How best cut a cushion in half?

[RogerThat]

Hi everyone,

I'm making a minor alteration to a bench seat and I need to cut one of the foam base cushions in half.

Could I saw it? Using a jacksaw? Or a hacksaw?!

How could I stop it moving? I've got a black & decker workmate but if I try to hold it down on there it will compress and I may not get a straight cut.

I'm sure I'm over thinking this simple task

Any suggestions?

The foam cushion looks somewhat like this:

 

[Jenben]

Could you draw the line you want to cut on the cushion (when it’s not under any pressure) ?

 

[Landy Andy]

When I’ve cut foam before I’ve compressed it with a straight edge item the very long bladed Stanley knife. But if it’s too thick for that us an electric carving knife if you have one.

 

[RogerThat]

Yup, that won't be a problem @Jenben

Not sure how to cut it then though?

 

[BwB]

I watched a guy in a reupholstery workshop use an electric kitchen bread knife to cut all his foam. I guess a normal manual bread knife might be of too. He just held the foam on the bench with his hand on top.

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[RogerThat]

Hmmm...

I don't have an electric knife, but I do have a bread knife!

I did think about using a Stanley but thought I'd have to make so many small cuts it look like it was cut in half using a chisel - didn't think about one of those long-bladed Stanley's.

I might try the serrated bread knife first and if no luck then I'll try the long Stanley.

Thanks everyone for the super-quick replies

 

[Jenben]

I think a bread knife should work ok or a Stanley knife.

 

[scotjimland]

electric bread knife, but can also use a sharp bread knife .. a Stanley blade is too short to give a nice clean cut

 

[mike mcglynn]

Why not practice on the offcut side ,I have cut memory foam with a bread knife no problems.

 

[Landy Andy]

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[rb62]

Plenty of videos on 'You tube' using bread / carving knife

 

[Landy Andy]

The electric bread/carving knife gives the best result as you aren’t dragging it through the foam misshaping it as you do.

 

[nicholsong]

If you only have an ordinary bread knife I would try heating it before cutting - might make the cut easier.

 

[Terry]

As already said electric bread knife ....or you can buy long foam cutting blades for the jig saw ....
Bosch blade number T313AW

 

[Minxy]

If you only have an ordinary bread knife I would try heating it before cutting - might make the cut easier.

... it might make the cushion melt and stick to the knife ...

Try it on a large washing sponge first to see if it works okay before attacking your seat cushion.

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[namwaldog]

A bit long winded , but shows you how....

 

[Sundowners]

Dip a long carving knife into hot water first before cutting, worked a treat for us.

 

[RogerThat]

Why not practice on the offcut side/QUOTE]

Excellent suggestion

Thanks everyone, the bread knife was ideal!

I layed the foam on the workbench and as suggested above just held it very lightly place with one hand and cut with the other.

Thankfully it was much easier to do than I thought it would be

Thanks once again for all the tips

 

[JackieP]

I did this last year. I was given a massive piece of memory foam and I wanted to make a mattress out of it to fit around the windscreen on the pull down bed. I had so much I was able to experiment and I can tell you without shadow of doubt that an electric carving knife was the best of the lot. A bread knife does not cut clean and leaves lots of rough edges. A Stanley knife doesn’t go far enough in and again you’re left with lots of jaggy bits but the electric carving knife went through it like a knife through butter and in ten minutes I had a brand new custom built mattress. If you want a clean, easy finish there no other way.

I actually cut the mattress on a picnic bench using the overhang to see clearly what I was doing.