The Cutting Table · a checklist answer
My cushion measures shorter than I ordered. Is that from the vacuum packing?
Also asked as:Each side is at least half an inch shorter.It is 103 and not 105.25 inches.
Usually. A cushion squeezed flat for the trip needs a few days of air before the tape measure tells the truth.
SaveThe quick answer
A cushion that measures short on arrival is usually still recovering from vacuum packing: the foam keeps expanding for several days, typically 48-72 hours, often 3-5 days and up to about a week. Unpack it promptly, pull it gently from both ends, and re-measure after full recovery. If it's still short, send tape-measure photos and ask the workshop what it will do.
Key facts
- Cushions ship vacuum-packed, so foam measures short straight out of the bag.
- Recovery typically takes 48-72 hours, often 3-5 days, up to about a week.
- A cushion can arrive about 3/4 in (2 cm) short and keep expanding.
- One cushion grew from 92.5 in (235 cm) out of the bag to the ordered 95 in (241 cm).
- The longer a cushion stays compressed, the longer it takes to recover.
- Tape-measure photos or a continuous video with readable numbers are used to check size.
- A 16 x 94 in (41 x 239 cm) cushion still about 91.75 in (233 cm) after 5 days was remade, and the buyer kept the first one.
Have it made
Have Callum’s workshop cut this for you
Short list: size, sun hours, how fast it has to dry. The workshop goes through it with you. — Callum
Leave your details and the workshop will call you to confirm measurements, fabric, foam and piping. No prices, dates or payment on this page: it is a request, not an order.
Before you call it the wrong size
- Unpack it the day it arrives; the longer it stays compressed, the longer it takes to recover.
- Pull it gently from both ends to help the foam along.
- Give it 48-72 hours at least, often 3-5 days, up to a week for the full shape.
- Re-measure only after full recovery.
- Still short? Photograph a tape measure along the full length with the numbers readable, or film one continuous video.
- Send those photos in your messages.
Real recoveries, measured
| Ordered | Out of the bag | What happened next |
|---|---|---|
| 95 in (241 cm) | 92.5 in (235 cm) | Grew to the ordered 95 in |
| 105.25 in (267 cm) | 103 in (262 cm) | Advised to wait about a week, then measure again |
| 16 x 94 in (41 x 239 cm) | Short | About 91.75 in (233 cm) after 5 days: remade, and the buyer kept the first one |
| Any cushion | About 3/4 in (2 cm) short | Keeps expanding |
Why foam steps off the truck short
Foam is like a sail left furled too long; it needs time and air to fill again. Your cushion traveled vacuum-packed, squeezed flat, and straight out of the bag it measures short. It keeps growing for days after, friend, and a couple of inches of recovery in length is normal on a long bench cushion. Creases and crushed-looking piping settle the same way, as the cover tensions.
So don't judge it on day one. The first 72 hours Pattern walks through those days, and foam recovery is in the glossary. If it's still short once it has fully recovered, the remake Pattern explains what happens next.
How long has yours been out of the bag?
A cushion measured 92.5 in straight out of the vacuum bag and grew to the ordered 95 in once the foam recovered.
Callum
Buyer questions
- A common question
My cushion came out shorter than I ordered. Did you make it wrong?
The workshop's answerCushions ship vacuum-packed, so the foam measures short at first and needs about a week to fully regain its shape. Take it out of the packaging soon, wait, then measure again. One cushion measured 103 in (262 cm) straight out of the pack against the 105.25 in (267 cm) ordered.
- A common question
How long does a compressed cushion take to reach its ordered size?
The workshop's answerAbout 3-4 days, sometimes sooner or a little longer. If it's still short after that, send a photo with a tape measure along the full length. When a 16 x 94 in (41 x 239 cm) cushion stayed at about 91.75 in (233 cm) after 5 days, the workshop remade it and let the buyer keep the first one.
- A common question
My cushion arrived creased, rippled and a little short. Is it faulty?
The workshop's answerUsually not. Creases, ripples and a slightly short length come from vacuum compression; the foam needs about 3-5 days to regain its full shape and can arrive about 3/4 in (2 cm) short. If it still doesn't fit, send tape-measure photos or a continuous video with the numbers readable.
- A common question
One cushion still hasn't expanded after a few days. What now?
The workshop's answerTake the cover off and shake, pull and pinch the foam, then wait a few more days. If a section is still flat, dented or hard while the rest has recovered, send photos: in past cases the workshop sent replacement foam and the buyer moved the cover onto it.
Questions buyers ask next
Why do two matching cushions measure differently when they arrive?
Straight out of vacuum packing, both are still recovering, and one can lag behind the other. Give both the full 3-5 days, up to a week, then compare. If one is still flat or low, send photos.
Should I measure the cushion the day it arrives?
Measure if you like, but don't judge it yet. Foam straight out of the bag measures short; wait until it has fully recovered, typically 48-72 hours and up to about a week, before comparing it with your order.
What proof does the workshop need if the cushion is still short?
Tape-measure photos along the full length, or one continuous video, with the numbers readable. Take them after full recovery; they are what the workshop uses to check the size and decide on a remake.
