practical differences that affect you when you're buffing.
Tons of information on both foam pads and microfiber pads in just this one chapter of the book.
Get the book and read it from cover to cover and you'll know more than most detailers except the ones that have read the book or hang out on AutogeekOnline.net reading how-to articles.
On Autogeek.com
The Complete Guide to a Show Car Shine
Makes a great gift to for the detailer in your life!
