CushionGuide
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The Cutting Table · compared on the table

Is your regular cushion fabric waterproof?

Also asked as:Is your fabric waterproof?Are these cushions indoor only?

Short answer: no. The useful answer is which of three fabric families your cushion needs, and that depends on where the water comes from.

Answered by

The Weather Man of Casco Bay ·

Forest green outdoor seat cushion and four piped back cushions on a gray wicker loveseat on a covered stone porchSave
Deep green cushions blend into the ivy and planting, so the loveseat looks like part of the porch, not an add-on.

The quick answer

No, the standard cushion fabrics are indoor fabrics and are not waterproof. For indoor spots that see spills, such as a classroom, the workshop can use a water-repellent collection made for spills. For cushions that live outside, there is a separate outdoor fabric range, and a custom order can be made in any of its colors.

Get a quote for an outdoor bench cushion

Three fabric families, sorted by where the water comes from

FabricMade forWith waterPick it when
Standard indoor fabricLiving rooms, bedrooms, window seatsNot waterproofThe cushion stays dry indoors
Water-repellent collectionIndoor rooms with spills, such as a classroomSheds spills; not waterproofSpills are part of the daily routine
Outdoor fabric rangePatios, porches, decks and poolsidesWater-repellent and highly UV-resistantThe cushion lives outside

Key facts

  • The standard cushion fabrics are made for indoor use and are not waterproof.
  • A water-repellent fabric collection suits spill-prone indoor rooms.
  • Cushions used outside are made from a separate outdoor fabric range.
  • The outdoor fabrics are water-repellent and highly UV-resistant.
  • Custom orders can be made in any color from the outdoor range.

Have it made

Have Callum’s workshop cut this for you

Tell them where it lives. Porch, deck or boat: the weather picks the fabric and the foam before anyone else does. — Callum

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.

Fabric · Foam · Pipingwhat the workshop will confirm with you

Fabric
The standard cushion fabrics are made for indoor use and are not waterproof.
Foam
The core: its density and thickness set the feel.
Piping
The corded seam edge: matching, contrast or none.
Only for this request: no marketing calls or texts. Outside the US, add the country code.
In inches: length × depth × thickness, plus any angles or cut corners.

* Required. A member of the workshop team will call you to talk it through; nothing is charged and nothing is made until you have agreed on every detail with them.

We use these details only to answer this request and make your cushion: your name and contact details, the cushion details and photos you send, the page you came from and the ad or link that brought you, if any. The workshop that makes the cushions receives them. We don't sell them or share them for advertising, and we delete requests after 24 months. Privacy notice for requests.

Nothing is made or charged until you approve the details.

Want to pick the shape and add photos? Use the full quote form

Indoor cloth that doesn't pretend otherwise

Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. The standard fabrics make neither. They're indoor cloth, picked for how they feel and wear in a living room, and they were never meant to shed rain.

For most homes that's fine. It matters when water turns up on a schedule: a classroom floor, a kids' corner, a breakfast bench. For those rooms the workshop reaches for its water-repellent collection, which sheds spills and still sits happily indoors.

Outside is different weather. Outdoor cushions are cut from a separate outdoor fabric range, and a custom order can go in any color on those charts. The water-repellent vs waterproof Pattern sets the two side by side, and the covered porch Pattern handles the in-between spots.

So where does the water come from at your place: a juice cup or a thunderstorm?

A real project

A classroom cushion and the spill-shedding fabric

A buyer in the US wrote in about a cushion for a classroom and asked the plain question: is the fabric waterproof?

The honest reply was no, not the standard fabric. The workshop offered its water-repellent collection instead, the one made to shed spills, and noted that true outdoor fabric exists for cushions used outside. A classroom sees spills, not storms. The water-repellent cloth was the right tool.

Standard indoor cushion fabric is not waterproof. For a classroom, ask for the water-repellent collection; for a patio, the outdoor fabric range.

Callum
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Buyer questions

  1. A common question

    Are these cushions meant for indoors only, and will the fabric handle water?

    The workshop's answer

    The standard fabrics are made for indoor use and aren't waterproof. The workshop also makes outdoor cushions from a separate outdoor fabric range, and a custom order can be made in any of those colors.

  2. A common question

    The cushion is going into a classroom. Is the fabric waterproof?

    The workshop's answer

    Not the standard fabric. The workshop can use its water-repellent collection, which sheds spills, and it has outdoor fabric for cushions that will be used outside.

  3. A common question

    The listing only shows indoor fabrics. Can I still get my cushion in outdoor fabric?

    The workshop's answer

    Yes, most cushions can be made in outdoor fabric. Pick a code from the outdoor charts on the outdoor bench cushion listing and write it in the personalization box of the listing you're ordering from, so every piece matches.

  4. A common question

    Why does the outdoor version cost more than the indoor one?

    The workshop's answer

    Outdoor fabrics are premium, water-repellent and highly UV-resistant, so they cost a little more; the outdoor upgrade is a small surcharge. For a fully covered area, the workshop can re-quote the job in cheaper indoor fabric.

Questions buyers ask next

Can a very long outdoor cushion be sewn as a single piece?

Often not. Very long pieces can exceed the maximum single-piece length, so they're made in sections, for example a 142 in (360 cm) bolster made as two 71 in (180 cm) pieces. You choose where the joins fall, and the foam folds or rolls for storage.

Are there wipe-clean indoor fabrics for homes with young children?

Yes. Besides the water-repellent collection, some premium indoor charts are water-resistant and wipe clean, which suits families with small kids. They're still indoor fabrics, so a cushion that lives outside should come from the outdoor range instead.

Does outdoor cushion fabric hold up in strong sun as well as rain?

Yes. The outdoor range is highly UV-resistant as well as water-repellent, which is why it costs a little more than indoor cloth. The standard fabrics are made for indoor use, so keep them under a roof and away from the weather.