---
title: "Cushion Cover Only, Without Foam: Sewn to Your Insert's Size"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-cover-only-without-foam/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Élodie Marchand, The Colorist of New Orleans"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/elodie/"
published: "2026-06-19"
updated: "2026-06-19"
keywords: "cushion cover only without foam, replacement cushion covers only, zippered cover for existing foam, custom cushion cover no insert, barstool cushion covers only"
---

# Can I buy just the cushion cover without the foam insert?

*You kept the foam. It still holds its shape; it only wants a new coat. Here is how to order the coat alone.*

Also asked as: Is it possible to just purchase the cover?; Covers only, no inserts?

> **The quick answer:** Yes: a cushion cover only, without foam, is sewn to the exact length, width and thickness of the insert you already own. Order from the zippered cover listing, pick the nearest size range, and write the three measurements plus a fabric code in the personalization box. The covers zip off and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle.

![Pale blue ticking-stripe seat and back cushions with a front drop on a wooden garden swing among roses](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/blue-ticking-stripe-garden-porch-swing-cushions-1600.webp "A soft blue ticking stripe covers the seat and two back cushions of a timber garden swing, with the seat fabric dropping over the front rail.")

## Key facts

- Covers-only orders include no foam or filling.
- They are ordered through the custom zippered cushion-cover listing.
- Exact length, width, thickness and fabric code go in the personalization box.
- The cover is sewn to the foam dimensions given, so it fits snugly.
- The workshop double-checks that covers only is what you intended.
- Shaped covers need a drawing with measurements and a photo of the space.
- Covers wash at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle; floor sofas have their own covers-only listing.

## The covers-only checklist

- ✓ Order from the custom zippered cushion-cover listing, the one with no foam or filling.
- ✓ Pick the size range nearest your foam; the exact size goes in the note.
- ✓ Measure the foam itself: length, width and thickness.
- ✓ Write those three numbers and your fabric code in the personalization box.
- ✓ Shaped cushion? Add a drawing with measurements and a photo of the space.
- ✓ Want a tougher closure? Ask for an extra-strong zipper.

## Why the workshop asks twice

Some buyers think they are ordering a whole cushion from the cover listing, then open a box with no foam inside. So the workshop double-checks that covers alone are what you meant. Answer that message and nothing is lost.

The cover is then sewn to the foam dimensions you gave, so it fits snugly instead of sagging at the corners like a borrowed coat. The reasoning behind that snug cut is in [covers for existing foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-covers-for-existing-foam/).

## Covers already sewn for foam people kept

- ✓ Kitchen banquettes and window seats
- ✓ Trapezoid bay-window seats
- ✓ Bench cushions, including a second set in a new color
- ✓ Barstool pads of around 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm)
- ✓ Porch swings and play mats
- ✓ Deck boxes and outdoor sectional cushions

## Care, and the floor sofa exception

Every cover zips off and goes in the machine at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle; the [washing Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-wash-cushion-covers/) covers the rest. Many buyers order covers simply to change a color, or to replace one worn cover. Browse shapes and closures in the [cushion covers atlas](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/cushion-covers/).

Floor sofas are the exception: they have their own replacement-covers-only listing, explained in the [floor sofa covers Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/floor-sofa-replacement-covers/). Which of your cushions still has good foam under a tired face?

> **Tailor's margin:** A cover only is sewn to the foam, not to the old cover: send the foam's length, width and thickness plus a fabric code.

> Zippered cushion covers ordered without foam are sewn to the insert's exact length, width and thickness, and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle.
>
> — Élodie

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** I already have the foam inserts. Can I order just the covers?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. The zippered cover listing is covers only, with no foam or filling, and custom covers are made for existing inserts, including trapezoid bay-window and outdoor sectional cushions. The shop double-checks that you want covers only and, for shaped pieces, asks for a drawing with measurements and a photo of the space.

**A common question:** Can I get the cover without the foam, made to my size?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Order through the custom cushion-cover listing and enter your foam's length, depth and thickness so the cover fits snugly. Covers are removable and machine washable at 86°F (30°C) on a delicate cycle.

**A common question:** Can I buy a replacement cover for a cushion I already own?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Pick the nearest size on the cover-only listing and write the exact length, width, thickness and fabric code in the personalization box. Covers only are made for banquettes, window seats, play mats, deck boxes and more.

**A common question:** Can you make small square barstool covers with no cushion inside?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Barstool covers of roughly 14 x 14 in (36 x 36 cm) can be made in a chosen fabric, such as T-318. Just say how many you need.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Do I give the old cover's size or the foam's size?

Measure the foam. The new cover is sewn to the foam dimensions you write in the personalization box, so an old cover that has stretched or shrunk would only pass its error along. Give length, width and thickness.

### Can a covers-only order come with a heavier zipper?

Yes. Extra-strong zippers can be requested on a covers-only order. Mention it in the personalization box next to your measurements and fabric code, so it is settled before the cover is sewn.

### What does the workshop need for an angled or shaped cover?

A drawing of the shape with every side measured, plus a photo of the space where the cushion sits. Trapezoid bay-window covers and outdoor sectional covers have both been made this way for buyers' existing foam.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can I buy empty zippered covers for tufted cushions and fill them myself?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/empty-covers-tufted-cushions-own-filling/): Yes, as plain zippered covers in your exact sizes, but they will not be tufted.
- [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.
- [How much cheaper is just the cover than a full cushion with foam?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cover-only-vs-full-cushion-price/): A cushion cover only costs less than the same cushion with foam, because no foam is included.
- [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 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.
- [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/cushion-cover-only-without-foam/