---
title: "Cushion smaller than the size option: do you pay more?"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-smaller-than-size-option-refund/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-02-13"
updated: "2026-02-13"
keywords: "cushion smaller than size option, custom cushion size range price, bench cushion partial refund, size option doesn't match my cushion, custom cushion pricing by size"
---

# My cushion is smaller than the size option. Do I pay for the bigger size?

*A fair question, my friend, and one that comes up on long benches. The short of it: you pay for the cushion you wrote down, not the box you ticked.*

Also asked as: my cushion is smaller than the smallest option; order the 18x76 option even though it will only be 73 long

> **The quick answer:** When your cushion is smaller than the size option, payment is matched to the size you write, so you aren't overcharged. Below the smallest option, you order that option and the workshop refunds anything charged above its quote. A cushion a few inches shorter than its option sometimes earns a small partial refund, as goodwill, not a rule.

![Ivory box cushion with olive piping on a mid-century oak bench, two olive back pillows piped in ivory, floor lamp behind](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/ivory-seat-olive-piping-mid-century-bench-crossed-1024.webp "The colors swap at the seams: olive piping outlines the ivory seat, and ivory piping outlines the olive pillows.")

## Key facts

- Payment has to match the size you write in your order.
- For sizes below the smallest option, you order the smallest option.
- Anything charged above the workshop's quote is refunded after you order.
- A cushion a few inches shorter than the option chosen, like 73 in (185 cm) under a 76 in (193 cm) option, has sometimes had a partial refund.
- Partial refunds like that are occasional goodwill, not a fixed rule.
- If the option you picked doesn't cover your size, the difference is settled through a separate payment link.
- No hidden fees are added.

## Your size against the size option

| Your cushion | What you order | The money |
|---|---|---|
| Smaller than the smallest option | The smallest option | Anything above the quote is refunded |
| A few inches under the option, like 73 in under 76 in | That option | Sometimes a small partial refund, as goodwill |
| Inside the option's range | That option | The range price |
| Bigger than the option, like 65 in on a 53–55 in range | The option that covers it | The difference by separate link, or cancel and refund |
| Any size | Your exact size in the note | No hidden fees |

## Why a range, and not your exact inch

Size options are ranges because price climbs with length times width, and every cushion's cutting, sewing and zipper are fixed work. What must hold is simple: the size you write is the size you get, and the size you pay for. A seam is a promise, and so is a price.

If your size falls between options, choose the one that covers both length and width and write the exact figure in the note, as the [custom size pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-size-cushion-not-on-menu/) explains. The rule is the same for a long [bench cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) or a single cover.

## Seventy-three inches on a seventy-six-inch option

A buyer in the US needed a bench cushion 73 in (185 cm) long, and the nearest option read 18 x 76 in. The fair question was whether to pay for three inches of nothing. The cushion was ordered under the 76 in option, made at 73 in, and the workshop refunded part of the difference. Goodwill, not a rule. How far is your bench from the nearest option?

> **Tailor's margin:** When a cushion is smaller than the smallest size option, order that option, write the real size in the note, and anything charged above the quote is refunded.

> A custom cushion is paid for by the size written on the order, not the size option ticked; if the option is too small, a separate link settles the rest.
>
> — Harlan

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** My cushion is shorter than the size option I have to pick. Do I pay for the bigger size?

**The workshop's answer:** Sometimes the workshop refunds part of the difference, as it did when a 73 in cushion was ordered under a 76 in option. For an out-of-standard size it offered a goodwill partial refund.

**A common question:** Why was I asked for more money after ordering?

**The workshop's answer:** The payment has to match the size you write. If the option you picked doesn't cover it, say a 53–55 in (135–140 cm) range for a 65 in (165 cm) cushion, the difference comes by separate link, or the order is canceled and refunded. No hidden fees are added.

**A common question:** Does the sale apply to a custom size, and can I add a coupon code?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes: custom quotes already include the current store sale, even for custom sizes. Codes can't be stacked on top.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Is a partial refund guaranteed when my cushion is shorter than the option?

No. It is occasional goodwill, not a fixed rule. What is fixed: below the smallest option, anything charged above the workshop's quote is refunded, and no hidden fees are added.

### What if my size falls between two size options?

Choose the option that covers both your length and your width, then write the exact size, fractions and all, in the personalization note. The cushion is made to the written size, not the option's.

### How is a price difference refunded or paid?

Overpayments above the quote are refunded after you order. Underpayments, when the option picked doesn't cover the size, are settled through a separate payment link, or the order is canceled and refunded.

## Related at the atelier

- [My size isn't in the dropdown. Which option do I pick to get the right price?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-size-cushion-which-option-to-select/): Choose the closest size option, or the one the workshop names for you, and write your exact dimensions in Personalization; that option's price is what you pay.
- [Do you give a discount when I order two or more cushions?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/discount-two-or-more-custom-cushions/): Usually, yes: multi-piece orders have been quoted as one set, below the sum of the listing prices, trapezoid pieces included.
- [How much does a custom cushion cost if my sizes are in centimeters?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-cushion-price-cm-sizes/): A custom cushion measured in centimeters is priced exactly like one measured in inches: pick the size range on the listing that covers your measurements and the price appears, or send the sizes for…
- [Custom Bench Cushion for an Entryway: Black Velvet, Firm Foam](https://cushionguide.com/readings/black-velvet-entryway-bench-cushion-ivory-piping/): For an entryway bench cushion, firm foam about 3 in (7.5 cm) thick is the working choice, giving solid support for pulling on boots without lifting the seat much.
- [Velvet bench cushion for a stair landing: how to measure it](https://cushionguide.com/readings/purple-velvet-staircase-landing-bench-cushion/): Measure a stair-landing bench cushion from the bench itself, wood to wood, at the back and again at the front.
- [Velvet Bench Cushion in Emerald: Outdoor Habits Brought Indoors](https://cushionguide.com/readings/emerald-velvet-bench-cushion-oak-linen-curtains/): An indoor velvet bench cushion can borrow the outdoor habit of building for the hardest use, from a sturdier fabric on a busy entry bench to an extra flap that covers a hard corner.
- [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/)
- [How exact is a made-to-measure cushion? Handmade tolerance explained](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-cushion-size-tolerance/)

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) 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-smaller-than-size-option-refund/