Upholstery projects have the ability to transform tired, worn-looking spaces, especially when care is given to the selection of colors, fabric patterns, and the style you’re trying to achieve. However, the most important part of any upholstered item is what you don’t see.

Hidden beneath the fabric exterior are the “guts” of your furniture, including:

• Webbing
• Batting
• Adhesives
• Springs
• Stuffing

The type of stuffing material will depend on how the upholstered furniture is to be used and the comfort level you are seeking.

Batting

In cushions and other upholstery, batting is applied over the foam to prevent slippage and provide a smooth appearance. The thickness (loft) of batting can range from very thin up to 1/4″ thick. Batting is available in cotton, wool, polyester or a blend.

Cotton Batting

Cotton batting is made from 100% cotton that has been layered. There are two weights available:

• 26.5 oz. (thin)
• 42.3 oz. (thick)

The weight is determined by the type of project you are working on, but both weights are suitable for upholstery.

Cotton is a natural fiber that can poke through the fabric covering, making the furniture uncomfortable to sit on. If you are upholstering a headboard, this may not be a concern; but it may cause problems on seating for sofas and chairs. If so, a combination poly/cotton batting may be the answer. It’s durable and will give your
furniture a smooth look and feel.

Wool Batting

Wool batting is made from wool waste that has been woven together and is available as:

• Needled Wool Batting: Strong and durable and most commonly used to cover springs in upholstery, though it can be used for stuffing as well.
• Layered Wool Batting: Not recommended for upholstery, as it falls apart easily, which can affect the appearance of the furniture over time.

Animal Hair and Feathers

The use of animal hair is one of the oldest types of upholstery stuffing. The hair used is most often from the manes and tails of horses and is often found in antique furniture. When re-upholstering antiques, the existing horse hair can be combined with wool or cotton to add additional loft to the piece.
While not actually “hair”, feather and down is often used in upscale furniture to provide the ultimate in comfort.

Upholstery Foam

Upholstery foam is the most common stuffing material used today. It’s available in several densities which determine the grade and quality of the foam. The higher the number, the better the quality.

Foam Quality

A quality, high density foam will not break apart or cause clumps. Choosing the highest density foam you can afford will improve the comfort level, appearance, and life of upholstered furniture.

Foam Durability

The resiliency or durability of your upholstery foam is important as it will determine how much wear and tear your furniture can withstand. Using foam labeled high resilient, or HR, will make cushions more comfortable and reduce sagging over time.

Foam Fire Resistance

All upholstery foam sold in the United States must be fire resistant. If the furniture you are purchasing does not indicate that the foam used is fire resistant you may want to reconsider. A label with the letters FR on it will confirm that the proper foam has been used.

Foam Firmness

The level of firmness of upholstered furniture is determined by the Indentation Force Deflection (ILD) number of the upholstery foam. This scale ranges between 6 and 45 with the lowest number representing the softest foam and the highest the firmest foam. How soft or firm you would like your upholstered piece to be is a personal decision, and knowing the ILD number of the foam you purchase allows you to determining it.

Pillow Forms

While not durable enough for padding the frames of furniture, pillow forms are used to stuff or restuff pillows that comprise part of many upholstery projects. Pillow forms are available in polyester, down, and feather/down fillings, with natural fillings generally considered best for serious upholstery projects.

Choosing Upholstery Stuffing

The particular upholstery project you are working on will often determine the type of stuffing material used. A lesser quality cushion foam or batting may be perfect for stuffing small accent pillows, headboards, footstools and furniture pieces that do not receive heavy use. Conversely, mattresses, seating, and furniture that are used frequently will benefit more from high quality stuffing to provide the ultimate in comfort and prolong the life of the furniture.

While quality stuffing materials cost more initially, they can save in the long run by making furniture last longer.

Indra Desigri thinks that even the most challenging home improvement projects can be made easy with the right materials, good information and a well-planned approach. For more from Indra, visit OnlineFabricStore.net

Tags:

9 Comments on “Homeowner’s Guide to Furniture Stuffing: Upholstery Foam, Batting, and Animal Hair”

You can follow comments to this article by subscribing to the RSS news feed with your favorite feed reader.

1. Jean Glover Says:
   April 14th, 2010 at 8:26 pm

   I am attempting to re-make and upholster four seat cushions from an antique wicker furniture set of sofa and chair. the guts of the cushions have springs, set in a frame and wrapped in burlap. the old matting is ruined and i’m not sure if i should wrap it in foam or try to find thick batting. the owner wants to keep the original springs so foam replacement is out. Ideas? I’d appreciate your feed back. Jean

2. toni ragg Says:
   January 24th, 2011 at 11:28 am

   would like to put in new batting for my foam sofa cushions which i want to keep. don’t want cotton just the type you normally put in cushions but the best thickest i can get. any suggestions. the cushions have flattened somewhat and i want to puff them up again.
   thanks for your help

3. S. Vincent Cordaro Says:
   March 13th, 2011 at 8:41 am

   I would like to change the stuffing in my couch. I am looking for stuffing made with 50%poly fiber,45% goose feathers and 5% goose down. The size is 32X36. Can you tell me where I might be able to order stuffing like this and how much it would cost.

   Thanks Vince Cordaro

4. Van Henshaw Says:
   March 13th, 2011 at 4:00 pm

   I am in the process of reupholstering an antique love seat and 2 matching chairs which have been in my family since the mid 1800s. All three items are stuffed with horse hair and what appears to be shaved items of wood. Someone told me it is called excelsior however I can’t find anything by that name on line or anywhere else. Can you give me a clue as to what it is called and where I should look for it as I really want this set to be period correct. The stuffing taken out when dismantling the love seat/settee appears to be in pretty good shape and am also wondering if I can or should re use it. I’ve already put in brand new strapping and sewed the springs in to the strapping as well as tying in the tops of the springs as they were roiginally (8 way) and tacked in the burlap covering. Thanks for any advice you may have regarding this particular stuffing.

5. Vivien Pond Says:
   March 20th, 2011 at 12:56 pm

   Help please. I have bought some very nice William Morris patterned material to recover 2 semi circular bamboo conservatory chairs. Whilst unpicking the original covers, the stuffing turned out to be broken up and disintegrating foam bits which I threw away. I have very little idea of what to buy in the way of new stuffing.
   The main seat pads are 25 inches in diameter and 3inches deep. The back cushion circles the chair and is banana shaped. It is 51 inches long and approximately 26inches deep from the top of the back to where the material would finish if it was not a curved shape. Until I had a replacement double glazed conservatory installed in November the area was used as a seedling nursery and winter store, therefore the chairs where not used much, however it is now a nice place to sit so envisage heavier usage. Any advice would be much appreciated

6. Melissa Says:
   March 27th, 2011 at 6:35 pm

   Hi. Hope you can help… I have four vintage dining chairs with slip seats. I’ve re-webbed and attached hessian to three of the frames so far. I’d planned to use vegetable fiber stuffing under flax twine stuffing ties. Over this would go a piece of muslin, then upholstery batting and then the final fabric. Unfortunately, I can not find vegetable fiber stuffing anywhere on the web or at any craft or fabric store. If you know where I can purchase it, please let me know. If not, what is a good substitute? I would like to stay as close to whatever is considered traditional as possible. This is my first upholstery project, so all advice is greatly appreciated. Sincerely, Melissa

7. David Hodgson Says:
   August 12th, 2011 at 7:41 pm

   I want to bolster the seat cushions in my couch but the seat cushions are not removable. I’m thinking about cutting an opening on the back top of the cushion and inserting either foam/batting. Not sure how to close the opening.
   Any suggestions about this project?

8. Josh Says:
   October 22nd, 2011 at 8:17 am

   Made a bad online buy of a chair and need to add or totally replace batting want it to be as comfortable as possible maybe cotton or wool batting and maybe combo wool foam or sponge thin layer? I bought this chair it was the same style of a eames chair I sat in at a store but did not get info it was employees desk chair/lounge but not same quality made that I experienced. What is most comfortable batting or combo?

9. Roxanne Cariadi-Kimbler Says:
   March 23rd, 2012 at 11:46 pm

   I would like to put in new batting for my sofa cushions. The cushions have flattened a lot and I want to puff them up again. I am looking for polyester fiber batting more exactly. Can you tell me where I might be able to buy or order stuffing like this? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
   Thank you for your help

We want to hear from you! In addition to posting comments on articles and videos, you can also send your comments and questions to us on our contact page or at (800) 946-4420. While we can't answer them all, we may use your question on our Homefront radio show, Today’s Homeowner TV show, or online at dannylipford.com.