Using Silk Film to Shrink Foam

You might know silk film as being a noiseless moisture barrier used inside cushions to keep your foam dry. And it certainly does that job well. But did you also know that you could use it to shrink your foam to make it easier to insert the foam into your cushion cover? In this quick DIY tips video, we’ll show you how to use silk film to shrink foam. Trust us, it's easier than you think. You'll wish you'd learned this super helpful foam hack ages ago.

Using silk film and a vacuum, you can shrink your foam to 70% of its original size. This is especially helpful for large cushions or when your foam is wrapped in a lot of batting and is going to be a snug fit in your cushion cover.

To shrink your foam, wrap the foam in silk film with the film loosely tucked all around. Then insert the hose attachment of your vacuum under the silk film and press it up against the foam. Turn on your vacuum and the suction will remove the air from the foam, compressing the foam and batting. When you turn off the vacuum the foam will remain compressed for a minute or so, giving you plenty of time to insert the assembly into your cushion cover.

Here’s a video that demonstrates the whole process.

To learn more about what goes inside a cushion, check out our “Anatomy of a Cushion” blog, which is part of our Foam Series. Our Foam series is a comprehensive overview of the types of seating foam and important foam terms. We also detail how to select the right foam for your home upholstery, patio furniture, and marine interior and exterior seating and cushions.

To read these detailed foam blogs, just type "foam series" into the Sailrite search bar and click "Selection Guides." Our informative blogs and write-ups give you all the valuable information you need to make an informed foam purchase. We take the guesswork out of shopping for seating foam.