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The Cutting Table · a common question

Is a floor sofa firm or soft to sit on?

Also asked as:are the cushions softfirm for posture or soft to sink in

Firm and soft are feelings; density is a number. We start with the number, partner, then talk about how it sits.

Answered by

The Pattern Engineer of Detroit · · Updated

The quick answer

A floor sofa on 28-density foam is medium-firm: the seat and ottoman cushions are medium-hard, high-density foam of about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³). It is built as an everyday living-room sofa, comfortable for sitting and for sleeping, keeps its shape for years without sagging, and softens slightly with use.

Three cream velvet floor cushions stacked into a sofa with cobalt, raspberry and mustard ends, and a loose bolsterSave
Three base cushions stacked into one tall sofa, each with a different end color, with a spare bolster on the floor.

Get a quote for a modular floor sofa

Key facts

  • Seat and ottoman cushions are medium-hard, high-density foam.
  • The foam is rated 28 density: about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³).
  • Comfortable for sitting and for sleeping when laid flat.
  • Designed as an everyday living-room sofa.
  • Keeps its shape for years without sagging; softens slightly with use.
  • Firmness is close to the designer original; some buyers find the pieces a little lighter.

Have it made

Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you

Send the numbers in inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angle. The workshop checks them with you, because foam has no undo button. — 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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
The cover cloth: weave, color and care code.
Foam
Seat and ottoman cushions are medium-hard, high-density foam.
Piping
The corded seam edge: matching, contrast or none.
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

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Where 28 density lands between firm and soft

The workshop describes the same foam three ways: firm, medium-hard, and on the soft, relaxing side. Same block every time. The word changes with who is sitting and what they compare it to. A bench cushion on firmer 32-density foam feels stiffer; a sink-in lounge chair feels softer. The floor sofa sits between.

Do you sit upright to read, or sprawl sideways with your feet on the ottoman? Both work here. The foam firmness finder and the density vs firmness pattern put the numbers side by side.

What the seat does for each way of using it

You wantWhat the 28-density seat does
Upright sittingHolds you up; medium-hard, not a cloud
Lounging on the ottomanReads soft and relaxing; same foam
A guest bed, laid flatComfortable to sleep on; see sleeping on a floor sofa
Years of daily useSoftens slightly; doesn't sag or deform
A taller seatSeats sit about 13.5–14.5 in (34–37 cm) high; an added 4–5 in (10–13 cm) layer reaches about 19 in (48 cm)

A floor sofa on 28-density foam is medium-firm: firm enough to keep its shape for years, soft enough to sleep on.

Nate
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Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    Are the floor sofa cushions soft, or is it very firm foam?

    The workshop's answer

    The seat and ottoman cushions are high-density, medium-hard foam: not too hard, and comfortable to sit and sleep on.

  2. A common question

    Is it firm enough for good posture, or soft for lounging?

    The workshop's answer

    On the soft, relaxing side to sit on. The foam is still medium-hard, 28-density high-density foam, so it keeps its shape.

  3. A common question

    How does it compare with the designer original?

    The workshop's answer

    Firm too, and almost the same. Some owners say the pieces are a bit lighter, which makes them easier to pull apart and lay out as a bed.

  4. A common question

    Can I see people actually sitting or sleeping on it first?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes. The workshop shares real customer video reviews that show how the sofa feels in use.

Questions buyers ask next

What does 28 density mean on a floor sofa?

It is the foam's weight for its volume: 28 kg/m³, about 1.75 lb/ft³. Density says how much material is there to push back and how long it lasts; firmness is measured separately, and here it comes out medium-hard.

Will a floor sofa seat go flat after a year?

Not at this density. The high-density foam is meant to last many years without deforming or sagging. Expect the seat to soften slightly with use; it should not flatten or dip.

How do I raise a floor sofa seat that feels too low?

Stack an extra seat cushion or base mattress, or add a custom 4–5 in (10–13 cm) layer. That lifts a seat of about 13.5–14.5 in (34–37 cm) to about 19 in (48 cm). Floor sofas stay low by design.