Question:

I have an old custom made Norwalk sectional sofa purchased in 1992.

It has extra-firm cushions and has held up very well.

The cushions still rebound after 30 years.

I plan to have it reupholstered with leather.

Should I replace the foam on the entire sofa?

May 9, 2021

Answer:

Cushion cores should be replaced on your Norwalk sectional sofa if they feel uncomfortable.

You do not need to replace the cores if you don’t have any problems with your current cushions.

Even if the cushions have worn out, you do not need to replace foam in the rest of the sofa.

Arms, backs and other frame parts may all have foam padding.

They take far longer to wear out than the cushion foam.

Leather is a stiffer material than fabric.

It makes the cushions feel firmer.

High end leather upholstery is most often sold with Spring Down cushion cores.

Spring down cores feel softer than brand new foam cores, but will still last 15 years or more.

They will keep their gently firm feel over their entire lifespan.

The cushions in your current Norwalk sectional sofa are probably Spring Down.

If you prefer an extra-firm feel, Spring Down cushions are sometimes available with heavier gauge (firmer) coil springs.

High-density foam seat cushions will probably feel firmer when new, but will lose their firmness over time.

Spring-down cushions will feel just as firm as new after 15 years or more.

If you prefer foam cushion cores, try to find 2.5 density.

These will last more than twice as long as the 1.8 density foam found in most sofa cushions.

2.5 density foam cores won’t feel much different than 1.8 when both are new.

5 or 10 years later 2.5 density foam cushions will still feel brand new.

They will last 10 – 15 years before needing replacement.

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