How Thick Should Foam Be For Dining Chairs

How Thick Should Foam Be For Dining Chairs

Dining Chair Foam

Bring Your Old Chairs Back to Life with Dining Chair Foam

Want to bring a new lease of life back to your dining room furniture? With our replacement dining chair foam cut to size, you can reupholster your old chairs.

As the saying goes "They don't make them like they used to". Dining room chairs definitely tick this box. We love our old solid mahogany dining chairs in the office dining room and when it came to getting a new look for the room, rather than buying cheap new chairs we just reupholstered the chairs that have been here since we opened back in 1976.

Maybe you have some solid wooden seats in your kitchen and you are just looking for a little comfort. You can easily achieve this with foam seat pads cut to size and shape in our UK factory. You can then cover the foam with your choice of material to match the rest of the room.

From kitchen benches to period furniture we have replacement foam for all your needs. Upgrade your tired old dining seats with quality fire retardant foam today using our online foam cut to size service.

If you can't find what you are looking for from the list below you can always view our full range of Foam Cut to Size shapes.

Order Sofa Foam Cut to Size - Step 1

Why Choose GB Foam For Your Foam Cut To Size?

Our factory is equipped with the latest CNC cutting technology and throughout the years we have employed the most talented freehand foam cutters in the industry. Many members of the team have worked for the company for several decades and their attention to detail and quality control is something that only comes with years of knowledge and experience.

We have many customers who started with us in 1976 and are still working with us today, which we like to think reflects on our vision to be the most dynamic foam converter in our industry. For us no job is too big or too small. We offer the same level of service and delivery whether you are a retail customer ordering one piece of foam from home, or a large manufacturer ordering daily.

Reupholstering Dining Chairs With Foam Seat Pads

Just because your dining chairs aren't as comfortable as they once were, it doesn't mean that they should be heading for the skip. Well-made dining chairs can last for a considerable amount of years before needing to be replaced. Sometimes, all that really needs to be replaced is the dining chair foam (and covers if they're looking a bit outdated). Why not try reupholstering your dining chairs with new foam seat pads, before you go looking for a new set of chairs?

Materials Needed For Reupholstering Dining Chairs

If you're planning on reupholstering dining chairs yourself, there are a few things you'll need before getting started.

• A dining chair or a set of – This goes without saying really. Reupholstering dining chairs is going to be difficult without the crucial ingredient.
• Staple removing tool – Your dining chair will most likely have staples holding the covers on. A tool to remove these will make life much easier.
• Heavy-duty staple gun – A regular old office stapler isn't going to cut the mustard here. Make sure you've got a sturdy staple gun, capable of penetrating more than just paper.
• Scissors, screwdrivers – And other simple day-to-day tools. All dining chairs are generally made differently, so a set of basic tools to hand will be necessary.
• New bottoming fabric – This is the fabric located underneath the seat. It should be made of a non-woven, synthetic material.
• New dining chair foam seat pads – Purchase your dining chair foam seat pads directly from us at GB Foam Direct. Our foam cut to size service is ideal for reupholstering dining chairs properly.
• Replacement seat covers – You could always use the same material as before, depending on its condition. But it's more rewarding to completely revamp your dining chairs.
• Adhesive spray and stain repellent spray – These are optional, but will certainly come in handy if you do have them.

Why It's Important To Replace Your Dining Chair Foam

It's especially important to replace your dining chair foam, if it was made before 1988 in the UK or if it is imported. Foam made before 1988 or foam that is imported doesn't maintain the same level of fire safety standards that we do now in the UK. All the foam which we provided for reupholstering dining chairs, is made to exceed UK fire safety regulations. Not only is it safer to replace your dining chair foam, it's also much more comfortable. All of our foam is made to strict ISO 9001 standards and is of the highest quality around. You'll certainly notice the difference when you're sitting on dining chair foam purchased from GB Foam Direct.

Let's Start Reupholstering yOUR Dining Chairs

Start by turning your dining chair upside down. Chances are that the seat is being held on by four screws. If this is the case, take your screwdriver, loosen the screws and remove the seat. Place the rest of the dining chair to one side for the time being. Also make sure to keep hold of the screws, put them somewhere safe so that they can be used again later on.

Once the seat pad has been removed, turn it over so that the bottoming fabric is facing upwards. Start by removing the staples which are holding on the bottoming fabric. This can take some time, but you'll thank yourself later on. Once the bottoming fabric has been removed, we're sorry to say that you're going to be greeted by even more staples. These staples will be holding on the top fabric and you're going to need to remove these as well.

Fitting Your Dining Chair Foam

Now that all of the fabric has been removed, you'll find a foam pad, most likely sat atop a piece of chipboard or plywood. By using our foam cut to size service, you'll be able to use the old dining chair foam pad as a reference to ordering a new dining chair foam pad from us. Simply measure it accurately and input it onto our website. Our five simple step system means that you can order foam pads for dining chairs from us with ease. All orders placed before 11:00 AM are even dispatched to be with you for the next working day.

You'll need to remove the old dining chair foam pad in order to replace it with a new one. Sometimes these foam pads are glued to the chipboard, other times they just rest upon them. Either way, remove the old foam pad and place your new one onto the chipboard.

Once this is done, take the piece of fabric that you'll be covering your dining seats with. You can use your old seat cover fabric as a template to cut out your new one if you haven't done so already. Using the straightest edge of your seat pad, begin to secure the fabric to the chipboard using your staple gun. Make sure the fabric is pulled tight, and continue doing this across all edges. Once completed, neatly fold the edges and secure those also. To conceal the rough edges, take your bottoming fabric and staple it over the base of your seat.

You're Almost Finished Reupholstering Dining Chairs

As mentioned, you could at this point use a stain repellent spray to help protect your covers. This is optional, but could greatly benefit you in the future. Also, if any repairs need to be made to the dining chair frames, now would be a good time to do so. Once completed, take the screws you saved earlier and refit the seat. Then stand back and admire your fine work. Congratulations! You're finished.

Replacement Dining Chair Foam Guidelines

Fabric quantities: For two seats you may need 1 metre, for four seats 1.5 and for six seats around 2 metres.

Foam: Foam for seating comes in a variety of thicknesses ranging between 1 and 2 inches. For dining chairs or seating that is to be used on a daily basis, we recommend you choose either extra firm or firm foam. For dining chair seating we would steer you towards our Luxury foam grades.

Types of Dining / Kitchen Seats

Solid Wood Furniture

Generally speaking for this type of furniture, the dining chair foam will have to be cut bigger than the seating itself, because it tends to be wrapped around the edges.

Existing dining chair foam should be used as a guiding template.

The dining chair foam needs to be covered in 4oz polyester wadding and then glued into place using a specialist spray adhesive. This can then be applied to the plywood seat using staples or glue.

Fabric covers need to be stretched tight and then tacked to the underneath of the seat. All excess material can then be trimmed off and a black dippryl bottom cloth can be attached.

If your seat has a rim, the dining chair foam you are using must not exceed the size of the seat you are using.

Plywood Paneled Wooden Framed Seats

This sort of seat more often than not fits within the frame of the chair, therefore the foam you are using needs to be flush with the edge as opposed to being wrapped around, as with a solid wood chair.

It can sometimes be helpful therefore to slightly bevel the edge of the foam being used, to give a rounded edge to the seat.

When the dining chair foam is securely attached to the seat you can then apply polyester wadding, then attach your top cover and finish off the seat as previously described above.

Traditionally Upholstered Seats With Wooden Frames

For this project you'll need:

• Spray glue
• Tacks and pins
• Hessian
• Webbing
• Foam
• Fabric
• Dippryl
• Polyester

First and foremost, make sure that you've got enough room to clear between the frame of the chair and the seat. Also, take note of whether the new fabric you are using has the same thickness as the fabric being removed. This is important as you need to make sure it will fit back into the frame once your reupholstering job is complete. If this is an issue, you may need to spend a little time planing off any excess wood to make the seat fit better.

Smooth off any sharp edges, then take a tape measure and find the centre of the frame, This is so that you can place the webbing in the optimum position. Aim to get three horizontal and three vertical strips of webbing into place so as to make a very safe and hardy base. It's also a good idea to make use of a webbing stretcher so that you know the webbing is taut. It can then be fixed in place with either tacks or staples.

Next is to cut the Hessian. Make sure it is cut to around an inch bigger than the frame itself, then staple or tack it into place. To make it extra secure, fold the edges over, staple again then trim off any excess material.

Now you can attach your foam padding. If you are using a traditional fibre filling, it can be of benefit to cover it with something like calico first, polyester can then go over the top of the foam (or foam and calico) before you finally fit the top cover. This should be fitted tightly, and that any excess material is trimmed away so that it looks neat and tidy. You can then put the seat into the chair frame.

Seat Pads (Loose)

These are the kind of pads that are found on kitchen and sometimes dining room chairs. The most common type of chair that people want to try and reupholster are Ercol chairs as they are the most durable, workable and long lasting. The pads on these kinds of seats are usually attached with straps and press studs. This makes them easier to remove for cleaning and also means that they can be reupholstered more regularly, as trends and colour schemes change!

For this kind of seat, we always recommend that you buy extra firm foam, and preferably to a thickness of around 1.75 inches. The foam for this kind of reupholstering job is often dome shaped, so what we suggest is that a 6 ounce polyester pad is also fitted, alongside a stockinette cover, which will protect your foam.

Wicker and Wood Chairs

These types of chairs really do need some kind of cushion protection as otherwise, they can be quite unwieldy and uncomfortable to sit on. Take a look at our range of foams, decide on which you would like and then make your template of the seat. A good tip is to make your template a little smaller than the shape of the seat itself so that you reduce the potential for wear and tear to the seat once it is finished and in daily use.

Some DIY enthusiasts feel that they can manage to cut the foam themselves from their own templates, but others feel safer leaving this in the hands of the professionals. If the latter is the case, then we can do this for you. All you need to do is make sure you send us either the templates or accurate measurements.

To make sure the seat pads are secure and stay in place, all you need to do is make a tie, which measures roughly an inch or so wide. Make this from heading tape, and as this kind of seat is liable to pull on such a tie, we always advise people to make some kind of anti-slip mat to go underneath the new seat pad. We recommend that when this is made it is slightly smaller than the seat pad itself, so it remains invisible.

Dining Chair Seat Pads FAQ

To help you find the best foam seat pads for your dining chairs, we've put together a list of frequently asked questions. Should you not be able to find the answer you're looking for here, please don't hesitate to contact our team of foam experts.

How Thick Should Dining Chair Seat Pads Be?

Average seat pads for dining chairs are approximately 2 inches thick. Of course, this can vary between chairs and your own personal preferences. If you're replacing your old seat pads, you could always use these to gauge a suitable thickness, just be aware that foam can lose depth over time. If you're unsure about the right level of thickness for your dining chair seat pads, you can always contact our team for advice.

What's the Best Foam for Dining Chairs?

The right foam for your dining chairs will largely depend on the thickness of the seat pads/cushions. If you're buying a seat pad around 2 inches thick, you'll want a firm foam that can offer enough support at shorter depths. If you're after a thicker dining chair cushion to place on your seat (something over 4 inches) a medium foam may be more suitable. As for which type of foam, we always recommend our Luxury grades for dining chairs.

Is Memory Foam Good for Dining Chair Seat Pads?

We wouldn't recommend using memory foam for your dining chairs. It's far too soft for this type of application and is much better for things like pillows and the top layers of mattresses.

Can You Reupholster My Dining Chairs?

We can only supply the foam you need for your dining chair seat pads and don't offer a full upholstery service at GB Foam Direct. Dining chairs are a good place to start if you fancy trying upholstery yourself. If you'd prefer not to, we'd recommend contacting an upholstery company local to you.

Will Dining Chair Seat Pads Help to Improve Comfort?

New dining chair seat pads should make your chairs feel more comfortable. We say should, because comfort is very much subjective. Replacing your dining chair seat pads can help to rejuvenate the feel of your chairs and make them more supportive. Some people may find the new pads firmer than they're used to, but it's worth noting that foam will gradually soften with use.

Do You Offer Dacron & Stockinette?

If you need it, we can fit Dacron & stockinette to your foam for a small fee. You'll be able to choose this option as you go through the ordering process on our website. If you would like to know more about Dacron & stockinette, please refer to our dedicated guide.

How Thick Should Foam Be For Dining Chairs

Source: https://www.gbfoamdirect.co.uk/foam-cut-to-size/dining-chair-seating-foam/#:~:text=For%20this%20kind%20of%20seat,thickness%20of%20around%201.75%20inches.