---
title: "Cushion Measurements in Inches or CM? Label Every Number"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-measurements-inches-or-centimeters/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-02-19"
updated: "2026-02-19"
keywords: "cushion measurements inches or cm, cushion size units, inches to cm cushion, custom cushion measurements, 60 x 60 cushion size"
---

# Should I give my cushion measurements in inches or centimeters?

*Either unit works, partner. The number that causes trouble is the one that shows up without a unit behind it.*

Also asked as: Do you mean cm or inches?; The sizes are in inches, correct?

> **The quick answer:** Give cushion measurements in inches or centimeters, whichever you measured in, but write the unit after every number. When a size like 60 x 60 arrives unlabeled, the workshop asks before quoting, because an inch order once made in centimeters had to be remade. Production works in centimeters, so inch sizes are converted and rounded.

![Teal corduroy cushion with rust contrast piping on a white drawer bench under a wide window beside a walnut slat wall](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/teal-corduroy-rust-piping-walnut-slat-window-1600.webp "Rust piping picks up the walnut slats and ochre rug, while teal corduroy cools the sunny window.")

## Key facts

- Inches and centimeters are both accepted; the unit must be stated.
- An unlabeled size such as 60 x 60 is checked before quoting.
- An inch order made in centimeters had to be remade.
- Sizes are cross-checked against your photos before production.
- A 4 in cushion and a 3.9 in (10 cm) one are treated as the same standard thickness; 8 in is 7¾ in (20 cm).
- If a corrected size costs less, the difference is refunded.
- Production works in centimeters, so inch sizes are converted and rounded.

## "Inches or centimeters: which do you want?"

Whichever your tape reads. The cutting is done in centimeters, so inch orders get converted and rounded; that makes centimeters a hair easier for the workshop, and nothing more.

The real rule is the unit after every number. A bare 60 x 60 is either a 24 in (60 cm) square or a 60 in (152 cm) square, a factor of 2.5. Measure twice; the fabric remembers. Which side of your tape did you read, the inch edge or the metric one?

## "I typed centimeters but meant inches. Now what?"

Place a corrected order. Before cutting, the workshop holds the new numbers up against your photos. On one order the figures came out at 62.4 x 63 in, and the photo showed a space about 24 in wide. That can't close, so the buyer re-measured: the final size was about 24 5/8 x 63 in (62.5 x 160 cm), and because it cost less than the quote, the difference came back as a refund.

For what to measure, see [length, depth and thickness](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-measurements-length-depth-thickness/) or run the numbers in the [bench cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/bench-cushion-builder/).

## Inch-to-centimeter conversions that come up at the cutting table

| You write | It means | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in | 100 mm (10 cm) | Treated as the same standard thickness |
| 8 in | 7¾ in (20 cm) | Equal, as the workshop counts it |
| 23½ x 23½ in (60 x 60 cm) | about 24 x 24 in | Checked with you before quoting |
| 60 x 60 in | about 59¾ x 59¾ in (152 x 152 cm) | Large; may be split into two 30 x 60 in pieces |

> **Tailor's margin:** Write the unit after every cushion measurement: an unlabeled 60 x 60 can mean a 24 in square or a 60 in square, and fabric is cut only once.

> A custom cushion ordered in inches and cut in centimeters had to be remade. One missing unit costs a whole second cushion's worth of work.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Should I send my sizes in inches or centimeters?

**The workshop's answer:** Either, but state the unit clearly. When it isn't obvious the workshop asks, because one inch order made in centimeters had to be remade. A 4 in cushion and a 3.9 in (10 cm) one are the same standard thickness, and 8 in equals 7¾ in (20 cm).

**A common question:** If I ask for 60 x 60, do you need to know the unit?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, always. The unit is checked before quoting, and for a square that large the workshop may suggest two pieces, such as two 30 x 60 in cushions.

**A common question:** My bench has a small corner section that doesn't lift. Do I need a third cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** All three sections can be made, the small one included. Confirm whether your numbers are inches or centimeters and send length, depth and thickness for each, ideally with a photo or simple drawing.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Why does the workshop lean toward centimeters?

Production is measured in centimeters, so inch sizes are converted and rounded before cutting. Centimeters skip that step, but inches are fine; just write the unit after every number.

### Is a 4 inch thick cushion the same as a 4 in (10 cm) one?

For thickness, yes: 4 in and 3.9 in (10 cm) are treated as one standard size. Strictly, 4 in is 4 in (10.16 cm); the workshop treats the two as one.

### Should I subtract the seat cushion when measuring for a back cushion?

Yes. Back cushions stand on the seat cushion, so deduct its thickness: with a 4 in (10 cm) seat, a 21 in (53 cm) back area takes a 17 in (43 cm) backrest.

## Related at the atelier

- [Can you work out the cushion size from a photo of my space?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-size-from-photo-or-measurements/): No: the workshop won't estimate a cushion size from a photo, because that leads to mistakes, and it can't give an exact size without your measurements.
- [Should I measure my old cushions or the bench itself?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measure-old-cushion-or-bench-for-replacement/): Measure your old cushions only if they fit the bench well; if they don't, or you want a different thickness, measure the bench.
- [How should I send measurements for an oddly shaped bench?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measurements-for-odd-shaped-bench-cushion/): Send a photo of the space and a hand-drawn sketch on paper with every side measured and labeled A, B, C and so on.
- [U-Shaped Banquette Cushions in Taupe for a Masonry Terrace](https://cushionguide.com/readings/taupe-u-shaped-masonry-banquette-cushions-sea-terrace/): A U-shaped banquette cushion set works best as one pad per run, each cut to its own plinth and butted tight at the corners.
- [How to draw a custom-shaped cushion so it isn't made mirror-image](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-shape-cushion-drawing/): A good custom shape cushion drawing shows the seat from above as you stand in the room, with a letter and a typed measurement on every edge, short returns included, the wall and front edges marked…
- [Cowhide Bench Cushion for a Reading Nook, Checked in Every Light](https://cushionguide.com/readings/brown-cowhide-bench-cushion-book-corner-table-lamp/): A chocolate cowhide print bench cushion looks its richest in warm afternoon sun, so check the swatch in morning light, under your evening lamp and away from screens before you order.
- [Cushion measurements explained: length, depth, thickness and units](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-measurements-length-depth-thickness/)
- [How to measure a bench for a custom cushion (the bench, not the old pad)](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-measure-bench-for-cushion/)

*± 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/cushion-measurements-inches-or-centimeters/