The Cutting Table · a checklist answer
Do tufted floor cushions flatten, and can I choose soft or firm filling?
Also asked as:Do they compress when you sit on them?Soft, but not so soft that I sink in.
They are packed until they barely give, and yes, you get a vote. Here is the checklist I'd run before writing the order note.
SaveThe quick answer
Tufted floor cushions are filled very generously, so they stay firm and barely compress when you sit, and you can ask for soft or firm filling. By default the backrest is softer than the floor seat, but both can be made equally firm. For a very dense cushion, such as a guest bed on a wooden frame, foam fill is an option.
Get a quote for a bench seat and back cushion
Key facts
- Tufted floor cushions are filled very generously, so they don't compress much.
- The shop can send a video of a cushion being pressed down.
- You can ask for soft or firm filling.
- The backrest is filled softer than the floor seat by default.
- Seat and backrest can be made the same firmness on request.
- Foam fill is offered when a very firm, dense cushion is wanted.
Have it made
Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you
Every edge and both diagonals, to the nearest 1/4 in. If the numbers do not close, the workshop will say so on the call. — Nate
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Six checks before you write the order note
- Decide soft or firm, and say so in the order note.
- Sitting for hours? Ask for soft to the touch but supportive; the workshop works out a filling for exactly that.
- Want the back as firm as the seat? Request equal firmness, since the back comes softer by default.
- Not sure what firm means in real life? Ask for the video of a cushion being pressed down.
- Need a dense surface, such as a guest bed on a wooden frame? Ask for foam fill instead.
- Want to sit higher? Stack two cushions rather than cramming more fill into one.
Why a packed cushion doesn't pancake
The tufted cushions are filled with cluster fiber, polyester hollow-fiber clusters with no foam core, and they are filled very generously before being stitched through. Packed that tight, the fill holds its height when you sit instead of settling toward the floor. The workshop has sent buyers a video of one being pressed down, which beats any adjective I could offer, partner.
If you want numbers for how firm is firm, the foam firmness finder and the firmness scale Pattern translate them. How many hours a day will yours actually be sat on?
Seat and back: default versus on request
| Part | Default | On request |
|---|---|---|
| Floor seat | Firm, generously filled | Softer or firmer fill |
| Backrest | Softer than the seat | As firm as the seat |
| Very dense use, e.g. a guest bed on a wooden frame | Fiber fill | Foam fill |
| Extra height | One cushion | Two stacked, or a foam base under a tufted top |
Soft to the touch, supportive for hours
That request comes up often, and it is a fair one: a cushion that feels kind under the hand but doesn't let you sink after the second hour. The workshop's answer is to ask which way you lean, soft or firm, and then work out the filling to suit. Put the phrase in your note as written. The backrest cushions and floor cushions shelves show both halves of the set.
A generously filled tufted floor cushion barely compresses when you sit; if you want it softer, firmer or foam-filled, the filling is yours to choose.
Nate
Buyer questions
- A common question
How firm are these? Do they go flat once you sit?
The workshop's answerThey're filled very generously, so they stay firm and don't compress much. For a very dense cushion, like a guest bed on a wooden frame, foam filling is an option, and the shop can send a video of one being pressed down.
- A common question
I want a floor cushion that feels soft but doesn't let me sink after hours of sitting. Possible?
The workshop's answerYes. The workshop asks whether you prefer soft or firm, then works out a filling for a request like soft to the touch but supportive for long sitting.
- A common question
Is the backrest cushion softer than the seat one?
The workshop's answerYes, by default the backrest is filled softer than the floor seat. Both can be made equally firm if you prefer.
- A common question
Could I stack two floor cushions for a higher seat instead of buying one thick one?
The workshop's answerYes. Two stacked 6 in cushions cost noticeably less than one 12 in cushion, and two cushions of about 10 in (25 cm) make a seat of about 20 in (50 cm). A foam base can also go under a tufted top for extra height.
Questions buyers ask next
Is there foam inside a tufted floor cushion by default?
No. Tufted cushions are filled with polyester hollow-fiber clusters, packed densely and often mixed with some cotton, with no foam core. Foam fill is a separate request for when you want a very dense, firm cushion.
How do I describe the feel I want in the order note?
Plain words work: soft, firm, or soft to the touch but supportive for long sitting. Say whether the backrest should match the seat, since it comes softer by default. The workshop works out the filling from that description.
Is a fiber-filled floor cushion dense enough for a guest bed on a wooden frame?
For a very dense sleeping surface on a wooden frame, the workshop offers foam filling instead of the usual fiber. Ask for it when you order and give the inside measurements of the frame so the cushion fits it.
