Upholstery and Foam?

[nigelmercier]

I need to start planning a refit of Upholstery and Foam in the saloon. I'm hoping to reuse some of the foam, but I'm very confused about the different types, and how it should be layered.

Anyone suggest a book or an online guide?

 

[VicS]

I need to start planning a refit of Upholstery and Foam in the saloon. I'm hoping to reuse some of the foam, but I'm very confused about the different types, and how it should be layered.

Anyone suggest a book or an online guide?

All I can say is if you are buying ordinary foam get the "firm" grade for seats that will also be bunks. I started off with bog standard stuff from a high street shop but later upgraded crucial areas to "firm" . Solved the " bad back" problems

If you want to splash the cash i guess memory foam/firm sandwich will be an even better choice.

I bought from Foam for Comfort but that was pre internet and ebay days http://www.foamforcomfort.co.uk/

Foam must be cut slightly larger than the covers to ensure a good tight fit. If you can get the foam in the covers without a fight its too loose

 

[yodave]

Did this recently and best I can tell it's colour-coded, and it's the blue (high-density) stuff that you need. The yellow stuff appears to be less robust.

 

[pagoda]

I need to start planning a refit of Upholstery and Foam in the saloon. I'm hoping to reuse some of the foam, but I'm very confused about the different types, and how it should be layered.

Anyone suggest a book or an online guide?

I'd suggest you don't waste money on memory foam for the saloon. We re-did our aft cabins foam with memory foam as the increase in comfort for sleeping is huge. We just bought memory foam sandwich mattresses from Ebay and cut them to the shape of the hull. A couple of inexpensive duvet covers were then cut / stitched to fit them as covers. Works a treat.
For saloons, unless you have a keen & able seamstress nearby , I'd be thinking of sourcing the fabric and getting somebody else to do the making of the covers. There is no real point in re-using foam which is tired and probably lacking in flame retardant properties.
You will get more sensible quotes if you say you have some caravan / motorhome cushions needing covered. Don't mention boats!!!

Graeme

 

[pcatterall]

Yes can confirm colur coding. You will want firm to sit on and less firm to lie out on. Mrs C is like the princess and the pea, in our camper we have a sandwitch on her 'bed' as it also a couch top half firm when sitting then flip over at night for sleeping!
I second the idea about any old but easilly removed ands washed covers for berths

 

[nigelmercier]

I'd suggest you don't waste money on memory foam for the saloon...

As I've said before on this forum, I think memory foam is a triumph of marketing over mediocrity.

I heard back from an eBay seller: diy-foam-upholstery-supplies http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_o....TRC0.Xfoam.TRS0&_nkw=foam&_sacat=0&_from=R40


Generally for boats it's 3 or 4 inch foams. A high density foam, in either medium or firm feel is best. If you send your sizes I can give you a price.

I understood that it was normal to make a sandwich of foam, firm on the bottom and medium on the top. It's things like this that I wanted some reference material for.

 

[Graham_Wright]

I need to start planning a refit of Upholstery and Foam in the saloon. I'm hoping to reuse some of the foam, but I'm very confused about the different types, and how it should be layered.

Anyone suggest a book or an online guide?

http://www.cotswoldfoam.co.uk/

Lots of info and good service.

Local to me so handy!

 

[Dipper]

I understood that it was normal to make a sandwich of foam, firm on the bottom and medium on the top. It's things like this that I wanted some reference material for.

That's what I used when I replaced all my cushions. 3" of firm with 1" of medium (or soft - I can't remember) on top.

 

[Bobobolinsky]

That's what I used when I replaced all my cushions. 3" of firm with 1" of medium (or soft - I can't remember) on top.

Combination is the way to go. Hard on it's own is too hard to sleep on, you sort of float on top I use hard foam for bunks with a "topper", which works, at least for me. It wasn't one of those memory toppers, but a Tesco special (£11)

 

[nigelmercier]

Combination is the way to go. Hard on it's own is too hard to sleep on...

What about seats? These are not for sleeping on, other than when I doze off.

 

[greenalien]

Worth getting - and retaining - any paperwork that shows the foam is fire-retardant, could come in handy if/when selling the boat.

 

[Graham_Wright]

Worth getting - and retaining - any paperwork that shows the foam is fire-retardant, could come in handy if/when selling the boat.

wrt to Cotswold Foam, they confirmed the foam was fire retardant but also added that it would give off arsenic fumes when ignited.

 

[nigelmercier]

What does the team think about using vinyl or waterproof fabric for the saloon seats?

 

[Gerry]

IMHO vinyl is very uncomfortable in hot climates, sticks to body parts in a very unpleasant manner. A lot of the waterproof fabrics can be a bit scratchy.
The best is leather, but also the most expensive! Can wipe it down if it gets wet, hard wearing, bugg*r to upholster yourself though....

 

[dedwards]

Hawke House in Gosport are very helpful. They usually recommend 3" firm topped with 1" of softer stuff. Note that the softer stuff is the premium foam, not the other way around. You can get a lot of hard wearing suede type materials for covering but consider using vinyl for the undersides.

 

[Martin_J]

Nigel...
The covers in my Moody are waterproof. It came as a surprise. They actually feel quite soft and fluffy...but the fabric backing is definitely waterproof.
When beer is spilt we only need to hose down the cushion, leave it out in the breeze for a few hours and it can go back in the saloon...