---
title: "Cushion Cover Only Price: What a Cover Costs Without Foam"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cover-only-vs-full-cushion-price/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-03-18"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "cushion cover only price, replacement cushion covers without foam, cover only vs cushion with foam, custom covers for existing foam, window seat cushion cover only"
---

# How much cheaper is just the cover than a full cushion with foam?

*Foam is the quiet weight in a cushion's price. Keep the foam you have, and the cover, the part the eye actually sees, costs a fraction.*

Also asked as: Cost of new covers without foam?; Quote for just the pillow case, no filling?

> **The quick answer:** A cushion cover only costs less than the same cushion with foam, because no foam is included. The biggest savings come on large, thick pieces such as window-seat cushions. Covers are quoted per piece by size and fabric, and multi-cover orders have been discounted as a set, so ask for all your covers in one quote.

![Close-up of a hidden zipper on the side of a forest green bouclé cushion cover, slightly open to show the insert](https://cushionguide.com/media/cushion-covers/hidden-zipper-forest-green-boucle-cushion-cover-1024.webp "A zipper tucked into the side seam lets the forest green bouclé cover come off for washing.")

## Key facts

- A cover only costs less than a full cushion because no foam is included.
- In real quotes the saving varied widely with size and thickness.
- The biggest savings are on large, thick pieces.
- Covers are priced per piece by size and fabric.
- Multi-cover orders have been discounted as a set.
- Covers can include piping and ties.
- Covers are cut about 1/2 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the measured thickness for a snug fit.

## Cover only vs the same cushion with foam, from real quotes

| Piece | Size | Cover as a share of the full cushion |
|---|---|---|
| Corduroy window-seat cover | 82 x 32 x 5 in (208 x 81 x 13 cm) | About 35% |
| Window-seat cover | 79 x 21 in (200 x 54 cm) | About 63% |
| Three bench covers | Bench sizes, vs solid foam inserts | About 69% |
| Eight covers in one order | Backs, seats and a couch cover | A set discount on the covers |

Percentages worked from side-by-side quotes; your price depends on size and fabric.

## Where the saving is biggest

The foam is the heavy part of a big cushion's price. On the 82 x 32 x 5 in (208 x 81 x 13 cm) corduroy window seat, the cover alone came to about a third of the full cushion; on smaller bench pieces it was closer to two-thirds.

Covers are quoted per piece, so a mixed job of backs, seats and a 68 x 25.25 x 3.25 in (173 x 64 x 8 cm) couch cover was priced cover by cover, then discounted as a set. The [covers-only pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/) covers measuring, and the [cushion covers](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/cushion-covers/) hub shows the shapes.

## What a covers-only quote can include

- ✓ **Piping and ties,** as on a 67 x 15 x 2 in (170 x 38 x 5 cm) bench cover sold with six chair covers.
- ✓ **A zipper and a machine-washable fabric** such as corduroy.
- ✓ **Full thickness on a mattress:** a linen twin XL cover for 38 x 80 x 10 in (97 x 203 x 25 cm) was made at the full 10 in, with a hidden zipper, at no extra charge.

## How to ask for covers only

Order from the covers-only listing, pick the nearest size and write each exact foam size in the note, for example a back at 22 x 16 x 5 in (56 x 41 x 13 cm) and a seat at 21.5 x 21.5 x 6 in (55 x 55 x 15 cm). Several covers in one order is where past buyers saved most, my friends. What do your inserts measure?

> **Tailor's margin:** A cushion cover without foam cost about a third of the full cushion on an 82 x 32 x 5 in (208 x 81 x 13 cm) window seat, the biggest saving the workshop found.

> Keep the foam you already own, and in real quotes a new cushion cover came to between about a third and two-thirds of the full cushion, priced per piece by size and fabric.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Can you make just a cover for foam I already have?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Order from the covers-only listing, choose the nearest size and write your exact foam sizes in the note. Cover prices are far lower than full cushions.

**A common question:** Can I order just machine-washable zippered corduroy covers? I already have the foam.

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Zippered bench covers are made to size in machine-washable corduroy; one buyer ordered six at once for foam they already had. Send each foam size, length x width x thickness, in the note.

**A common question:** Does the covers-only sofa listing include the foam and the frame?

**The workshop's answer:** No. Covers-only means empty fabric covers, with no foam and no metal bars, and the shop messages every covers-only buyer to confirm.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Why is a cover only so much cheaper?

The foam is left out, and on big, thick cushions the foam is a large share of the price. That is why the biggest savings in real quotes came on long window-seat pieces.

### Will a new cover fit my old foam snugly?

Usually. Covers are cut about 1/2 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the measured thickness for a tight look, so measure with any old cover on.

### How long does a covers-only order take?

In one real order, six zippered corduroy covers took 1 to 2 weeks for production and delivery together. Custom covers can take slightly longer, so ask when you request the quote.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can I buy just the cushion cover without the foam insert?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-cover-only-without-foam/): Yes: a cushion cover only, without foam, is sewn to the exact length, width and thickness of the insert you already own.
- [Can you sew just a new cover for my trapezoid or tapered cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/trapezoid-tapered-cushion-cover-only/): Yes, a cover alone can be made for a trapezoid or tapered cushion you already have.
- [What measurements do you need to make a cover for my own foam?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measurements-for-custom-cushion-cover/): To order a replacement cushion cover, send the exact length, width and thickness of each foam piece; the thickness, or fillable depth, is what makes the cover snug.
- [Ordering new cushion covers for foam you already own](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/): To order replacement cushion covers, measure the bare insert seam to seam while it lies relaxed, record its true thickness without rounding, and say whether it is foam, fiber or a mattress.
- [Custom Cushion Covers in Raspberry, Mustard and Green Tweed](https://cushionguide.com/readings/raspberry-mustard-green-tweed-cushion-covers-stacked/): Custom cushion covers can be ordered on their own, made to the length, depth and thickness of the foam you already have.
- [Slipcover, new covers or new cushions: pick the right fix](https://cushionguide.com/guides/slipcover-or-new-cushion-covers/): Whether a couch needs a slipcover or new cushion covers depends on what is worn.
- [Cut-to-size foam vs a finished cushion: the honest comparison](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cut-to-size-foam-vs-finished-cushion/)

*With color and care — Élodie*

---

Written by Élodie Marchand (https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/) 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/cover-only-vs-full-cushion-price/