Replacing Your Auto-Upholstery Foam

Written by: The Foam Factory

You’ll know when it’s time to change your auto upholstery. The seat foam will look loose and will provide little to no support when you sit down on it. It can be easily spotted, even through the seat covers themselves. If the seat tends to look saggy and loose, then chances are that the foam underneath is crushed and destroyed. Your seat should be plump and the auto upholstery should fit tightly over the foam.

If you don’t know whether or not your foam needs to be replaced, take off the seat upholstery along with the seat backs – if applicable. Take a look at the foam’s quality. If it’s disintegrating and looks chalky, then it’s recommended to get a full replacement. If they are still intact but just look crushed, then you can potentially save yourself from buying brand new foam.

A garment steamer can restore your auto upholstery and almost make it look brand new again. It opens up the foam and gives it back its’ original shape. This is one of the best ways to restore the firmness back to the foam. These steamers are basic to use and do not require much effort. Take your auto upholstery off of the foam seat and begin to steam each part of the foam – with more emphasis on the crushed sections. Aim for a smooth and even finish so there won’t be any lumps once the auto upholstery goes back on the foam. While you are steaming the foam, keep the auto upholstery off the seat so it can dry.

If the steamer does not work for the foam that you’re using, you’ll feel it collapse after finish as well as a lack of firmness to it. This indicates that there needs to be a replacement. If you decide to place the upholstery over the collapsed foam, you’ll just delay the problem and have to fix it later.

You have several options when it comes to new foam. You can purchase pre-molded foam or have a professional company create custom-sized foam for your automobile. These customized seats can be found in an auto-upholstery shop where you can buy them as a package for extreme convenience. Whichever option that you choose, be sure that you take the proper measurements so you won’t have to modify it after you receive it. The installation process is fairly easy and the entire replacement process won’t take you over an hour.