Upholstery foam cut to size guide


Upholstery sofa foam example

Virtually all modern furnishings will incorporate upholstery foam to provide padding, fullness and shape to items such as sofa and armchair cushions (along with their armrests), dining chairs, window seats, loose seat pads, footstools, caravan and boat furnishings etc.

Upholstery foam generally refers to high or medium density foam which is most commonly used. It is an open cell foam, meaning that the individual air pockets (cells or bubbles) are broken and not completely separate from each other. This type of foam is therefore not waterproof, and waterproof coverings can be used when there is the risk of liquids leaking into the foam (e.g. cot mattress protectors).

Prior to the invention of foam, upholstery was traditionally made with natural materials such as coir (a natural fibre extracted from coconut husks), wool and animal hair.