Replacement sofa seat foam?

[Doug71]

I have a couple of old sofas which have become very saggy, the cushions are filled with feathers and go flat and lose their shape as soon as you sit on them.

Can I just buy some foam and cut it to size to replace the down cushions? A quick Google and it looks like it could cost anywhere from £10 per cushion to £100+

They are in the posh room so don't get that much use but it is the room with the wood burner in so gets used a lot more this time of year. Being a tight Yorkshireman I'm hoping it will work out cheaper than buying new sofas!

Is another option to just buy some more down and stuff it in the cushions or maybe a combination of thinner foam and feathers?

If anyone has any experience of doing similar or recommendations of where to buy foam etc from it would really be appreciated.

One of the sad sofas

Many thanks, Doug

 

[Dibs-h]

Driven past this place in the past:

https://www.foamcomforts.co.uk/services.html
and there's another one towards Leeds:

https://www.transfoamltd-pudsey.co.uk/foam-upholstery-products
who seem to do a wider range. Might be an idea for a composite type insert - say seating foam wrapped in 1" of memory foam.

I'd definitely go down the "fix" route.

HIH

Dibs

 

[HOJ]

Had one similar to that, just as "saggy", the most comfortable thing I've sat on, worst thing we did was get rid...

 

[powertools]

To be honest Doug I think you know the answer. I have seen better stuff dumped in the lay by down the road just treat yourself to something new from the new year sales.

 

[Tris]

Any duckponds nearby?



Some upholstery companies will loan you sample cushions of different foam to try out, they do vary a lot. I was told by one local supplier that most foams are melamine based and start out pretty firm, as they get use they soften to what you want so don't go too soft to begin with

 

[Jameshow]

Sit down before you hear the price of foam!

4x2' X 3" foam £85!

Perhaps you could find a old sofa with simalar dimensions and get the foam from it!!

Or get a foam mattress and cut it up!

 

[ajs]

I have a couple of old sofas which have become very saggy, the cushions are filled with feathers and go flat and lose their shape as soon as you sit on them.

Can I just buy some foam and cut it to size to replace the down cushions? A quick Google and it looks like it could cost anywhere from £10 per cushion to £100+

They are in the posh room so don't get that much use but it is the room with the wood burner in so gets used a lot more this time of year. Being a tight Yorkshireman I'm hoping it will work out cheaper than buying new sofas!

Is another option to just buy some more down and stuff it in the cushions or maybe a combination of thinner foam and feathers?

If anyone has any experience of doing similar or recommendations of where to buy foam etc from it would really be appreciated.

One of the sad sofas

View attachment 149968

Many thanks, Doug

Firstly are you sure it's the cushions and not the strapping underneath attached to the frame? That can give way too, in all likelihood you'd need to tip it up and cut out the fabric base to inspect.

Secondly like you I noticed this is the kind of thing that is extortionate if bought online, I assume it is the cost of shipping. Anywhere you might be able to get it locally? Think needlecraft/haberdashery type places. Last time this came up I bought some fairly high density upholstery foam, 24" square and 2" deep for about £1.50 if memory serves, back in 2019 or thereabouts. From Abakhan which apparently are a national chain.

Again from memory they had thicker but not that much bigger in plan, may go up to 3' or 4' in the longest direction but no bigger than that, so you may have some thinking to make that fit but doubtless cheaper than online.

 

[SimonL]

@Doug71 - lots of very good advice above in my opinion
My step father ran a business for many years doing exactly what you are looking for

Sadly the business and my step father are no longer with us - he had a shop and market stall in Birkenhead and later moved online as well (Foamcutters)
The businesses referred to by Dibs-h above are very similar

a quick search online found Foam Cut to Size - GB Foam Direct - Best UK Foam Suppliers which is exactly what he did and has all the info you need - can't vouch for their prices though!

As I remember the foam was supplied by Vitafoam (Home - Vita Comfort) and another I can't remember
the foam comes in different densities/hardnesses and is easily cut with a sharp bread knife (he used an electric carving knife sometimes) and can be wrapped in an inch of dacron (normal) or memory foam and is generally then wrapped in stockinette before being squeezed into the cushion - this makes it easier to manoeuvre inside - cutting doesn't have to be accurate as it will fill the space - but it needs to be slightly over size or it won't fill the space if you see my point.

ajs is also correct - he sold a range of rubber strops and 'wiggly' springs that were part of the infrastructure of the chairs which also fail over time

Abakhan sell the same stuff, there are two shops within range of me - not sure elsewhere. There were a range of standard cushion sizes (D's and J's and a few others I think) that were for dining room chairs or garden chairs - thin flimsy things, but less so for larger cushions which were just quoted to the nearest inch

He got good business from upholsterers doing things like pub refits as they were largely bespoke but straight forward cushion replacement was definitely a major part. the pricing was based per unit volume and was more online.

this all seems similar to the plywood/sheet cutting services online - they all seem way more expensive than finding a good local supplier of sheet material and cutting yourself - but theres the challenge: finding a local supplier

 

[XTiffy]

The modern way of construction is foam wrapped in polyester sheet wadding then stockinette as per SimonL (above). Feather cushions always sag like that, though bit surprised that the there doesn't seem to be much support for the back cushions.
Shame you are so far away from me on the South Coast, as we are selling a vey similar 3 seater sofa, that we don't have room for (down sized), this hasn't sagged as you can see. I would agree referb not replace.

 

[Mrs C]

Given that your cushions are shaped, it might be worth sending the covers to the foam company and getting them to cut accordingly. They will send a no obligation quote.

Also, if you replace with just foam the covers need to fit perfectly otherwise it will just look a mess. As per the above post you will also need Dacron and stockinette.

Making new covers to go on new foam is fine, new foam into old covers is more of a challenge.

 

[flying haggis]

some open air markets sometimes have stallsselling foam etc

 

[Doug71]

Thanks everybody, some really helpful advice, I almost feel like I know what I'm doing!

I shall start by looking to see if there are any foam suppliers local to me, I kind of presumed that online firms with names like "We Cut Foam" would be reasonable but yes thinking about it online firms with names like "We Cut Ply Any Size" are horrendously expensive!

 

[Cozzer]

Had the same problem about 4 years ago, with a 3 cushion leather Chesterfield.
The cushions had been well and truly trashed by allowing the dogs on 'em over almost a 20 year period, and the slightly domed foam had lost its strength.
We tried buying replacement foam and cutting it to shape/size, even borrowing an electric carving knife to help! No chance - the sturdiest foam wasn't good enough.
We ended up sending the 3 cushion covers to the chesterfield maker -Saxons - and getting them to replace the foam and leather....in other words, 3 new cushions.
Almost £450.

 

[Jameshow]

How about getting the foam slightly thinner and covering the foam with an old duvet before putting in the cover?

Just a thought!

 

[fezman]

HI Doug, I bought a new sofa / chair a few years ago and the foam failed in one of the seats - it was under warranty. The company sent out BT Scott & Son – Your locally trusted furniture repair specialists who cover the Yorkshire area. Service was superb. They are located in Penistone, Barnsley.

 

[Seascaper]

I have a couple of old sofas which have become very saggy, the cushions are filled with feathers and go flat and lose their shape as soon as you sit on them.

Can I just buy some foam and cut it to size to replace the down cushions? A quick Google and it looks like it could cost anywhere from £10 per cushion to £100+

They are in the posh room so don't get that much use but it is the room with the wood burner in so gets used a lot more this time of year. Being a tight Yorkshireman I'm hoping it will work out cheaper than buying new sofas!

Is another option to just buy some more down and stuff it in the cushions or maybe a combination of thinner foam and feathers?

If anyone has any experience of doing similar or recommendations of where to buy foam etc from it would really be appreciated.

One of the sad sofas

View attachment 149968

Many thanks, Doug

Hello,
Lovely looking sofa, well worth keeping and looking after. I would start be taking one of the covers off one the cushions. If there is no zip you may have to unpick some of the stitching to get to the filling. There is a special tool to cut the sticking without damaging the material. Once you are inside you can then seen what has been used in the cushions. It could be anything from feathers to chopped up foam. Looking at them it is unlikely to be foam in one piece but there are different foams and it could be a mixture. Some cushion are sandwhich construction with various densities to get the correct look and feel. For example a firm dense foam lower down and a thinner less dense foam for the top to give a round soft feel. The foams are stuck together with a spray adhesive. If you have feathers or chopped foam it can all be replaced. Replace and the sew the cushion back together. All these materials are easy to get nowadays on Amazon next day at a fraction of the price it use to be. There are upholsterers around but you mention being a tight Yorkshireman so it is probably over to you get that cushion cover off and look inside. Perhaps an excuse to justify a lovely vintage sewing machine, Frister & Rossman, Singer, Pfaff, make sure it is not a plastic one.......
Regards

 

[Jameshow]

I have a couple of old sofas which have become very saggy, the cushions are filled with feathers and go flat and lose their shape as soon as you sit on them.

Can I just buy some foam and cut it to size to replace the down cushions? A quick Google and it looks like it could cost anywhere from £10 per cushion to £100+

They are in the posh room so don't get that much use but it is the room with the wood burner in so gets used a lot more this time of year. Being a tight Yorkshireman I'm hoping it will work out cheaper than buying new sofas!

Is another option to just buy some more down and stuff it in the cushions or maybe a combination of thinner foam and feathers?

If anyone has any experience of doing similar or recommendations of where to buy foam etc from it would really be appreciated.

One of the sad sofas

View attachment 149968

Many thanks, Doug

I gave a freind in north Leeds who is semi retired upholsterer who could do the job. Let me know if interested.

 

[rogxwhit]

You already have wood and leather in the sofa, and might also consider more natural materials for the upholstery such as rubberised horsehair and kapok, maybe with the first wrapped by the second. Maybe an upholsterer would advise on the degree of 'squidginess' acheivable using various combinations.

 

[flying haggis]

There is a place in Leeds that sells upholstery foam. rubber products limited. Whereabouts in Yorkshire are you as Yorkshire is a big place!

 

[bourbon]

To be honest Doug I think you know the answer. I have seen better stuff dumped in the lay by down the road just treat yourself to something new from the new year sales.

There speaks a person with more money than sense. Nothing wrong with fixing stuff, and should be encouraged