- Sun Mar 23, 2025 7:09 pm
#22232
Hi all, I'm new here. I just found the forum
I am working on a sofa-from-scratch project build. I want to learn to do the design, construction and upholstery myself. I'm having a bit of difficulty figuring out how the back rest of the sofa should be constructed. While this isn't entirely an upholstery question, I figured some of you may have enough exposure to seeing underlying furniture construction to offer some insight here.
Typically, the back of a sofa would have either zig zag springs or webbing to give it some flex when you lean back, so you're not leaning against a hard surface. However, this particular sofa I'm working on has a relatively low profile back. The top of the back rest is only 11-12 inches above the seat height, landing near the bottom of the shoulder blades when sitting down.
This build is meant more as a conversational sofa rather than something to lean back and watch TV on.
I am somewhat modeling my design after this sofa:
sofa1.png (258.51 KiB) Viewed 5646 times
Except in my design I'm creating a separate bench cushion, this is my work in progress CAD model:
screen-mysofa1.png (25.58 KiB) Viewed 5646 times
If I were to use springs or webbing, I don't think they would even really come in contact with the person's back (most of the back pressure is at the upper back)..
I have been designing this sofa around the plan that I will use about 2.5 inches of medium/firm density foam (indicated by green in my CAD model), on top of solid wood (no webbing/springs. But I am concerned it may be too hard..
Do you have any thoughts, ideas, recommendations how to approach this? Have you seen the frame work of a sofa similar to this style to see how it was made?
Thanks!
I am working on a sofa-from-scratch project build. I want to learn to do the design, construction and upholstery myself. I'm having a bit of difficulty figuring out how the back rest of the sofa should be constructed. While this isn't entirely an upholstery question, I figured some of you may have enough exposure to seeing underlying furniture construction to offer some insight here.
Typically, the back of a sofa would have either zig zag springs or webbing to give it some flex when you lean back, so you're not leaning against a hard surface. However, this particular sofa I'm working on has a relatively low profile back. The top of the back rest is only 11-12 inches above the seat height, landing near the bottom of the shoulder blades when sitting down.
This build is meant more as a conversational sofa rather than something to lean back and watch TV on.
I am somewhat modeling my design after this sofa:
If I were to use springs or webbing, I don't think they would even really come in contact with the person's back (most of the back pressure is at the upper back)..
I have been designing this sofa around the plan that I will use about 2.5 inches of medium/firm density foam (indicated by green in my CAD model), on top of solid wood (no webbing/springs. But I am concerned it may be too hard..
Do you have any thoughts, ideas, recommendations how to approach this? Have you seen the frame work of a sofa similar to this style to see how it was made?
Thanks!
- By LLeeT