---
title: "Back Cushion Same Size as Seat: Yes, at a Second-Mattress Price"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/back-cushion-same-size-as-seat-cushion/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-04-29"
updated: "2026-04-29"
keywords: "back cushion same size as seat, floor cushion backrest size, 16 inch backrest cushion, full size back cushion, matching seat and back cushion"
---

# Can the back cushion be the same size as the seat cushion?

*It can. Just know what you're buying: not a backrest so much as a second bed.*

Also asked as: Can the back be the same shape as the bottom?; Both pieces the same size?

> **The quick answer:** Yes, the back cushion can be made the same size as the seat, or square like it. In the standard floor-cushion set the backrest is 16 in (41 cm) high and smaller than the seat. A backrest as wide as the seat is effectively a second full mattress, so it's priced as one and the set costs noticeably more. Ask for a quote with both sizes.

![Unpiped black and cream block weave cushion on a walnut bench with a backrest, brass arc lamp and olive tree](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/black-cream-block-weave-cushion-walnut-loveseat-1600.webp "An unpiped block weave wraps round the edge of a walnut loveseat, lit by a single bare-bulb arc lamp.")

## Key facts

- In the standard set, the seat is larger than the backrest.
- The standard backrest is 16 in (41 cm) high.
- The backrest can be made square like the seat, or the same size.
- A seat-sized backrest is priced as a second mattress.
- On one 30 x 73 in (76 x 185 cm) set, the full-size back raised the total by about a fifth.
- Backrests are made in the seat's fabric, as firm foam or a soft filled pillow.

## What you can ask the workshop for

- ✓ The standard backrest, 16 in (41 cm) high, smaller than the seat
- ✓ A square back, shaped like the seat
- ✓ A back the same size as the seat: a second full mattress
- ✓ The seat's own fabric, in firm foam or as a soft filled pillow

## What a full-size back won't be

- ✗ Standard set pricing: it's priced as a second mattress
- ✗ A small add-on: on a 30 x 73 in (76 x 185 cm) set it came to about a fifth more
- ✗ A guess: ask for a quote with both sizes before ordering

## Why a big back costs a whole mattress

A backrest as wide as the seat is, in plain workshop terms, a second full mattress. That's what you pay for, my friend, whatever we call it. Buy the cushion once, cry once: if that back will double as a spare bed for a guest, the full size may earn its keep. If you only lean on it, the standard 16 in (41 cm) back does the job.

The [back cushion height](https://cushionguide.com/guides/back-cushion-height-sizing/) Pattern helps you choose a height, and the [floor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/floor-cushions/) and [backrest cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/backrest-cushions/) hubs show both shapes. Will you lean on that back, or sleep on it?

## Asking for the quote, in four lines

1. **Measure the seat**: Width and length, for example 30 x 73 in (76 x 185 cm).
2. **Choose the back**: Standard 16 in (41 cm), square like the seat, or the same size.
3. **Send both sizes**: A seat-sized back is quoted as a second mattress.
4. **Name the fabric**: Give the seat's fabric code so the back is cut from the same cloth.

> **Tailor's margin:** A back cushion the same size as the seat is priced as a second mattress; the standard floor-cushion backrest is 16 in (41 cm) high.

> On a 30 x 73 in floor-cushion set, a back as big as the seat added about a fifth to the price, because it is a second mattress.
>
> — Harlan

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can my backrest be as wide as the seat mattress?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, but the standard backrest is 16 in (41 cm) high, and a seat-sized one means buying two full mattresses, so the price goes up. On a 30 x 73 in (76 x 185 cm) set, it came to noticeably more.

**A common question:** Could the back cushion match the bottom one in size or shape?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. In the standard set the seat is bigger than the backrest, but the workshop can make the back square like the seat, or make both pieces the same size.

**A common question:** Do you make matching back cushions for a bench cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Backrests are made to your size in the same fabric as the seat, either firm foam like the seat or a soft filled pillow, ordered with the seat or added later with your original fabric code.

**A common question:** Can I buy only the back pillows and bolsters for my daybed?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Backrests and armrest bolsters are sold without the mattress cover and quoted on request. Two 18 x 36 in (46 x 91 cm) backrests plus two armrests turn a twin bed into a daybed.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can a backrest be shorter than the seat?

Yes. Each backrest is its own item at its own size, so it can be shorter or narrower than the seat. Write the size, the fabric code and the word 'backrest' in the personalization note.

### Can I add a back cushion later?

Yes. Quote the fabric code from your original order and the backrest is made to your size in the same fabric, in firm foam or as a soft filled pillow.

### Should a large backrest be firm or soft?

Either is made. Backrests come in firm foam like the seat or as a soft filled pillow. Say which you want when you ask for the quote, along with both sizes.

## Related at the atelier

- [Is the backrest the same length as the seat cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/backrest-same-length-as-seat-cushion/): Yes, a backrest cushion is made the same length as the seat cushion, so a 59 in (150 cm) seat comes with a 59 in back.
- [Does the back cushion stand up on its own, or does it need a wall?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/do-back-cushions-need-a-wall/): A standard back cushion needs something solid behind it: it leans against a wall or the back of a cabinet, so it is sized to your wall or floor plan.
- [Does the floor sofa price include the backrest and armrests?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/floor-sofa-set-backrest-armrests-included/): Yes, the floor sofa listing is a full set: one seat cushion, one backrest the same length as the seat, and two round armrest bolsters, with filling, exactly as in the main photo.
- [Tufted floor cushion couch sets: what's in the set and which size to choose](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-floor-couch-set-sizes/): A tufted floor cushion set is four separate pieces: one hand-tufted seat, a backrest the same length and 16 in (40 cm) tall, and two round armrest bolsters, all filled.
- [Tufted bench cushion or plain? Buttons, looks and washability](https://cushionguide.com/guides/tufted-vs-plain-cushions/): Choose a tufted bench cushion for a hand-finished, sculpted look, and a plain zippered foam cushion if the cover must come off for washing.
- [Floor seating for real evenings: cushions, corner seats and low sofas](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-seating-ideas/): Floor seating comes in five common forms: a tufted floor cushion about 4 in high, a 34 x 34 in corner floor cushion, a tufted set with a 16 in backrest and two bolsters, a kids' floor sofa about 8…
- [How to raise floor sofa seat height, layer by layer](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-seat-height-raise/)

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) for CushionGuide (https://cushionguide.com/about/). The site explains made-to-measure cushions and the partner workshop makes them; measurements are in inches first. This Markdown mirrors the page at https://cushionguide.com/answers/back-cushion-same-size-as-seat-cushion/