IKEA hacks: Refresh the POÄNG with a latex cushion

This is not the regular type of hack I usually post on this site. However, this “1-day hack” that I did with my wife was so fun that I decided to write it up anyway. So, if anyone on the Internet is asking, “Can we have the IKEA POÄNG fitted with a latex cushion?”, the answer is YES. If you’re willing to DIY it yourself that is 😄

Refreshing an old IKEA POÄNG with a latex cushion

I happened to have a few of the materials that we didn’t need anymore to make this hack work. The IKEA POÄNG armchair’s frame still works great. The cushion however was getting old. While the cushion’s foam was still relatively ok, it was no longer as comfortable as it was when new. The cover too was starting to tear up.

We also had a latex mattress topper that we no longer need which was a waste to just throw away.

And since IKEA doesn’t just sell the IKEA POÄNG cushion cover alone, we ended up deciding to try hacking our own cover AND replacing the foam cushion with a DIY latex one!

The materials

The latex mattress topper we used is 2 inch thick from King Koil. I tried searching on Amazon but I can’t seem to find it listed. However, there are many similar ones such as this one from Pure Green. Of course, buying a new latex mattress topper just for this hack would be quite an expensive hack. Of course, if you REALLY wanted a POÄNG and latex cushion combo, then the cost is secondary. If you prefer memory foam, this hack will work too. as long as the thickness is approximately 2 inches.

There are some sewing required to complete this hack as well. So you will need someone that can handle the sewing machine. And to cut the latex mattress topper, all you need is just a large enough scissors. The Scotch Titanium scissors is the one I used, but honestly, any would do. I recommend also using a marker and ruler to mark the lines before you cut the topper.

Step 1: Cutting up the latex mattress topper

Cutting up the latex mattress topper is a really simple process. Most latex toppers comes with a cover with a zipper. So obviously, first take off the cover. Then, lay the original foam cushions on top of the latex topper and mark it with the a marker. Sharpies works quite well here.

The cutting may take some patience since you are cutting up latex. However, it’s not that hard to cut up. I’ve seen other videos where a knife is used instead of a pair of scissors. If you find that easier for you, go ahead with the knife technique. I tried using a knife but ended up preferring just using the scissors.

And don’t worry if it’s not perfectly straight and sharp. Once you’ve covered it up with the liner (the topper’s own cover), you won’t see or feel the imperfections.

There will be 3 pieces you need to cut. Two pieces of cushion for the armchair and one for the footstool.

Step 2: Cut the latex mattress topper’s cover

Then, do the same for the latex mattress cover too, but this time, remember to leave some slack so that you can wrap it around the edge of the cushion.

Step 3: Sew shut the latex cushion

As I mentioned earlier, this is where some sewing is required. My wife is the one that’s really handy with the sewing machine.

It might be a little hard to see, but you can simply just sew the cover with a simple straight line stitch. Push the latex topper in with your hands while you sew the cover so that it fits in kind of snug with inside the cover. But you also do not need to be perfect here. Again, as long as it is covered and there isn’t too much slack, it will work well.

Step 4: Replace the cushion!

Once you’ve sew up the latex cushion, you’re practically done with this hack.

If the measurements are roughly right, the new DIY latex cushion will fit into the IKEA POÄNG’s cushion cover perfectly. Do note that I didn’t use any ruler to measure the dimensions of the cushion when I cut up the latex mattress topper. It was all just approximations. So don’t fret too much about getting the measurements perfect.

The final product: An IKEA POÄNG with a latex cushion

So there you go. A simple IKEA hack that you can finish within a day. However. this is one hack that does not change the way the product looks. Instead, you will feel much more comfortable sitting on it. Of course, you do need to get a latex (or memory foam) topper that is better that just regular foam in the first place to feel any difference 😄

Bonus hack: DIY IKEA POÄNG cushion cover!

Yet another hack that my wife did in parallel for our IKEA POÄNG armchair. As you can see from the photo above, the cushion cover is showing its age. Since we had a bunch of old denim material from jeans I no longer fit into, it got turned into POÄNG cushion covers! So hopefully this also inspires you to make your own cushion covers and not just rely on IKEA made ones.

Happy hacking everyone!

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