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Post by sixtyoneshastagal on Jul 23, 2014 14:15:46 GMT -8
I am restoring a 1961 Shasta and found two short cushions by luck for the side seat in the front but need another seat and back for other side. Foam seems too wimpy and hard to deal with. The bed in the back has a partial frame still in tact but both side storage bins on the outside go to it (rt and lt). I have one original board with a trim piece (1/4" thick) that can slide all the way out over the wheel wells and give me 48" for my bed width. Then I wanted to slide it back (over the cute original fold down door with frame to make a sofa. That means I need a cushion in the back. The only foam places I found were way too expensive for thicker than 4" that is very crushable. Well yesterday I found a used double futon matress that may work but wondered if anyone else has a 61 with similar problems. Thanks the new Gal  |
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lovnvintage
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Post by lovnvintage on Jul 23, 2014 15:15:17 GMT -8
Mine is 4" foam with a 3" memory foam topper. super comfy!
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Hamlet
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Post by Hamlet on Jul 23, 2014 17:09:54 GMT -8
Foam is like anything else. You get what you pay for. To do it well, you need at least 4" of upholstery grade foam. This is NOT the squishy stuff that you get at some of the big-box type fabric stores, but dense and sturdy. Then, you wrap it with polyester upholstery batting. You cover that with a VERY tight cotton slipcover, sewn on, no zipper. THEN, you cover it with whatever fabric you choose. Heavier fabrics will hold up better over time if the trailer is used. If it's mostly for show, that won't be as much an issue. That is the basis for your seating. Some folks add a memory foam topper for sleeping. I am currently using a 2" topper in Hamlet, but that is only because I'm sleeping in him 3 or 4 nights a week for the past year, and probably one more year. But for traveling and camping, our cushions have worked very well. We made them 6" thick, which I wouldn't do again. 5" is plenty. But if your cushions are either too thin or too soft, they will not provide the support needed for a good night's sleep.
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1heather
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Post by 1heather on Aug 7, 2014 19:07:12 GMT -8
Hamlet is right. Foam is expensive but well worth it as it takes time to make the cushions look just right and quality of products will correlate with quality of final project. Also, consider using piping as it will wear much better and help keep the cushion in place.
Look for marine foam that is 4 inches and use adhesive spray to put upholstery batting on just the top and bottom of cushion. I would use memory foam or a feather bed on top too but that is just personal preference.
I have a 1975 22 ft Trophy and am planning on draping and turning the table into a full-time bedroom nook as there is a long bar for dining at also so really don't need the extra benches and table.
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ladywendolyn
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Post by ladywendolyn on Aug 7, 2014 20:44:30 GMT -8
I am making my Goucho sofa 7 inches thick. I will be using 4 inch high quality firm upholstery foam on the bottom and a 4 inch memory foam topper which I will attach with spray glue adhesive and compress down one inch in the cushion for 7 inch height. I need the softer top for sleeping on, and I don't want to have to drag something out every night. A bit of an experiment, but I think it will turn out well and be very comfortable.
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Bow_Tied
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Post by Bow_Tied on Aug 10, 2014 6:22:56 GMT -8
good info here
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Post by Teachndad on Oct 7, 2014 15:06:02 GMT -8
Hi, I found this while researching this place, which I think is highly recommended. It's CushionRecoverie.com. They walk you through the cushion rebuilding process and then make the covers for you. I have'nt spent a lot of time there, but I did email on a weekend with a general question and got a response within 12 hours. It's a small outfit and they love what they do. www.cushionrecoverie.com/Cheers Rod |
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Oct 7, 2014 16:34:09 GMT -8
Check the link section.
You want foam with a good compression rating and that is not the same as density.
Keep in mind if your cushions are in front of windows and you make the thickness of your foam much greater than the original, your back cushion will be high and will cover up part of the window.
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lalaland
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Post by lalaland on Oct 7, 2014 16:40:36 GMT -8
Rod, that's a great resource. I'm excited to see the info on trying to reuse your cushion foam - who ever would have thought of disinfecting them with vodka. Can't wait for daylight to go check the foam to see if is stable enough to reuse. the frolic has all of its original cushions...so maybe I will luck out.
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SusieQ
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Post by SusieQ on Oct 7, 2014 17:40:14 GMT -8
Rod, that's a great resource. I'm excited to see the info on trying to reuse your cushion foam - who ever would have thought of disinfecting them with vodka. Can't wait for daylight to go check the foam to see if is stable enough to reuse. the frolic has all of its original cushions...so maybe I will luck out. Alcohol Abuse, LOL! I would have never thought of that for sure. But aren't the anti-bacterial properties of Vodka the alcohol? Wouldn't alcohol be cheaper? |
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Post by danrhodes on Oct 8, 2014 8:27:59 GMT -8
Rod, that's a great resource. I'm excited to see the info on trying to reuse your cushion foam - who ever would have thought of disinfecting them with vodka. Can't wait for daylight to go check the foam to see if is stable enough to reuse. the frolic has all of its original cushions...so maybe I will luck out. Alcohol Abuse, LOL! I would have never thought of that for sure. But aren't the anti-bacterial properties of Vodka the alcohol? Wouldn't alcohol be cheaper? That's the first thing I thought. Even the bum vodka they sell near me is $5 where a regular bottle of isopropyl is $1. |
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Post by Teachndad on Oct 8, 2014 9:18:00 GMT -8
I will email them when I get a chance and invite them to respond to why they recommend the vodka.  Rod |
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lalaland
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Post by lalaland on Oct 8, 2014 10:04:14 GMT -8
Rod, that would be great. I can't think of why the vodka either. I'm ignorant about alcohol - would the isopropyl stuff break down foam? or is alcohol...well....alcohol?
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shastajeff
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Post by shastajeff on Oct 8, 2014 10:09:05 GMT -8
I used a 5 inch king size foam mattress that I bought on eBay for $150 and cut the pieces to size with an electric knife.
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Post by cushionrecoverie on Oct 8, 2014 15:24:38 GMT -8
Hi There, I am Deb and I am the owner of the website CushionRecoverie.com . First off, great website; lots of great information being shared here.
To address the question of isopropyl alcohol versus Vodka for disinfecting/freshening your old foam, do NOT use straight alcohol, as it will cause your foam to deteriorate. Vodka is cheap, you can buy a 5th for $5, and that's enough to disinfect the average dinette, which is 4 cushions, both sides and you will still have vodka left over. Here is a completely independent link to another believer's views on vodka: fleamarket.about.com/od/diyrepairsrestyling/a/naturalfabricdeodorizers.htm
I am a huge advocate of reusing old foam. Foam is not 'green', and once it is in your local landfill, it will be there forever. PLUS, foam is very expensive! Why buy new when you have completely usable foam in your trailer right now? Even if your foam is kind of tired, you can face both sides with 1" high-density foam, and it will work beautifully for you; see "making a foam sandwich" on our website.
Something people do not consider when replacing their foam with a different thickness foam than the original is when they purchase new foam is that it completely changes the bed measurements when you convert your sitting surface to a sleeping surface. SO, try to replicate the foam thickness of the original foam so everything fits nicely together. We've had customers actually argue this point with us, but if you check out this link to our website, it should be clear: www.cushionrecoverie.com/measure.html
Lastly, we give out TONS of advice to people that never become our customers. Why? Because we love vintage trailers!! We have a 1958 10' MarKing and a 1965 20' Shasta, and are working on both to bring them back to their full glory.
Deb
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