---
title: "Foam Inserts Only, No Cover: Fillings, Backrests, Sofa Sets"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/buy-foam-inserts-without-covers/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-05-13"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "foam inserts only no cover, replacement foam inserts, cushion filling only, floor sofa foam set, L-shaped backrest foam insert"
---

# Can I buy just the foam inserts, without the covers?

*Plenty of buyers already own a good set of covers. What they need is the stuff inside, and the parts list is short.*

Also asked as: I just need the filling.; Cushion filling only, no cover?

> **The quick answer:** Yes, foam inserts and fillings are sold on their own, without covers. Options include small pillow fillings such as 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm) and 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm), foam-only L-shaped backrest inserts, and full sofa foam sets with two seat mattresses and two armrest foams, plus the 4 metal supports if needed. Each order is quoted as a set.

![Light gray linen-look seat cushion and two square back pillows on a reclaimed wood bench at the foot of a linen bed](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/gray-seat-pad-back-pillows-rustic-bed-end-bench-1600.webp "At the foot of the bed, a gray seat pad and two loose back pillows turn an old wooden bench into a place to sit and dress.")

## Key facts

- Fillings and foam inserts are sold without covers.
- Small pillow fillings come in sizes such as 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm) and 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm).
- L-shaped backrest inserts are sold foam only.
- A sofa foam set is 2 seat mattresses and 2 armrest foams.
- The 4 metal supports can be added if you need the frame.
- Foam-only orders go through a dedicated purchase link, quoted per set.
- Filling alone costs less than a complete filled sofa.

## Sold bare: the foam-only parts list

- ✓ **Small pillow fillings,** for example 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm) and 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm).
- ✓ **L-shaped backrest inserts,** foam only, a pair or more.
- ✓ **Sofa foam set:** 2 seat mattresses and 2 armrest foams.
- ✓ **Frame parts:** the 4 [metal supports](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#metal-support-bars), only if you need them.
- ✓ **Covers:** sold separately, whenever you want them.

## Ordering the insides without the outsides

1. **List every piece**: Name each insert and its size, inches first: seat mattresses, armrest foams, backrests or pillow fillings.
2. **Decide on the frame**: Say if the 4 metal supports come too, or if you still have yours.
3. **Ask for one set quote**: Fillings are quoted as a set for your sizes, not piece by piece.
4. **Pay through the dedicated link**: Foam-only orders run through a purchase link made for them.

## Why bare foam costs less than the whole sofa

Fewer parts, smaller bill. Sofa fillings bought alone cost less than the complete filled sofa, and covers are priced on their own.

A buyer who already owned the covers wrote in asking for the foam and the frame only. The two seat mattresses, two armrest foams and the 4 metal supports went out as one set, offered well below the normal full price. Another buyer needed only four small fillings, two 14 x 14 in and two 10 x 10 in, and those were quoted together too.

Know what you are replacing before you ask. Floor sofa seats use about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³) medium-hard foam; standard cushions use about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) high-resilience foam with a [Dacron wrap](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#dacron-wrap). The [foam firmness finder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/) helps you name the feel, and the [foam inserts](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/foam-inserts/) and [backrest cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/backrest-cushions/) pages show the shapes. Have covers already? The [covers for existing foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/) Pattern runs the other direction. Which piece has gone tired on you, partner?

> **Tailor's margin:** Ordering foam without covers: list every insert with its size in inches, and say whether the 4 metal supports come too.

> Sofa foam sold without covers comes as a set: 2 seat mattresses and 2 armrest foams, with the 4 metal supports only if you need the frame.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can I order just the L-shaped backrest foam, no covers?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Foam-only L-shaped backrest inserts, for example a pair of them, are sold through a dedicated purchase link.

**A common question:** Do you sell cushion fillings on their own?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Four small fillings, two 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm) and two 10 x 10 in (25 x 25 cm), were quoted together as one set.

**A common question:** I only have the covers. Could I buy the foam and frame separately?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The two seat mattresses, two armrest foams and the 4 metal supports were offered as a set, well below the normal full price.

**A common question:** How do the fillings alone compare with the full sofa on price?

**The workshop's answer:** They cost less. The fillings on their own come in below the complete filled sofa, and covers are sold separately, so you pay only for the parts you need.

**A common question:** What density is the floor sofa seat foam?

**The workshop's answer:** 28-density foam, about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³), a medium-hard high-density foam, sometimes quoted as 28-32, which the workshop says lasts for years without collapsing. The backrests are foam-filled.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is replacement foam a bare block, or wrapped before it goes in?

Wrapped. The firm foam, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), gets a layer of polyester fiber (Dacron) wadding before it goes into the cover, which softens the surface and gives fuller, rounded edges.

### Will a replacement foam insert sag after a year of daily sitting?

The standard foam, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³), is a medium-hard, high-density, high-resilience foam that keeps its shape for years without sagging. It is the same foam the workshop puts in its couches, so no firmer upgrade is needed.

### What fills the tufted cushions, if not foam?

Silicone ball fiber: polyester hollow-fiber clusters that feel like cotton, packed densely and often mixed with some cotton. There is no foam core, and the workshop can send a photo of the fill.

## Related at the atelier

- [For a bolster or a very thick backrest, should I choose foam or silicone ball fill?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/bolster-thick-backrest-foam-vs-fiber-fill/): Choose foam for a non-tufted backrest 12-14 in (30-35 cm) thick, often cut as a wedge, and silicone ball fill for round arm bolsters, because silicone balls can't hold a backrest that thick.
- [Are the back cushions the same foam as the seat?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/back-cushion-filling-shredded-vs-solid-foam/): Back cushions are not the same foam as the seat: seats are firm solid foam at 32 density (32 kg/m³, about 2.0 lb/ft³), while back pillows are usually shredded foam or fiber, softer to lean on.
- [Can I wash the whole cushion, or only the cover?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/wash-cushion-filling-or-cover-only/): Wash the cushion cover, not the whole cushion: fillings sit in their own inner liner, so the outer cover unzips and machine washes at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle any time, while the insert is…
- [Replacement sofa and couch cushions: measuring, foam and covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/replacement-sofa-seat-cushions/): To replace sofa cushions, send the length, depth and thickness of each piece, measured from the old cushion if it fit well or from the seat deck if it didn't, with photos of a tape along every side.
- [Reading Wedge Backrest in Charcoal for a Bed Shared with a Dog](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-reading-wedge-dark-green-bedroom-whippet/): A firm triangular reading wedge gives upright back support in bed without replacing your pillows, and it lasts when the finishing is right: piping that follows the slope, side panels that stand flat…
- [How to keep back cushions upright on benches and banquettes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/back-cushions-staying-upright/): To keep back cushions in place, match the fix to what's behind them: ties for slats or a rail, a non-slip backing for a flat wall, a wedge shape for a lean.
- [Soft headboard cushions that hang from a rail, not a board](https://cushionguide.com/guides/headboard-cushions-without-a-board/)

*± 1/4 in — Nate*

---

Written by Nate Kowalski (https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/buy-foam-inserts-without-covers/