---
title: "Are Outdoor Cushions Waterproof? Water-Resistant, Honestly"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/answers/waterproof-outdoor-cushions-water-resistant-fabric/"
section: "The Cutting Table"
author: "Callum Reid, The Weather Man of Casco Bay"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/"
published: "2026-09-15"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "are outdoor cushions waterproof, water resistant outdoor cushions, water-repellent outdoor cushion fabric, water repellent patio cushions, outdoor cushion off-season storage"
---

# Are your outdoor cushions waterproof or just water-resistant?

*Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. Here's which one your outdoor cushion signs.*

Also asked as: Is the fabric water-repellent or waterproof?; Is it waterproof? We get a lot of rain.

> **The quick answer:** Outdoor cushions are made from a dedicated water-repellent outdoor fabric that handles rain showers and spills well, but it is water-resistant rather than a sealed, coated material. Outdoor seats and backs get outdoor-suitable inserts, and the range has its own color chart, sent on request. Store the cushions indoors during long off-season stretches, as with any outdoor textile.

![Cream and rust pinstripe porch swing cushion on a white wooden swing with black chains, lantern and fern on a porch](https://cushionguide.com/media/porch-swing-cushions/cream-pinstripe-porch-swing-cushion-white-porch-1600.webp "A thick pinstripe pad on a white porch swing, framed by black chains and a lantern; the stripe is quiet enough for a traditional porch.")

## Key facts

- Outdoor cushions use a separate water-repellent fabric range with its own color chart, sent on request.
- The outdoor fabric is water-resistant: it handles rain showers and spills, but it isn't sealed or coated.
- Seams are standard-stitched, not sealed.
- Outdoor seats and backs get outdoor-suitable inserts.
- The outdoor fabric also works for tufted floor cushions and pallet-bench cushions in any custom size.
- One test cushion can be ordered first; one trial took about 5 days of production and 3-4 days of delivery.
- Store outdoor cushions indoors during long off-season periods.

## What the outdoor fabric will and won't do

The word waterproof gets used loosely in this trade, the workshop's own replies included. The outdoor range is described as waterproof and as water-repellent, and the most careful answer calls it what it is: water-resistant. Rain showers and spills, it handles well.

What it isn't is a sealed, coated shell, and the seams are standard-stitched, not sealed. That's the honest version, friend. The [water-repellent versus waterproof Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/) explains the difference, and the [water-repellent](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#water-repellent) entry gives the short form.

## Outdoor range next to the indoor charts

| Question | Outdoor range | Standard indoor fabric |
|---|---|---|
| Handles rain showers | Yes | No, not waterproof |
| Handles spills | Yes | A water-repellent indoor chart exists for spill-prone rooms |
| Sealed or coated | No | No |
| Inserts | Outdoor-suitable | Standard high-density foam |
| Left out all winter | No, store indoors off-season | No |

## Before a big patio order

- ✓ Ask for the outdoor color chart; it's sent on request.
- ✓ Order one cushion first to test the fit, and ask for its make and delivery times in writing.
- ✓ Where cushions get properly wet, by a pool or fire pit, pick a plain, non-tufted cushion.
- ✓ Plan a dry spot for the off-season with the [outdoor cushion care Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-care-winter-storage/).
- ✓ Browse [outdoor cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/outdoor-cushions/) and [porch swing cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/porch-swing-cushions/) for shapes.

## Where the outdoor cloth goes

The same fabric covers regular outdoor cushions, tufted floor cushions and pallet-bench cushions, in any custom size. Tufting is the weak spot: water finds its way in through the tufts even with outdoor fabric, so keep tufted pieces for spots that only see a shower.

Where do your cushions spend the night when it rains?

> **Tailor's margin:** Order one outdoor cushion first to test the fit; the trial took about 5 days of production and 3-4 days of delivery.

> Outdoor cushion fabric that handles rain showers is water-resistant, not sealed; the seams are stitched, so store the cushions indoors off-season.
>
> — Callum

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** Are the outdoor fabrics waterproof or just water-repellent?

**The workshop's answer:** They're water-resistant: they handle rain showers and spills well. For long off-season periods the shop still recommends storing the cushions indoors, as with any outdoor textile.

**A common question:** Are the outdoor cushions waterproof, and is there anything for messy kids indoors?

**The workshop's answer:** The outdoor fabrics are made for outdoor use and are water-repellent, which makes them durable against the elements. For families with messy kids, there are also premium indoor fabric charts that are water-resistant and easy to wipe clean.

**A common question:** Will the inserts and fabric suit outdoor seats and backs?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Outdoor seats and backs get outdoor-suitable inserts, and the cover is the outdoor water-repellent fabric.

**A common question:** Do you make outdoor waterproof cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** Outdoor cushions, yes; waterproof, no. There's a separate water-repellent outdoor fabric chart to pick colors from. For a patio project, one cushion can be ordered first to test the fit; one trial took about 5 days of production and 3-4 days of delivery.

**A common question:** Do you offer waterproof or spill-proof fabric for floor cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** Not waterproof, but water-repellent: the separate outdoor range has its own colors, sent on request, and it can be used for tufted floor cushions or pallet-bench cushions.

## Questions buyers ask next

### Are the seams sealed on outdoor cushions?

No. The seams are standard-stitched, not sealed, which is one reason the fabric is described as water-resistant rather than waterproof. Plan for showers and spills, not for cushions sitting in standing water.

### Can outdoor cushions stay outside all winter?

Not uncovered. They handle sun and rain showers, but the foam isn't quick-dry and there's no mesh drainage bottom as standard, so a covered porch or indoor storage over winter keeps them in shape.

### Can a tufted cushion be made in outdoor fabric?

Yes, but tufting lets water inside even with outdoor fabric. By a pool or fire pit, where cushions really get wet, choose a non-tufted, foam-filled outdoor cushion instead.

## Related at the atelier

- [Waterproof outdoor cushions, honestly: fabric, seams, zippers and foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/): Most outdoor cushions are water-repellent, not waterproof: the fabric beads rain and sheds a shower, but water still gets in through needle holes, zippers and tufting.
- [Is your regular cushion fabric waterproof?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/standard-cushion-fabric-waterproof/): No, the standard cushion fabrics are indoor fabrics and are not waterproof.
- [Do you have a striped fabric that works outdoors?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/striped-outdoor-cushion-fabric/): Yes, striped outdoor cushion fabric is on the outdoor charts: code V-38 is a water-repellent, UV-resistant outdoor stripe.
- [Can you make outdoor cushions 6 inches thick, with ties and no piping?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/custom-thick-outdoor-cushions-ties-no-piping/): Yes, custom outdoor cushions with ties can be made to any size and thickness, including 6 in (15 cm), in water-resistant outdoor fabric.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion in Saffron Stripe: How It Will Age](https://cushionguide.com/readings/saffron-striped-outdoor-cushion-andalusian-masonry-bench/): A striped outdoor acrylic cushion on a masonry bench ages well with three habits: dappled shade, a water-resistant inner cover on the foam, and a dry place in the off-season.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion by the Pool: How Slate Blue Ages](https://cushionguide.com/readings/water-beading-slate-blue-poolside-cushion/): A slate blue water-repellent cushion ages well by a pool as long as you treat it as water-repellent, not waterproof.
- [UV-resistant outdoor cushion fabric compared: solution-dyed acrylic, olefin, polyester](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-fabric-acrylic-olefin-polyester/)

*Fair winds — Callum*

---

Written by Callum Reid (https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/) 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/waterproof-outdoor-cushions-water-resistant-fabric/