Vince Frazier's page tells you everything you need to know about DIY seat upholstery.
RV-List message posted by: "Ernest Kells" <ernest.kells@sympatico.ca>:
I ordered Vans' foam seat cores for my RV-9A. Very impressed
with the quality/price.
The fabric required for a seat core depends on the width of the fabric bolt
that you select. My fabric is 54" wide. I required three yards of
material. This includes seat bottom and back, seat booster and stick
boot. I will have enough fabric left over for a couple of side panels.
This is how I reached my requirements. I fitted the complete seat cores
(without the booster core) in the plane. You may have to trim the bottom wedge
depending on how you installed the back frame piano hinges. Then I
transferred the drawing to white bristle board with a ball point pen - adjust
for anything you trimmed off. Highlight the outlines in ink, then cut
them out. I used some string and weights to outline a 3 yard X 54" frame
on my living room floor. Then I positioned the shapes in the frame to minimize
waste. They fit within the frame, easily. Calculate your total
yardage based upon two seats, considering how much extra you want for other
panels. This all assumes ONE colour.
Your upholstery firm will appreciate the bristle board shapes as a template.
1) find comfortable (for you) car seat, copy the contours of the bottom cushion and lumbar area onto cardboard.
2) Seat backs, - use layered foam, base 3/4" high density foam (similar to conforfoam), middle 1" medium & top egg crate foam. I purchased foams at local foam shop.
3) glue base & middle layer together, use spray on contact cement (buy two cans).
4) cut & shape lumbar cross pieces to match cardboard pattern, if desired triangular edge strips can be added around perimeter. Glue on top of middle layer.
5) then add top layer of egg crate foam.
6) Seat Bottoms - to fill the floor pan area. Get a sheet of 2" thick styrofoam (blue) building insulation. This is used standing on edge, eight pieces laminated together to make width of cushion. Reason for using it on edge is so you can easily shape individual pieces (band saw) to match your cardboard car seat pattern, seat back and floor pan shape before laminating them together (liquid nails).
7) glue the sandwiched foam layers on top of laminated styrofoam (bottom foams same or thicker than backrest).
8) take to automotive hot rod upholstery person for covering, about $300.
9) this made a firm seat cushion which I prefer. Makes for easier entry & exit, better footing than stepping on a really soft cushion.
10) bottom cushion goes against metal backrest, sew velcro on bottom of seat cushion and some industrial strength velcro glues on floor.
11) have an extra flap of material sewn on top of backrest seat cushion that will be used to attach to top of backrest with five metal snap buttons. This will keep cushion in place as you slide down into seat (possibly lots of pressure here).
12) if using fabric consider having zippers installed so covers can be removed for cleaning.
13) make cushions easy to remove, you will be under the instrument panel many times in the future!
Advantages - comfortable for me, wife says a bit firm but I think mine are about same as a Boeing cockpit seat. They float. Standing up well at 240 hrs but are getting dirty.
Disadvantage - no booster cushion means it only fits my short size, I have a temporary thinner bottom cushion for tall guys, it is made from gymnasium exercise matt foam.
