Upholstery Batting for Chair Seats, Polyester 1/2 in or Cotton

Fabric pulled straight over foam shows every edge and cut, and in use it rubs against the foam. A layer of batting between them deals with both. It rounds the edges of the seat, smooths the top and stops the fabric rubbing on the foam.

Two types:

• Polyester batting, 1/2 in thick: light, springy and even, the usual choice over foam on dining chair and drop-in seats.
• Cotton batting, 27 in wide by 2 yd long: a natural fiber with a denser, flatter feel, used in traditional upholstery.

How it goes on:

• Cut the foam to the seat board and set it in place first.
• Lay the batting over the foam and cut a piece that covers the top, runs down the sides and reaches the underside of the board.
• Smooth it from the center out and pull it gently over the edges. Staple it to the underside, or let the fabric hold it.
• At the corners, cut away the extra batting so it does not bunch up under the fabric.
• Then fit the fabric, and finish with dust cover fabric underneath.

Use one smooth layer and avoid overlaps on the top, where they show through the fabric as ridges.

Batting, foam, webbing and the tools are all on the re-web and re-pad a chair seat project page.

Polyester is the easy choice over foam on dining chair and drop-in seats: even, springy and simple to cut. Cotton suits traditional upholstery and anyone who prefers natural fiber under the fabric.

To size a piece, measure across the top of the foam, down both sides and onto the underside of the seat board, in both directions. The cotton batting is 27 in wide, so each piece has to fit within 27 in one way, and you cut pieces one after another along its 2 yd (72 in) length.

Example: a 20 in square seat board with 2 in foam needs 20 in, plus 2 in down each side, plus about 1 in under each edge: about 26 in each way. The cotton piece gives two of those.