The Cutting Table · a question, worked through
Can dining chair pads have notches for the back posts, or a curved back edge?
Two little notches look simple on a sketch. Cut without the chair in the room, they're the riskiest line on the pad.
Pinned by Nate
The quick answer
Notches around chair back posts aren't offered for remote orders, because they can't be cut reliably from a distance; an arched back edge is the recommended alternative. Send a drawing with the back and front widths, the curve and the tie positions. A 20 in (51 cm) chord on a 12.5 in (32 cm) radius gives a 5 in (13 cm) arc.
Get a quote for a chair cushion with ties
Key facts
- Notches for back supports are not offered for remote orders.
- An arched back edge is the recommended alternative.
- A 20 in (51 cm) chord on a 12.5 in (32 cm) radius gives a 5 in (13 cm) arc height.
- The zipper can run along the arc.
- Ties can be inset from the corners, 4.5 in (11.5 cm) on one order.
- A non-slip base is available on chair pads.
- Shaped chair pads need a detailed drawing before quoting.
Have it made
Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you
Every edge and both diagonals, to the nearest 1/4 in. If the numbers do not close, the workshop will say so on the call. — Nate
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.
“Can you add little notches for the back posts?”
Short answer, partner: not reliably from a distance. A notch has to land on a post nobody at the cutting table can see, on a chair nobody there has sat in. Miss by a little and the pad rides up the post or leaves a gap you'll look at every dinner.
So the workshop proposes an arched back edge instead of a dining chair cushion with cutouts. An arc clears the space between the posts without having to hit each one exactly.
Follow-up: “Will this drawing work?”
| On the confirmed diagram | Spec |
|---|---|
| Back edge | Arc on a 20 in (51 cm) chord |
| Radius | 12.5 in (32 cm) |
| Arc height | 5 in (13 cm) |
| Where arc meets sides | Sharp corners |
| Front corners | Rounded, about 1 in (2.5 cm) |
| Zipper | Along the arc |
| Ties | Inset 4.5 in (11.5 cm) |
| Base | Non-slip |
Follow-up: “Can you check my arc math?”
Halve the chord
20 in / 2 = 10 in.
Square both numbers
12.5 x 12.5 = 156.25, and 10 x 10 = 100.
Root of the difference
156.25 - 100 = 56.25, and its square root is 7.5 in.
Subtract from the radius
12.5 - 7.5 = 5 in of arc height. Angles are just lengths in disguise.
Follow-up: “And curved trapezoid pads with ties?”
Same answer, more paper. Before quoting curved trapezoid chair pads to match a bench, the workshop asked for a detailed drawing of each size: back width, front width, the curved side length and where every tie goes. A list of numbers alone can't be priced, because two pads with the same widths can curve differently.
Start with measuring dining chair pads, work the curve with chord, rise and radius, and try shapes in the chair cushion builder. More shapes live in tapered dining chair pads. How far apart are your back posts, measured at the seat?
Notches around dining chair back posts can't be cut reliably from a distance; an arched back edge with a drawing behind it can.
Nate Kowalski
Buyer questions
- A common question
Could you make chair cushions with notches for the back supports, or with an arched back?
The workshop's answerNotches can't be made reliably from a distance, so the workshop recommended an arched back. It checked the CAD drawing and confirmed sharp corners where the arc meets the sides, rounded front corners, the zipper along the arc, inset ties and a non-slip base.
- A common question
Can you make slightly curved trapezoid chair pads with ties to match my bench?
The workshop's answerBefore quoting, the workshop asked for a detailed paper drawing of each size: back width, front width, curved side length and tie positions. Shaped pads can't be priced from a list of numbers alone.
- A common question
Is a notch ever possible, say around a pillar by a bench?
The workshop's answerYes, on benches: draw each notch's width, depth and position, add photos, and the shop redraws it as a template for your approval before cutting.
Questions buyers ask next
Where should the ties sit on an arched chair pad?
Inset from the back corners, toward the posts they'll wrap. On the confirmed arched diagram, the ties sat 4.5 in (11.5 cm) in from the corners. Mark your own chair's post positions on the drawing.
Can an arched chair pad still take a zipper?
Yes. On the confirmed diagram the zipper ran along the arc itself, the back edge, while the rounded front corners of about 1 in (2.5 cm) stayed clean.
Is there a way to stop a chair pad sliding besides ties?
A non-slip base is available on chair pads and was part of the arched design, alongside the inset ties. On a smooth wooden seat, using both is the belt-and-suspenders choice.
