The best tool box foam inserts protect your tools from damage by keeping your tools neatly organised and securely fastened inside your tool box. Storing your tools this way allows you to easily maintain the condition of your tools and quickly spot if any tools are missing.
Foam inserts for toolboxes come in DIY and custom varieties, each of which offers different benefits. In this blog, we’ll compare both tool box case types, to help you reach an informed decision about which foam inserts are best suited to your needs and budget.
Why are foam Inserts Essential for Toolboxes?
Foam inserts are a toolbox essential for many reasons:
1. They keep your tools safe
Foam inserts cocoon your tools in a protective foam layer, which holds your tools snugly in place. This prevents your tools from moving or touching – helping to maintain the condition of your tools, so you don’t need to replace them as regularly.
2. They help you to organise your tools
Rather than your tools being free to move inside your tool box, with foam tool box inserts every tool has a dedicated recess in the foam. This approach makes it easy to find what you need quickly, helping you to work smarter and more efficiently.
3. They offer an effective tool control solution
Foam inserts are favoured by professional tradespeople because they provide an easy way to keep track of your tools. Having a dedicated space for each tool in the foam means you can quickly spot when one or more tools is missing.
4. They can be adapted to fit all types of tool storage
As foam can be cut to size, inserts made from foam can be adapted to fit all types of tool box. Foam inserts can also be created for other tool storage types, including tool boxes, tool chests, tool cases, tool bags, and drawer inserts for static or mobile tool cabinets.
What Types of Foam are Used for Toolboxes?
Two types of foam are primarily used to produce custom toolbox inserts. These are Polyethylene and Polyurethane.
Polyethylene
Polyethylene foam is a perfect material for toolboxes as it’s durable, lightweight, and versatile. Polyethylene foam inserts are also great at absorbing shock, offering an additional layer of protection for your tools in transit. Polyethylene is available in a range of densities, which affects its price point. The most premium grades offer water and oil resistance, as well as UV protection, in addition to a premium appearance that’s built to last. It can be custom-cut to mould the shape of any tool, guaranteeing a snug and protective fit. This is the main type of foam we offer our clients at Red Box Tools and Foam.
Polyurethane
Polyurethane foam has a softer quality, but it is also highly resistant. It’s suited to delicate tools, owing to its cushiony nature, but it’s also perfect for use in environments where harsh chemicals or moisture is present. Like Polyethylene, Polyurethane can be customised to mirror the exact size and shape of tools to provide a comfortable fit and clearly identifiable insert. It can also be engraved with tool names, serial numbers, or other optional branding.
Custom CNC-Cut Foam vs. DIY Foam: Which is Best for Tool Boxes?
Custom CNC-cut foam and DIY foam can both be used to create toolbox inserts. However, one relies on you to cut and shape the foam yourself, while the other offers you a finished product.
DIY Foam
DIY foam is the manual option. If you choose this pathway, you’ll receive a foam block minus any inserts. It’s then down to you to cut the foam to size and carve out each of the inserts for your tools to sit in, which requires precise planning, the right tools, and a significant time investment on your part. The finished product is unlikely to be as neat or precise as custom CNC-cut foam, however, of the two, it is the more affordable option.
PROS: Affordable.
CONS: Needs to be manually cut at home. Has limitations in terms of appearance and durability.
Custom Cut Foam
Custom CNC-cut foam is a more heavy-duty and professional solution, compared with DIY foam. There’s no manual labour on your part and your foam insert is ready to use from the day you receive it. Unlike the DIY approach, custom cut foam makes use of advanced computer-controlled cutting technology, resulting in a highly polished and professional foam insert. Another benefit of this approach is that the inserts are tailored to the exact dimensions of your tools and toolbox, offering you a premium and precise fit that grips your tools securely.
PROS: Durable. Timesaving. Precise. Looks Professional. Water, oil, and hydraulic fluid resistant.
CONS: Costs more than DIY foam. The foam cannot be easily adjusted or reshaped once cut, so future changes to your tool layout would require a new insert.
Which Tool Foam is the Best?
Which foam is best is a matter of personal choice and circumstance. If you’re in two minds, try asking yourself the following questions: how well protected do you want your tools to be? How professional does your tool box need to look? How much are you willing to spend?
If budget is a factor, a DIY foam will offer you a more affordable option than a custom-cut insert, but you’d have to be confident that you could cut and shape the foam yourself. This can lead to a ‘false economy’ if you need to buy new tools in order to do this. What’s more, DIY foam can’t match up to the quality of custom-cut foam so is unlikely to wear as well, leading you to replacing your tool box inserts more often.
If you’re willing to spend a little more, custom CNC-cut foam is a much better investment. Not only will you receive a professional looking product that you can use from day one, but the quality of foam means you’ll get a longer shelf-life from your insert, so you won’t need to replace it as often. CNC-cut foams also offer you a better fit for your tools as each insert is machine cut to mirror your tools’ exact proportions. Its chemical resistance, coupled with its shock absorbency, also offers you a layer of protection DIY inserts can’t compete with.
Customisation Options
Custom CNC-cut foams offer you more than a perfect fitting insert for your tool box. You can choose the preferred density of your foam – and its colour – giving you a truly custom product that’s tailored to your budget and taste. We can even combine two different foam layers together to form a shadow foaming effect, making it easier to identify when tools are missing.
Bespoke inscriptions can be laser-etched into the foam on request – for example tool serial numbers or bit sizes. We can even brand your tool box insert with your company name or business logo, to further enhance its professional finish.
Industries That Benefit Most from Custom Tool Inserts
Investing in custom tool case foam for your tool box can help you to achieve compliance in a range of highly regulated industries where workplace and public safety is paramount. In addition, the enhanced efficiency you experience from storing your tools in a foam insert can also help to reduce downtime – something that is a key objective in many industries.
Industries where foam toolbox inserts can make a real difference day-to-day include:
- Aviation
- Automotive
- Manufacturing
- Medical and Healthcare
- Marine
How to Get Started with Custom Foam Tool Case Inserts
Getting a custom foam insert for your tools is easier than you might think. Just give us the brands of tools you’d like included, along with your tool box model and foam choice, and we’ll create a custom layout that meets all of your requirements. We’ll even send you your layout for sign-off before taking the design to manufacturing, to ensure you’re 100% happy. From here, it’s just a 7–10-day turnaround to receive your order.
FAQs about Foam Inserts for Tool Boxes
- How long do Red Box foam inserts typically last?
Our foam inserts are designed to last several years, however how you care for your foam and how often you use your tools, will determine its lifespan.
- Are Red Box’s foam inserts waterproof or oil-resistant?
Yes, all of our foam inserts are resistant to oil and water.
- Can I get custom foam inserts for any tool box?
Yes, our custom foam inserts can be cut to any size of tool box. We also offer foam inserts for other types of tool storage, such as chests, bags, and cabinets.
- How do I clean foam tool inserts?
Maintaining your foam tool inserts is easy. Simply use a soft brush to dust off debris or loose fibres and a moist cloth with mild soap to treat any stains.
- Is there a minimum order for custom CNC-cut foam inserts?
No, we don’t enforce a minimum order for our CNC-cut foam inserts. You can order one insert up to as many as you need.
- Can foam inserts be made for other items?
Yes, in addition to tools we also manufacture foam inserts for camera cases, gun cases, display cases, and to protect breakables in transit.
- Can I add logos or branding to my custom foam inserts?
Yes, we can add your logo or branding to any of our custom foam inserts on request. All we require is a PNG file.
Ready to get organised?
Find your perfect tool storage from our professional range
From tool bags and tool chests to tool boxes with wheels, tool belts, tool cases, and trade-specific tool storage, at Red Box Tools we offer high-quality solutions you can count on.
Or why not take your tool storage to the next level with our made-to-order tool box foam drawer inserts and custom shadow foaming?
