How To Evenly Remove Thickness From A Large Piece Of Cushion Foam

This video demonstrates a method for easily and EVENLY removing thickness from the top of a large piece of cushion foam.
Items required:
-Electric Bread Knife
-1/2" or thicker Plywood Sheet for the base
-Approx 12" long pieces of 2x4 or 2x6 for the side guides
-Thick, high quality duct tape (Red Green would be proud)

[@lorebeth]

This is why I love KZbin. People helping people,sharing their incredible ingenuity isn’t just helpful it’s what this country is all about. ***Came back here to show your video to my husband to see if he can rig something like this and saw that I didn’t say how helpful your video is, that as far as I could find there isn’t another video or blog tutorial that shows how to slice through foam evenly, so thank you - you have been an enormous help!

[@ozzirebel51]

Exactly what I wanted to know how to cut foam to get half thickness - but I wanted to keep the two halves intact !! Your demo was clear, simple and filmed in an easy way ! Well done Thank you . G from London 💪🏻

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it useful! Good luck

[@stuntmantravis84]

This is exactly what I was looking for. The only video the help trim down the thickness. And the idea of pulling it down and feeding the tape in is genius!!

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it helpful 👍

[@chrisbyars4422]

Your video has been the most comprehensive sofar. I tried to cut a one inch slab of foam in half, like a rip cut if you will. I totally hosed it up. Then I watch this video. I believe I will have greater success following your method and tips. Thank you, sir!

[@DwarvenZombie]

Thanks for this video. I used this method with a few modifications. I used a piece of 1/4 thick wood across the top for more stability and cut along the under side of it. I also taped a razor blade to the end of a non electric bread knife and only used the razor to cut. Came out with a nice smooth cut that took no time at all.

[@sporterhome]

Nice modifications!

[@artistgoneoffgrid5414]

I was thinking of adding a thin board in place of the tape, too, for a more ridgid edge.

[@hanshyde9108]

Thanks so much! This is what i needed to save myself from ‘reinventing the wheel’ and more time thinking about it than actually doing it. 👍🏻

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it helpful 🙂

[@sarahsarah2254]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Your annotations were so funny 🤣 you're a legend!

[@angierocks805]

I’m not a friend or relative, but a fellow do-it-yourselfer. I’m re-doing some dining room chairs and bought foam that is thicker than I need. Now I know how to handle the problem. Thanks 😊

[@sporterhome]

Thanks and glad to hear this may help. 🙂

[@j.c.5393]

I was looking for ideas of how to make a very thick foam mattress thinner to use for car camping. The other videos I watched only showed how to reduce the width. Thanks for the video!!

[@sporterhome]

Good deal. Glad to help

[@DeanTheDoctor]

Same! This video is ingenious and super helpful! 😊🌎♥️

[@WaffleFaceRVA]

This is extremely helpful! I'm going to try it on a memory foam mattress for my camper haha I need all the help I can get so thank you!

[@sporterhome]

I've never tried it on memory foam but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Good luck on your project!

[@3888Orbost]

Wondering how you got on with the memory foam - were you reducing the thickness as in OPs vid? I’m wanting to reduce the thickness of (1) a memory foam pillow and (2) a latex one as well. Think I read that cooler ambient temp will stiffen the foam which might make it easier to cut. Hoping to learn from your experience. 🙏

[@christamichaelis8120]

You're a lifesaver! Thank you so much for this instructive and well made video!

[@MorbusVivacity]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I accidentally bought the wrong foam width for a craft I was doing and this really helped

[@russellanderson9138]

Nice video, The perfect answer to my problem cutting a too thick piece of foam.

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@bdr6833]

Thank you for the video, I too came looking for an idea of how to cut thru the thickness, I have a 6" foam and need a 3".

[@susanc.8009]

Thanks for showing that it can’t be done without making a mess of it.

[@LackofFaithify]

Was one search away for what expensive specialty tool I needed, and then out of no where the semi junk drawer in the kitchen suddenly attains mvp status.

[@puppybearr]

You're literally a genius, thank you

[@sporterhome]

Glad it helped 🙂

[@simonesheeka6791]

Thankyou Steve....I’ve had so many mad ideas and still end up gouging chunks into the foam as I can’t see where the blade is going So I’m off to try your method One thing I did find in my many attempts is the liberal use of talcum powder when cutting the foam....just lessens the drag Thankyou again Simone

[@sporterhome]

Good idea on the talcum powder. Hadn't thought of that Let me know how this works for you or if you make any beneficial changes. I'd love the feedback 🙂

[@beau4269]

Thank You for your video, I am in the process of restoring / preserving a old pickup truck. I ordered replacement foam for my seat and it is way to thick, about 6" thick, I need it to be closer to 4" so I can drive safely and comfortably. For what the foam cost me, I did not want to chuck it so your video showed me a way to cut it thinner, and since I am taking it off the bottom I do not think a perfect cut will matter that much.

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it helpful. Good luck on your project!

[@simonp941]

Hi Steve, thanks for the helpful video. Your method looks like exactly what I was hoping to find. I just wanted to mention that your closing line in your credits comes from a Canadian show that ran for a while, the Red Green show. Just in case you'd never heard of the show. Red Green, the character, used to close out every episode with that saying, and of course: " keep your stick on the ice". LoL Thanks again!

[@mariec.9102]

"Red Green" was a great show 👍🏾

[@geoff2911]

You can still find him on some cable shows I grew up my dad used to watch the show all the time and we're from Washington state

[@donnapruitt4459]

Awesome Mr. Porter, No I'm not a friend or relative being nice. I was actually looking for just this so thank you perfect. Thanks!

[@sporterhome]

Glad you found it helpful 🙂

[@niksgee3538]

Thanks this is useful. 4inch foam in my camper dead. My friend gave me 6inch and cut it. But it's too high feels so firm. So this is really helpful. Think I can use two other cushions that are 4inch as a template with duct tape. I will give it a go :)

[@melbo8928]

Thanks, this is what I was looking for! (and now I have a weird craving for some angel food cake lol)

[@sporterhome]

Glad if it helps and I totally get what you mean about the cake 😅

[@sverduijn1]

Nice, i'm thinking, you can also make the wood on the sides in the right form, like with a curve. then fix the foam. then use a flat piece of metal or wood and move that over the wood sides and work your way acros the foam.

[@grantwes]

First off Thank You for making a video. I Think your cut would have come out way cleaner if you would have used a piece of metal in stead of the Duct Tape. keeping the angle of the cutting knife at the exact same angle is KEY. the flex in the duct tape that allowed the blade to move is what gave your cut a un even look. but by the time the cushion is wrapped it will be a non issue Keep posting

[@sporterhome]

Thanks and agreed, thin metal stretched tight would have been better. Trying to go with what most people have access to but point well taken 🙂

[@ivanfrank_]

I made it all the way through! Great vid

[@DianeWakeman]

Just what I needed! Thank you for your helpful idea!

[@noellucas60]

Hi. When my sofa foam is domed do you have a solution?

[@irfanbhat7329]

Very helpful idea for DIY

[@brucemontgomery8136]

i like the premise of a jig and well as feed thru i’d probably use metal plumber tape or other inexpensive flat thin metal to vs duct tape

[@ginafoote6688]

That's exactly what we want to do, beds too firm.... Was wondering if this would work and it does!! My original idea was to stretch a wire across where the tape is and heat it with a blow torch....melt it through?

[@artistgoneoffgrid5414]

Innovative! Thanks for sharing the idea.

[@lndlcy]

Not a friend or relative but thank you very helpful

[@KombiGarage]

Champion! Thank you

[@jessicakoller515]

I need to trim down the thickness of a gel memory foam topper. Any suggestions? Its king size. And I want to trim my side down pretty much in half.

[@zeez9053]

Good video but you should of made 2 equal foam lengths of same height 👍🇬🇧

[@MarkvanBuskirk]

Thank you.

[@sarahmay5254]

Brilliant!!

[@rumbidzayimunjoma4813]

I used a saw and it was easier than making that apparatus first

[@ghousalishahsahb6859]

How can I cut king size mattress Horizontal 6*6.5*6 inches Into one inch 6 sheets

[@QF2653]

This is what I was looking for, but I might use a strip of aluminum instead of tape. It did turn out quite rough looking, but I plan on wrapping it with polyfiber after cutting so the rough surface doesn't show through. BT THE WAY YOU CAN'T HOTWIRE CUT POLYURETHANE FOAM. IT JUST BURNS And CREATES A POISON GAS

[@pamelaosburn8175]

I need to reduce the back cushions of my sofa. The backs are filled with non-woven cushions individual comfort coils. Can I reduce the thickness so the cushions are not so fluffy?

[@sporterhome]

Sorry, not in my wheelhouse of expertise 😕. Good luck to you on this, though. Trying to get a piece of furniture comfortable is what inspired this video

[@manyahope52]

Brilliant method!

[@louise36879]

Thanks for the video!

[@MarioStingerPerpetualTraveller]

Okay, but you basically scrap half of it.

[@RU55KI1]

It's not a very even cut. If you take it to an upholstery shop, they usually cut it for a tip and it's cut perfectly straight

[@snorkle5041]

Excellent demonstration but you could have cut the talk down by 60%, in my opinion

[@markatr6]

very good, useful info !, - but, constructive criticism here, NO offense, the vid could 've been much shorter. thanks steve!

[@windmill10]

The surface looked a bit of a mess imho. Not ready to be sat on. Which doesn't matter too much when you are going to add a new layer of foam of at least 3/4 inch, which will even out most divots and bumps. So if you want to attempt this method, do cut thinner than you want in the end and add a new layer of foam. Don't use this method if you do not want to add fresh foam. In that case buy yourself a new sheet of foam and sell the old foam on Craigslist or equivalent..

[@Allegedly2right]

Clever

[@WelcomeToTheOutdoors]

its time to cut my full size mattress....

[@imtiazhussain5027]

Instead of using this thin black strip, use a thin Nichrome wire as heating wire then apply some controlled current to make the wire hot then you can cut the foam like butter

[@carawells3658]

Might not be a good idea with wood

[@fava7753]

12volt hot wire quicker , easier and smooth finish . . Just another idea to try . . Simple to make .

[@christopherlopez9379]

it looks like a bread though🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞

[@cyny6305]

It's too bad the upper portion of foam had to be wasted. That stuff is expensive!

[@cbcarper9681]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@gerrymcnamara1]

Why don't you just order the piece of foam you need. Without going through all that work

[@acedelpilar6175]

So much talking than demonstrating.

[@pamelaarmstead4793]

Thank you.