---
title: "Cold Foam vs High-Density Foam: What the Floor Sofa Uses"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cold-foam-vs-high-density-foam-floor-sofa/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-05-13"
updated: "2026-05-13"
keywords: "cold foam vs high density foam, HR cold foam floor sofa, T28 ILD 42 foam, floor sofa foam density, high resilience foam"
---

# Is the floor sofa cold foam or regular high-density foam?

*Two labels, one block of foam. The confusion was a wording problem, not a foam problem.*

Also asked as: Is your couch made of cold foam?; Cold foam or high-density foam?

> **The quick answer:** The floor sofa uses cold foam: its base mattresses are HR (high-resilience) cold foam at T28 density with an ILD of 42. That foam is also high-density, so both labels describe the same block. Each foam block sits in its own inner cover under the removable outer cover, and the backrests are filled with shredded foam.

![Mid-gray linen-look tufted floor seat module with a back cushion and bolster below three line-art prints](https://cushionguide.com/media/modular-floor-sofas/mid-gray-tufted-floor-seat-line-art-wall-1600.webp "One module on its own becomes a deep floor chair for a reading or meditation corner.")

## Key facts

- The base mattresses are HR (high-resilience) cold foam.
- Density T28, about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³), with an ILD of 42.
- Cold foam and high-density describe the same foam here.
- The listing wording was corrected to cold foam.
- Each foam block has its own inner cover under the removable outer cover.
- Backrests are filled with shredded foam.

## Two labels, one block of foam

| Label | What it describes | On the floor sofa |
|---|---|---|
| Cold foam (HR) | The foam type: high-resilience | Yes, the base mattresses |
| High-density | The weight class | Yes, T28: about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³) |
| ILD 42 | The firmness number | A medium-hard seat |
| Shredded foam | Loose pieces, not one block | The backrests |
| Inner cover | A lining on each foam block | Yes, under the removable outer cover |

## Current T28 seats against the original T30

| Spec | Current seats | Original teddy sofa |
|---|---|---|
| Density | T28 | T30 |
| ILD | 42 | 45 |
| On paper | Slightly softer | Slightly firmer |
| Feel and lifespan | Almost no difference, per the workshop | Almost no difference, per the workshop |

## How one foam ended up with two names

The mix-up was wording, not foam. A buyer in the US noticed the website said cold foam while the marketplace listing said high density, and asked which was right. The first reply described it as high-density foam with an ILD of 42. The follow-up settled it: the workshop uses [cold foam](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#cold-foam), and the listing was corrected.

Both words were true all along. HR cold foam at T28 density is a high-density foam; one label names the type, the other the weight class. The number that tells you how the seat feels is the [ILD](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#ild), so read it next to the density every time.

The [density vs firmness](https://cushionguide.com/guides/foam-density-vs-firmness-ild/) Pattern explains the pair, the [lb/ft³ and kg/m³](https://cushionguide.com/guides/foam-density-lb-ft3-kg-m3/) Pattern converts them, and the [foam firmness finder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/) turns them into a feel. The sofas themselves live under [modular floor sofas](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/modular-floor-sofas/). Which number were you comparing, partner: the density or the ILD?

> **Tailor's margin:** Cold foam and high-density foam are not rivals: the floor sofa's HR cold foam at T28 density and ILD 42 is both at once.

> A floor sofa labeled cold foam and one labeled high-density can hold the same block: HR cold foam at T28 density, ILD 42.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** What foam goes into the floor sofa base, and what density?

**The workshop's answer:** The base mattresses are HR (high-resilience) cold foam, density T28, with an elasticity of ILD 42. The backrests are filled with shredded foam.

**A common question:** Your website says cold foam and the listing says high density. Which is correct?

**The workshop's answer:** The workshop first described it as high-density foam with an ILD of 42, then confirmed it uses cold foam and corrected the listing.

**A common question:** Does the foam inside the teddy sofa have its own cover?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The filling is a high-density comfort cold foam, and each foam block has an inner cover under the removable outer cover.

**A common question:** Why do the sofa backrests feel like pieces instead of one block?

**The workshop's answer:** By design. Backrests and armrests use shredded or layered foam so they stay soft and flexible instead of rigid. Lumps usually mean the filling has shifted, and it can be reshaped by hand.

## Questions buyers ask next

### How long should the floor sofa's cold foam keep its shape?

The seat foam is 28-density medium-hard high-density foam, sometimes quoted as 28-32, and the workshop says it lasts for years without collapsing. The softer feel of the backrests comes from shredded foam, not from wear.

### Is T28 foam density measured in pounds or kilograms?

Kilograms. T28 means about 28 kg per cubic meter, which is roughly 1.75 lb per cubic foot. Convert before comparing it with a foam quoted in lb/ft³, or the numbers will look far apart when they are not.

### Can I get a floor cushion with no foam in it at all?

Yes. The tufted floor cushions are foam-free, filled with durable fiber inserts, and the bound tufting means you don't feel the buttons. On a custom order, write 'no foam' clearly in the note.

## Related at the atelier

- [Is T28 ILD 42 foam softer than the T30 ILD 45 in the original teddy sofa?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/t28-ild-42-vs-t30-ild-45-sofa-foam/): T28 ILD 42 foam is slightly softer on paper than T30 ILD 45, but the workshop says the difference in feel and wear is almost nothing.
- [What density foam is inside a floor sofa?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-foam-density/): Floor sofa seat mattresses use 28-density high-density foam, about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³): a medium-hard flexi foam that stays comfortable and lasts for years without collapsing.
- [Can the floor sofa cushions work as a bed for overnight guests?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/foam-cushions-guest-bed-sleeping/): Yes, foam sofa cushions can be slept on: the floor and modular sofa seat mattresses are high-density foam that is comfortable without being squishy, so laid flat they make a good guest bed.
- [Boneless sofas and couches explained: foam, metal bars and the box they arrive in](https://cushionguide.com/guides/boneless-floor-sofas/): A boneless sofa is a frameless couch built entirely from foam pieces.
- [Foam density vs firmness: why a dense foam can still feel soft](https://cushionguide.com/guides/foam-density-vs-firmness-ild/): Foam density and firmness are two different numbers: density is weight per cubic foot and signals durability, while ILD (also called IFD) is the pounds of force needed to press a 4 in sample down…
- [Modular Floor Sofa in Navy and Cream Velvet: Foam Notes](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-velvet-floor-sofa-sunlit-minimal-room/): A modular floor sofa is foam cushions under zippered covers, and the foam decides how it sits.

*± 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/cold-foam-vs-high-density-foam-floor-sofa/