---
title: "How Much Filling for Cushion Covers, Piece by Piece"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/covers-only-how-much-filling/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-07-02"
updated: "2026-07-02"
keywords: "how much filling for cushion covers, polyester fiber fill for pillow covers, covers only cushion filling, high-density foam cushion look, throw pillow fill volume"
---

# If I order covers only, how much filling do I need, and will it look like the photos?

*A cover is a shape waiting for something to hold it. Short it five liters and it will tell on you.*

Also asked as: Just the cover for my cushion.; A custom slipcover for my daybed.

> **The quick answer:** A new cover only looks as crisp as the filling inside it: high-density foam gives the flat, structured look in the photos, while soft, tired filling stays slouchy under new fabric. How much filling cushion covers need depends on the piece: about 180-200 L (6.4-7.1 cu ft) of polyester fiber for a standard sofa set's backrests, 20-25 L per throw pillow.

![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

- High-density foam gives the structured, flat look in the photos.
- A new cover over soft filling keeps a slouchy look.
- The shop asks whether you want the cover only, bolster covers too, or new foam.
- Backrests for the standard sofa-with-ottoman set take about 180-200 L (6.4-7.1 cu ft) of polyester fiber in total.
- Each throw pillow takes about 20-25 L (0.7-0.9 cu ft).
- A little extra filling gives a plumper, fuller look.

## Fill volumes for a covers-only order

| Piece | Fill | Plan on |
|---|---|---|
| All backrests, standard sofa-with-ottoman set | Polyester fiber | 180-200 L (6.4-7.1 cu ft) |
| Each throw pillow | Polyester fiber | 20-25 L (0.7-0.9 cu ft) |
| Seat or daybed cushion | Your old core or new high-density foam | The shop asks which |

## What the new cover will look like

| Inside the new cover | The look you get |
|---|---|
| High-density foam, as in the photos | Structured, flat, crisp |
| Your existing soft or slouchy filling | Slouchy, as it looks today |
| Fiber at the planned volume plus a little extra | Plumper and fuller |

## Why a cover can't fix the core

A cover is a skin with fixed dimensions. It adds no structure; it shows whatever structure is inside it. Put a new cover over a daybed cushion whose filling has gone soft and you get a new color on an old slouch. That's why a buyer asking for a slipcover gets one more question: cover only, bolster covers too, or new foam as well?

If you fill covers yourself, buy by volume, not by guess. Measure twice; the fabric remembers. The workshop's seat cushions use [high-density foam](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#high-density-foam) wrapped in polyester batting, which is the look in the photos. Compare fills in [high-density foam vs memory foam, latex and fiber](https://cushionguide.com/guides/high-density-foam-vs-memory-foam-latex/) and read [covers only for foam you already own](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/). Unsure how firm a new core should be, partner? Try the [foam firmness finder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/foam-firmness-finder/).

> **Tailor's margin:** Cushion covers only look as crisp as their filling: plan 20-25 L of polyester fiber per throw pillow, and a little more for a plumper face.

> A new cushion cover over soft, tired filling keeps the slouch; high-density foam is what makes the photo look flat and crisp.
>
> — Nate Kowalski

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** If I order only a cover for my daybed cushion, will it look as crisp as your photos?

**The workshop's answer:** Not necessarily. The cushions in the photos use high-density foam, which is why they look structured and flat. A new cover over soft filling will likely keep that slouch, so the shop asks whether you want the cover only, bolster covers too, or new foam.

**A common question:** How much filling should I buy for the backrests and throw pillows if I get covers only?

**The workshop's answer:** For the standard sofa-with-ottoman set, about 180 to 200 L of polyester fiber for all the backrests together and about 20 to 25 L per throw pillow. Buy a little extra for a plumper look.

**A common question:** Is your seat foam wrapped, or is it a bare block?

**The workshop's answer:** Wrapped. The firm, about 2.0 lb/ft³ (32 kg/m³) foam gets a layer of polyester fiber batting before it goes into the cover, which softens the surface and rounds the edges.

**A common question:** What's inside the tufted cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** Silicone-ball fiber: polyester hollow-fiber clusters that feel like cotton, packed densely and often mixed with some cotton. There's no foam core.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can I reuse my old foam inside a new cover?

Yes, but the cushion will look like the foam, not like the photos. A core that has gone soft keeps that shape under new fabric. If the seat dips or the edges have rounded off, new foam is the fix.

### What density is the workshop's seat foam?

Bench and seat cushions use high-density, high-resilience polyurethane foam at 32 kg/m³, about 2.0 lb/ft³. It is medium-firm and keeps its shape for years of daily sitting.

### Should bolster covers be ordered with a daybed seat cover?

If the bolsters are part of the look, yes. The shop asks whether you want the seat cover alone, bolster covers too, or new foam, so the daybed comes back as one matched set.

## Related at the atelier

- [What size sofa topper should I order for my couch?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/sofa-topper-size-guide/): Order a sofa topper slightly larger than the seat it covers: for a 54 in (137 cm) couch, a 55 in (140 cm) pad fits more naturally and covers the sides, while an exact 54 in pad can end up tight.
- [Does the covers-only floor sofa listing include the foam and metal frame?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/covers-only-sofa-foam-metal-bars/): No, a teddy sofa covers-only order is just the empty fabric covers, with no foam inserts and no metal support bars.
- [Do you have animal-print fabric like zebra, cheetah or cow print?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/animal-print-zebra-cushion-fabric/): Yes: a patterned chart includes animal prints, among them a zebra-style design coded P-02, and it can be used for chair cushion covers or even the 79 × 118 in (200 × 300 cm) L-shaped corner sofa.
- [Custom Cushion Covers in Dusty Velvet With Contrast Piping](https://cushionguide.com/readings/dusty-velvet-cushion-covers-contrast-piping-pile/): Custom cushion covers fit best when the cover's side wall matches your insert's thickness and the length and depth are agreed as finished sizes, since handmade covers carry a 1/2 to 1 in (1.3 to 2.5…
- [Zippered Cushion Cover in Forest Green Bouclé Through the Year](https://cushionguide.com/readings/hidden-zipper-forest-green-boucle-cushion-cover/): A zippered cushion cover in bouclé works all year when the zipper runs along the back boxing seam, where it faces the wall and the loops close over the tape.
- [Box edge, knife edge, bullnose: cushion edge styles explained](https://cushionguide.com/guides/box-edge-vs-knife-edge-cushion/): A knife edge cushion is two panels sewn together with one seam around the middle of the edge, so it tapers soft and relaxed; a box edge cushion adds a side band, or gusset, between top and bottom…
- [Ordering new cushion covers for foam you already own](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/)
- [Cushion covers for allergies: natural fibers, known fills and covers that wash](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushions-for-allergies-natural-fibers/)

*± 1/4 in — Nate*

---

Written by Nate Kowalski (https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/) 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/covers-only-how-much-filling/