Custom foam vs. Wal-Mart foam

[mauibarber]

I am in the process of re-doing my seats and I need some advice.  I would like to put some additional or new foam in my seats.  The precut legendary foam is approx. $200, or I can go to Wal Mart or fabric store and buy 1/2 inch foam and cut it into squares myself for about $30.

My question is, to the guys who have redone there seats is the precut "legendary" foam worth the money?  I have not done seats before but it seems like it would be awful simple to just cut the foam in the shape of the seat and back area and then place the seat covers over the foam.  Tell me where I'm wrong and why is the precut foam so dang expensive?

I don't find my current seats uncomfortable now and I drive the car on average about 30 minutes at a time.

-Alex

[Ghoste]

The precut foam is the same density as the oem stuff.  That isn't such a hard thing to replace but you might have to go to a furniture reupholstery shop to get it.  Wal-Mart might have the right density but it seems like everything else they sell is cheap so...??  I don't know though.
Also the precut stuff isn't just cut to the right shape, it's molded to fit the correct contours of the seat.  If you're spending the money to recover the seats you at least owe it to yourself to check at a shop that does seat upholstery even if it's just for home furniture to see what they can do.  I think you would end up less satisfied going the Wal-Mart route.

[JrJohnston]

The precut foam is the same density as the oem stuff.  That isn't such a hard thing to replace but you might have to go to a furniture reupholstery shop to get it.  Wal-Mart might have the right density but it seems like everything else they sell is cheap so...??  I don't know though.
Also the precut stuff isn't just cut to the right shape, it's molded to fit the correct contours of the seat.  If you're spending the money to recover the seats you at least owe it to yourself to check at a shop that does seat upholstery even if it's just for home furniture to see what they can do.  I think you would end up less satisfied going the Wal-Mart route.

  The Wal-mart foam is waaaaaayyyyyyyyy too soft,it is made for chairs and pillow's and it wont last more than a year before it starts to fall apart.I have fixed too many seat's that people have wnet to WallyWorld or other places like that and bought the cheap foam.

[mauibarber]

Thanks for the replys.

I took one of the covers off the seat and the foam is in surprisingly nice shape.  What do you think about going to a fabric store and buying the firmist 1/2 inch foam and laying it on top of the excisting foam?  Good idea?

[JimShine]

I reused my old foams as is. They gain new cushion if you replace the burlap between the foam and the springs. The old burlap degrades and allows the foam to squish through the springs. A new barrier between the two will add a surprising amount of cushion. A friend that did this stuff for a living took the foam and steamed them, which added some spring.

One thing I noticed that is a negative is that the old covers were much heavier than anything made aftermarket. The covers actually pulled the foam into the final shape. However, the aftermarket covers rely on well shaped foam to create seats contours. Irregularities that spring out of the original foam are visable with new seat covers. With some massaging of the foam with the cover slid on, you can work out much of these, but you may find a few areas that wont come out 100%.