Floral Foam Bricks Compared: STRASS, OASIS, GET IT FRESH, & SPRING — Which One Suits Your Stems?
Not all floral foam is created equal, and the spec sheet matters more than the brand name on the box. If you've ever ended up with wilting stems or a crumbling brick, it usually comes down to soak time, absorption, and density — not luck. Here's what those terms mean, why they matter, and how five popular bricks compare.
Understanding the terminology
Soak time is how long a dry brick needs sitting in water before it's fully saturated. Pull it out early and you'll have dry pockets inside that starve stems of water from the inside, out.
Water absorption and weight after soak describe how much moisture the foam physically holds once saturated — this is the water reserve your flowers will actually draw from over the life of the arrangement.
Density (soft, firm, or hard) determines how easily a stem pushes into the foam without snapping, crumbling the block, or leaving oversized holes that won't hold thinner stems upright.
Suitability simply translates density and structure into a practical recommendation — which stem types the foam is designed to support.
PH level matters because floral foam sits in direct, prolonged contact with cut stems; a neutral pH avoids accelerating stem damage or bacterial growth.
The five bricks, side by side
STRASS® Premium — The heaviest brick at 49g, soaking to 1.85kg and holding 1.8L of water. Its firm/hard density is purpose-built for heavy installation work: thick, woody, or strong stems in large-scale arrangements that need serious structural support. This is a specialist foam, not an everyday all-rounder.
STRASS® IDEAL — A firm, all-stems all-rounder at 47g, soaking in 60 seconds to hold 1.7L. A long-established, dependable choice for everyday mixed arrangements.
OASIS® IDEAL — Also firm and rated for all stems, at 47g and 1.75L absorption after a 65-second soak. Like STRASS, OASIS is a long-standing, trusted name in the market, and IDEAL performs almost identically as a reliable all-rounder.
GET IT FRESH® PREMIUM — A newer, more economical entrant, but the specs tell the real story: 47g, 60-second soak, 1.7L absorption, firm density, all-stems suitability — matching STRASS IDEAL and OASIS IDEAL feature for feature. It delivers equivalent quality at a lower price point, making it a strong-value all-rounder rather than a budget compromise.
OASIS® Spring — The lightest brick (33g) and the only soft-density option, absorbing 1.6L after a 65-second soak. Made with slightly fewer binding ingredients, it's formulated specifically for softer, more delicate stems that firmer foams would tear or crush. Also a newer, economical addition to the range.
Bottom line
STRASS and OASIS remain the established, proven names in floral foam, while GET IT FRESH and Spring are newer, more affordable alternatives. GET IT FRESH Premium matches STRASS and OASIS IDEAL in quality and performance, IDEAL and PREMIUM (aside from STRASS Premium) work as everyday all-rounders, STRASS Premium is reserved for heavy-stem and large installation work, and OASIS Spring is the go-to for soft, delicate stems.
For more information about our floral foam products, see our blogs Why More Florists Are Choosing Floral Foam Backed Papier-Mâché Bases and OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam Review: Is It Worth the Extra Cost?