---
title: "Floor Sofa Firmness: Medium-Firm 28-Density Foam, Explained"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-firmness-medium-firm-foam/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-02-15"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "floor sofa firmness, is a floor sofa comfortable, 28 density foam floor sofa, medium firm floor couch, floor sofa for sleeping"
---

# Is a floor sofa firm or soft to sit on?

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

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

> **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 bolster](https://cushionguide.com/media/modular-floor-sofas/stacked-velvet-floor-sofa-cobalt-raspberry-mustard-1600.webp "Three base cushions stacked into one tall sofa, each with a different end color, with a spare bolster on the floor.")

## 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.

## 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](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/) and the [density vs firmness pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/foam-density-vs-firmness-ild/) put the numbers side by side.

## What the seat does for each way of using it

| You want | What the 28-density seat does |
|---|---|
| Upright sitting | Holds you up; medium-hard, not a cloud |
| Lounging on the ottoman | Reads soft and relaxing; same foam |
| A guest bed, laid flat | Comfortable to sleep on; see [sleeping on a floor sofa](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-bed-size-firmness/) |
| Years of daily use | Softens slightly; doesn't sag or deform |
| A taller seat | Seats 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

> **Tailor's margin:** Floor sofa foam at 28 density softens slightly with use but keeps its shape for years, so choose for how it feels broken in, not on day one.

## Buyer questions

**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.

**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.

**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.

**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.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can I get a softer or firmer floor sofa?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/softer-or-firmer-floor-sofa-cushions/): Partly, on request: firmer sofa cushions have been made for users over 220 lb (100 kg), and a puffier, softer filling has been offered for the seat mattresses and backrests.
- [The front edge of my floor sofa seat sinks when I sit. Is that normal?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/sofa-seat-foam-sinking-at-edge/): Some softness at the front edge of a foam floor-sofa seat is normal, especially where legs hang over it.
- [Can you make the floor sofa seat cushions thicker?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-mattress-thickness/): No, floor sofa mattress thickness can't be customized: each seat mattress is about 7.5 in (19 cm) thick, or about 15 in (38 cm) with both stacked as a sofa, in 28-density high-density foam.
- [Modular Floor Sofa Module: Firmness of One Tufted Seat](https://cushionguide.com/readings/mid-gray-tufted-floor-seat-line-art-wall/): A single modular floor sofa module works as a complete floor chair when the tufted seat is firm and the back cushion and bolster are soft.
- [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.
- [Modular Floor Sofa Close-Up: Rust Velvet, Foam and Firmness](https://cushionguide.com/readings/rust-velvet-floor-sofa-end-panel-stitch-closeup/): A modular floor sofa depends on foam that fills its cover, and a crisp, square box corner is the visible sign that it does.
- [Foam density vs firmness: why a dense foam can still feel soft](https://cushionguide.com/guides/foam-density-vs-firmness-ild/)

*± 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-sofa-firmness-medium-firm-foam/