upholstery padding

The right upholstery padding turns a hard frame into a seat you actually want to sink into. Whether you're reviving a dining chair, building a headboard or recovering a worn sofa cushion, the layers under your fabric decide how a piece feels, holds its shape and wears over time.

Understanding Your Padding Options

Upholstery Foam

Upholstery foam forms the core of most seats and cushions. High-density foam tends to feel firmer and hold up longer under daily use, while softer foam suits backrests, arms and decorative pieces.

Batting and Wadding

Polyester batting and cotton wadding wrap over foam to soften hard edges, smooth out lumps and give your upholstery fabric a fuller, more rounded finish.

What to Look For

• Thickness: match it to the seat depth and the level of comfort you want.
• Firmness: choose firmer support for seats and softer layers for backs.
• Fire safety: check product labels for any flammability standards your project needs to meet.
• Ease of cutting: materials that trim cleanly make DIY work faster and neater.

Find Your Furniture Cushioning

Ready to build comfort from the inside out? Browse the foam, batting and wadding below to find the right furniture cushioning for your next upholstery project.