Part 13 - Adding the foam

Part 13- Adding the Foam to Your Seat

This is the layer that will begin to soften the frame of your chair for a comfier shape.

1. To work out how much foam you need, you can use your template.
2. Lay the corresponding piece of your template against the back of the chair. You want the foam to be flush with the exact outline of your frame, so make any necessary markings on your template to represent this.
3. I use 1 in. blue foam for the back of a chair. Lay the template on top and use a Sharpie to draw around it onto the foam. If you're not feeling too confident about cutting the exact shape, you can add a little extra to the areas you're able to reach easily with a foam cutter when the foam is against the frame, and trim in situ.
4. Using a foam cutter or electric carving knife, cut out the shape ensuring you keep the blade square to the foam to achieve straight edges.
5. To attach the foam, begin by applying spray glue to the bottom section of the back (avoiding the pleat) and the corresponding areas of foam.
6. Line up the foam neatly with the frame of your chair and press in place. Pay particular attention to the arms to make sure it's a snug fit with no gaps or bulk.
7. Repeat for the top section of the back.
8. If you gave yourself a little extra foam, you can now use the foam cutter or electric carving knife to trim the foam so that it's almost level with the frame, leaving a very small excess of 0.5 cm so that you won't see the wood frame through the fabric.