The Cutting Table · a common question
Does the cushion price include the back cushion, or just the seat?
Also asked as:Does this include the backrest?Does this come with the back cushion shown?
The photo shows a seat and two backs. The price shows one cushion. An old shop habit settles it: count what you sit on, then count what you lean on.
The quick answer
No, the bench cushion price does not include the back cushion: standard bench and outdoor listings price one seat cushion only, and any back cushion shown in listing photos is extra. Add each back cushion as its own cart item from the same listing, at its own size, and write 'backrest' plus your fabric code in the note so the pieces are made as a set.
SaveKey facts
- The standard listing price and size range cover one seat cushion only.
- Back cushions shown in listing photos are not included.
- Each back cushion is added to the cart as a separate item from the same listing.
- Back cushions are priced by their own size, the same way as seats.
- Write 'backrest' and the fabric or color code in the personalization note.
- One seat plus two back pillows is three cart items, made as a matching set.
- Exceptions: the tufted French-style set and the bench-with-backrest listing include backrests in the price.
- Standard back cushions are about 16 in (40 cm) tall, measured from the top of the seat cushion, and 4 in (10 cm) thick.
- Seat cushions come in 2, 3, 4 and 5 in (5, 7.5, 10 and 12.5 cm) standard thicknesses, with 4 in the most common.
Have it made
Have Harlan’s workshop cut this for you
The best cushions I have known began with somebody asking one more question. Ask yours here. — Harlan
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.
Three cart lines for a seat and two backs
Add the seat
Enter the seat cushion's length, depth and thickness on the listing, the same way you would for a seat alone.
Add each back as its own item
Return to the same listing and add a back cushion at its own measurements. Two back pillows means two more items, so a seat and two backs make three cart lines.
Tie them together in the note
Write 'backrest' and your fabric or color code in the personalization box of each back cushion, so every piece is cut as one matching set.
Why the photo shows more than the price
A listing photo is dressed the way a showroom is dressed. The seat and the backs sit together so you can see the set on a patio, but the price and the size range belong to one seat cushion. Each back is its own piece of work, measured, cut and closed on its own, and priced by its size the way a seat is.
That is good news, really. Your backs don't have to be the seat's size, and you pay for the back you need. A seam is a promise, and it is easier to keep when every piece has its own measurements on the order.
Before you add backs, read how tall a back cushion should be and look through backrest cushions. The rest of the patio shelf lives under outdoor cushions.
Tell me, my friend: how tall is the wall or rail your backs will lean on?
What the cart looks like
| You want | Cart items | Priced by |
|---|---|---|
| One seat, no back | 1 | The seat's size |
| One seat, one back | 2 | Each piece's own size |
| One seat, two back pillows | 3 | Each piece's own size |
| Backs only, no seat | 1 per back | Each back's own size |
A bench cushion listing prices one seat. The back cushion in the photo is a second item at its own size, not a free passenger.
Harlan Pruitt
Buyer questions
- A common question
Does the listed price cover the backrest too, and how do I add back cushions?
The workshop's answerThe size-range price covers the seat only. Add each back cushion as its own item from the same listing, with its own measurements, and write 'backrest' in the note. One seat and two back pillows is three items, made as a matching set.
- A common question
The photo shows a seat and a back cushion. Is that all one price?
The workshop's answerNo, the price is for a single cushion. For the look in the photo, put two items in the cart in their own sizes, one seat and one backrest, and write the color code in personalization.
- A common question
Can I buy just a back cushion, without a seat?
The workshop's answerYes. Back cushions are sold on their own in any size and color, with or without armrests or bolsters, and seats can be bought without a backrest. Only non-tufted backrests can have a zippered cover.
- A common question
Can a daybed get back cushions so it sits like a sofa?
The workshop's answerYes. Order a fitted mattress cover with back pillows and give the mattress length, width and depth. Backs can run extra tall, such as 26 in (66 cm), and foam-filled so they stay upright for sitting.
Questions buyers ask next
Are there any sets where the backrest is already in the price?
Yes, two. The tufted French-style set and the bench-with-backrest listing both include backrests in the price. On the standard bench and outdoor cushion listings, each backrest is added as its own item.
Will a back cushion ordered as a separate item match the seat fabric?
It will when the note ties them together. Write 'backrest' with the same fabric or color code on each back cushion, and the seat and backs are made as one matching set rather than as unrelated pieces.
Is a back cushion priced differently from a seat cushion of the same size?
No. Back cushions are priced by their own measurements, the same way seat cushions are, so the size you enter decides the price. A back that measures the same as a seat is priced on the same basis.
