---
title: "Water-Repellent Cushion Fabric: Membrane Weaves for Outdoors"
url: "https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/water-repellent-membrane/"
section: "The Swatch Library"
author: "Callum Reid, The Weather Man of Casco Bay"
author_url: "https://cushionguide.com/masters/callum/"
published: "2026-04-14"
updated: "2026-09-24"
keywords: "water-repellent cushion fabric, outdoor cushion fabric, water-repellent vs waterproof cushions, striped outdoor cushions, patio cushion care"
---

# Water-repellent membrane fabrics for porch, patio and pool cushions

*Rain beads up on this cloth and rolls off the edge. It will not keep a week of storms out of a badly built cushion, and nobody should tell you otherwise. Here's where the family earns its keep.*

> **The quick answer:** Water-repellent membrane fabric sheds rain and wipes clean, but it is water-resistant, not waterproof, so it suits patios, porches, balconies and pool loungers when the cushion is built plainly and stored dry. Order outdoor cushions without tufting, since tufted cushions let water in. Covers unzip and wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle, and a fabric protectant spray is recommended.

![Salmon and white striped seat pads tied with bows to black iron bistro chairs on a Paris balcony](https://cushionguide.com/media/dining-chair-cushions/salmon-stripe-tie-on-pads-paris-balcony-iron-chairs-1600.webp "Wrought-iron chairs on a Haussmann balcony get square striped pads in clay salmon, tied on with bows.")

## The look and the feel: stripes that shed a shower

Water sits up in beads on a membrane fabric before it runs off. That's the whole trick, and it's a good one on a patio bench after a summer shower.

To the eye, this family is the striped end of the wall. The HM chart runs 39 codes of stripes, checks and solids, houndstooth included, and the photographs add awning stripes, pinstripes and a small aqua microcheck. Most of our indoor charts are plain colors, so this is where people come when they want a porch to look like a porch.

The face is smooth and close. The sage box cushion in the close-up wears [self piping](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#self-piping), so the stripe runs right to the edge and the welt disappears into it.

## Where it works best: patios, balconies, pool decks and chair pads

The photographs tell you where this cloth lives. Salmon-striped tie-on pads on black iron bistro chairs, knotted in bows. A white box cushion with black pinstripes on an oak bench against painted brick. A sage seat and two back cushions on a teak two-seater. Dusty rose and white on a pool lounger.

That's the job list: [patio and porch cushions](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/patio-and-porch-cushions/), [chaise and sunbed pads](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/chaise-and-sunbed-cushions/), outdoor benches and small chair pads with ties. The same stripes come indoors, too. One photo shows powder blue and white on a window seat in a white paneled alcove, and a [sunroom](https://cushionguide.com/cushions/sunroom-cushions/) can take the same idea.

For a seat that bakes in full sun every day, compare [outdoor acrylic](https://cushionguide.com/fabrics/outdoor-acrylic/) before you decide.

## Durability in weather: repellent is not waterproof

Water-repellent is a promise; waterproof is a contract. This family makes the promise. A spray rating of ISO 3 means [water-resistant](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#water-repellent), not [waterproof](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#waterproof-fabric), and that's the honest word for it. Leave a cushion under steady rain for days and the water will find a way in.

So build around that, friend. Outdoors, order a plain foam cushion with no [tufting](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#tufting). Tufted cushions let water in even when they're sewn in outdoor fabric. Outdoor quotes assume 4 in (10 cm) of thickness, and thicker costs more.

The fabric is one layer of the answer. The foam, the build and where the cushion spends a wet night are the rest, and [water-repellent vs waterproof cushions](https://cushionguide.com/guides/water-repellent-vs-waterproof-cushions/) walks the whole system. If yours will sit out uncovered, read up on [dry-fast foam](https://cushionguide.com/guides/dry-fast-foam-outdoor-cushions/) before you order.

## Care and washing, and where the cushions spend winter

- ✓ Unzip the cover from the underside and take it off the foam completely.
- ✓ Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) at most, on a gentle or delicate cycle. The 30 on the care note is Celsius, not Fahrenheit.
- ✓ Use a mild detergent and no bleach, and turn the cover inside out if you can.
- ✓ Air dry it. The tumble dryer stays off.
- ✓ Keep a can of fabric protectant spray with the patio things; the workshop recommends one for outdoor cushions.
- ✓ Store the cushions indoors for the off-season. The [winter storage notes](https://cushionguide.com/guides/outdoor-cushion-care-winter-storage/) cover the rest.

## Color notes: stripes in daylight and on a screen

Across the two swatch cards the palette runs gray, sand, taupe, sage, forest green, aqua, powder blue, navy and coral. Stripes and checks are harder to judge than a solid, because two colors mix in the eye from across the yard.

Sunlight and camera angle can make one tone look a shade off between photos. It's the same fabric. If a cushion in one of our pictures is the one you want, send a screenshot of that exact photo and the workshop names the fabric and piping codes. Then order [swatches first](https://cushionguide.com/guides/fabric-swatches-before-ordering/) and look at them outside, at noon and again at dusk.

One question to settle before you order: which way should the stripes run on your bench, front to back or end to end? Most rolls are about 55 in (140 cm) wide, which sets how large one piece can be, and [stripe direction](https://cushionguide.com/guides/striped-cushion-stripe-direction/) explains the trade.

## Membrane fabric compared with the indoor charts

|   | Water-repellent membrane | Performance weave | Linen-look | Velvet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Where it lives | Patio, porch, balcony, pool deck | Indoors: kids, rentals, daily use | Indoors | Indoors |
| Rain | [yes] Water-repellent, not waterproof | [no] Wipeable, but an indoor cloth | [no] | [no] |
| Pattern | Stripes, checks, houndstooth, solids | Mostly plain colors | Mostly plain colors | Solids, some patterned velvets |
| Price tier | Above the standard charts | Standard | Standard | Standard |
| Washing | 86°F (30°C), gentle | 86°F (30°C); wipes clean between washes | 86°F (30°C), gentle | 86°F (30°C), gentle |

Standard means the shared price of the linen-look, velvet and performance charts; outdoor fabrics cost more.

## The ties that got lost in the size box

Here's a mistake that keeps repeating. A buyer orders chair pads or a bench cushion for outside and types 'with ties' into the box meant for dimensions. The size gets read. The note doesn't. The cushions arrive bare, and they don't stay where they're put.

Ties and straps aren't standard. They're added when asked for, clearly. When a request slipped through, the workshop refunded the add-on, sent matching fabric and thread so ties could be sewn on, or paid part of a local tailor's bill.

A slick teak or iron seat makes it worse, since a cushion with nothing to grip will travel. [Ties](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#ties) or a [non-slip base](https://cushionguide.com/glossary/#non-slip-base) settle it. Write the ties into the order note with position, length and color, then look for them in the photo the workshop sends before dispatch. [Tie placement](https://cushionguide.com/guides/cushion-tie-placement-chairs-swings/) shows the positions that hold on chairs and swings.

> A spray rating of ISO 3 means a cushion fabric is water-resistant, not waterproof. Build the patio cushion plainly and bring the cushion indoors when the season ends.
>
> — Callum

> **Tailor's margin:** Patio cushion rule: no button tufting, a fabric protectant spray, and indoor storage for the off-season. Outdoor quotes assume a 4 in (10 cm) thickness.

## Buyer questions

**A common question:** How do I wash an outdoor cushion cover, and is the 30 degrees on the label Fahrenheit?

**The workshop's answer:** Celsius. Unzip the cover, take it off the foam and turn it inside out if you can. Machine wash at 86°F (30°C) at most on a gentle, delicate or cold cycle with a mild detergent and no bleach. Air dry it instead of tumble drying, and iron on low only if needed.

**A common question:** Do you have striped or checked fabrics, or only plain colors?

**The workshop's answer:** The core range is mostly plain, solid colors, but stripes (beige and white, black and white), plaid and tartan in brown, green, blue and red tones, oriental designs and patterned velvets sit on extra charts the workshop shares on request. A print you found elsewhere can sometimes be sourced from a photo, at a higher price than standard fabrics.

**A common question:** Which fabric and piping are on the striped cushion in your photo?

**The workshop's answer:** Send a screenshot of that exact photo, since listings show several cushions, and the workshop names both codes. You can also ask for your order to copy the photo's colorway. If an older photo uses codes that have since been renumbered, write 'same as the first picture'. Sunlight and camera angle can shift a tone slightly, but it is the same fabric.

**A common question:** Can I buy extra fabric by the yard to match my patio cushions?

**The workshop's answer:** Yes. Samples and cut lengths are sold through the fabric listing, and larger pieces through a custom order link: send the fabric code and the length you need for a quote, and the fabric can ship with your cushions. Most rolls are about 55 in (140 cm) wide and some 79 in (200 cm), which sets the largest single piece.

**A common question:** Do the covers come off completely, or is anything sewn shut?

**The workshop's answer:** Every cover has a zipper on the underside, where it stays hidden, and comes off the foam completely, whether you bought a full cushion or a cover only. The fabrics machine wash at 86°F (30°C) on a gentle cycle; air dry them. Button-tufted cushions are the one exception: their covers are sewn through and don't come off.

## Weather questions, asked next

### Can water-repellent cushions stay outside all season?

Through the season, yes, as long as you treat water-repellent as water-resistant rather than waterproof. Choose plain cushions without tufting, use a fabric protectant spray, and store them indoors when the season ends. A cushion left under days of steady rain will take water in.

### Why won't the workshop tuft an outdoor cushion?

Because tufted cushions let water in even when they are made in outdoor fabric. The buttons are sewn straight through the cushion, and every one is a way in for rain. Outdoors, a plain zippered cushion is the build to order.

### How thick should a patio seat cushion be?

Outdoor quotes assume 4 in (10 cm) of thickness. Other thicknesses can be quoted, and thicker costs more. Before going deeper, check the seat height so knees, table and armrests still line up with the cushion in place.

### Can I use an outdoor stripe on an indoor window seat or sunroom bench?

Yes. Stripes and checks from the outdoor charts work indoors too; the gallery here includes a powder blue and white striped window seat in a white paneled alcove. Outdoor fabrics cost more than the standard indoor charts, so choose them indoors when the look or the light calls for it.

## Related at the atelier

- [Chair Cushion with Ties for Bistro Chairs: Salmon Check Pads](https://cushionguide.com/readings/salmon-check-bistro-chair-pads-parisian-balcony/): A chair cushion with ties suits a folding bistro chair when the pad is shallow, cut to the seat's shape and tied at the back legs so it stays put through folding.
- [Outdoor Bench Cushion Measuring: Coral, Slate and Gray Stack](https://cushionguide.com/readings/coral-slate-gray-outdoor-cushion-stack-lavender-2/): An outdoor bench cushion is measured as three numbers: length along the front, depth from front to back, and thickness, written separately for every piece.
- [How long do outdoor cushions last before they need replacing?](https://cushionguide.com/answers/how-long-do-outdoor-cushions-last/): Outdoor cushions typically last about 2 to 5 years, by makers' published estimates.

*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/fabrics/water-repellent-membrane/