Don’t settle with your furniture looking slouchy and old! New life can be brought to your piece by simply replacing the foam and padding. A common problem of misshaped and uncomfortable cushions can be addressed by simply replacing the original lower quality cushions with heavier weight foam and proper padding giving you 15 -20 years of comfort. Yes! This can typically be done without reupholstering your item!
Foam Facts
- Typically two numbers are referenced in identifying and referencing foam
- The first number relates to the density or weight per cubic foot.
- A lower quality foam or furniture industry foam typically weighs 1.5 lbs -2.0 lbs per cubic foot. This lower quality foam will look and feel great for an estimate 3-5 years and will then lose its comfort and become misshaped.
- A high quality foam is Finish Pros standard. This foam is heavier in weight at 2.5lbs-2.8lbs per cubic foot. This foam will hold its comfort and shape for 15-20 years
- The second number related to the firmness and is referred to as compression in the furniture industry
- an example of this is a very firm cushion may have a compression level of 50lbs, a medium firm cushion may have a compression level of 34lbs and a super soft cushion may have a compression level of just 16lbs
- Foam cushions are typically feature additional padding with synthetic batting called poly dacron or encased in a down wrapped envelope. Upholsterers will typically wrap cushions in order to achieve a crown or round effect.
- Spring Down cushions have light weight steel springs as a core and are boxed on all sides and sandwiched in a down filled muslin pouch
How Thick Should My Sofa Cushions be?
A great sitting piece of furniture is different for each person. Understanding where and who is sitting in the furniture is extremely important. Many new sofas are made with ultra thick cushions measure in excess of 6” thick. This can become problematic for individuals with back problems or the elderly. In these instances making the cushions thinner may drastically alter the appearance of the furniture or make the seat sit too low. Instead of reducing the thickness of the cushion I have combined different types of foam to achieve the perfect sit. An example would be replacing the foam in an 8” thick cushion using a firm 70lb foam topped with a 31lb medium firmness foam. A down feather look can be achieved without the duck! Many clients have requested a soft plush feel but didn’t want the hassle of constantly re-fluffing or feather constantly poking out of the cushions. This can be achieved by using synthetic pilled poly dacron that will give a similar feel to down.
