DIY a Boat Bench Seat Cushion With an Arch
X-HT-300758
- Patterning for New Foam – 1:02 min.
- Cutting New Foam – 3:17 min.
- Cutting Top and Bottom Plates – 5:24 min.
- Installing Zipper – 7:17 min.
- Bending Foam for Boxing Patterns – 12:02 min.
- Creating Boxing Patterns – 14:03 min.
- Cutting Boxing – 19:45 min.
- Sewing Piping – 21:30 min.
- Sewing Boxing to Top Plate – 23:03 min.
- Creating Snap Tabs – 31:15 min.
- Basting & Sewing Bottom Plate – 34:20 min.
- Inserting Foam – 37:23 min.
- Installing Snaps & Cushion – 40:02 min.
- Filament Strapping Tape 3/4" – #5643
- Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas (36 yds.) – #122064
- Dura-Skrim® Patterning Material 74" – #103134
- CushionRite® Dry Fast Antimicrobial Foam (Medium) – #124203
- EverSoft™ Pebble Indoor/Outdoor Tan 54" Vinyl Fabric – #122212
- Phifertex® Plus Vinyl Mesh Stucco 54" Fabric – #123811
- Lenzip® #5 White Continuous Molded Tooth Zipper Chain – #124254
- Seamstick 1/4" Basting Tape for Canvas & Upholstery (36 yds.) – #122065
- Lenzip® #5 White Style B Single Locking Metal Zipper Pull (Molded Tooth Chain) – #124286
- Seamstick 1/2" Basting Tape for Canvas (36 yds.) – #122066
- Morbern™ Seabrook Vinyl Welting/Piping Blue – #120143
- Tex 70 (V-69) Captain Navy UV Bonded Polyester Thread 4 oz. (1,350 yds.) – #105999
- Sample of Morbern™ Seabrook Blue 54" Vinyl Fabric Sample – #105981
- Cushion Wrap Silk Film 54" – #103933
- Sailrite® Snap Fastener Normal Action Socket (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #999050
- Sailrite® Snap Fastener Button 11/64" (Nickel-Plated Brass) – #999777
- Sailrite® Deluxe Fabricator® Sewing Machine Package (110V) – #400600
- Seam Ripper Deluxe – #18104
- Kai Professional Stainless Steel 11" Scissors – #123616
- Sailrite® Blade Foam Saw V2 with Carrying Case (110V) – #121244
- Scribe-All® Black Marking Pencil for Vinyl – #121977
- Sailrite® Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" – #102400
- Sailrite® Fabric Edge Match Pliers – #123498
- Sailrite® Canvas Patterning Ruler – #107040
- Cording Foot Set 1/4" for Fabricator® – #400414
- Deluxe 5-1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide – #103597
- Pres-N-Snap Installation Tool – #109011
- Permanent Marker, Packing Tape
You may be wondering how to get a boat cushion to take an arch. One way is using a foam saw and shaper to mold your foam into a permanent arch. That is an option — but there is a less time-consuming way that results in less foam waste! We’ll show you how to tape your foam piece to take a temporary curve, then how to pattern from the foam to make curved boxing. The boxing will keep the foam arched in the finished cushion, and you won’t have to vacuum up a blizzard of foam shavings when you’re done!
Shaping the foam isn’t the only benefit of curved boxing, however. Curved boxing doesn't wrinkle as much as the boxing on a flat cushion when used on an arched seat. This is because the shape of the seat’s arch is built into the boxing; it doesn’t have to bend much to fit the seat. Using this low-wrinkle boxing technique will give your boat seat pad a clean, professional look. And don’t worry — it’s easy to make!
Make your arched helm seat safer to use when you learn how to DIY a curved cushion with our thorough tutorial video! Watch it now to get step-by-step instructions for sewing a low-wrinkle arched cushion that will look and feel great through years’ worth of voyages.
This tutorial is part of our Seaward 32RK Project Series. This sailboat is getting the full DIY treatment from bow to stern! Learn how to make a variety of custom boat cushions, a bimini with backstay slits, full-mesh sheet bags and more in this series. Click here to view all the projects we’ve completed for this total boat overhaul.