Expert: Mark H. Miller - 8/2/2006

Question
I'm planning to make a cushion for the bay window. Is it better to make it with foam pads or pieces of foam? I have found the pad and it costs 120.00. I cannot find the already cut up pieces of foam that I assume will be cheaper and easier to shape into the cushion size, but it may not keep it's form...
Please help!
Marta

Answer
Hello Martha,

I am not sure what you mean by pieces of foam,  are you talking about schredded foam??

Here is what I suggest.  To make a cushion for a bay window you should start with a sheet of foam from which you cut the sizes you need,  to cut the foam use an old fashioned electric knife, the kind we used to use to cut a turkey.  IF you do not have that, and the foam is more than 2" thick use an ordinary saw that you would cut lumber with.  Spray some kind of silicone lubricant on the blade and it will cut easier.

Cut the foam the exact size of the finished cushion side to side, but allow aproximately 1/4 inch more front to back.

When you sew your cover make the finished thickness of the upholstery fabric 1/2 less than the thickness of the foam.  For example if the foam you use is 4 inches thick the finished upholstery should be 3 1/2 inches thick.  That way the upholstery fabric will fit nice and snug and not like a loose bag.  

You can buy your foam cut to the finished sizes you need online from FOAMORDER.COM if you do not want to cut the pieces yourself.  Buying the foam precut may not save you much because they usually charge for the sheet the foam is cut out of rather for what they ship you,  best way to find that is to ask them for a quote.

Also, you should buy your foam from an upholstery supplier and not from a store that sells fabric,  the quality of the foam in stores that sell fabrics is often inferior and will not last long.  Much better to spend a little more and get a foam that will outlast cheaper foam by many years.  The rating of the foam you purchase should be HR (high resilience) quality.  

I hope this information is helpful to you,  please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions.

Good luck with your project.

Mark Miller.