Cushions...making

[Lost Parent]

When making new cushions has anyboby done away with the vinyl on the bottom of the cushions and used plywood instead? This would mean you cut the plywood to the shape and glue foam and them fit new fabric and the staple or glue the underneath. this woulld add minor weight but would make the cushions easier to make since my sewing is terrible .
You could even still add vinyl as a moisture guard

 

[Doc_holiday]

I started to, and will likely finish the project that way. I think a good coat of shelack is in order. Below is the prototype

 

[Lost Parent]

Looks good to me

 

[shemandr]

Not sure I understand. Nevertheless, I like the vinyl bottom of cushions to resist moisture and mildew. We did cushions like this on one boat and it worked very well. I don't really understand the plywood thing.

 

[Erieau]

In replacing the port side backrest, which was originally fastened to the hull, I did exactly as you're suggesting. I wanted a backrest that could be used as a doubler to turn the settee into a double bunk. 1/2" Plywood was the answer.
It's not as easy as you may imagine, though. Pulling the fabric -evenly- around to the back was very tricky, avoiding a lumpy appearance.
Use stainless staples in your gun.

 

[Steve Dion]

The problem with stuffing/restuffing cushions is getting the foam back into the material. The trick is to cover the foam with plastic. If it is still difficult you can suck the air out of the foam and then inserting the foam.

http://on.aol.com/video/how-to-replace-the-foam-in-your-cushions-87884519

 

[soldier1964]

thats a great idea for some of the cushions, like around the settee, but not for all of them. didnt think of that for redoing some. and by using the vac seal, should be able to make them look very neat also. thanks for the idea.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

The plastic is a decent idea, but if you totally seal the cushion, when you sit on it, it'll be like sitting on a balloon.. You have to leave an opening under the foam for air to escape.

Trust me- tried it. Had to take the foam back out and cut a hole in the plastic to let air out

 

[sandpiper10471]

My boat came with all the cushions plywood backed. I am replacing them all except the back rests and V-berth trapezoid. If stapled to plywood, you cannot launder the fabric other than by steam cleaning. Staples can go rusty unless you use stainless. If they get wet, it is much harder to get them up on deck for drying and the drying time is prolonged. Foam develops a memory for your body curves. By flipping the cushions and switching them around etc., the longevity of the foam can be improved. (Only works in the forward cabin in my boat. All other cushions are asymmetrical.)

Re the sewing part - sewing will still be required with plywood backing, just not as much. Sometimes difficulty sewing is the result of an inadequate machine. A walking foot makes a huge difference and a needle feed is even better.

I prefer a bottom sheet of something breathable as well as mildew resistant.

 

[centerline]

it can be done.... but its not as nice, it wont last as long and the wood will uptake any mildew, mold or smell.... it will soak up any moisture available, whether its from 80% air humidity or a splash or a leak... it will transfer it to the foam and it wont dry.....

they cant be handled or stowed as easily, and basically a PITA when you need in a storage compartment.....

there is no good reason to use plywood as the backing on boat cushions if you take into account the effects of it... long term and short term.

but if you have to span an area that has no support otherwise, then a plywood backing would give the structural support needed to fill the area with a cushion.

a few dollars savings now isnt worth the long term trouble... in my opinion.

 

[mark_swart]

I think it sounds like a great idea for the sewing-challenged such as myself! If you paint the plywood and use stainless staples it should prevent any water issues. 1/4 inch or even regular paneling would probably be plenty thick since it will be lying on a flat surface anyway. You could also drill 2-inch holes in the wood in a uniform pattern to save a little weight as well as allow some air into them.
For a budget fixer-upper, I think it might be a good alternative for a "90 percent solution."
If you could find a big sheet of plastic that would be thick enough to stand up to the staples and wear and tear, that would be another alternative.

 

[Steve Dion]

The plastic can be removed if one needs to. It is not sealed (like a ballon). The purpose of the plastic is just to get the air out of the foam to make it smaller in order to insert the foam.

Sometimes just using plastic like this will make inserting the foam easier without the vac method. Notice that these were sofa cushions that were overstuffed.

 

[Stu Jackson]

"Backing plates" on settee cushions is basically a terrible idea. Why? As mentioned before, it makes moving them a PITA. The older C34s have separate covers over the holes below the fabric/vinyl below cushions, like mine. Easy to remove cushions and open up the compartment covers. I've sliced some of those covers with a saw to make them even easier to move.

The newer Mark II cushions comes with the hardbacked panels as part of the cushions. They are heavy and a pain to lift, move or even prop up. Just a bad "cut the corners" manufacturing move, IMHO.

 

[Lost Parent]

I was really thinking of doing the plywood thing as my seatback cushions are this way now and they do have a vinyl covering glued to the wood and there does not seam to be any problem ...this is the way the boat came from Catalina It would only be 3 seat cushions done the same way

 

[centerline]

1/4 inch or even regular paneling would probably be plenty thick since it will be lying on a flat surface anyway. You could also drill 2-inch holes in the wood in a uniform pattern to save a little weight as well as allow some air into them.
For a budget fixer-upper, I think it might be a good alternative for a "90 percent solution."
If you could find a big sheet of plastic that would be thick enough to stand up to the staples and wear and tear, that would be another alternative.

1/4" plywood or paneling will warp into a banana shape within a few months...

but if you are going to use 1/4" plywood backing for them, then I would suppose thick plastic would be a cheaper option than good vinyl..... for building disposable cushions

do it right the first time and you will never regret it...