Step 1: Purchase Foam
Foam is a petroleum-based product, so it goes up with the price of gas. Which makes it expensive. I’ve seen others purchasing mattress foam pads as an alternative because its cheaper but we didn’t have that option in St. Croix because everything was sold out. So we purchased 3” thick foam from Divi Fabrics in Christiansted. We could have gone with 2” instead. I used a drill with a hole saw attachment and to cut through the foam because it was so thick.
Step 2: Measurement out and pre-cut you tufts
We used a ruler, chalk line, and a marker to measure and mark where our tufts would be before cutting the foam. Remember to measure twice and cut once!
Step 3: Cover the foam
Once the foam is down, after using adhesive spray, you want to secure it with a layer of batting and then a thin fabric like muslin. This ensures your fabric is smooth and soft. We secured it with an electric staple gun. I HIGHLY recommend using an electric gun because it is faster and once you add more layers the handheld staple gun requires more pressure. I cut through the batting and muslin so when it came time to nail the linen it would be easier.
Step 4: Cover with upholstery fabric
We nailed where our tufts would be instead of drilling through the plywood. The corners can get tricky, so start with the middle, then each side, pulling tight each time. This is when an extra pair of hands come in handy.
Step 5: Make your own fabric-covered buttons
Purchases fabric button making kits and use the scrap fabric to create the buttons. Because our fabric was thick I using a hot glue gun to make sure the fabric stayed put. Our kit came with 5 buttons each but Amazon has larger amounts. We bought 8 kits because we needed 38 buttons. After you make the buttons, apply them with fabric glue. Make sure you apply pressure to secure them. I used a wire cutter to remove the back loop that’s intended for the thread.