Felts

Upholstery Felt, Needled Felt and Platform Padding

Shop upholstery felt for furniture repair, traditional upholstery, platform padding, seat build-ups, spring protection and general padding work. This Felts category sits within the wider Felts & Wadding section and brings together practical felt materials used by upholsterers, soft furnishing makers, furniture repairers and trade workrooms.

Felt is one of those proper upholstery materials that quietly does the hard work. It helps build shape, spread pressure, protect springs, soften hard edges and create a more even base before the final fabric or top layer is fitted. Not flashy, not fashionable, just useful — which is usually how the best upholstery materials behave.

Felts for Upholstery and Furniture Repair

Upholstery felt is used where a firmer or more structured padding layer is needed. It is commonly used on chair seats, sofas, footstools, headboards, arms, backs, sprung platforms and traditional upholstery repairs.

The range includes needled felt platform padding, Feltex needled felt with backing, firm needled felt, soft layered felt, white cotton/wool felt, rag flock and skin wadding. These materials can be used for repair work, restoration, seat building, padding layers and protective upholstery build-ups.

Needled Felt for Platform Padding

Needled felt is commonly used as platform padding on seats, chairs, stools and sprung furniture. It gives a firm, stable layer that helps spread pressure and creates a better base for further upholstery materials.

Use needled felt where you need a more structured padding layer rather than a soft cushion wrap. It is especially useful over springs, webbing, boards and seat platforms before adding other layers such as foam, wadding, hair, coir or fabric.

Platform Padding for Seats and Chairs

Platform padding helps create a smoother, stronger foundation on seats and furniture frames. It can be used during restoration work, repair jobs and new upholstery builds where the base layer needs to be made even before the top materials are fitted.

For traditional upholstery work, platform padding can be used alongside Springs & Webbing, Hessian & Lining Cloths, Hair & Coir and other upholstery fillings.

Firm Needled Felt and Feltex

Firm needled felt is suited to jobs where the padding needs to hold its shape and provide support. It is useful for seat bases, chair repairs, footstools, platform work and areas where the upholstery needs more structure.

Feltex needled felt with backing is another practical option for furniture padding and upholstery build-ups. Backed felt can be useful where extra stability is needed during fitting or where the material needs to sit cleanly as part of a layered upholstery construction.

When to Choose Firm Felt

Choose firm felt when the job needs structure, support and shape retention.

When to Choose Softer Felt

Choose softer layered felt when the job needs padding, comfort and a more forgiving feel beneath the top cover.

Soft Layered Felt and Cotton/Wool Felt

Soft layered felt and cotton/wool felt are useful where a smoother, more cushioned padding layer is needed. These products can help soften the feel of furniture, improve comfort and create a cleaner finish beneath upholstery fabric.

White cotton/wool felt is especially useful for higher-quality upholstery work where a softer, more traditional padding layer is preferred. It can be used in furniture repair, seat restoration, chair padding, soft furnishings and traditional upholstery build-ups.

Felt for Traditional Upholstery

Felt has long been used in traditional upholstery because it works well alongside natural materials, springs, hessian and lining cloths. It helps build shape and comfort while protecting the furniture structure below.

For restoration work, felt can be paired with Hair & Coir, Hessian, Springs & Webbing and specialist upholstery tools to rebuild the seat properly rather than just covering over the problem.

Rag Flock and Loose Felt

Rag flock, also known as loose felt, is used as a loose upholstery filling and padding material. It can be useful for topping up, shaping, packing out and repairing areas where loose filling is more suitable than sheet or roll felt.

Loose felt is often used in repair work, traditional upholstery and furniture restoration where the upholsterer needs to build shape by hand.

Loose Felt for Repair Work

Use rag flock when you need a loose, workable filling that can be positioned, shaped and packed into place. It is not the same as a neat sheet felt or roll felt, but for certain traditional repair jobs it earns its keep.

Skin Wadding

Skin wadding is used as a soft padding layer in upholstery and furniture repair. It can help smooth the surface, soften edges and improve the finish beneath fabric.

Use skin wadding where a lighter, softer upholstery layer is needed between firmer materials and the final cover.

Felt or Polyester Wadding?

Use felt when the job needs structure, protection, platform padding or a firmer upholstery layer.

Use polyester wadding when the job needs loft, softness, cushion wrapping or a fuller finish over foam.

Choose Felt For:

Platform padding, seat build-ups, spring protection, traditional upholstery, furniture restoration and structured padding layers.

Choose Polyester Wadding For:

Cushion wrap, foam wrapping, soft padding, fuller cushion appearance and smoother fabric finish.

Related Upholstery Materials

Felts are often used with other upholstery materials from the wider Foams & Fillings range. For cushion work, you may also need Foam Cut to Size, Polyester Wadding and Stockinette. For traditional furniture restoration, you may need Hair & Coir, Hessian & Lining Cloths, Springs & Webbing, Staples & Tacks and Upholstery Tools.

A good finish usually comes from using the right layers in the right order. Foam gives support, felt gives structure, wadding gives softness, stockinette helps fitting, and fabric gives the final appearance. Skip the foundation layers and the finished job can look tired before it has even had a chance to disappoint you properly.

Shop Upholstery Felts at Livedale

Browse the Felts range for needled felt, platform padding, Feltex, firm felt, soft layered felt, white cotton/wool felt, rag flock and skin wadding. These products are suitable for upholstery, furniture repair, restoration, seating, footstools, chair padding, sprung platforms and workroom use.

For soft cushion wrapping, visit Polyester Wadding. For the wider category, return to Felts & Wadding. For the full parent range, browse Foams & Fillings.