Bean bag chairs are my absolute favorite! Comfortable, inviting, fun, they’re an awesome way to kick back and enjoy some well-earned downtime.
Normally arriving full of beans out of the box, you shouldn’t have to worry about after-market filler, but sometimes engaging in some beanie customization is the only way to go.
If your beloved bean bag chair isn’t quite as stuffed as it once was due to losing beans or the beans within flattening out, you’ll need to schedule a bean transplant, stat!
How much filler you’ll need to replenish that cozy chair largely depends on the size of the cover, but you may also like to make adjustments based on personal preference too.
If you’re not even sure where to begin, a good rule of thumb that never lets me down is stuffing the bean bag chair with 1kg of foam for every cubic foot of capacity.
For example, picture you have a bean bag chair with a 20 cubic foot capacity. In this scenario, you’ll need to fill it with 20kg of foam - simple, right?
This method should leave your bean bag about two-thirds full, which I’d consider the minimum for comfort and support. An important thing to remember is that it’s much easier to put filler into a bean bag than it is to get it back out again, so don’t go too heavy on the stuffing at first.
Once you’ve reached the two-thirds level, you can then make incremental adjustments until it’s just right for you. The more foam you put in, the firmer the bean bag chair will become. It will have less slouch, but it will be more supportive.
If you take things too far, eliminating the slouch factor altogether, well, it can no longer really be considered a chair as you’ll simply bounce or roll off it. On the other end of the beanie spectrum, if you don’t fill the bag enough, your bum’s going to crash straight down to the cold, hard, floor.
Don’t worry though, friend. I’m not going to let that happen! Let’s discuss some filler options in more detail, so no matter which you choose, you’ll always be sitting pretty.
Types of Bean Bag Chair Filler and How Much to Use
The most common and affordable option is polystyrene balls. These can be purchased in huge bags measured either in kilograms or liters. As we haven’t discussed how you’d measure filler in liters, let’s discuss it briefly now.
To completely fill a 10 cubic foot bean bag chair would take just beyond 283 liters of polystyrene. As we only need to fill two-thirds at first, we need to divide 283 by 3, which gives us 94.3, then multiply that by 2, which equals 188.6. That’s our answer.
Polystyrene balls are quite firm when packed tight, so it’s advisable that you don’t venture too far beyond the two-thirds standard. Polystyrene is also quite noisy, giving a bean bag chair that signature sound we’re all familiar with, which you may or may not want.
If this is the filler for you, I recommend this Posh Creations Foam Filling Bean Bag Refill. Having used this in the past, I can vouch for its quality and comfort.
The beans are ½ an inch in diameter, which is slightly bigger than most, and they have special structural properties that enhance expansion.
Your next option is to use shredded high-density foam pieces. These are normally more expensive, but take it from me, they make for an incredibly comfy chair.
As there’s more give in foam, feel free to put a little extra in once you hit the two-thirds mark, but it’s still a good idea to do it in increments.
Each time you pour more in, pause, and take the bean bag chair for a quick test drive. If it’s not quite right, put a little more foam in, then rinse and repeat.
For a quality and affordable foam filling, I’d recommend giving this Shredded Foam Fill a try. Packs can be purchased in a number of sizes with 1lb being the smallest and 20lbs being the largest. 20lbs is roughly 9.1kg, so it’ll fill a 10 cubic foot bean bag and then some.
If you want to go even further upmarket for your magic beans, you should be looking for a blend of shredded HD and memory foam. This is one of my favorite bean bag chair fillings because it’s not too expensive, but it offers tons more support than polystyrene and lasts twice as long.
If money’s no object or you just fancy treating your tuckus, there’s only one way to go, and that’s full shredded memory foam. Incredibly soft and energy absorbent, it can take the edge off a tough day like no other material can.
What’s more, it molds to your form in response to heat and pressure, providing equal support across your whole body. As soon as you stand up, the foam bounces right back into its original form, ready to welcome you back.
As memory foam is much more supportive than standard or HD foam, you shouldn’t need to put too much filler in your bean bag chair. Rather than filling your chair by two-thirds straight away, I’d recommend stopping at about one and a half thirds, zipping it up, and giving it a whirl.
If it’s not enough, continue adding memory foam until you reach two-thirds, then test the bag again. If it’s still not to your satisfaction, add more memory foam in extra small increments, so you don’t accidentally overstuff.
Do bear in mind, though, that not all memory foam is made equal. Some will be higher quality than others. My personal favorite is this Posh Creations Foam Filling Bean Bag Refill.
It’s a little pricey compared to standard foam or polystyrene, but once you ease yourself into your memory foam-filled bean bag, you’ll understand why it’s worth every penny. It’s the perfect cush for your tush!
