---
title: "Custom Shaped Bench Cushion Measurements: Sketch, Label, Photo"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/measurements-for-odd-shaped-bench-cushion/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Nate Kowalski, The Pattern Engineer of Detroit"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/nate/"
published: "2026-05-07"
updated: "2026-05-07"
keywords: "custom shaped bench cushion measurements, odd shaped bench cushion, how to measure angled banquette, cushion sketch with labeled sides, irregular window seat measurements"
---

# How should I send measurements for an oddly shaped bench?

*An odd shape is a list of honest measurements. Send the list, the picture and the sketch, and the workroom draws the rest.*

Also asked as: It's a unique space. How do I measure it?; How can I get you my measurements for an estimate?

> **The quick answer:** Send a photo of the space and a hand-drawn sketch on paper with every side measured and labeled A, B, C and so on. Add the wall height above the seat for a back cushion, and note any trim. The workshop asks about any missing side, then sends its own drawing and holds production until you confirm.

![Dove gray and white basketweave box cushion on an antique pine blanket chest under a sash window against a pale blue wall](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/dove-gray-weave-cushion-antique-pine-blanket-chest-1600.webp "A dove gray cushion cut to the lid turns an old pine blanket chest into a window seat. Blue wall, pine and jute do the rest.")

## Key facts

- Send a photo of the space plus a hand-drawn sketch with every dimension on it.
- Labeling the sides A, B, C and so on works for quoting.
- Back cushions need the wall height above the seat.
- For angled banquettes the workshop can send a measuring diagram to fill in.
- Mention trim or wood protrusions; for uneven spaces give the narrowest and widest points.
- No quote is possible without measurements.
- Complex shapes get a confirmation drawing, and production waits for your OK.

## The sketch checklist, in order

1. Take a photo of the space, bench and all.
2. Draw the shape by hand on paper. The [custom shape drawing Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/custom-shape-cushion-drawing/) shows a clean example.
3. Label every side A, B, C and so on, and write its length beside the letter.
4. Write the depth of each section, the middle one included.
5. For a back cushion, add the wall height above the seat.
6. Mark any trim, molding or wood that sticks out.
7. If the space is uneven, write both the narrowest and the widest point.

## Uneven walls and trim that sneaks up on you

Old houses rarely hand you a clean rectangle. One buyer measured a nook at 31 3/4 in (80.6 cm) at the narrowest point and 34 1/4 in (87 cm) at the widest. Send both numbers, partner, not an average.

Trim is the other trap. A strip of molding or a wood lip can throw off a measurement you were sure of, so put it on the sketch. Sometimes the simplest fix is a small gap between cushion and wall.

*Angles are just lengths in disguise.* For an angled [banquette](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/banquette-cushions/), the workshop can send a diagram showing exactly which measurements it needs. Fill it in, send it back, and the quote is built from those numbers. Which side of yours is hardest to reach with a tape?

## What happens after you hit send

1. **The workshop reads your sketch**: No quote goes out without measurements. A photo or file that is hard to read gets a request for a hand drawing.
2. **Questions about missing sides**: A side without a number gets a follow-up question, such as the width of a middle section. Length and width are checked before cutting.
3. **A drawing comes back**: For complex pieces the workshop sends its own measurement drawing. Check each letter against your tape.
4. **You confirm, then it's cut**: Production waits until you approve the shape. A [paper template](https://cushionguide.com/guides/paper-template-for-custom-cushion/) can settle any side you still doubt.

## What stalls a quote

- ✗ Overall dimensions with no side-by-side lengths.
- ✗ A sketch with one side left blank.
- ✗ A file or photo too faint to read.

> **Tailor's margin:** Label each side of an odd-shaped bench A, B, C, write its length beside the letter, and add the wall height above the seat for a back cushion.

> For an uneven nook, send the narrowest and the widest point, like 31 3/4 in and 34 1/4 in, rather than one averaged width.
>
> — Nate

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** My bench area is an unusual shape. What's the best way to send you the measurements?

**The workshop's answer:** Send a photo of the space, draw the shape on paper and write each dimension on it. The shop can send an example drawing to copy, and it checks which side is length and which is width before cutting.

**A common question:** What do you need from me to quote a cushion for an unusual space?

**The workshop's answer:** Draw the space on paper and write every dimension on it: width, depth and, for a back cushion, the wall height above the seat. Then send a photo. Labeling the sides A, B, C works well. There's no quote without measurements, and the shop will ask for any missing side, such as the width of a middle section.

**A common question:** My dining banquette comes out at an angle. What should I measure?

**The workshop's answer:** The shop sends a diagram showing the measurements it needs. Fill it in for your bench and send it back; the quote and order link are made from those numbers.

**A common question:** The space is uneven and there's trim in the way. Which width do I give you?

**The workshop's answer:** Draw a rough sketch with all the measurements, and mention any trim or wood protrusions, since they throw measurements off. Production pauses until the shape is confirmed. Leaving a small gap is sometimes the simplest fix.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Are overall chair dimensions enough to order seat and back cushions?

No. Measure the width between the armrests, the seat depth and the back height you want, then send a photo of the chair. Overall chair dimensions alone don't give a good fit.

### Which is the better guide for a replacement: the worn cushion or the bench it sits on?

Use your old cushions' sizes if they fit well; otherwise measure the bench. For new covers on existing foam, measure the bare insert, not the old cover, and include its thickness.

### Can an odd-shaped bench cushion be notched around a window casing?

Yes. Measure each notch's depth, width and position, then send a sketch with a photo. The workshop draws the notched shape, keeps full depth where nothing is in the way, and sends the diagram for approval before quoting.

## Related at the atelier

- [Should I give my cushion measurements in inches or centimeters?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/cushion-measurements-inches-or-centimeters/): Give cushion measurements in inches or centimeters, whichever you measured in, but write the unit after every number.
- [How do I measure a cushion with rounded corners or a curved end?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measure-cushion-rounded-corners-curved-end/): To measure a rounded-corner cushion, write each edge as if the corners were square, then mark where each curve begins along both edges, such as 8 in (20 cm) from the corner.
- [Should I measure my old cushions or the bench itself?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/measure-old-cushion-or-bench-for-replacement/): Measure your old cushions only if they fit the bench well; if they don't, or you want a different thickness, measure the bench.
- [Custom cushions for Pennsylvania farmhouses, rowhouses and porches](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-pennsylvania/): Custom cushions in Pennsylvania start with the house: old stone farmhouses have thick walls and small, irregular windows, Philadelphia rowhouses run 14 to 18 ft wide with narrow kitchens, and newer…
- [U-Shaped Banquette Cushions: How Three Pieces Meet at the Corners](https://cushionguide.com/readings/charcoal-u-shaped-breakfast-nook-cushions-oak-table/): A U-shaped banquette cushion set works best as three separate box-edge pieces: one back run across the full width and two side pieces that butt against it at the corners.
- [U-Shaped Banquette Cushions in Taupe for a Masonry Terrace](https://cushionguide.com/readings/taupe-u-shaped-masonry-banquette-cushions-sea-terrace/): A U-shaped banquette cushion set works best as one pad per run, each cut to its own plinth and butted tight at the corners.
- [How to measure a trapezoid cushion so the numbers close](https://cushionguide.com/guides/trapezoid-cushion-measurements/)
- [Window seat cushion thickness compared: 2, 3, 4 and 5 inches](https://cushionguide.com/guides/window-seat-cushion-thickness/)

*± 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/measurements-for-odd-shaped-bench-cushion/