---
title: "Church Pew Cushions for Salvaged Pews and Old Settles"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/concepts/church-pew-cushions-at-home/"
section: "Concept Sketches"
author: "Harlan Pruitt, The Elder of High Point"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/"
published: "2026-08-15"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "church pew cushions, pew cushion for home, antique settle cushion, long church bench cushion, velvet pew cushion, curved pew cushion, salvaged church pew bench cushion"
---

# Pew cushions for the church bench that came home with you

*The pew cushion trade was built for parishes. At home it's one pew in the front hall and an old settle by the door. Eight of those benches, and what each asked of its cushion.*

> **The quick answer:** Church pew cushions for a pew at home are made like any long bench cushion: measure the seat itself, take the depth at both ends and the middle, and send a photo. Curved pews need the inner and outer curve and 2 to 3 in (5 to 8 cm) of foam. On shallow, polished seats, order a non-slip base or ties from the start.

![Rust bouclé cushion on a dark oak settle with cream, patchwork and caramel pillows, iron candelabra and pewter jug of wheat](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/rust-boucle-cushion-dark-oak-settle-hallway-1600.webp "A rust bouclé seat on a dark oak settle, softened by three pale pillows and framed by iron candles and wheat.")

## One pew, one family, one cushion

A pew that leaves a church keeps its manners. It still wants you to sit up straight.

Most **church pew cushions** are made for parishes, whole rows at a time. The ones the workshop makes for homes come one at a time: a salvaged pew in a front hall, a high-backed settle in a library corner, an old meeting-house bench in a cottage. They don't come along often.

The pews buyers describe run about 48 to 60 in (122 to 152 cm) long and 13 1/2 to 14 in (34 to 36 cm) deep, and one of them curves. A seat that shallow asks for care with depth, grip and anything you lean on.

The old men in the shop I swept as a boy had a rule: measure the wood, not the pad that wore out on it. Start at the [bench cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bench-cushions/) hub for a plain pew, or the [curved pew answer](https://cushionguide.com/answers/curved-bench-cushion-measure-pew-fire-pit/) if yours bends. Where does your pew stand?

## Eight pews and settles

### 01. Eggplant velvet for a 59 1/2 in pew

![Burgundy bouclé half-hexagon cushion on a cream paneled corner seat beneath a Gothic stone arch with candle and books](https://cushionguide.com/media/trapezoid-cushions/burgundy-boucle-hexagon-seat-gothic-stone-arch-928.webp "A burgundy bouclé cushion cut to a half-hexagon sits beneath a stone arch lit by a single candle.")

A buyer wrote in with a church pew and a clear picture in mind: dark eggplant velvet, a gothic look, 59 1/2 x 13 1/2 in (151 x 34 cm). The workshop's first reply was a question: was the velvet in its main listing photo the one they meant? Screens are poor judges of deep colors.

**The takeaway:** Name the color in words and by its chart number, then hold a swatch against the pew in daylight.

> **Tailor's margin:** Eggplant, plum and wine sit close together on a screen. Hold the velvet swatch against the oak in daylight before you choose.

### 02. Burgundy, 48 by 14 inches, quoted like any bench

One buyer wrote in about a church pew 48 in long and 14 in deep (122 x 36 cm), in burgundy. A straight pew seat is a rectangle, and it was quoted exactly as a bench cushion of that size would be. The word church never moved the number.

**The takeaway:** Price a pew as a bench: by length, depth, thickness, cloth, and any ties, piping or backrest you add.

> **Tailor's margin:** A straight pew seat is a long rectangle. Send length and depth to the quarter inch and it prices like any bench cushion.

### 03. An old pew that curves

A buyer in the US asked whether the workshop would make a curved cushion for an old church pew. Yes, and the workshop asked first for a drawing of the curve with its measurements and a photo of the pew. It wants the inner edge along the front and the outer edge along the back, taken with a flexible tape or a string, plus the straight distance end to end and three depths. The [chord and rise Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/curved-cushion-chord-rise-radius/) shows the geometry.

**The takeaway:** Measure both curves and three depths, or trace the seat on paper, and plan on 2 to 3 in (5 to 8 cm) of foam.

> **Tailor's margin:** Lay a string along the curved front edge, pinch it at both ends, then measure the string flat. Do the back edge the same way.

### 04. A 13 in seat that wouldn't stay put

![Rust bouclé cushion on a dark oak settle with cream, patchwork and caramel pillows, iron candelabra and pewter jug of wheat](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/rust-boucle-cushion-dark-oak-settle-hallway-1600.webp "A rust bouclé seat on a dark oak settle, softened by three pale pillows and framed by iron candles and wheat.")

A buyer messaged the workshop about a seat 61 in long and only 13 in deep (155 x 33 cm), and wanted it slim, 2 to 3 in (5 to 8 cm), to keep clear of the window. It was made to the exact measurements given, and it still slid off the front edge. The workshop offered a remake at cost, a slightly larger size, or a non-slip base. A pew seat is just as shallow, and often polished.

**The takeaway:** On a shallow seat, plan the grip from the start: a non-slip base on smooth wood, ties where there's a rail.

> **Tailor's margin:** Seats 13 to 14 in deep let a cushion creep forward. Order the non-slip base with the cushion, not after it slides.

### 05. Green velvet and two bolsters for arms

![Forest green velvet seat cushion on an antique oak settle with leather-bound books, a mug and a brass floor lamp](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/forest-green-velvet-antique-oak-settle-cushion-928.webp "Forest green velvet softens the seat of an antique oak settle under the beams of a book-lined room.")

A buyer in the US wanted a light green velvet, but that chart carried only one green, so she settled on another shade with piping in a second color. She also wanted a cylinder at each end to lean on, like arms: two [bolsters](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/bolster-pillows/) 17.7 in long and 6 in across (45 x 15 cm), same velvet and piping, added after the seat order.

**The takeaway:** A pew end with no armrest takes a bolster well. Order it with the seat so the velvet comes off one roll.

> **Tailor's margin:** Bolsters for pew ends: give length and diameter, like 17.7 in long and 6 in across, and order them with the seat.

### 06. A meeting-house bench that measured 66 in

A buyer in the US had an old meeting-house bench, 13 x 66 in (33 x 168 cm). No size menu carries that number, so the workshop told them to pick the 13 x 61 in option and it would make it 66. They chose an ice-blue soft fabric with tan linen piping. Mixing two fabric types is fine.

**The takeaway:** Old benches never match a menu. Choose the nearest option and write the true length in the note.

> **Tailor's margin:** Old benches don't match size menus. Pick the nearest option, write the true size in the note, and the cut follows your number.

### 07. A painted bench with wood jutting out at the ends

![Mustard bouclé cushion inside a distressed cream painted settle by a shuttered window with sunflowers and copper pots](https://cushionguide.com/media/bench-cushions/mustard-boucle-cushion-painted-provencal-settle-1600.webp "Mustard bouclé in a chipped cream settle, lit by low sun and matched by a jug of sunflowers.")

A buyer messaged the workshop about a painted bench with wood sticking out at both ends. They chose a warm neutral from the soft-fabric chart, which washes easily, and the cushion went through the custom-shape listing with their photos. At the final check the workshop found a small flaw and remade the cover before it left the workshop. It cost them a few days, and they thanked the workshop for the honesty.

**The takeaway:** Arms, posts and jutting ends make a custom shape. Send photos and let the maker cut around them.

> **Tailor's margin:** A settle with arms or jutting ends is a custom shape, not a rectangle. Photograph each end straight on, tape in the shot.

### 08. The back cushion she decided against

A buyer wrote to the workshop about a small bench, about 45 x 16 in (115 x 40 cm), with a matching back cushion of 45 x 12 in (115 x 30 cm) in lavender. On reflection she dropped the back: it would have eaten too much of a small seat. The workshop had mixed up inches and centimeters in its first reply, and confirmed the units before cutting.

**The takeaway:** A [back cushion](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/backrest-cushions/) takes depth from the seat in front of it. On a 14 in pew, measure what is left for sitting.

> **Tailor's margin:** Every inch of back cushion comes off the seat in front of it. On a shallow pew, measure what's left before you order one.

## When the pew is longer than one cushion

Pews still standing in churches run long. In the pew trade, runners of about 71 to 138 in (1.8 to 3.5 m) are common, and the longer ones come as jointed sections.

The workshop recommends about 79 to 91 in (200 to 230 cm) per piece, often as two equal halves that are easier to lift and wash, though one piece up to 138 in (350 cm) has been made on request; see the [one-piece answer](https://cushionguide.com/answers/longest-single-piece-cushion/). For a built-in run of 141 in (358 cm) the workshop proposed two halves, and the buyer went to a local upholsterer who could sew it whole. Right call, and the workshop said so.

Order both pieces on one day. Each roll of velvet is dyed in its own batch, and a piece cut months later can sit a shade apart. Velvet remembers. The [one piece or two Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/long-bench-cushion-one-piece-or-two/) shows where to split.

## Ties or a non-slip base on old oak

Both keep a cushion on a pew; the wood decides which. The [sliding Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/stop-bench-cushion-sliding-ties-nonslip/) covers both.

| Question | Fabric ties | Non-slip base |
|---|---|---|
| How it holds | Tied around a rail, slat, spindle or leg | A grippy fabric bottom panel that holds by friction, with no adhesive |
| What the pew must offer | Something to tie around; a solid seat between closed ends may offer nothing | A smooth, flat seat, like polished oak or painted wood |
| Where it goes | Sewn into the seams at the corners or back, wherever you mark | The whole underside of the cover, leaving no residue |
| Best for | Turned-leg settles and slatted benches | Shallow pew seats and settles with solid tops |

## If the pew is going back to church

Now and then a pew cushion is headed for a chapel, a parish hall or another public room. Stop there, my friend, and ask before you pick a color.

Insurers and fire codes for public buildings can call for fire-rated foam, with paperwork to prove it. We don't claim that rating for these cushions. Ask the workshop what documents exist for the exact foam and fabric, and let the building's insurer decide; the [commercial seating Pattern](https://cushionguide.com/guides/commercial-cushions-cafe-rental-specs/) lists the questions.

> A pew cushion is priced like any bench cushion of its size. The word church changes the story, not the quote.
>
> — Harlan

> **Tailor's margin:** Order the seat, the back and the bolsters on one day. They come off one roll, and they stay one color for as long as the pew lasts.

## Pew and settle questions

**A common question:** Our old pew has a curved seat. How do we measure it for a cushion?

**The workshop's answer:** Take the inner curve along the front edge and the outer curve along the back with a flexible tape, or lay a string along each and measure it flat. Add the straight distance end to end, the depth at both ends and in the middle, and a photo. The shop recommends 2 to 3 in (5 to 8 cm) for curved benches, redraws the curve for approval, and makes very long curves as matching segments.

**A common question:** What exactly is the non-slip base, and will it leave anything on an old wood finish?

**The workshop's answer:** It replaces the bottom panel of the cover with a grippy non-slip fabric covering the whole underside. It holds by friction, not adhesive, so it leaves no residue and doesn't show once the cushion is down. It's part of the cover, not a separate mat, and can come off the order before production.

**A common question:** The pew sits between two carved ends. How close to my measurements will the cushion come out?

**The workshop's answer:** Handmade cushions can vary by about 1 in (2.5 cm) either way, and long ones vary most. If a size is a hard maximum, say so: when one buyer said 24 in was the absolute limit, the cushion was made at 23 in. Measure thickness only after the foam has fully expanded.

## More about pew cushions at home

### How thick should a church pew cushion be?

The workshop's standard for everyday seating is 4 in (10 cm). A 3 in (7.5 cm) cushion gives a neater, lower line on bench seats, and 2 to 3 in (5 to 8 cm) is the recommendation for curved benches. A pew's seat height is fixed, so try the [seat height calculator](https://cushionguide.com/studio/seat-height-calculator/) before going thicker.

### Can I add a back cushion to a salvaged pew?

Yes, as a separate piece. A back cushion doesn't stand on its own; it leans on the pew back, and fabric ties can hold it to the seat cushion. It also takes depth from a seat that may be only 13 to 14 in (33 to 36 cm) deep.

### What fabric holds up best on a pew that gets daily use?

Velvet or linen. The workshop steers heavy-use buyers toward those two over corduroy, whose ribs can split under hard wear, and velvet is easy to clean. Order a swatch first and see it on the wood. The [velvet page](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/velvet/) covers care.

## Related at the atelier

- [What are the small pillowcases in my sofa box? Is something missing?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/free-gift-pillowcases-no-inserts/): Nothing is missing: the small zippered pillowcases in your box are a free gift.
- [Custom cushions for New Brunswick homes, cottages and coastal porches](https://cushionguide.com/places/custom-cushions-new-brunswick/): Custom cushions in New Brunswick should fit old, out-of-square houses and survive fog, snow and a short porch season.
- [How much is a seat cushion with a matching back cushion?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/seat-and-back-cushion-set-price/): A seat cushion and its matching back are priced separately, each by its own size, so select the closest sizes on the listing to see both, then order them together.
- [Star floor cushion in pencil stripe for a mauve playroom](https://cushionguide.com/readings/monochrome-pencil-stripe-star-pouf-mauve-playroom/): A black-and-white pencil stripe star floor cushion suits a playroom with strongly colored walls, because the stripe adds rhythm without a competing color.
- [Sage corduroy corner floor cushion for long reading afternoons](https://cushionguide.com/readings/sage-corduroy-corner-floor-cushion-book-ledge/): A quarter-round corner floor cushion in a soft cloth like corduroy makes a reading nook a child will stay in: pillows against the walls for a back, books within arm's reach, and a mid-tone like sage…
- [What if my fabric code is discontinued or no longer on the chart?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/discontinued-fabric-code-alternatives/): A fabric code missing from the chart is not always discontinued: some codes are dropped only because they're chosen less often and stay in stock to order.
- [How to measure a curved cushion with a chord, a rise and one formula](https://cushionguide.com/guides/curved-cushion-chord-rise-radius/)
- [How to measure a bench for a custom cushion (the bench, not the old pad)](https://cushionguide.com/guides/how-to-measure-bench-for-cushion/)

*Sit well. — Harlan*

---

Written by Harlan Pruitt (https://cushionguide.com/masters/harlan/) 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/concepts/church-pew-cushions-at-home/