The Cutting Table · compared on the table
Will a replacement cover fit my own insert snugly?
Also asked as:Can you put covers over my sectional's existing covers?I'd like a very tight fit.
A snug cover is a little arithmetic hidden inside a soft thing. The fabric gives a touch, so the cover is cut a touch smaller.
SaveThe quick answer
Yes, a replacement cover can fit your own insert snugly if the measurements are right: the fabric has a slight stretch, so fitted covers are cut about 3/8 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the measured thickness. Photograph the tape on every dimension, measure over any cover you're keeping, and say whether the insert is foam or fiber-filled.
Get a quote for a cushion covers
Your insert, and how its cover is cut
| Your insert | What to measure | How the cover is cut |
|---|---|---|
| Bare foam | Length, width and thickness, with the tape in each photo | About 3/8 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the thickness |
| Two stacked mattresses | The whole stack, top to bottom | A 9 1/2 in (24 cm) stack gets about 8 5/8 in (22 cm) |
| Cushion keeping its old cover | Over the old cover | To the sizes you write in Add Personalization |
| Fiber-filled, or fill unknown | Thickness, and name the fill | Fit is unpredictable; the shop may suggest its own inserts |
Key facts
- The cover fabric has a slight stretch.
- Fitted covers are cut about 3/8 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) under the measured thickness.
- A mattress stack measuring 9 1/2 in (24 cm) would get a cover about 8 5/8 in (22 cm) thick.
- Photograph the tape measure on each dimension.
- Layering over an old cover? Measure with the old cover on.
- Foam and fiber-filled inserts fit differently.
- When the fill or thickness is unknown, the shop may suggest its own inserts.
Have it made
Have Élodie’s workshop cut this for you
Describe the room at four in the afternoon: the floor, the wall, the one color you love. That is where a good fabric choice begins. — Élodie
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 cover is cut smaller than the insert
The cover fabric has a slight stretch. Cut to the exact thickness, it relaxes around the foam; cut a little under, it pulls smooth. For one stack of mattresses measured at about 8 to 8 1/4 in (20.5 to 21 cm), the cover was made at 7 7/8 in (20 cm).
That only works when the first number is true, my friends, which is why the tape belongs in every photo. A loose cover folds, and on a raspberry or a burgundy each fold throws a shadow that reads as a darker stripe. Is your insert foam, or does it squash like a pillow? The cover-only Pattern walks through the measuring, and finished covers live under cushion covers.
The back pillows nobody had measured
A buyer asked for tight covers over back pillow inserts they already owned. No thickness came with the request, and nobody knew whether the inserts were foam or fiber-filled, so a tight fit was a guess. The shop suggested making its own inserts instead, at no change in the set price, so everything would sit properly with no surprises.
If a new cushion cover goes over an old one, measure with the old cover on; the extra layer of fabric is part of the size.
Élodie Marchand
Buyer questions
- A common question
Can your covers go over the covers already on my sectional cushions?
The workshop's answerYes, as long as the measurements match. The covers are fully zippered, so they go on and off easily; measure the cushions with the current covers on and write those sizes in Add Personalization.
- A common question
Is the fabric stretchy? Should a cover for stacked mattresses be smaller than they measure?
The workshop's answerYes, slightly, so fitted covers are made a little under the true thickness; a 9 1/2 in (24 cm) stack would get about 8 5/8 in (22 cm). Photograph the tape on each dimension.
- A common question
Can I order just the cover, without a foam insert?
The workshop's answerYes. Order from the zippered cover-only listing, enter your foam's exact length, width and thickness plus a fabric code, and the workshop sews a snug, removable, machine-washable cover with no filling included.
Questions buyers ask next
Why not make the cover exactly the size of the insert?
Because the cover fabric has a slight stretch. Cut to the exact measured thickness it can sit loose; cut about 3/8 to 3/4 in (1 to 2 cm) smaller, it stretches into a snug, smooth fit without creases.
What happens if my thickness measurement is off?
The undersizing only works when the measured thickness is right. A cover cut small from a wrong number can end up too tight or too loose, which is why the shop asks for a photo of the tape on each dimension.
Can a fitted cover go on a fiber-filled pillow insert?
It can be made, but the fit is less predictable, because fiber fill behaves differently from foam. Say which fill you have; if the thickness or fill is unknown, the shop may suggest its own inserts so the cover sits properly.
