---
title: "Dining Chair Cushion with Cutouts for Back Posts: Use an Arc"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/dining-chair-pad-notches-back-posts/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-07-03"
updated: "2026-07-03"
keywords: "dining chair cushion with cutouts for back posts, arched back chair pad, curved dining chair cushion with ties, chair pad notches, trapezoid chair pads"
---

# 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.*

Also asked as: Little notches for the back supports?; A square, but one side is arched?

> **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.

![Blush pink and cream striped box-edge chair pads with bow ties on pale oak dining chairs beside a table with roses](https://cushionguide.com/media/dining-chair-cushions/blush-stripe-box-chair-pads-with-ties-oak-dining-1600.webp "Box-edge chair pads in a blush stripe, tied at the back posts, bring a soft cottage note to a pale oak dining table.")

## 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.

## “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](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/dining-chair-cushions/) 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?”

1. **Halve the chord**: 20 in / 2 = 10 in.
2. **Square both numbers**: 12.5 x 12.5 = 156.25, and 10 x 10 = 100.
3. **Root of the difference**: 156.25 - 100 = 56.25, and its square root is 7.5 in.
4. **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](https://cushionguide.com/guides/dining-chair-pad-measurements/), work the curve with [chord, rise and radius](https://cushionguide.com/guides/curved-cushion-chord-rise-radius/), and try shapes in the [chair cushion builder](https://cushionguide.com/studio/chair-cushion-builder/). More shapes live in [tapered dining chair pads](https://cushionguide.com/concepts/tapered-dining-chair-pads/). How far apart are your back posts, measured at the seat?

> **Tailor's margin:** A dining chair pad between back posts gets an arc, not notches: a 20 in chord on a 12.5 in radius rises 5 in, and the zipper can follow it.

> 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 answer:** Notches 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 answer:** Before 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 answer:** Yes, 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.

## Related at the atelier

- [How do I measure a curved chair seat, like a rocking chair, barrel back or horseshoe chair?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measure-curved-chair-seat-cushion-template/): To measure a curved chair seat, make a paper template: lay paper on the seat, trace the edge, cut it out and write the widest width and front-to-back depth on it.
- [Why can't I order my trapezoid cushion on the regular rectangle listing?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/trapezoid-cushion-rectangle-listing-price-difference/): A trapezoid cushion can't use the rectangle listing because shaped cushions take extra cutting and sewing, are made on a separate production line and are priced higher.
- [How do I send my drawing if the order form only takes one photo?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/send-cushion-drawing-photo-upload/): Upload the one image the order form allows, write 'drawings sent via message' in the personalization note, then send the rest in the order conversation; merging several photos into one image also…
- [Chair Cushion with Ties: A Navy Floral Pad and 5 Mistakes](https://cushionguide.com/readings/navy-floral-dining-chair-pad-ties-cane-chair/): A chair cushion with ties stays put only if you ask for the ties when you order, put them at the back legs and send a drawing for any shaped seat.
- [Chair Cushion With Ties on a Windy Balcony, Built for Lingering](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sunflower-yellow-chair-pad-rope-ties-city-balcony/): A chair cushion with ties is the right pad for a balcony: the ties knot around the chair's back uprights so a gust cannot carry the pad off.
- [Chair Cushion with Ties: What's Inside a Velvet Bistro Pad](https://cushionguide.com/readings/burgundy-velvet-rattan-bistro-chair-pad-blush-piping/): A chair cushion with ties for a rattan bistro chair should be a firm, fairly thin pad cut from a paper template, thick enough to cover the woven rim but not so soft it spreads.
- [How to measure dining chairs for seat pads with ties](https://cushionguide.com/guides/dining-chair-pad-measurements/)
- [Velvet seat cushions: how the pile catches the light on a chair](https://cushionguide.com/guides/velvet-seat-cushions/)

*± 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/dining-chair-pad-notches-back-posts/