Patio Cushions

The Perfect Patio Cushion

The perfect patio cushion to enhance your garden probably already exists somewhere. If you know what you are looking for in patio cushions no doubt you will be able to find it here on the web even if you don’t get quite the same choice in your local store.

But do you know what you are looking for? Here are some guidelines to finding the perfect patio furniture cushion.

1. A Cushion which Gives the Right Look to Your Patio

Patios come in all shapes and sizes and they are made of all types of materials. Ditto patio furniture and accessories. The best patios however have every element working together to create a particular style. They don’t have a classic style chair coupled with a funky or retro patio seat cushion. Better to have a classic chair with a cushion in a plain sober color or in a subtle stripe. The best patios don’t have a colonial sun shade in a natural color together with a tropical palm print patio chair cushion. The natural color umbrella goes much better with natural colored seat cushions.

Reversible Patio Cushions (Click Image for Details)

Reversible Patio Cushions (Click Image for Details)

2. A Cushion which Fits Your Patio Furniture Exactly

When choosing a patio furniture replacement cushion make sure you measure your furniture first. You will find patio cushions comes come in many standard sizes but you have to get the right standard size so that the cushion can be secured to the chair with ties and is not slipping all over the place. If your patio furniture is not in a standard size then you can look for custom cushions which are available from a number of sites. They are a little more expensive but worth it to get a good fit. If you are not sure how to measure see How to measure for replacement patio cushions

3. A Cushion which Feels Good

Patio cushion covers are generally made from waterproof fabric but the perfect outdoor patio cushion will not actually FEEL waterproof (or look it). You want it to feel like standard fabric so that it is comfortable to sit on. Certain manufacturers specialize in this kind of fabric. If you feel a PVC cushion and then a Sunbrella patio cushion, for example, you will know the difference. The perfect cushion is thick enough so that you don’t feel the hardness of the furniture through it and it is filled with foam that is comfortable yet firm and springy.

4. A Cushion which is Weatherproof

Aside from being waterproof which means that your cushion will manage to cope with the odd shower of rain, the fabric needs to be fade resistant too. If you buy a patio furniture replacement cushion in a fabric which cannot withstand the baking sun, no matter how good it looks now, it will be faded and gray looking after one good summer.

5. A Cushion which Lasts and Lasts

Patio cushion replacement is expensive especially if you have quite a few different items of furniture. So it is not something which you want to do too often if you are on a limited budget. Of course, the fabric is important in making sure that the cushions look good year after year and if you look after your cushions well (especially by taking them indoors over winter) you will help their longevity. However, above all else, it is the quality of the construction which well help your patio cushion to last and last. Make sure that the seams are strong and fasteners sturdy and that ties are well stitched within the seams.

Replacement Patio Cushion Covers

If the inner foam of your patio cushions seems to be in good condition you might be thinking about buying replacement patio cushion covers rather than a whole new set of outdoor cushions. A few people have asked me about this and it certainly makes sense in my mind (especially in these days when we are all so aware of global warming and the economic crisis) not to throw everything away and start again.

You do need to check the viability of such a purchase however and here are a few things to think about.

First of all check that your foam inner cushion is truly in good condition (and not ready to fall to pieces as soon as you get your replacement covers).

How do you tell?

Basically if the foam still feels soft to the touch, is comfortable to sit on and springs back after use then it is fine. But do check that the foam is not starting to degrade with bits chipping and flaking off as this is a sign that it will need replacing soon.

Navy Blue Chaise Lounge Cushion (Click Image for Details)

Navy Blue Chaise Lounge Cushion (Click Image for Details)

After that check that you can actually find replacement cushion covers in the exact size you need and in a design you like and that they will cost you less than patio furniture cushion covers sold with pads. I know it seems mad, but you may struggle to find outdoor cushion covers being sold separately.

Maybe there is not enough demand for them because customers worry that if they buy covers their existing pads will not fit. (If the new covers do not fit the old pads precisely then your cushions will never look good.) Or perhaps most buyers leave it too long to replace their patio cushions and the foam inner part needs to replaced too in more cases than not.

If you can’t find ready made patio chair cushion covers by searching around, there is one route that you might take and that is to have custom cushion covers made either via a web site or get a local seamstress to make some cushions for you. In this way you can choose whatever outdoor fabric you like and have cushions made to your own specification.

If you do this, be careful that you don’t end up spending more on your replacement patio seat cushion covers than you would have done on whole cushions complete with foam inner pad.

If you are handy with a needle then you can make your own replacement covers, of course, but be aware that outdoor fabric is not easy to sew and that you need to ensure that you match the precise shape and size of your cushions, fortifying all seams well enough that the cushions hold together with constant use. A project to make patio cushion covers is really not for a beginner.