T
The Daily Insight

What is the best foam for sofa cushions UK

Author

Nathan Sanders

Published Mar 20, 2026

The best foam to use for sofa cushions is polyurethane foam. But the answer goes further than that. There are lots of different types of polyurethane foam, all with different properties. Choosing the correct sofa cushion foam is all down to the thickness you need and whether they’re back or seat cushions.

What foam is best for sofa?

Polyurethane foam is the most common type of foam fill for sofas, and is also often used as “toppers” for mattresses. It is usually yellow in color and high-resiliency (meaning it bounces back quickly).

What is a good foam density for sofa cushions?

The best foam density for a couch is somewhere around 1.8. This is the industry standard for couches and helps the couch last as long as possible without compromising on its feel and comfort.

How thick should upholstery foam be?

Upholstery Foam Sheets Thickness should be between 3/8″ and 30″ (1–76 cm).

What is the best filling for sofa seat cushions?

Foam wrapped in a layer of fibre (SupaWrap) is the most recommended seat cushion filling as it provides the support of foam and the softness of fibre, it is also cheaper than feather wrap. The look of a foam and fibre cushion will be similar to foams clean lines but with the added plumpness of fibre.

What is the difference between high resilience foam and high density foam?

High resiliency foam is a mid-range polyurethane foam in many respects, It’s not to be confused directly with high-density foam which is more firm and often used at the base of mattresses and support around edging, but not soft enough to lie on the surface.

What kind of foam do you use for chair cushions?

Open-cell foam types and uses: Polyurethane foam is the lowest quality of foam and will often not return to its original form. High-density foam is sold primarily for mattresses, average sofa and chair cushions, interior boat cushions and camping pads.

What is 2.2 density foam?

If a product has a 2 lb. density, that means a 12″ x 12″ x 12″ foam block weighed 2 lbs. Although density does not pertain to the firmness of a foam cushion, it does correlate to the quality and longevity of that cushion.

Is 32 density foam good?

High-density foam means higher quality as it has a strong cell structure. Consumers should check the specifications of the foams used. On a standard basis for the Indian market, PU foams should have 32 to 40 density, memory foam should have 50 to 60 density and Latex should have 55 to 65 density.

What does 40 density foam mean?

Mattress foam density is the weight of one cubic foot of a particular type divided by its volume. … A 40 density would be high density in polyfoam (PU Foam), not so much in memory foam, and very low for others. For example, in the Indian demographic, people prefer the PU Foam to have a density value between 32 and 40.

Article first time published on

What is the best cushion filler?

Duck Feathers are our most popular filling consisting of small feathers with a slight natural curl which act like a spring aiding in support, recovery and comfort, producing cushions with a medium-firm sink in feel. Feather is a cost effective filling and is suitable for all suite, scatter and bolster cushions.

How do I choose a cushion filler?

To do this you need to use an insert that is actually bigger than the cushion cover. We recommend: for square cushion covers you use an insert that is about 5-6cm or 2″ bigger than the cover. for rectangular (lumber) cushions you use an insert that is 2-3cm or 1″ larger than the cover.

What's best Fibre or foam sofa?

Foam seats are much firmer in comparison to fibre and can provide more body support while sitting. While there are different grades of foam available, foam will also retain its shape much better than fibre. It doesn’t change its shape after people have sat on the cushions (even during a Netflix marathon).

How thick should seat cushions be?

In general, cushions of at least 50mm thick will be comfortable enough for a seating pad, 75mm for a bench or window seat, and approximately 100mm for a daybed.

Is memory foam good for seat cushions?

Memory foam seat cushions and pillows are beneficial to providing health benefits for all of their users. Not only do orthopedic cushions and pillows that have memory foam help relieve pain, but they also reduce muscle fatigue and help your body recover faster from injuries.

Is memory foam good for upholstery?

Memory foam, the popular foam invented by NASA, can serve as upholstery in chairs or other furniture. It works well even for heavy use because of its superior quality compared to other types of foam.

Which is better PU foam or memory foam?

Memory foam is usually denser and more expensive than regular polyurethane foam. Memory foam does provide much a more pinpointed feel than polyurethane foam. … As the memory foam heats up from your body, it gets softer and sinks more. As your body sinks further into the foam, you get hotter.

Which is better memory foam or bonded foam?

It results in more comfort to the body. That means there is less chance of back pains using a memory foam mattress. … A bonded foam mattress and a memory foam mattress is more or less same as far as material quality is concerned. A memory foam mattress gives better body support than a bonded foam mattress.

What is the difference between PU foam and memory foam?

Both have polyurethane in them though. The main difference between polyurethane foam and memory foam is that memory foam contains additional chemicals which increase its density and viscosity. … PU foam is a lot more ‘bouncy’ or springy than memory foam. Polyurethane foam is made entirely synthetically.

What is a good quality foam?

2.5 to 3.5 pound density foams are the High Quality materials people should look to when they have a heavy-duty application that needs to hold up to use for years. These products last longer and are able to bear more weight and diffuse impact better than lower quality materials.

What is a good foam density?

Foam densities can range from as low as 0.8 pcf to as high as 6 pcf, with a sufficient range being between 0.9 to 2.5 pcf.

What is d28 foam?

This high density foam provides the most support. It is best used in frequently pressured cushions, chairs, and mattresses where the foam will withstand constant pressure from sitting while still keeping you comfortable.

Is high density foam firm or soft?

High density foam is a very firm foam that generally makes up the bottom layer of popular memory foam mattresses. Other types of mattresses such as innerspring or hybrid may also use high density foam to support the spring systems.

How do I stop my couch cushions from sinking?

If the current stuffing is in decent shape and has just lost some of its squishy springiness, stuff the cushions with additional filler or wedges of foam cut to provide support where they’re sagging. Alternatively, you can try to remove the old foam from the cushions entirely.

Do sofa savers work?

The Sofa Saver is a great product. It really helped with the middle sway in our couch. The one downside to it is that it makes the cushions slip out very easily and then the board comes out as well. We have had to get some Velcro and Velcro the cushions to the sofa board and then Velcro the sofa board to the couch.

How do I know if my memory foam is good quality?

Check the Memory Foam Density Density is measured in cubic metres (m³), so the higher the density, the heavier the mattress will be. As a general rule, the higher the density of the memory foam, the better the quality.

How can you tell the quality of foam?

The ILD rating of a foam material will tell you how FIRM the foam is. Some people prefer a very firm cushion, while others prefer softer. We offer firmness levels of Soft, Medium, Medium Firm, and Firm to match the preference of each customer.

Is high density foam firm?

High Density foam is a medium-quality industrial grade foam that comes in all firmnesses, from very soft to extra firm. There is a misconception that the name High Density means the foam is firm. This is not the case, as density is not correlated to firmness.

What is the softest cushion filling?

Feather is arguably, the softest filling of sofa fillings. Duck feather is commonly used for the filling of the sofa, on the other hand feather filled cushions can be high maintenance due to them having to be frequently plumped to keep their shape.

What are cushion pads made of?

Things like polyester and nylon are widely used in the manufacture of cushion covers.

How do you choose cushion insert size?

Expert tip: always choose a cushion pad that’s the same size or one size bigger than your cushion cover to ensure extra plumpness and comfort. Never go for a cushion pad smaller than your cover as you’ll end up with empty corners where there’s no filling – overstuffed looks and feels much better.