The Cutting Table · a common question
Can my long, shaped bench cushion be one piece, or should it be split into sections?
Also asked as:Can it be one piece?One large cushion or two smaller ones?
Angles are just lengths in disguise, and a long seat with angled ends hides a lot of length. Here is when one piece is worth it and when sections win.
The quick answer
Often, yes: a long or shaped window seat cushion can be made in one piece, but it costs more, takes more custom work and fits less reliably than sections. For a trapezoid seat about 79 in (200 cm) long, the workshop recommends two cushions; for a bench that wraps around a bay, three. Sections sit snugger and come off to wash.
SaveKey facts
- A one-piece shaped cushion is often possible, but it costs more and is harder to make.
- Sections are the easier alternative the workshop suggests.
- A bench that wraps around a bay can be one continuous piece or three separate cushions.
- For a trapezoid window seat about 79 in (200 cm) long, two cushions are recommended.
- A single long trapezoid cushion can still be made on request.
- Shapes that can't be one piece are split into 2 or 3 pieces following your drawing.
- Foam and covers are included for every piece, and all the pieces are dispatched together.
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 a long angled cushion wants to wander
A trapezoid cushion has two angled sides, and over 79 in (200 cm) those angles give a single piece room to bend or shift as people sit and stand. Cut the same seat in two and each half locks into its own corner, looks neater and comes off alone for cleaning. That's why the workshop recommends two for a trapezoid window seat that long.
A stepped bench with curved front corners, or a banquette that follows a bay, takes more custom work and material as one continuous piece, so the workshop asks your preference and suggests sections. For a curved banquette, the craftsmen review a one-piece template before quoting. How long is your seat, end to end, partner?
One-piece vs sectioned window seat cushion, line by line
| One piece | Sections | |
|---|---|---|
| Work and material | More custom work, more material, higher cost | The easier build |
| Trapezoid about 79 in (200 cm) | Angled sides can let it bend or shift | Yes Two pieces, each snug in its corner |
| Wrap-around bay bench | One continuous piece, slightly more | Three separate cushions |
| Cleaning | One long cover | Yes Remove and wash one piece at a time |
| Shape too complex for one piece | No Not made | Yes 2 or 3 pieces cut to your drawing |
Ordering a shaped seat in sections
Photograph and sketch the bench
Send a photo and a drawing with every edge measured; the custom shape drawing pattern shows the labels.
Say one piece or sections
An odd outline may come back as two rectangles and a pentagon. The one piece or two pattern covers where splits fall, and the trapezoid cushion calculator checks the angles.
If a cushion shape can't be made in one piece, it's split into 2 or 3 pieces that follow your drawing, such as two rectangles and a pentagon.
Nate Kowalski
Buyer questions
- A common question
Can a complicated custom shape be made as one single cushion?
The workshop's answerNot always. When a shape can't be made in one piece, it's split into 2 or 3 pieces following your drawing, for example two rectangles and a pentagon. Foam and covers are included, and the pieces are dispatched together.
- A common question
Can you make a cushion for a bench that wraps around a bay window instead of running straight across?
The workshop's answerYes. Send a photo of the bench and a simple sketch with exact measurements. A single continuous piece takes more custom work and material, so it costs slightly more; or it can be three separate cushions.
- A common question
For a trapezoid window seat about 79 in (200 cm) long, should I get one big cushion or two smaller ones?
The workshop's answerTwo. The angled sides can make one long piece bend or shift, while two look neater, fit more snugly and are easier to clean. One piece is still possible: a five-edge seat with an 81 in (206 cm) edge was quoted as one cushion.
Questions buyers ask next
Is a sectioned cushion cheaper than one continuous piece?
Generally, yes. One continuous shaped piece takes more custom work and material, so it costs more; sections are the easier build.
Can I insist on one piece for a long trapezoid seat?
Yes. A single long trapezoid cushion is still made on request. The workshop simply recommends two for seats around 79 in (200 cm), because the angled sides can let one piece bend or shift.
Do the separate sections arrive at different times?
They leave together: when a shape is split into 2 or 3 pieces, the foam and covers for every piece are made and dispatched at the same time. A larger set can still travel as more than one parcel, each with its own tracking number, so check every number if one box lands first.
