---
title: "Floor Cushion Filling Firmness: Ask for Soft, Firm or Foam"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-cushion-soft-or-firm-filling/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-06-09"
updated: "2026-06-09"
keywords: "floor cushion filling firmness, soft or firm floor cushion, tufted floor cushion flatten, floor cushion backrest softer than seat, foam filled floor cushion"
---

# Do tufted floor cushions flatten, and can I choose soft or firm filling?

*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.*

Also asked as: Do they compress when you sit on them?; Soft, but not so soft that I sink in.

> **The 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.

![Wine red linen-look corner floor cushion with greige backrest pillows beside a brass floor lamp on a terracotta rug](https://cushionguide.com/media/corner-floor-cushions/wine-red-greige-corner-floor-cushion-brass-lamp-1600.webp "A wine red seat and greige pillows bring warmth to a pale sage corner lit by a brass floor lamp.")

## 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.

## 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](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#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](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/) and the [firmness scale Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-firmness-scale-1-to-10/) 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](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/backrest-cushions/) and [floor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/floor-cushions/) shelves show both halves of the set.

> **Tailor's margin:** Floor cushion backrests are filled softer than the seat by default; if you want both equally firm, write it in the order note before production.

> 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 answer:** They'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 answer:** Yes. 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 answer:** Yes, 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 answer:** Yes. 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.

## Related at the atelier

- [Are tufted floor cushions firm or soft?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/tufted-floor-cushion-firmness/): Tufted floor cushions are firm: the workshop rates them about 6-7 on a scale where 1 is very plush and 10 is a firm bed you barely sink into.
- [Is foam density the same as firmness, and can I choose how firm my cushion is?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/foam-density-vs-firmness/): No, foam density is not the same as firmness: density is the foam's quality and weight, which drives durability, while firmness is how the foam feels.
- [Can the back cushion be thinner than the seat cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/back-cushion-thinner-than-seat-cushion-2/): Yes, a back cushion can be thinner than its seat cushion when you order each cushion separately and write its thickness in personalization: a 4 in (10 cm) seat with a 2 or 3 in (5 or 7.5 cm) back is…
- [Back cushion filling compared: shredded foam, a solid wedge or fiber](https://cushionguide.com/guides/back-cushion-fill-shredded-foam-vs-wedge/): For most benches and banquettes, a shredded-foam back pillow over a firm foam seat is the right default: soft to lean on, yet it keeps its shape against a wall.
- [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.
- [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…
- [Replacement sofa and couch cushions: measuring, foam and covers](https://cushionguide.com/guides/replacement-sofa-seat-cushions/)

*± 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/floor-cushion-soft-or-firm-filling/