How to Shape Upholstery Foam

Cutting and shaping upholstery foam is a project anyone can do. Do basic projects yourself using upholstery skills to convert old, worn chairs, car seats or sofa cushions into comfortable seating by learning easy foam-shaping and cutting techniques. Even without sewing experience, you can complete foam-shaping projects in a day or two. Flexible polyurethane foam is versatile and you can cut and shape it to fit most projects.

• 1

  Place a flattened cardboard box on the work area. This will keep the knife blade from scratching any furniture or floors.

• 2

  Lay a sheet of polyurethane foam, that is medium in firmness, on the cardboard. The foam should be no thicker than 4 inches. More than that and the electric knife will not be long enough go through it.

• 3

  Create a template out of cardboard. Lay used foam from the old furniture piece on the card board for your pattern. Trace around the foam ¼-inch larger than the old foam.

• 4

  Place the cardboard template on the new sheet of foam. Use a felt tipped pen and place a dot every 12 to 18 inches on the new foam. Connect the dots and form a continuous line.

• 5

  Cut the foam using a serrated electric kitchen knife with a sharp edge. An electric knife works well with many types of foam. Hold the knife vertically for ease of cutting. Cut along the felt lines or curves.

• 6

  Clean up the cutting edge. If the foam is rough, or the edges fray, use scissors or a utility knife to trim. You can shape round untidy edges with an air sander using 24-grit sandpaper.