How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions: Under $50

If you have saggy (or sinking) sofa cushions that leak and shed feathers on a daily basis, here is a great solution to fix both problems once and for all!   The poly foam will plump and firm up the seat cushion form, and the quilt batting will help remove those pesky feathers from shedding all over your clothes and floor.  Plus it is an inexpensive and a simple way to do this DIY-style, that you can complete in a couple of hours.   So, who is ready to give their couch a much-needed makeover?  Here is How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions:  Under $50.

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How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions: Under $50

Supplies:

• 1 roll – poly foam (1″ x 39″ x 76″)
• 8 yards – quilt batting 
• tape measure or plastic measuring tape
• scissors
• ruler
• black magic marker 
• poly fil (didn’t use)

Here is a picture of the poly foam roll so that you can see what it looks like.

 

I purchased my poly foam roll and quilt batting at Hobby Lobby with the 40% off coupons.

Poly foam roll:  $29.99 x 40%= $17.99

Quilt batting:  $5.99/yard x 8 yards = $47.92   40% = $28.75

$17.99 + $28.75 = $46.74 (yep – under $50)!

I just wanted to show you the numbers to prove that doing the work DIY-style really can save you a lot of money and a ton of time!

Basically your frumpy couch can look and feel new by the time your honey and kids can get home from work and school!!   Win-Win!!

Let’s get to some helpful tips to guide you through the easy couch cushion stuffing process.

 

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How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions: Under $50

First things first:

1.  Are you re-stuffing back and seat cushions?

• Determine if you need to re-stuff both the seat (bottom) cushions and back (top) cushions.

I decided to firm up and wrap our SEAT cushions (poly foam + quilt batting), but simply wrap our BACK cushions (quilt batting only). 

This is important because I did not have to buy poly foam for both of these. 

2.  What is the difference between the couch stuffing fillers?

• The poly foam cushion is a smooth, dense (firm), filler that usually forms the actual “shape” of the item.  These foam cushions can be as thick as 5-6 inches thick.
• The quilt batting is a more textured (mesh-y) type of material that is used to wrap cushions to make them smooth.  But as the name states, this material is used for making quilts, baby blankets, comforters, etc. because of it’s softness and flexibility.
• Poly-fil is used to help stuff items to “fill” in holes or gaps.  This filler can be grabbed in handfuls for easy stuffing, and has a texture more like cotton balls.  

Here is a picture to show you what all 3 look like to give you an idea.

*I did not use the poly-fil on my couch makeover, but you definitely can.  It is a great budget-friendly option to use for filling out the corners of the cushions.

3.  Why Quilt Batting + Poly Foam?

• If you just add the poly foam by itself, it leaves a hard edge that you can see inside your seat cushion. 
• The quilt batting helps soften that hard edge and helps tighten or firm up the entire cushion. 
• The quilt batting also keeps the feathers from poking through.

Here is a picture of the poly foam and quilt batting lying on our kitchen table.  I just wanted to show you the difference in their consistency and shape.

The poly foam is very firm and doesn’t bend at all, whereas the quilt batting is somewhat firm, but does bend.

 

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How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions: Under $50

MEASURING TIPS FOR COUCH CUSHIONS:

• 1.   How to measure seat and back cushions to determine how many yards of quilt BATTING you will need? 

Basically you will need to add the length + width + depth,  for the quilt batting like the picture below.  This won’t be an exact science – but just use it as a reference guide.

Here is the math:  front + back + top + bottom 

TOP CUSHIONS: 

(22″ + 22″) front/back +(4.5″ + 4.5″) top/bottom = 53″L

= 53″ x 2 cushions = 106″L  = 3 yards for 2 TOP BACK CUSHIONS 

BOTTOM CUSHIONS:

(30″ + 30″) + (5.5″ + 5.5″) = 71″ L

= 71″ x 2 cushions = 142″L = 4 yards L for 2 BOTTOM SEAT CUSHIONS

• 3 yards + 4 yards = 7 yards + 1 yard extra just to be safe (trust me)
•  = 8 YARDS TOTAL  for Quilt Batting

 

 

•   2.  How to measure seat cushions to determine how many yards of POLY FOAM you will need? 

For my POLY FOAM (on bottom seat cushions only): 

I needed a 40″W x 30″L piece to cover the top of the cushion. 

I also did not cover the bottom with poly foam because it would be too thick.

BOTTOM SEAT CUSHIONS only:

In Length: 30″ x 2 cushions = 60″L

In Width:  I needed the width to fit 40″W.

In Thickness:  I chose 1 inch deep poly foam to make it firmer, 

And Hobby Lobby had just one roll that came with the 39″ W x 76″L x 1 inch thick – so it was close enough to mine (40″W x 60″L x 1″thick).   

Okay, let’s get to the easy 5-step tutorial – how to stuff your saggy couch cushions!

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How to Stuff Saggy Couch Cushions: Under $50

Step #1:  Measure Top and Bottom Cushions

Since you already had to do this first step (in order to purchase your stuffing material), you are done with this step!  

Refer back to the tips (above) if you want to know the exact way to measure.

 

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Step #2: Remove Cushions from the Covers

I decided to make this an actual step because it’s the most time-consuming of all the steps, but probably the most important.

Unzip your cushion covers and remove as many down feathers as possible.  Then vacuum all of the feathers off of your cushion and floor.

Do this step for each of your cushions.  This was a mess – but must be done.

TIP:  I recommend taking the actual cushion cover outside, and shaking all of the feathers out.  Then you can hand pick out as many as you can handle – LOL!!

This will ensure that you don’t have the feathers poking out or shedding once it is wrapped.

 

 

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Step #3:  Mark & Cut Poly Foam for Seat Cushions

After you have measured your couch cushions, it’s time to mark and cut your poly foam.  

Simply lay out the poly foam roll, and mark your bottom (seat) dimensions with a black marker.

 

I marked small hash marks of 30″ for the length, and drew a line with a yardstick.

 

 

Then I cut the poly foam following along the marker line.

 

This is what it will look like when you have it cut.  Just ignore my cushion (with the cover still on), I was taking pictures and working on both cushions at the same time – haha!!  

 

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Step #4:  Mark, Cut, & Wrap Quilt Batting over All Cushions

You will wrap the quilt batting around the poly foam 2 bottom seat cushions AND around the 2 top back cushions.

*FYI – You will do this step for all cushions (so for mine – it was all FOUR cushions). *

Now it’s time to place your poly foam on top of your sofa cushion (without the cover on), and wrap it with the quilt batting.

Here is a picture of the poly foam placed on top of the couch cushion.

 

Unroll your quilt batting and place your bottom seat cushion on top of it.  Leave a little room at the top part – just enough to cover the sides.  

You might have to play around with this until you have the spacing right. 

See the picture below (poly foam is still on top of the cushion).

 

Now you will take your quilt batting roll and simply “wrap” or cover the entire cushion (with the poly still on) – kind of looks like an envelope.

Then you will cut your quilt batting, once you know it covers the entire cushion.

 

Repeat this step for the other seat cushions and top cushions also.  The only difference will be that the top cushions WILL NOT have the poly foam on them.

Here it is with the top cushion – no poly foam.

 

TIP:  If you need more firmness on your top cushions, feel free to add the poly foam also.  Our couch did not need that much filling, and we also wanted them to have a softer (more down-feather feeling).  

So, basically it’s just personal preference.  The good thing is you can always buy more poly foam for the top cushions if you’re wanting that firmer feeling.

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3 Mistakes in Couch Cushion Stuffing

I just wanted to show you the 3 mistakes I made initially when stuffing the cushions.   

• Remember how I said that I needed BOTH the poly foam + quilt batting for the seat cushions?

Here are the 3 reasons why!  

End result:  

• Each time, I ended up with a wrinkly cushion mess and a hard edge from the poly foam at the box (piping) seams.
• Sometimes short-cuts work, and this time – they did not LOL!  So spare yourself the AGONY and add the quilt batting – trust me!

 

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Step #5:  Stuff All Cushions

Now you will simply add your “wrapped” cushions into the cushion covers.  

This is the correct way to stuff your cushion to keep it looking firm, and help reduce feather shedding.  

WINNER:

Keep your wrapped cushion on the floor and simply stuff it into your cushion cover.  

I started with the bottom right, then bottom left, with a back and forth kind of system.

 

Then when my cushion was about halfway in, I stood it up, and let it lean against the wall for support.  

I just kept stuffing in that right to left motion again until it went all the way down to the bottom.

 

Once I got the cushion entirely stuffed in, I zipped it up.

TIP:  You will need to push the quilt batting down – or it will get caught up in the zipper – trust me!!  lol!!

 

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WOOHOO – YOU ARE DONE!!

Here are some before and after pictures of our easy couch cushion makeover.

Before Right Side.

 

After Right Side.

 

Before and After Front View.

 

Throw on some pillows and enjoy!!

I hope your couch looks “new” again, and you actually sit on it and relax!  Well, who are we kidding?  Maybe your honey and kids can SIT and relax – LOL!!

LOVE & HUGS 🙂

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