---
title: "Cushion Size in Cm or Inches: Which One Actually Gets Made"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-size-cm-or-inches/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-06-03"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "cushion size cm or inches, custom cushion centimeters vs inches, cm to inches cushion size, exact size custom cushion, 90 x 50 cm in inches"
---

# Do you work in cm or inches, and which size will I get?

*35 7/16 in (90 cm) is not 36 in, and on a window seat that missing 9/16 in is a gap you'll see every morning.*

Also asked as: Is it closer to the cm or the inches?; It's in cm, not inches

> **The quick answer:** Either unit works, as long as you write it after every number, because the workshop confirms cm or inches before quoting. When a listing shows both, such as 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm, the cushion is made to the centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in, unless you write the exact inch size in the notes.

![Three chocolate brown piped window seat cushions on an oak built-in seat between bookshelves, with a tabby and brass lamp](https://cushionguide.com/media/window-seat-cushions/three-piece-chocolate-window-seat-oak-library-1600.webp "Split into three piped sections, this chocolate window seat lifts off easily to reach the storage below.")

## Key facts

- Measurements in cm or inches are both accepted.
- The workshop confirms the unit before quoting.
- Dual-unit listings are made to the centimeter dimension.
- Write the exact inch size in the notes if it matters.
- An 8 x 20 in (20.3 x 50.8 cm) cushion is lumbar size, not a seat.
- Bottoms can be non-slip or the same fabric as the top.
- Size and color are confirmed by message before production.

## The thread, message by message

1. **Buyer: “Bench cushion, depth 70, length 190.”**: No unit. Read as inches, a depth of 70 is a daybed; read as centimeters, it's 27 9/16 in (70 cm). The workshop asks before quoting, because the unit changes both the price and the cushion.
2. **Workshop: “Centimeters or inches?”**: One word back settles it. Here it was cm: 27 9/16 x 74 13/16 x 3 1/8 in (70 x 190 x 8 cm), made to those numbers.
3. **Buyer: “The listing says 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm.”**: You get the centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in (90 x 50 cm). Want 36 x 20 in on the nose? Write it in the notes.
4. **Workshop: “Non-slip bottom, or the same fabric on both sides?”**: Asked once the size is settled, as it was for two 57 1/16 x 26 3/8 x 3 15/16 in (145 x 67 x 10 cm) corduroy seat cushions.
5. **Workshop: “Confirming size and color.”**: Both are confirmed by message before production starts.

## Common cushion sizes in inches and centimeters

| Size as written | Made to, in inches | In centimeters |
|---|---|---|
| 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm, dual listing | 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in | 90 x 50 cm |
| 36 x 20 in, written in the notes | 36 x 20 in | 91.4 x 50.8 cm |
| 70 x 190 x 8, confirmed as cm | 27 9/16 x 74 13/16 x 3 1/8 in | 70 x 190 x 8 cm |
| 8 x 20 in | 8 x 20 in | 20.3 x 50.8 cm, lumbar size |

## Why the unit matters more than the number

One inch is 2.54 cm, exactly. A number without its unit is wrong by that factor in one direction or the other, and so is the quote built on it. Measure twice; the fabric remembers.

The fix costs nothing: write the unit after every number, in the order length x depth x thickness. The [length, depth and thickness](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-measurements-length-depth-thickness/) pattern shows where each one is taken, and the [personalization note](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-personalization-note/) pattern shows how to write them so nobody has to guess. If you want a grip underside on a [window seat cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/window-seat-cushions/), ask for a [non-slip base](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#non-slip-base) in the same note.

Which side of the tape did you read, partner: inches or metric?

> **Tailor's margin:** On a dual-unit listing like 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm, the cushion is made to the centimeter size unless the notes give exact inches.

> A cushion measurement without a unit is off by a factor of 2.54: a depth of 70 can mean a 27 9/16 in bench cushion or a 70 in daybed.
>
> — Nate Kowalski

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** The listing says 36 x 20 in / 90 x 50 cm. Which one arrives?

**The workshop's answer:** The centimeter size, 35 7/16 x 19 11/16 in (90 x 50 cm). If the exact inch size matters, state it in the notes.

**A common question:** Can you make a bench cushion to my exact measurements in cm?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes: exact depth, length and thickness, for example 27 9/16 in (70 cm) deep, 74 13/16 in (190 cm) long and 3 1/8 in (8 cm) thick, through a custom order link. Double-check whether your figures are cm or inches first, because it changes the quote.

**A common question:** Can you make corduroy seat cushions to my exact size in centimeters?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes, once the numbers were confirmed as cm: two foam-filled cushions at 57 1/16 x 26 3/8 x 3 15/16 in (145 x 67 x 10 cm). You'll also be asked whether you want a non-slip bottom or the same fabric on both sides.

**A common question:** Is an 8 x 20 inch cushion big?

**The workshop's answer:** No. It's a small lumbar-size cushion, 8 x 20 in (20.3 x 50.8 cm), not a seat. Size and color were confirmed by message before it was made.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Can I mix centimeters and inches in one cushion order?

Better not. Pick one unit and write it after every number: length, depth and thickness. For multi-piece projects the workshop asks for a drawing in one unit system for the same reason.

### Should I convert my inches to centimeters before ordering?

No need. Inches are accepted as they are. Converting adds a rounding step that can cost you 1/8 in here and there; write the measurement in the unit your tape showed, and label it.

### My cushion is larger than every size on the listing. What do I select?

Select the largest option and write your real size, or upload a drawing; the cushion is made to it. Oversize pieces may get a custom option or be priced as two units, and can still be sewn as one piece on request.

## Related at the atelier

- [Window Seat Cushion Notched Around a Pier, Built for Long Sitting](https://cushionguide.com/readings/antique-gold-office-window-bench-cushion-pier-cutout/): A window seat cushion for long sitting should run the full bench, be notched around any pier or post, and stay near desk-chair height rather than sofa-soft.
- [Trapezoid Window Seat Cushion in Rust for a Small Stair Landing](https://cushionguide.com/readings/rust-trapezoid-landing-window-seat-cushion/): A small landing window seat feels generous when the cushion fills the whole trapezoid, wall to wall, with no bare board at the angled ends.
- [Window Seat Cushion in Rust Corduroy: The Ten-Foot View](https://cushionguide.com/readings/rust-corduroy-cushion-deep-white-window-recess/): A rust corduroy window seat cushion reads as one warm block of color from ten feet away, and as ribs and corners up close.
- [Should a very long bench or window seat cushion be one piece or split?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/long-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-two/): Split a very long bench or window seat cushion into equal pieces once the seat passes about 98-118 in (2.5-3 m): a 111 in (282 cm) bench became two 55 in (140 cm) cushions.
- [How accurate is the finished size of a handmade cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/): A custom cushion is cut to the exact size you give, not rounded, but a handmade foam cushion can still vary by about 1/2-1 in (1-2.5 cm), and a fully tufted one by 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm).
- [Can I get replacement covers in custom sizes for my own floor sofa?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-size-floor-sofa-replacement-covers/): Yes, floor sofa replacement covers are made in custom sizes through the covers-only listing.
- [How exact is a made-to-measure cushion? Handmade tolerance explained](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/)
- [Measuring a 3-sided bay window seat cushion, panel by panel](https://cushionguide.com/guides/bay-window-seat-cushion-3-sided/)

*± 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-size-cm-or-inches/