Insulated mattress

low tech & refugiés

https://wiki.lowtechlab.org/wiki/Matelas_isolant/en

Dernière modification le 19/10/2020

Difficulté

Easy Facile

Durée

1,5 hour(s) heure(s)

Coût

3 EUR (€)

Description

Building an insulated mattress from salvage life jackets' foams

Sommaire

upcycling, matelas, Rideaux, Isolant, Couture, Coupe-froid, Couverture de survie

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Introduction

NEED :

With the winter arriving on Lesvos island, it was decisive to propose a solution to the cold infiltration inside the tents. In addition to the wooden pallets, this insulated mattress enables to improve insulation from the ground.

ACCESSIBILITY :

Made from life jacket foam which can be easily fund here, these mattress permit to disminish the material pollution on the island. Survival blankets and plastic tarpaulin wraping the mattress, even if not coming from salvage, enable to improve the insulate and waterproof aspects of the mattress agains humidity. Facing the emergency of the situation and the time imperative, we could not sew an insulating tarpaulin, which for example could have been made thanks to inflatable dinghy's fabrick stored on the island .

Matériaux

Life jackets foam

2 survival blankets

Plastic tarpaulin (could be replaced by a sewed tarpauling made from inflatable dinghy's fabric )

Adhesive tape

Outils

Scissors/utility knife

Heating gun

Gloves

Matelas_isolant_Capture_d_e_cran_2020-09-22_a_14.20.46.png

Étape 1 - Cut the foam from the life jackets

It consists of removing the foam inside the life jackets using scissors or an utility knife.

Étape 2 - Assemble the foam pieces

To assemble the pieces, use the heating gun to melt a little bit the foam before sticking on another piece of foam. The goal is to achieve some kind of patchwork of foam with the size wanted

For example it is possible to realize a big mattress covering entirely the floor of a tent.

Étape 3 - Roll the foam with survival blankets

To insulate the foam at best, you need to roll it using survival blankets. So as to do that, use adhesive tape to attach the blankets on both sides of the foam.

"NB: It is better to use the aluminiu side on top so as to reflect body's heat."

Étape 4 - Cover with a plastic tarpaulin

Cover the whole mattress with a plastic tarpaulin to avoid water and humidity to penetrate inside. Attach it again using adhesive tape.

Étape 5 - Use

The mattress is above the wooden pallet and the tent canvas. Foldable and pretty light, it can be transported easily.

Notes et références

It is also possible to 'stick' the foam pieces together with strapes made from cutting plastic bottles (in slices) and using them as some kinds of laces mainting all the pieces together with small holes that you need to do in advance.

en fr 1 Published