The Cutting Table · compared on the table
How do I measure a window seat or built-in bench for a custom cushion?
Also asked as:Just had a window seat built, unsure how to measure.Measure inside or outside of the bench?
Measure the seat, not the room. Then draw what you measured, edge by edge.
SaveThe quick answer
To measure a window seat cushion, tape the seat top itself with a rigid tape: the front edge wall to wall, the back edge along the window, the depth on the left and right, and each angled side separately. Inside a bench frame, measure wood to wood. Send a top-view sketch with a photo so the workshop can confirm the shape.
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Each measurement, where to take it, and the usual slip
| Measurement | Take it | Common slip |
|---|---|---|
| Front edge (length) | Wall to wall, straight, on the seat top | Measuring the floor below |
| Back edge | Along the window | Assuming it equals the front; it's often shorter |
| Depth (width) | Front to back, on the left and on the right | Rounding 20 in (51 cm) to 19¾ in (50 cm) |
| Angled sides | Each side edge on its own | Measuring one side and doubling it |
| Inside a frame | Inside, wood to wood | Using the bench's outer size |
Key facts
- Measure the bench top, not the floor; the two can differ.
- Use a rigid tape on the seat surface.
- Take the front edge, back edge, depth on the left and right, and each angled side.
- The back edge along a window is often shorter than the front.
- Inside a bench frame, measure wood to wood, not the outside of the bench.
- Exact depth matters: 20 in (51 cm) is not 19¾ in (50 cm).
- Sizes are double-checked before shipping.
Have it made
Have Nate’s workshop cut this for you
Send the numbers in inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angle. The workshop checks them with you, because foam has no undo button. — 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.
Why the seat top gets the tape
Built-ins aren't always square, partner. The floor line and the seat top can differ, and a window wall often pinches the back edge shorter than the front. So measure where the cushion will lie, with a rigid tape that won't sag.
Length means side to side; width means front to back, the seat depth. Draw a top view with each number on its edge and send it with a photo. Angled sides go through the trapezoid cushion calculator or the bay window calculator. The window seat measuring Pattern covers older homes, and finished shapes live under window seat cushions. How does your back edge compare with the front?
The three-sided bench and the laser
One buyer wrote in about an entryway bench enclosed on three sides, measured by laser at 24¼ x 76¾ in (61.7 x 195.1 cm). The workshop said to write 24¼ x 76¾ in (61.5 x 195 cm), a hair under the reading. Handmade cushions vary slightly, but not enough to cause fitting trouble here, and sizes are double-checked before shipping so a cushion never comes out larger than ordered. Elsewhere the rule stands: exact inside measurement, no deduction.
For a cushion inside a bench frame, measure the inside from wood to wood and order those exact numbers, not the bench's outer size.
Nate
Buyer questions
- A common question
What's the right way to measure a window seat for a made-to-measure cushion?
The workshop's answerFront edge wall to wall, back edge along the window, depth on both the left and right, and each side edge separately if the walls are angled. Use a rigid tape on the seat surface, sketch a top view with every number, and send it with a photo; the shop confirms the shape.
- A common question
How should I send the numbers for a built-in bench?
The workshop's answerDraw the seat on paper with every dimension and send it. Measure the bench top, not the floor, since they can differ, and be exact about depth: 20 in (51 cm) is not 19¾ in (50 cm).
- A common question
Should I order the exact bench measurement or size down?
The workshop's answerIf the cushion sits inside a bench frame, measure the inside wood to wood and order those exact inside measurements, not the outer dimensions. The cushion is made to fit that inside space.
Questions buyers ask next
On a window seat cushion, which way is length and which is width?
Length runs side to side along the window; width is front to back, the seat depth. Write both on a top-view sketch so nothing gets swapped, and give the thickness separately.
Will I see a drawing of my window seat cushion before it's cut?
Yes. The workshop sends a drawing of your dimensions and makes the cushion exactly to the approved layout. It builds strictly to your numbers and won't choose the final size for you.
Where is depth measured on an angled window seat?
Straight from front to back at 90 degrees, at the deepest point, not along the angle. Length is the total between the outer corners. Then add the long edge, the short edge and each angled side.
