---
title: "Sponge and Foam Quality: How Majlis Foam Is Chosen"
url: "https://orientalsofa.com/sponge-and-foam-quality/"
lang: "en"
dir: "ltr"
date_published: "2024-12-04T00:00:00+00:00"
date_modified: "2026-10-13T00:00:00+00:00"
author: "Kerem"
---

# Majlis Sponge and Foam: Firmness, Layers and How It Holds Up

Majlis foam is a high-density block cut to size for each order, with no springs inside and no wooden frame in a full-foam set. Seats feel firm to medium-firm, backrests and armrests use a softer foam, and a thick seat is either one solid block or stacked layers. Ask for the foam to be named for each piece on your quote.

## Questions buyers ask

### What is inside your majlis cushions, foam or cotton stuffing, and what kind of foam do you use?

Majlis and floor sofa cushions are filled with high-density polyurethane seating foam cut to size, not cotton or fiber stuffing. The seat foam is solid, a thin fiber top layer can be added on request, and the filling can be made softer or firmer.

### Is the cushion foam memory foam or high-resilience (HR) foam?

The seat foam is neither memory foam nor HR foam. It is conventional flexible polyurethane seating foam in a high density, chosen for a firm but springy seat. Memory foam slowly sinks under body heat and weight, which suits mattresses but would leave floor seating low and hard to get up from.

### Is the seat cushion one solid block of foam, or is there a fiber or second softer layer on top?

A seat cushion is high-density foam with a firm, even surface, and a thick seat can be one solid block or stacked layers. On all-foam majlis models a thin fiber top layer or another combination can be added on request to soften the top. Say whether you want the top firmer or softer when you send your measurements, so the build is written into your quote.

## What decides how a majlis seat feels under you?

Three things decide it, and each is a foam choice inside the larger order our [step-by-step majlis guides](https://orientalsofa.com/guides/) walk through. Thickness sets the seat height. Firmness sets how much the seat gives. The build says whether that thickness is one block or layers. The foam is cut to size in the workshop, up to 75 in (190 cm) long and about 27.5 in (70 cm) deep on a floor sofa seat. Foam forgives a lot. A crooked cut is not on that list.

## How do you choose majlis foam, from the first question to the first sit?

1. Name the person who sits here most, and note whether standing up from the floor is easy for them.
2. Pick the thickness: 4 in (10 cm) for a classic floor seat, 8 in (20 cm) as the everyday step up, 12 in (30 cm) or 16 in (40 cm) when standing up matters.
3. Choose the build of a thick seat: one solid block, or stacked layers such as two 4 in (10 cm) layers for 8 in (20 cm).
4. Say if you want the top firmer or softer. The standard seat is firm to medium-firm, and softer or firmer filling can be requested.
5. Ask for the foam to be named for each piece on the quote.
6. Ask us about fabric swatches and a foam sample before you order.
7. Open the vacuum bags within about a week of delivery, wait about a day, then judge the firmness.

I sit down, stand up twice and sit again before I judge a seat. A new cushion that feels soft is usually still expanding. It leaves the workshop pressed, rolled and vacuum-sealed, and it cannot be re-compressed at home.

## Which foam goes into each piece of a set?

I check the piece list one row at a time. A seat that carries weight needs a different foam from a backrest that only leans. Backrests and armrests use a softer foam than the seats.

| Piece | What it does | Size | What to say on the order |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Seat cushion | Carries the weight, firm to medium-firm | Up to 75 × 27.5 in (190 × 70 cm), 4 in (10 cm) to 16 in (40 cm) thick | Thickness, and one block or layers |
| Backrest | Gives a little when you lean, and rests on a wall or another firm surface | 37.5 × 16 × 4 in (95 × 40 × 10 cm) | Firmer or softer |
| Corner backrest | Fills the inside corner of an L or U | 23.5 × 16 × 4 in (60 × 40 × 10 cm) | How many corners |
| Armrest bolster | Closes an open end of a run | 19.5 × 8 × 8 in (50 × 20 × 20 cm) | Where each run ends |
| Foam ottoman | A foam block made to match the seating | 23.5 × 23.5 × 8 in (60 × 60 × 20 cm) | Height next to the seats |

## Which seat build suits a busy family: one block, layers or a fiber top?

A plain block gives the firmest, most even top, with no seam inside. A thin fiber top layer can be added on request when the top should feel a little softer. Layers are separate foam pieces, such as two 4 in (10 cm) layers for a seat of 8 in (20 cm), and they lift apart.

In a busy family room, being able to swap a worn layer often matters more than looks. A block looks neater and stays even from end to end. A fiber top suits a household that wants a softer feel without a softer foam.

![Red kilim-pattern floor sofa seen close up, with a seat built from two stacked layers, patterned backrests and a square ottoman in front](https://orientalsofa.com/media/re/red-kilim-floor-sofa-two-layer-seat-ottoman-detail-01-1600.webp)

*Two stacked layers show as a split along the side of this seat.*

> A family in Texas with young children and limited space asked about a 8 in (20 cm) U-shaped floor set, where it was made, and why similar 8 in (20 cm) sets were listed differently. The team explained that the sets are made in Türkiye and that a 8 in (20 cm) seat comes either as one cushion or as two stacked 4 in (10 cm) layers, recommending one piece for a neater look and stacked layers for households with children, since layers can be swapped. Covers have zippers and can be washed on a gentle cycle. The family then picked a newer black design that was stocked only in stacked layers, chose to wait for a one-piece 8 in (20 cm) version, and asked that no seam run through the middle of any cushion.

## Which situations call for something other than the standard seat?

| Your situation | What it changes | What to request |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Someone finds low seats hard to stand up from | Height helps more than softness | A thicker seat of 12 in (30 cm) or 16 in (40 cm), at the standard firmness |
| The seat feels too soft or too hard | The filling changes | Softer or firmer filling on request, but not the hardest grades, which feel stiff |
| You want the Sedir Bench line | The seat sits firmer and runs 14.5 in (37 cm) to 16 in (40 cm) depending on the model | The line is a common choice for cafés and restaurants |
| A set you own needs a higher seat | A layer is added | A layer of 4 in (10 cm) raises 8 in (20 cm) to 12 in (30 cm), and a layer of 8 in (20 cm) raises it to 16 in (40 cm) |
| The set has just been opened | Pressed foam is still expanding | About a day before you judge it |

The Sedir Bench line has its own page on our [wooden bench sets](https://orientalsofa.com/cedar-arabic-majlis/).

## Why do some foam orders disappoint on delivery day?

- Choosing by thickness alone, when thickness sets the height and firmness is a separate request.
- Asking for the hardest grade to avoid sinking. Very dense foam turns stiff over a long evening.
- Judging the cushion the hour the vacuum bag opens, before the foam has expanded.
- Stacking a layer of 8 in (20 cm) on a layer of 4 in (10 cm) for a seat of 12 in (30 cm). It tends to slide, so order one block.
- Comparing two sets without checking that the foam is named for every piece.
- Trying to press cushions back into a bag at home. They cannot be re-compressed.

## What belongs on the foam line of your quote?

Before you pay, check three lines on the quote: the foam named for each piece, one block or layers for each thick seat, and the seat feel. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build.

| On the quote | What it should read |
| --- | --- |
| Seat thickness | 8 in (20 cm) |
| Seat build | A single block, or two 4 in (10 cm) layers stacked |
| Seat feel | Standard firm to medium-firm, or firmer or softer |
| Top | Plain block, or a thin fiber top layer |
| Backrests and armrests | Softer foam than the seat, as standard |

The [sample box](https://orientalsofa.com/sample-box/) page explains how to get a foam sample into your hands. On delivery day, unzip one cover and check that the foam is the build you ordered.

## Frequently asked questions

### Will the foam in my majlis sink or go flat after a few years of daily use?

Sagging in older seating usually comes from light, low-density foam, so ask for the density of your build before you order. Majlis seat cushions are cut from high-density polyurethane foam. Ask us about the warranty terms for your order before you pay.

### What does foam density mean, and why does it matter?

Density is the weight of one cubic meter of foam, so a higher figure means more material in the same cushion. Denser seat foam recovers better after pressing, while very dense foam turns hard over a long sitting. Seats use high-density polyurethane foam — ask us for the exact density for your build.

### Is the seat foam firm or soft, and can I have firm seating that doesn't sink when someone sits down?

Seats are solid foam with no springs, firm and supportive rather than plush, so you sit on the cushion instead of sinking into it. New cushions arrive vacuum-compressed and feel softer until fully expanded. Very dense foam is not advised for floor seating, because it turns hard over long gatherings.

### What type of foam do you use, and can I upgrade to a denser foam?

Seats are filled with high-density polyurethane seating foam, cut to size for each order. Standard majlis seats use a single foam layer, while floor sofa seats can also be built from stacked layers. A firmer filling can be requested and written into your quote, short of the hardest grades, which feel stiff over long sittings.

## Related pages

- [How Thick Should a Floor Sofa Be? Seat Heights Compared](https://orientalsofa.com/guides/floor-sofa-thickness-and-seat-height/)
- [The Making of an Arabic Sofa, From Cut Foam to Sewn Cover](https://orientalsofa.com/behind-the-craftsmanship-the-making-of-an-arabic-sofa/)
- [Five Things to Check Before You Order an Arabic Sofa](https://orientalsofa.com/5-important-tips-to-consider-when-choosing-an-arabic-sofa/)