The Cutting Table · a checklist answer
Can I get foam filling instead of silicone balls?
Also asked as:Foam filled or silicone ball filling?Can it be foam filled?
Two fillings, one decision, and a couple of exceptions worth knowing before the shop messages you to ask.
SaveThe quick answer
Foam filling is usually available on request instead of silicone balls, the standard fill in tufted cushions, and the shop may message after purchase to ask which you want. Plain seat cushions use 28-density seating sponge, or 22-density as the budget option. A few tufted styles can only be fiber-filled; for those you can accept silicone balls or cancel.
Key facts
- Tufted cushions are silicone-ball filled as standard.
- Foam filling is available on request, and the shop may ask after purchase which you want.
- Plain, crease-free seat cushions use 28-density seating sponge, about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³), as standard.
- 22-density sponge, about 1.37 lb/ft³ (22 kg/m³), is the budget option.
- Non-tufted foam cushions can have removable zippered covers.
- Some tufted styles can't be foam-filled; they get silicone balls, or the order can be cancelled.
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.
Which filling goes where
| Cushion | Standard filling | Foam possible? |
|---|---|---|
| Tufted cushion | Silicone balls (fiber clusters) | Often, on request; a few styles no |
| Tufted French-style floor or nook cushion | Silicone fiber | Choose the solid foam-filled style instead |
| Plain, crease-free seat cushion | 28-density seating sponge, about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³) | It is foam; 22-density, about 1.37 lb/ft³, costs less |
| Non-tufted foam cushion | Solid foam | Yes, with a removable zippered cover |
| Thick backrest, 12-14 in (30-35 cm) | Foam, often cut as a wedge | Needs foam |
| Round arm bolster | Silicone balls suit it | Shredded foam is advised for neck rolls |
Before you check out
- Write 'foam' or 'silicone balls' in the order note, even though the shop may ask later.
- Tufted and set on foam? Ask first whether that style can take it.
- Want a zip-off cover? Choose a non-tufted foam cushion.
- On a budget with a plain seat? Ask for 22-density instead of the standard 28.
- Need no foam at all? Tufted floor cushions are foam-free with fiber inserts; write 'no foam' clearly.
Density, in numbers you can use
Partner, the sponge in a plain seat cushion is 28-density: about 1.75 lb/ft³ (28 kg/m³). The 22-density option, about 1.37 lb/ft³ (22 kg/m³), is the cheaper choice. The density conversion Pattern does the math both ways, and the foam inserts hub shows the solid pieces.
Silicone balls are loose cluster fiber, the standard fill for tufted cushions. Most tufted styles can take foam on request, but a few can't be made in foam at all, and the shop says so before anything is cut.
Still choosing between the two looks? The tufted vs. plain Pattern lays them side by side. Which one is your cushion: tufted, or plain and crease-free?
Asked for foam, told 'not this one'
One buyer wrote in asking for foam in a cushion style that simply isn't made with foam. The workshop said so plainly and gave two choices: fill it with silicone balls (fiber clusters) instead, or cancel the order. Measure twice; the fabric remembers. A straight answer before cutting beats a surprise after delivery.
Plain seat cushions use 28-density seating sponge as standard; 22-density is the budget option, not the default.
Nate
Buyer questions
- A common question
Can I choose foam filling instead of silicone balls?
The workshop's answerYes. The shop may ask after purchase whether you want foam or silicone-ball filling, and non-tufted foam-filled cushions can also be made with removable zippered covers.
- A common question
Do you use foam inside your cushions?
The workshop's answerThe tufted cushions use silicone-ball filling, not foam, though foam filling is available on request. Plain, crease-free seat cushions use a seating sponge: 28 density as standard, or a cheaper 22 density.
- A common question
Is the filling in your floor and nook cushions loose or solid?
The workshop's answerTufted French-style cushions are filled with silicone fiber, and the shop also makes solid foam-filled cushions. You choose which style you want.
- A common question
Does cotton filling hold its shape as well as silicone balls?
The workshop's answerNot quite. Silicone balls keep their shape better over time, and cotton doesn't fully spring back after vacuum-packing for shipping, though cotton-only and organic cotton fills are made on request.
Questions buyers ask next
Are the tufted floor cushions completely foam-free?
Yes. Tufted floor cushions are filled with durable fiber inserts rather than foam, and the bound tufting means you don't feel the buttons. On a custom order, write 'no foam' clearly so the filling is never in doubt.
What should a very thick backrest or a bolster be filled with?
Thick non-tufted backrests of 12-14 in (30-35 cm) need foam, often cut as a wedge. Silicone balls suit round arm bolsters, and for neck rolls the shop recommends shredded foam, supportive without being too soft.
What if new foam arrives with a smell?
Wash the covers and air the foam for several days. The shop reported one smell complaint in about 3,000 sofa orders, and the persistent cases were sent replacement foam.
