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how to add batting to cushion foam
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Did you ever wonder what gives a cushion its cushy shape? Or how to protect a cushion from moisture from the inside out? Today, in third and final installment of our Cushion Foam Series, we’re going to examine the anatomy of a cushion and see how to add fluff and protection to your cushion foam. If you missed the first two parts of the series, be sure to check out our roundups of 4 Important Foam Terms to Know and 5 Types of Outdoor Cushion Foam.
If you cut a cushion in half, you’d most likely find a series of layers under the fabric stacked like a parfait. At the very core is the foam. On top of the foam usually is a layer of batting, and then there might be a thin layer of silk film, or other protective wrap.
Shape and Support with Foam
Choose the foam for your cushion based on your desired application and look. For a rounded look, choose a foam that can be wrapped in batting like open cell or polyurethane foam. Compressed polyester or polyester fiberfill are already soft, so they can fly solo in the cushion fabric. Closed cell foam is also generally used without any batting or wrapping.
Soften and Plump with Batting
Add batting to the foam to create a cushion with a plump, puffy look. The batting goes right against the foam, and is usually glued in place using a spray adhesive. Wrap the batting around the foam so both the top and the bottom of the cushion are covered, plus one side. If you desire, you can also wrap the batting so it completely encases the foam, folding the corners like wrapping paper.
Shrink and Protect with Silk Film
Whether you wrap your polyurethane foam in batting or not, we recommend using a silk film layer inside your cushion. This soft, noiseless film layer will act as an extra moisture barrier. The real bonus to using silk film is that after wrapping your foam in it, you can vacuum out the air to shrink the foam to 70% its original size. This makes it much easier to stuff the foam into a fabric cover. This shrinking feature is especially handy for foam wrapped in batting.
To use the silk film, cover and tuck the film loosely around the foam. Insert the vacuum hose into an open end of the film directly onto the foam and turn on. The vacuum’s suction will compress the silk film over the foam and shrink the foam. Turn off the vacuum and the foam will expand to original size.
That concludes our foam series. With all your new foam knowledge you’ll be all set to tackle new cushion projects! Browse our selection of cushion foams, batting and silk film at www.sailrite.com.
Do you have any foam questions we didn’t cover? Leave us a comment, we’re happy to help!
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