Upholstery for window bench sofa

[john2k]

I'm making a window bench sofa. Need some advice regarding the upholstery. It's my first time so want to get it right. I was thinking to get a thin MDF board then using spray glue attach the foam to the MDF board. Then get my chosen fabric and spray some glue over the foam and then attach the fabric on top pulling over the folds to the underside of the MDF and then stapling it. Is this method correct or do I not need to use glue between fabric and foam? Is there anything else I should put between fabric and foam?

 

[SFK]

John,
Do not use glue between foam and top fabric.
Some good instructions here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-upholster-a-chair-seat/
SFK

 

[john2k]

John,
Do not use glue between foam and top fabric.
Some good instructions here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-upholster-a-chair-seat/
SFK

Thanks for that link. So the fabric needs to essentially float on top of the foam without any glue, held in place but the tension of the stapling right? What about using quilt batting? I read on a few articles that it's good to use quilt batting between the fabric and the foam. What is the advantage of using quilt batting? If i use quilt batting, do I spray glue that to the foam and then have the fabric floating on top?

 

[SFK]

John,
My experience is v limited. Before now I have done fabric over foam on wood (like you were suggesting).

But yes, top fabric needs to essentially float on top of the foam without any glue. It is held in place but the tension of the stapling right. The two move separately.

I always see quilt batting as giving a soft but firmer layer over the foam. The two different properties make the cushion feel more expensive, as here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bench-Cushion/

And in the link I sent you earlier they use a dome of "upholstery batting" under the "foam" to make the cushion have a rounded shape.

I would (from my limited experience) not be gluing the foam to the quilt batting. Adhesives never glue soft fabrics together well, and in old chairs that I have taken apart the foam layers have been sperate, sometimes stapled to the wood.

SFK

 

[foxhole]

When I made a window seat the wife made up zipped covers for the foam which allowed for cleaning and required no mdf.

 

[john2k]

John,
My experience is v limited. Before now I have done fabric over foam on wood (like you were suggesting).

But yes, top fabric needs to essentially float on top of the foam without any glue. It is held in place but the tension of the stapling right. The two move separately.

I always see quilt batting as giving a soft but firmer layer over the foam. The two different properties make the cushion feel more expensive, as here:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Bench-Cushion/

And in the link I sent you earlier they use a dome of "upholstery batting" under the "foam" to make the cushion have a rounded shape.

I would (from my limited experience) not be gluing the foam to the quilt batting. Adhesives never glue soft fabrics together well, and in old chairs that I have taken apart the foam layers have been sperate, sometimes stapled to the wood.

SFK

Do you think I should cut the foam the exact same dimensions as the MDF or have it about half a cm bigger all around? and then when it's under tension it will go closer to the MDF. or is it ok to have same dimension as the MDF specially if i'm putting a layer of batting on.

 

[Roger928]

Try this...

 

[SFK]

As roger video suggests, same size as wood, not smaller.
Then try it out and if needed cut 45deg edge off as in video.
I do not do this as my foam was much thinner.