--- title: "Corduroy Cushion Piping: Why Daybed Covers Go Without It" url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/corduroy-cushion-piping/" section: "The Cutting Table" author: "Margaret Holloway, The Piping Queen of Newport" author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/" published: "2026-03-11" updated: "2026-03-11" keywords: "corduroy cushion piping, corduroy daybed cover piping, with or without piping, piped corduroy bench cushion, contrast piping velvet" --- # Do corduroy cushions have piping? *Right, then. Corduroy arrives with its own lines already drawn, rib after rib, and a welt on top is one line too many. Mostly.* Also asked as: What do you mean by with or without piping?; Does the photo above have piping? > **The quick answer:** Corduroy daybed covers and modular floor sofa pieces are made without piping on purpose, because the ribs already give the cushion its lines and definition. They're sewn to look exactly like the product photos. Velvet and other fabrics can be piped in a matching or contrasting color, and corduroy bench and window seat box cushions have been piped on request. ![Cream velvet Hemnes daybed with burnt-orange piping beside a black arc lamp, pampas grass, fiddle-leaf fig and rattan chair](https://cushionguide.com/media/ikea-hemnes-daybed-covers/cream-hemnes-daybed-arc-lamp-rattan-chair-reading-corner-1600.webp "Here the set is styled as a reading corner: an arc lamp over one arm, pampas and a mug on the nightstand, and a knit throw waiting on the rattan chair.") ## Key facts - Corduroy daybed covers and modular floor sofa pieces are made without piping by design. - The corduroy ribs already give the lines, so piping isn't needed for looks or structure. - Corduroy covers are sewn to look like the product photos. - 'With or without piping' refers to the thin fabric cord sewn along the seams. - Velvet and other fabrics can have piping in the same color or a contrast color. - Corduroy window seat and bench cushions have been made with piping on request. - Cushions 1 in (2 cm) thick are too thin for piping; from about 1¼ in (3 cm) up, piping can be sewn in. - Piping is included at no extra charge, and roughly 50% of orders choose matching piping, 50% contrast. ## Piping by product and fabric | Product | Fabric | Piping? | |---|---|---| | IKEA Hemnes daybed cover | Corduroy | No, by design | | Modular floor sofa pieces | Corduroy | No, by design | | Window seat box cushion | Corduroy | On request, e.g. piped all round in COR-202 | | Bench box cushion | Corduroy | On request, e.g. green COR-207 with cream COR-201 piping | | Daybed covers, benches, window seats | Velvet and other fabrics | Yes, matching or contrast | | Tufted daybed backrest or armrest | Any | No; switched to a plain style if you want piping everywhere | ## What 'with or without piping' actually means Piping is the thin fabric-covered cord sewn along a cushion's seams; upholsterers call it [welt](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#piping). Velvet and most other fabrics can take it in the same color or a contrasting one. Corduroy is different. The ribs, the [wales](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#wale), already give the cushion its lines and definition, so piping isn't needed for looks or structure. That's why corduroy daybed covers and floor sofa pieces are sewn without it, to look exactly like the product photos. A box cushion is another matter, dear: on a window seat or bench, corduroy piping has been made on request. More in the [corduroy Swatch Library](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/corduroy/) and in [wale, nap direction and no piping](https://cushionguide.com/guides/corduroy-cushions-wale-nap-direction/). ## If you want piped corduroy anyway - ✓ Order a box cushion, such as a window seat or bench, not a daybed cover or floor sofa piece - ✓ Pick the piping shade from the corduroy chart, matching or contrast - ✓ Write the body and piping codes separately > **Tailor's margin:** Corduroy daybed covers come without piping on purpose: the ribs already draw the lines, so a welt along the seam adds nothing. > On corduroy, the ribs already draw the lines, so daybed covers and floor sofa pieces are sewn without piping; bench cushions can still be piped on request. > > — Maggie ## Buyer questions **A common question:** What does 'with or without piping' mean, and does the corduroy daybed cover have it? **The workshop's answer:** Corduroy covers are made without piping because the ribs already give the lines, and they're sewn to look exactly like the product photos. Other fabrics, such as velvet, can have piping in the same color or a contrasting one. **A common question:** Was my corduroy piece made with piping? **The workshop's answer:** No. Piping isn't added to corduroy on purpose: the ribbed texture already gives definition, so it isn't needed for looks or structure. **A common question:** Can the piping be a different fabric, like velvet piping on linen? **The workshop's answer:** Yes. Body and piping can be different fabric types; write both codes separately. The workshop advises against pairing outdoor fabric with indoor velvet piping. ## Questions buyers ask next ### Is piping extra on a corduroy bench cushion? No. Piping is included in the price, and a contrast piping color from the fabric charts is free too. Only custom-color leather piping costs extra. ### How do I write my piping choice on the order? In the personalization box, as 'Body: code, Piping: code', or 'piping same color' plus the code for self-piping. No option on the form? Send the codes in a message. ### Can a cover-only order have piping? Yes. Cover-only orders are made plain, not tufted, and can be piped; piping is standard on non-tufted zippered covers. Corduroy daybed covers are the exception, sewn unpiped by design. ## Related at the atelier - [Can you add piping to tufted cushions?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/piping-on-tufted-cushions/): Piping works on some tufted cushions but not on tufted daybed backrests and armrests, so those pieces switch to a plain, non-tufted style if you want piping everywhere, and the shop sends an example… - [Hemnes Daybed Cover in Forest Green Velvet, Mustard Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/forest-green-velvet-hemnes-set-mustard-piping-unpacked/): A Hemnes daybed cover set slips over the mattress you already own, so you pay for fabric and fit rather than a new mattress. - [Hemnes Daybed Cover in Slate Blue Velvet: How It Stays Put](https://cushionguide.com/readings/slate-blue-velvet-hemnes-daybed-mustard-piping-boho/): A Hemnes daybed cover stays in place because it is a fitted, zippered cover cut to the real mattress, not because of ties or a grip base. - [Hemnes Daybed Cover in Navy Corduroy: Height and Depth](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-corduroy-hemnes-daybed-blush-boucle-pouf/): A Hemnes daybed cover should be sized to the mattresses you actually have, stacked. - [Should I choose contrast piping or matching piping on my cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/contrast-vs-matching-cushion-piping/): Contrast piping and matching piping both work; choose by how much you want the cushion's edge to show. - [Do you ship custom cushions to the UK, and what does delivery cost?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/uk-delivery-custom-cushions/): Custom cushions ship to the whole UK, Scotland included, and the workshop confirms shipping cost and timing with your quote. - [How to measure an IKEA Hemnes daybed: two stacked mattresses, one cover](https://cushionguide.com/guides/ikea-hemnes-daybed-cover-measuring/) - [How to make a daybed look like a sofa with back cushions and bolsters](https://cushionguide.com/guides/daybed-back-cushions-sofa-look/) *Stitch straight — Maggie* --- Written by Margaret Holloway (https://cushionguide.com/masters/maggie/) 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/corduroy-cushion-piping/